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　Bilbo　has　learned　him　his　letters　。　meaning　no　harm；　mark　you；　and　I　hope　no　harm　will　e　of　it。

'Elves　and　Dragons'　I　says　to　him。　'Cabbages　and　potatoes　are　better　for　me　and　you。　Don't　go　getting　mixed　up　in　the　business　of　your　betters；　or　you'll　land　in　trouble　too　big　for　you；'　I　says　to　him。　And　I　might　say　it　to　others；'　he　added　with　a　look　at　the　stranger　and　the　miller。

But　the　Gaffer　did　not　convince　his　audience。　The　legend　of　Bilbo's　wealth　was　now　too　firmly　fixed　in　the　minds　of　the　younger　generation　of　hobbits。

'Ah；　but　he　has　likely　enough　been　adding　to　what　he　brought　at　first；'　argued　the　miller；　voicing　mon　opinion。　'He's　often　away　from　home。　And　look　at　the　outlandish　folk　that　visit　him：　dwarves　ing　at　night；　and　that　old　wandering　conjuror；　Gandalf；　and　all。　You　can　say　what　you　like；　Gaffer；　but　Bag　End's　a　queer　place；　and　its　folk　are　queerer。'

'And　you　can　say　what　you　like；　about　what　you　know　no　more　of　than　you　do　of　boating；　Mr。　Sandyman；'　retorted　the　Gaffer；　disliking　the　miller　even　more　than　usual。　If　that's　being　queer；　then　we　could　do　with　a　bit　more　queerness　in　these　parts。　There's　some　not　far　away　that　wouldn't　offer　a　pint　of　beer　to　a　friend；　if　they　lived　in　a　hole　with　golden　walls。　But　they　do　things　proper　at　Bag　End。　Our　Sam　says　that　everyone's　going　to　be　invited　to　the　party；　and　there's　going　to　be　presents；　mark　you；　presents　for　all—this　very　month　as　is。'

That　very　month　was　September；　and　as　fine　as　you　could　ask。　A　day　or　two　later　a　rumour　（probably　started　by　the　knowledgeable　Sam）　was　spread　about　that　there　were　going　to　be　fireworks　。　fireworks；　what　is　more；　such　as　had　not　been　seen　in　the　Shire　for　nigh　on　a　century；　not　indeed　since　the　Old　Took　died。

Days　passed　and　The　Day　drew　nearer。　An　oddlooking　waggon　laden　with　oddlooking　packages　rolled　into　Hobbiton　one　evening　and　toiled　up　the　Hill　to　Bag　End。　The　startled　hobbits　peered　out　of　lamplit　doors　to　gape　at　it。　It　was　driven　by　outlandish　folk；　singing　strange　songs：　dwarves　with　long　beards　and　deep　hoods。　A　few　of　them　remained　at　Bag　End。　At　the　end　of　the　second　week　in　September　a　cart　came　in　through　Bywater　from　the　direction　of　the　Brandywine　Bridge　in　broad　daylight。　An　old　man　was　driving　it　all　alone。　He　wore　a　tall　pointed　blue　hat；　a　long　grey　cloak；　and　a　silver　scarf。　He　had　a　long　white　beard　and　bushy　eyebrows　that　stuck　out　beyond　the　brim　of　his　hat。　Small　hobbitchildren　ran　after　the　cart　all　through　Hobbiton　and　right　up　the　hill。　It　had　a　cargo　of　fireworks；　as　they　rightly　guessed。　At　Bilbo's　front　door　the　old　man　began　to　unload：　there　were　great　bundles　of　fireworks　of　all　sorts　and　shapes；　each　labelled　with　a　large　red　G　and　the　elfrune；　。

That　was　Gandalf's　mark；　of　course；　and　the　old　man　was　Gandalf　the　Wizard；　whose　fame　in　the　Shire　was　due　mainly　to　his　skill　with　fires；　smokes；　and　lights。　His　real　business　was　far　more　difficult　and　dangerous；　but　the　Shirefolk　knew　nothing　about　it。　To　them　he　was　just　one　of　the　'attractions'　at　the　Party。　Hence　the　excitement　of　the　hobbitchildren。　'G　for　Grand！'　they　shouted；　and　the　old　man　smiled。　They　knew　him　by　sight；　though　he　only　appeared　in　Hobbiton　occasionally　and　never　stopped　long；　but　neither　they　nor　any　but　the　oldest　of　their　elders　had　seen　one　of　his　firework　displays　。　they　now　belonged　to　the　legendary　past。

When　the　old　man；　helped　by　Bilbo　and　some　dwarves；　had　finished　unloading；　Bilbo　gave　a　few　pennies　away；　but　not　a　single　squib　or　cracker　was　forthing；　to　the　disappointment　of　the　onlookers。

'Run　away　now！'　said　Gandalf。　'You　will　get　plenty　when　the　time　es。'　Then　he　disappeared　inside　with　Bilbo；　and　the　door　was　shut。　The　young　hobbits　stared　at　the　door　in　vain　for　a　while；　and　then　made　off；　feeling　that　the　day　of　the　party　would　never　e。

