warves could do that。 It has been said that dragon…firecould melt and consume the Rings of Power； but there is not now any dragonleft on earth in which the old fire is hot enough； nor was there ever anydragon； not even Ancalagon the Black； who could have harmed the One Ring； theRuling Ring； for that was made by Sauron himself。 There is only one way： tofind the Cracks of Doom in the depths of Orodruin； the Fire…mountain； and castthe Ring in there； if you really wish to destroy it； to put it beyond thegrasp of the Enemy for ever。'
'I do really wish to destroy it！' cried Frodo。 'Or； well； to have itdestroyed。 I am not made for perilous quests。 I wish I had never seen theRing！ Why did it e to me？ Why was I chosen？'
'Such questions cannot be answered；' said Gandalf。 'You may be sure thatit was not for any merit that others do not possess： not for power or wisdom；
at any rate。 But you have been chosen； and you must therefore use suchstrength and heart and wits as you have。'
'But I have so little of any of these things！ You are wise and powerful。
Will you not take the Ring？'
'No！' cried Gandalf； springing to his feet。 'With that power I shouldhave power too great and terrible。 And over me the Ring would gain a powerstill greater and more deadly。' His eyes flashed and his face was lit as by afire within。 'Do not tempt me！ For I do not wish to bee like the Dark Lordhimself。 Yet the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity； pity for weakness andthe desire of strength to do good。 Do not tempt me！ I dare not take it； noteven to keep it safe； unused。 The wish to wield it would be too great； for mystrength。 I shall have such need of it。 Great perils lie before me。'
He went to the window and drew aside the curtains and the shutters。
Sunlight streamed back again into the room。 Sam passed along the path outsidewhistling。 'And now；' said the wizard； turning back to Frodo； 'the decisionlies with you。 But I will always help you。' He laid his hand on Frodo'sshoulder。 'I will help you bear this burden； as long as It is yours to bear。
But we must do something； soon。 The Enemy is moving。'
There was a long silence。 Gandalf sat down again and puffed at his pipe；
as if lost in thought。 His eyes seemed closed； but under the lids he waswatching Frodo intently。 Frodo gazed fixedly at the red embers on the hearth；
until they filled all his vision； and he seemed to be looking down intoprofound wells of fire。 He was thinking of the fabled Cracks of Doom and theterror of the Fiery Mountain。
'Well！' said Gandalf at last。 'What are you thinking about？ Have youdecided what to do？'
'No！' answered Frodo； ing back to himself out of darkness； and findingto his surprise that it was not dark； and that out of the window he could seethe sunlit garden。 'Or perhaps； yes。 As far as I understand what you havesaid； I suppose I must keep the Ring and guard it； at least for the present；
whatever it may do to me。'
'Whatever it may do； it will be slow； slow to evil； if you keep it withthat purpose；' said Gandalf。
'I hope so；' said Frodo。 'But I hope that you may find some other betterkeeper soon。 But in the meanwhile it seems that I am a danger； a danger to allthat live near me。 I cannot keep the Ring and stay here。 I ought to leave BagEnd； leave the Shire； leave everything and go away。' He sighed。
'I should like to save the Shire； if I could – though there have beentimes when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words； and havefelt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them。 ButI don't feel like that now。 I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind； safeand fortable； I shall find wandering more bearable： I shall know thatsomewhere there is a firm foothold； even if my feet cannot stand there again。
'Of course； I have sometimes thought of going away； but I imagined thatas a kind of holiday； a series of adventures like Bilbo's or better； ending inpeace。 But this would mean exile； a flight from danger into danger； drawing itafter me。 And I suppose I must go alone； if I am to do that and save theShire。 But I feel very small； and very uprooted； and well – desperate。 TheEnemy is so strong and terrible。'
He did not tell Gandalf； but as he was speaking a great desire to followBilbo flamed up in his heart – to follow Bilbo； and even perhaps to find himagain。 It was so strong that it overcame his fear： he could almost have runout there and then down the road without his hat； as Bilbo had done on asimilar morning long ago。
'My dear Frodo！' exclaimed Gandalf。 'Hobbits really are amazingcreatures； as I have said before。 You can learn all that there is to knowabout their ways in a month； and yet after a hundred years they can stillsurprise you at a pinch。 I hardly expected to get such an answer； not evenfrom you。 But Bilbo made no mistake in choosing his heir； though he littlethought how important it would prove。 I am afraid you are right。 The Ring willnot be able to stay hidden in the Shire much longer； and for your own sake； aswell as for others； you will have to go； and leave the name of Baggins behindyou。 That name will not be safe to have； outside the Shire or in the Wild。 Iwill give you a travelling name now。 When you go； go as Mr。 Underhill。
'But I don't think you need go alone。 Not if you know of anyone you cantrust； and who would be willing to go by your side – and that you would bewilling to take into unknown perils。 But if you look for a panion； becareful in choosing！ And be careful of what you say； even to your closestfriends！ The enemy has many spies and many ways of hearing。'
