Gandalf paused。 'And there in the dark pools amid the Gladden Fields；' hesaid； 'the Ring passed out of knowledge and legend； and even so much of itshistory is known now only to a few； and the Council of the Wise could discoverno more。 But at last I can carry on the story； I think。
'Long after； but still very long ago； there lived by the banks of theGreat River on the edge of Wilderland a clever…handed and quiet…footed littlepeople。 I guess they were of hobbit…kind； akin to the fathers of the fathersof the Stoors； for they loved the River； and often swam in it； or made littleboats of reeds。 There was among them a family of high repute； for it was largeand wealthier than most； and it was ruled by a grandmother of the folk； sternand wise in old lore； such as they had。 The most inquisitive and curious…
minded of that family was called Sméagol。 He was interested in roots andbeginnings； he dived into deep pools； he burrowed under trees and growingplants； he tunnelled into green mounds； and he ceased to look up at the hilltops；
or the leaves on trees； or the flowers opening in the air： his head andhis eyes were downward。
'He had a friend called Déagol； of similar sort； sharper…eyed but not soquick and strong。 On a time they took a boat and went down to the GladdenFields； where there were great beds of iris and flowering reeds。 There Sméagolgot out and went nosing about the banks but Deal sat in the boat and fished。
Suddenly a great fish took his hook； and before he knew where he was； he wasdragged out and down into the water； to the bottom。 Then he let go of hisline； for he thought he saw something shining in the river…bed； and holdinghis breath he grabbed at it。
'Then up he came spluttering； with weeds in his hair and a handful ofmud； and he swam to the bank。 And behold！ when he washed the mud away； therein his hand lay a beautiful golden ring； and it shone and glittered in thesun； so that his heart was glad。 But Sméagol had been watching him from behinda tree； and as Deal gloated over the ring； Sméagol came softly up behind。
'〃Give us that； Deal； my love；〃 said Sméagol； over his friend's shoulder。
'〃Why？〃 said Deal。
' 〃Because it's my birthday； my love； and I wants it；〃 said Sméagol。
'〃I don't care；〃 said Deal。 〃I have given you a present already； morethan I could afford。 I found this； and I'm going to keep it。〃
' 〃Oh； are you indeed； my love；〃 said Sméagol； and he caught Deal by thethroat and strangled him； because the gold looked so bright and beautiful。
Then he put the ring on his finger。
'No one ever found out what had bee of Deal； he was murdered far fromhome； and his body was cunningly hidden。 But Sméagol returned alone； and hefound that none of his family could see him； when he was wearing the ring。 Hewas very pleased with his discovery and he concealed it； and he used it tofind out secrets； and he put his knowledge to crooked and malicious uses。 Hebecame sharp…eyed and keen…eared for all that was hurtful。 The ring had givenhim power according to his stature。 It is not to be wondered at that he becamevery unpopular and was shunned （when visible） by all his relations。 Theykicked him； and he bit their feet。 He took to thieving； and going aboutmuttering to himself； and gurgling in his throat。 So they called him _Gollum；_
and cursed him； and told him to go far away； and his grandmother； desiringpeace； expelled him from the family and turned him out of her hole。
'He wandered in loneliness； weeping a little for the hardness of theworld； and he journeyed up the River； till he came to a stream that floweddown from the mountains； and he went that way。 He caught fish in deep poolswith invisible fingers and ate them raw。 One day it was very hot； and as hewas bending over a pool； he felt a burning on the back of his head） and adazzling light from the water pained his wet eyes。 He wondered at it； for hehad almost forgotten about the Sun。 Then for the last time he looked up andshook his fist at her。
'But as he lowered his eyes； he saw far above the tops of the MistyMountains； out of which the stream came。 And he thought suddenly： 〃It would becool and shady under those mountains。 The Sun could not watch me there。 Theroots of those mountains must be roots indeed； there must be great secretsburied there which have not been discovered since the beginning。〃
'So he journeyed by night up into the highlands； and he found a little
cave out of which the dark stream ran； and he wormed his way like a maggotinto the heart of the hills； and vanished out of all knowledge。 The Ring wentinto the shadows with him； and even the maker； when his power had begun togrow again； could learn nothing of it。'
'Gollum！' cried Frodo。 'Gollum？ Do you mean that this is the very Gollumcreature
that Bilbo met？ How loathsome！'
'I think it is a sad story；' said the wizard； 'and it might have happenedto others； even to some hobbits that I have known。'
'I can't believe that Gollum was connected with hobbits； howeverdistantly；' said Frodo with some heat。 'What an abominable notion！'
'It is true all the same；' replied Gandalf。 'About their origins； at anyrate； I know more than hobbits do themselves。 And even Bilbo's story suggeststhe kinship。 There was a great deal in the background of their minds andmemories that was very similar。 They understood one another remarkably well；
very much better than a hobbit would understand； say； a Dwarf； or an Orc； oreven an Elf。 Think of the riddles they both knew； for one thing。'
'Yes；' said Frodo。 'Though other folks besides hobbits ask riddles； andof much the same sort。 And hobbits don't cheat。 Gollum meant to cheat all the
