It is the 34th month of the eighth age and we are in a small village far to the west. It is a cold and dark night that is only lit by the full moon. Strange black shapes sneak through the country, but unfortunately that is not unusual at this time, because there are rumors about large shadows that are supposed to approach from the north. But today these shadows were those who sat that evening in the inn at the green dragon, and drank and celebrated, it didn't matter. Because today was the day on which they celebrated the great festival of their people every year, but what they did not know was that today was also the day, or rather the night, in which the end of the eighth age should begin. Now some people will surely ask themselves which people are talking about and which day they celebrated. It would take too much time and space to explain it in more detail, but I want to convey the most important thing to you.First of all, this very happy people are hobbits, who most of them will probably know from the story of the War of the Ring at the end of the third age. At that time the young Frodo Baggins had received the one ring from his uncle Bilbo and was with nine companions, among them Aragorn Isildur's heir, stripped from Rivendell to destroy it. But I don't want to digress too far, so back to the hobbits. They live, as they did in the times of the War of the Ring, in the Shire and our story began in Hobbiton, where now, in the green dragon, the day is celebrated when Frodo Baggins, the best known of all hobbits, once threw Sauron's master ring into the fires of Mount Doom. However, we now want to take a closer look at a hobbit who was sitting with his 2 friends in the green dragon and drinking beer. His name is, how could it be otherwise, Baggins, Bilbo Baggins. Some may be familiar with the name, because Bilbo was named after one of his ancestors and that was not just any ancestor.Bilbo was the first hobbit to go on an adventure. Bilbo and his friends Drogo Tuck and Mungo Brandywein were all around 30 years old, so relatively young for hobbits. They were sitting and talking about all sorts of things when the door of the inn opened and a figure in a gray cloak entered. Immediately there was silence among the hobbits, no one dared to speak. Then the figure spoke up and asked: “Are the young gentlemen Bilbo Baggins, Drogo Tuck and Mungo Brandywein present? "Bilbo and his friends got up and walked towards the figure, of course the three knew who this figure was, but they didn't want to say it openly. The hobbits and the hooded man left the green dragon and went up to Bag End. When she reached the cave, Bilbo greeted the figure: "Gandalf, I hadn't expected you at all. What brings you to us in the Aueland?"Hopefully there isn't any bad news from the white city, or has something even happened in the Mirkwood with the Elves? "My dear Bilbo, don't be so impatient. You will find out everything in good time." said Gandalf soberly and the hobbits looked at him disappointed. Gandalf leaned down to the three and whispered something into their hobbit ears that immediately made them happier. The hobbits grinned. Drogo and Mungo left the bag end and ran into their caves that were a little further down the Bühl. Young Bilbo ran into a back room and quickly began to pack. Apparently Gandalf wanted to take the hobbits with him on their travels.
After about half an hour Bilbo came into the kitchen where Gandalf was sitting smoking a pipe. When the hobbit entered the room, the wizard looked up and rose. He went towards the exit and Bilbo followed him, they went down the Bühl to the place where Drogo and Mungo, who were already waiting for them outside, lived.They went on, at the green kite, where people looked out and asked where they were going. Gandalf led them over the brandy wine bridge and past the old forest. The hobbits thought he was going to Bree with them, and they should be right. When the group was seated at the Prancing Pony Inn, Gandalf spoke. "Now, my friends, I would like to tell you about us on our journey." The hobbits listened intently as he continued. "Unfortunately, I have some good news for you. You probably know that Legolas the King of the Elves from the Mirkwood had made his way to Rivendell to Elrond to take part in the high council of the peoples of Middle-earth. Well, and he told me that he would like to see you there as representatives for the Shire. "They were amazed when Gandalf announced this to them , because they had never known Legolas personally and he of all people, the greatest of all Elf Kings, knew of their existence surprised them.But before either of them could say anything, the wizard started again. “I can see on your faces that you are wondering where Legolas knows you from and why he wants you there and to explain this to you is now my job. You know that Frodo Baggins went out during the great war to destroy one ring. This is not yet a reason to choose you, but you also know that Frodo left Rivendell with nine companions and Legolas was among these companions. Since that time he has asked me to keep him informed of anything going on in the Shire, and I did. He has known the three of you practically since you were born from my reports. Because even if I wasn't with you too often, I was always able to keep a good overview of your activities from Isengard.