THE LORD OF THE RINGS
by
J。 R。 R。 TOLKIEN
Part 1： The Fellowship of the Ring
Part 2： The Two Towers
Part 3： The Return of the King
_plete with Index and Full Appendices_
_Three Rings for the Elven…kings under the sky；
Seven for the Dwarf…lords in their halls of stone；
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die；
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie。
One Ring to rule them all； One Ring to find them；
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie。_
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
PROLOGUE
1。 Concerning Hobbits
2。 Concerning Pipe…weed
3。 Of the Ordering of the Shire
4。 Of the Finding of the Ring
Note on the Shire records
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Book I
Chapter 1 A Long…expected Party
Chapter 2 The Shadow of the Past
Chapter 3 Three is pany
Chapter 4 A Short Cut to Mushrooms
Chapter 5 A Conspiracy Unmasked
Chapter 6 The Old Forest
Chapter 7 In the House of Tom Bombadil
Chapter 8 Fog on the Barrow…Downs
Chapter 9 At the Sign of The Prancing Pony
Chapter 10 Strider
Chapter 11 A Knife in the DarkChapter 12 Flight to the Ford
Book II
Chapter 1 Many MeetingsChapter 2 The Council of ElrondChapter 3 The Ring Goes SouthChapter 4 A Journey in the DarkChapter 5 The Bridge of Khazad…d。mChapter 6 LothlórienChapter 7 The Mirror of GaladrielChapter 8 Farewell to LórienChapter 9 The Great RiverChapter 10 The Breaking of the Fellowship
THE TWO TOWERS
Book III
Chapter 1 The Departure of BoromirChapter 2 The Riders of RohanChapter 3 The Uruk…HaiChapter 4 TreebeardChapter 5 The White RiderChapter 6 The King of the Golden HallChapter 7 Helm's DeepChapter 8 The Road to IsengardChapter 9 Flotsam and JetsamChapter 10 The Voice of SarumanChapter 11 The Palantyr
Book IV
Chapter 1 The Taming of SméagolChapter 2 The Passage of the MarshesChapter 3 The Black Gate is ClosedChapter 4 Of Herbs and Stewed RabbitChapter 5 The Window on the WestChapter 6 The Forbidden PoolChapter 7 Journey to the Cross…roadsChapter 8 The Stairs of Cirith UngolChapter 9 Shelob's LairChapter 10 The Choices of Master Samwise
THE RETURN OF THE KING
Book V
Chapter 1 Minas TirithChapter 2 The Passing of the Grey panyChapter 3 The Muster of RohanChapter 4 The Siege of GondorChapter 5 The Ride of the RohirrimChapter 6 The Battle of the Pelennor FieldsChapter 7 The Pyre of DenethorChapter 8 The Houses of HealingChapter 9 The Last Debate
Chapter 10 The Black Gate Opens
Book VI
Chapter 1 The Tower of Cirith Ungol
Chapter 2 The Land of Shadow
Chapter 3 Mount Doom
Chapter 4 The Field of Cormallen
Chapter 5 The Steward and the King
Chapter 6 Many Partings
Chapter 7 Homeward Bound
Chapter 8 The Scouring of the Shire
Chapter 9 The Grey Havens
APPENDICES
A ANNALS OF THE KINGS AND RULERS
I The Númenorean Kings
（I） Númenor
（II） The Realms In Exile
（III） Eriador； Arnor； and The Heirs Of Isildur
（IV） Gondor and The Heirs Of An。rion
（V） Here Follows a Part of The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen
II THE HOUSE OF EORL
III DURIN'S FOLK
Here follows one of the last notes in the Red Book
B THE TALE OF YEARS （CHRONOLOGY OF THE WESTLANDS）
The Second Age
The Third Age
C FAMILY TREES
D CALENDARS
SHIRE CALENDAR FOR USE IN ALL YEARS
THE CALENDARS
E WRITING AND SPELLING
I Pronunciation of Words and Names
II Writing
F
I The Languages and Peoples of The Third Age
II On Translation
INDEXES
I Songs and Verses
II Persons； Beasts and MonstersIII Places
IV Things
FOREWORD
This tale grew in the telling； until it became a history of the Great War ofthe Ring and included many glimpses of the yet more ancient history thatpreceded it。 It was begun soon after _The Hobbit_ was written and before itspublication in 1937； but I did not go on with this sequel； for I wished firstto plete and set in order the mythology and legends of the Elder Days；
which had then been taking shape for some years。 I desired to do this for myown satisfaction； and I had little hope that other people would be interestedin this work； especially since it was primarily linguistic in inspiration andwas begun in order to provide the necessary background of 'history' for Elvishtongues。
When those whose advice and opinion I sought corrected _little hope_ to_no hope；_ I went back to the sequel； encouraged by requests from readers formore information concerning hobbits and their adventures。 But the story wasdrawn irresistibly towards the older world； and became an account； as it were；
of its end and passing away before its beginning and middle had been told。 Theprocess had begun in the writing of _The Hobbit；_ in which there were alreadysome references to the older matter： Elrond； Gondolin； the High…elves； and theorcs； as well as glimpses that had arisen unbidden of things higher or deeperor darker than its surface： Durin； Moria； Gandalf； the Necromancer； the Ring。
The discovery of the significance of these glimpses and of their relation tothe ancient histories revealed the Third Age and its culmination in the War ofthe Ring。
Those who had asked for more information about hobbits eventually got it；
but they had to wait a long time； for the position of _The Lord of theRings_ went on at intervals during the years 1936 to 1949； a period in which Ihad many duties that I did not neglect； and many other interests as a learnerand teacher that often absorbed me。 The delay was； of course； also increasedby the outbreak of war in 1939； by the end of which year the tale had not yetreached the end of Book One。 In spite of the darkness of the next five years Ifound that the story could not now be wholly abandoned； and I plodded on；