Suddenly he stopped as if listening。 Frodo became aware that all was veryquiet； inside and outside。 Gandalf crept to one side of the window。 Then witha dart he sprang to the sill； and thrust a long arm out and downwards。 Therewas a squawk； and up came Sam Gamgee's curly head hauled by one ear。
'Well； well； bless my beard！' said Gandalf。 'Sam Gamgee is it？ Now whatmay you be doing？'
'Lor bless you； Mr。 Gandalf； sir！' said Sam。 'Nothing！ Leastways I wasjust trimming the grass…border under the window； if you follow me。' He pickedup his shears and exhibited them as evidence。
'I don't；' said Gandalf grimly。 It is some time since I last heard thesound of your shears。 How long have you been eavesdropping？'
'Eavesdropping； sir？ I don't follow you； begging your pardon。 There ain't
no eaves at Bag End； and that's a fact。'
'Don't be a fool！ What have you heard； and why did you listen？' Gandalf'seyes flashed and his brows stuck out like bristles。
'Mr。 Frodo； sir！' cried Sam quaking。 'Don't let him hurt me； sir！ Don'tlet him turn me into anything unnatural！ My old dad would take on so。 I meantno harm； on my honour； sir！'
'He won't hurt you；' said Frodo； hardly able to keep from laughing；
although he was himself startled and rather puzzled。 'He knows； as well as Ido； that you mean no harm。 But just you up and answer his questions straightaway！'
'Well； sir；' said Sam dithering a little。 'I heard a deal that I didn'trightly understand； about an enemy； and rings； and Mr。 Bilbo； sir； anddragons； and a fiery mountain； and – and Elves； sir。 I listened because Icouldn't help myself； if you know what I mean。 Lor bless me； sir； but I dolove tales of that sort。 And I believe them too； whatever Ted may say。 Elves；
sir！ I would dearly love to see _them。_ Couldn't you take me to see Elves；
sir； when you go？'
Suddenly Gandalf laughed。 'e inside！' he shouted； and putting out bothhis arms he lifted the astonished Sam； shears； grass…clippings and all； rightthrough the window and stood him on the floor。 'Take you to see Elves； eh？' hesaid； eyeing Sam closely； but with a smile flickering on his face。 'So youheard that Mr。 Frodo is going away？'
'I did； sir。 And that's why I choked： which you heard seemingly。 I triednot to； sir； but it burst out of me： I was so upset。'
'It can't be helped； Sam；' said Frodo sadly。 He had suddenly realizedthat flying from the Shire would mean more painful partings than merely sayingfarewell to the familiar forts of Bag End。 'I shall have to go。 But' – andhere he looked hard at Sam – 'if you really care about me； you will keep that_dead_ secret。 See？ If you don't； if you even breathe a word of what you'veheard here； then I hope Gandalf will turn you into a spotted toad and fill thegarden full of grass…snakes。'
Sam fell on his knees； trembling。 'Get up； Sam！' said Gandalf。 I havethought of something better than that。 Something to shut your mouth； andpunish you properly for listening。 You shall go away with Mr。 Frodo！'
'Me； sir！' cried Sam； springing up like a dog invited for a walk。 'Me goand see Elves and all！ Hooray！' he shouted； and then burst into tears。
Three is pany_Chapter 3_
'You ought to go quietly； and you ought to go soon；' said Gandalf。 Two orthree weeks had passed； and still Frodo made no sign of getting ready to go。
'I know。 But it is difficult to do both；' he objected。 If I just vanishlike Bilbo； the tale will be all over the Shire in no time。'
'Of course you mustn't vanish！' said Gandalf。 'That wouldn't do at all！ Isaid _soon；_ not _instantly。_ If you can think of any way of slipping out ofthe Shire without its being generally known； it will be worth a little delay。
But you must not delay too long。'
'What about the autumn； on or after Our Birthday？' asked Frodo。 'I thinkI could probably make some arrangements by then。'
To tell the truth； he was very reluctant to start； now that it had eto the point。 Bag End seemed a more desirable residence than it had for years；
and he wanted to savour as much as he could of his last summer in the Shire。
When autumn came； he knew that part at least of his heart would think morekindly of journeying； as it always did at that season。 He had indeed privatelymade up his mind to leave on his fiftieth birthday： Bilbo's one hundred andtwenty…eighth。 It seemed somehow the proper day on which to set out and followhim。 Following Bilbo was uppermost in his mind； and the one thing that madethe thought of leaving bearable。 He thought as little as possible about the
Ring； and where it might lead him in the end。 But he did not tell all histhoughts to Gandalf。 What the wizard guessed was always difficult to tell。
He looked at Frodo and smiled。 'Very well；' he said。 'I think that willdo – but it must not be any later。 I am getting very anxious。 In the meanwhile；
do take care； and don't let out any hint of where you are going！ Andsee that Sam Gamgee does not talk。 If he does； I really shall turn him into atoad。'
'As for _where I_ am going；' said Frodo； 'it would be difficult to givethat away； for I have no clear idea myself； yet。'
'Don't be absurd！' said Gandalf。 'I am not warning you against leaving anaddress at the post…office！ But you are leaving the Shire – and that shouldnot be known； until you are far away。 And you must go； or at least set out；
either North； South； West or East – and the direction should certainly not beknown。'
'I have been so taken up with the thoughts of leaving Bag End； and ofsaying farewell； that I have never even considered the direction；' said Frodo。
'For where am I to go？ And by what shall I steer？ What is to be my quest？
Bilbo went to find a treasure； there and back again； but I go to lose