time。 He was just trying to put poor Bilbo off his guard。 And I daresay itamused his wickedness to start a game which might end in providing him with aneasy victim； but if he lost would not hurt him。'
'Only too true； I fear；' said Gandalf。 'But there was something else init； I think； which you don't see yet。 Even Gollum was not wholly ruined。 Hehad proved tougher than even one of the Wise would have guessed …as a hobbitmight。 There was a little corner of his mind that was still his own； and lightcame through it； as through a chink in the dark： light out of the past。 It wasactually pleasant； I think； to hear a kindly voice again； bringing up memoriesof wind； and trees； and sun on the grass； and such forgotten things。
'But that； of course； would only make the evil part of him angrier in theend – unless it could be conquered。 Unless it could be cured。' Gandalf sighed。
'Alas！ there is little hope of that for him。 Yet not no hope。 No； not thoughhe possessed the Ring so long； almost as far back as he can remember。 For itwas long since he had worn it much： in the black darkness it was seldomneeded。 Certainly he had never 〃faded〃。 He is thin and tough still。 But thething was eating up his mind； of course； and the torment had bee almostunbearable。
'All the 〃great secrets〃 under the mountains had turned out to be justempty night： there was nothing more to find out； nothing worth doing； onlynasty furtive eating and resentful remembering。 He was altogether wretched。 Hehated the dark； and he hated light more： he hated everything； and the Ringmost of all。'
'What do you mean？' said Frodo。 'Surely the Ring was his precious and theonly thing he cared for？ But if he hated it； why didn't he get rid of it； orgo away and leave it？'
'You ought to begin to understand； Frodo； after all you have heard；' saidGandalf。 'He hated it and loved it； as he hated and loved himself。 He couldnot get rid of it。 He had no will left in the matter。
'A Ring of Power looks after itself； Frodo。 _It_ may slip offtreacherously； but its keeper never abandons it。 At most he plays with theidea of handing it on to someone else's care – and that only at an earlystage； when it first begins to grip。 But as far as I know Bilbo alone inhistory has ever gone beyond playing； and really done it。 He needed all myhelp； too。 And even so he would never have just forsaken it； or cast it aside。
It was not Gollum； Frodo； but the Ring itself that decided things。 The Ringleft _him。'_
'What； just in time to meet Bilbo？' said Frodo。 'Wouldn't an Orc havesuited it better？'
'It is no laughing matter；' said Gandalf。 'Not for you。 It was thestrangest event in the whole history of the Ring so far： Bilbo's arrival just
at that time； and putting his hand on it； blindly； in the dark。
'There was more than one power at work； Frodo。 The Ring was trying to getback to its master。 It had slipped from Isildur's hand and betrayed him； thenwhen a chance came it caught poor Deal； and he was murdered； and after thatGollum； and it had devoured him。 It could make no further use of him： he wastoo small and mean； and as long as it stayed with him he would never leave hisdeep pool again。 So now； when its master was awake once more and sending outhis dark thought from Mirkwood； it abandoned Gollum。 Only to be picked up bythe most unlikely person imaginable： Bilbo from the Shire！
'Behind that there was something else at work； beyond any design of theRing…maker。 I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was _meant_tofind the Ring； and _not_ by its maker。 In which case you also were _meant_tohave it。 And that maybe an encouraging thought。'
It is not；' said Frodo。 〃Though I am not sure that I understand you。 Buthow have you learned all this about the Ring； and about Gollum？ Do you reallyknow it all； or are you just guessing still？'
Gandalf looked at Frodo； and his eyes glinted。 I knew much and I havelearned much；' he answered。 'But I am not going to give an account of all mydoings to _you。_ The history of Elendil and Isildur and the One Ring is knownto all the Wise。 Your ring is shown to be that One Ring by the fire…writingalone； apart from any other evidence。' 'And when did you discover that？' askedFrodo； interrupting。 'Just now in this room； of course；' answered the wizardsharply。 'But I expected to find it。 I have e back from dark journeys andlong search to make that final test。 It is the last proof； and all is now onlytoo clear。 Making out Gollum's part； and fitting it into the gap in thehistory； required some thought。 I may have started with guesses about Gollum；
but I am not guessing now。 I know。 I have seen him。'
'You have seen Gollum？' exclaimed Frodo in amazement。
'Yes。 The obvious thing to do； of course； if one could。 I tried long ago；
but I have managed it at last。'
'Then what happened after Bilbo escaped from him？ Do you know that？'
'Not so clearly。 What I have told you is what Gollum was willing to tell
– though not； of course； in the way I have reported it。 Gollum is a liar； andyou have to sift his words。 For instance； he called the Ring his 〃birthdaypresent〃； and he stuck to that。 He said it came from his grandmother； who hadlots of beautiful things of that kind。 A ridiculous story。 I have no doubtthat Sméagol's grandmother was a matriarch； a great person in her way； but totalk of her possessing many Elven…rings was absurd； and as for giving themaway； it was a lie。 But a lie with a grain of truth。
'The murder of Deal haunted Gollum； and he had made up a defence；
repeating it to his 〃precious〃 over and over again； as he gnawed bones in thedark； until he almost believed it。 It _was