mostly by night； till I stood by Balin's tomb in Moria。 There I halted for along while。 It was almost a year later when I went on and so came toLothlórien and the Great River late in 1941。 In the next year I wrote thefirst drafts of the matter that now stands as Book Three； and the beginningsof chapters I and III of Book Five； and there as the beacons flared in Anórienand Théoden came to Harrowdale I stopped。 Foresight had failed and there wasno time for thought。
It was during 1944 that； leaving the loose ends and perplexities of a warwhich it was my task to conduct； or at least to report； 1 forced myself totackle the journey of Frodo to Mordor。 These chapters； eventually to beeBook Four； were written and sent out as a serial to my son； Christopher； thenin South Africa with the RAF。 Nonetheless it took another five years beforethe tale was brought to its present end； in that time I changed my house； mychair； and my college； and the days though less dark were no less laborious。
Then when the 'end' had at last been reached the whole story had to berevised； and indeed largely re…written backwards。 And it had to be typed； andre…typed： by me； the cost of professional typing by the ten…fingered wasbeyond my means。
_The Lord of the Rings_ has been read by many people since it finallyappeared in print； and I should like to say something here with reference tothe many opinions or guesses that I have received or have read concerning themotives and meaning of the tale。 The prime motive was the desire of a taleteller
to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention ofreaders； amuse them； delight them； and at times maybe excite them or deeplymove them。 As a guide I had only my own feelings for what is appealing or
moving； and for many the guide was inevitably often at fault。 Some who haveread the book； or at any rate have reviewed it； have found it boring； absurd；
or contemptible； and I have no cause to plain； since I have similaropinions of their works； or of the kinds of writing that they evidentlyprefer。 But even from the points of view of many who have enjoyed my storythere is much that fails to please。 It is perhaps not possible in a long taleto please everybody at all points； nor to displease everybody at the samepoints； for I find from the letters that I have received that the passages orchapters that are to some a blemish are all by others specially approved。 Themost critical reader of all； myself； now finds many defects； minor and major；
but being fortunately under no obligation either to review the book or towrite it again； he will pass over these in silence； except one that has beennoted by others： the book is too short。
As for any inner meaning or 'message'； it has in the intention of theauthor none。 It is neither allegorical nor topical。 As the story grew it putdown roots （into the past） and threw out unexpected branches： but its maintheme was settled from the outset by the inevitable choice of the Ring as thelink between it and _The Hobbit。_ The crucial chapter； 〃The Shadow of thePast'； is one of the oldest parts of the tale。 It was written long before theforeshadow of 1939 had yet bee a threat of inevitable disaster； and fromthat point the story would have developed along essentially the same lines； ifthat disaster had been averted。 Its sources are things long before in mind； orin some cases already written； and little or nothing in it was modified by thewar that began in 1939 or its sequels。
The real war does not resemble the legendary war in its process or itsconclusion。 If it had inspired or directed the development of the legend； thencertainly the Ring would have been seized and used against Sauron； he wouldnot have been annihilated but enslaved； and Barad…d。r would not have beendestroyed but occupied。 Saruman； failing to get possession of the Ring； wouldm the confusion and treacheries of the time have found in Mordor the missinglinks in his own researches into Ring…lore； and before long he would have madea Great Ring of his own with which to challenge the self…styled Ruler ofMiddle…earth。 In that conflict both sides would have held hobbits in hatred
and contempt： they would not long have survived even as slaves。
Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views ofthose who like allegory or topical reference。 But I cordially dislike allegoryin all its manifestations； and always have done so since I grew old and waryenough to detect its presence。 I much prefer history； true or feigned； withits varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers。 I thinkthat many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'； but the one resides in thefreedom of the reader； and the other in the purposed domination of the author。
An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience；
but the ways in which a story…germ uses the soil of experience are extremelyplex； and attempts to define the process are at best guesses from evidencethat is inadequate and ambiguous。 It is also false； though naturallyattractive； when the lives of an author and critic have overlapped； to supposethat the movements of thought or the events of times mon to both werenecessarily the most powerful influences。 One has indeed personally to eunder the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression； but as the years go byit seems now often forgotten that to be caught in youth by 1914 was no lesshideous an experience than to be involved in 1939 and the following years。 By1918 all but one of my close friend