Inside　Bag　End；　Bilbo　and　Gandalf　were　sitting　at　the　open　window　of　a　small　room　looking　out　west　on　to　the　garden。　The　late　afternoon　was　bright　and　peaceful。　The　flowers　glowed　red　and　golden：　snapdragons　and　sunflowers；　and　nasturtiums　trailing　all　over　the　turf　walls　and　peeping　in　at　the　round　windows。

'How　bright　your　garden　looks！'　said　Gandalf。

'Yes；'　said　Bilbo。　I　am　very　fond　indeed　of　it；　and　of　all　the　dear　old　Shire；　but　I　think　I　need　a　holiday。'

'You　mean　to　go　on　with　your　plan　then？'

'I　do。　I　made　up　my　mind　months　ago；　and　I　haven't　changed　it。'

'Very　well。　It　is　no　good　saying　any　more。　Stick　to　your　plan；　your　whole　plan；　mind；　and　I　hope　it　will　turn　out　for　the　best；　for　you；　and　for　all　of　us。'

'I　hope　so。　Anyway　I　mean　to　enjoy　myself　on　Thursday；　and　have　my　little　joke。'

'Who　will　laugh；　I　wonder？'　said　Gandalf；　shaking　his　head。

'We　shall　see；'　said　Bilbo。

The　next　day　more　carts　rolled　up　the　Hill；　and　still　more　carts。　There　might　have　been　some　grumbling　about　'dealing　locally'；　but　that　very　week　orders　began　to　pour　out　of　Bag　End　for　every　kind　of　provision；　modity；　or　luxury　that　could　be　obtained　in　Hobbiton　or　Bywater　or　anywhere　in　the　neighbourhood。　People　became　enthusiastic；　and　they　began　to　tick　off　the　days　on　the　calendar；　and　they　watched　eagerly　for　the　postman；　hoping　for　invitations。

Before　long　the　invitations　began　pouring　out；　and　the　Hobbiton　post　office　was　blocked；　and　the　Bywater　postoffice　was　snowed　under；　and　voluntary　assistant　postmen　were　called　for。　There　was　a　constant　stream　of　them　going　up　the　Hill；　carrying　hundreds　of　polite　variations　on　Thank　you；　I　shall　certainly　e。

A　notice　appeared　on　the　gate　at　Bag　End：　NO　ADMITTANCE　EXCEPT　ON　PARTY　BUSINESS。　Even　those　who　had；　or　pretended　to　have　Party　Business　were　seldom　allowed　inside。　Bilbo　was　busy：　writing　invitations；　ticking　off　answers；　packing　up　presents；　and　making　some　private　preparations　of　his　own。　From　the　time　of　Gandalf's　arrival　he　remained　hidden　from　view。

One　morning　the　hobbits　woke　to　find　the　large　field；　south　of　Bilbo's　front　door；　covered　with　ropes　and　poles　for　tents　and　pavilions。　A　special　entrance　was　cut　into　the　bank　leading　to　the　road；　and　wide　steps　and　a　large　white　gate　were　built　there。　The　three　hobbitfamilies　of　Bagshot　Row；　adjoining　the　field；　were　intensely　interested　and　generally　envied。　Old　Gaffer　Gamgee　stopped　even　pretending　to　work　in　his　garden。

The　tents　began　to　go　up。　There　was　a　specially　large　pavilion；　so　big　that　the　tree　that　grew　in　the　field　was　right　inside　it；　and　stood　proudly　near　one　end；　at　the　head　of　the　chief　table。　Lanterns　were　hung　on　all　its　branches。　More　promising　still　（to　the　hobbits'　mind）：　an　enormous　openair　kitchen　was　erected　in　the　north　corner　of　the　field。　A　draught　of　cooks；　from　every　inn　and　eatinghouse　for　miles　around；　arrived　to　supplement　the　dwarves　and　other　odd　folk　that　were　quartered　at　Bag　End。　Excitement　rose　to　its　height。

Then　the　weather　clouded　over。　That　was　on　Wednesday　the　eve　of　the　Party。　Anxiety　was　intense。　Then　Thursday；　September　the　22nd；　actually　dawned。　The　sun　got　up；　the　clouds　vanished；　flags　were　unfurled　and　the　fun　began。

Bilbo　Baggins　called　it　a　party；　but　it　was　really　a　variety　of　entertainments　rolled　into　one。　Practically　everybody　living　near　was　invited。　A　very　few　were　overlooked　by　accident；　but　as　they　turned　up　all　the　same；　that　did　not　matter。　Many　people　from　other　parts　of　the　Shire　were　also　asked；　and　there　were　even　a　few　from　outside　the　borders。　Bilbo　met　the　guests　（and　additions）　at　the　new　white　gate　in　person。　He　gave　away　presents　to　all　and　sundry　。　the　latter　were　those　who　went　out　again　by　a　back　way　and　came　in　again　by　the　gate。　Hobbits　give　presents　to　other　people　on　their　own　birthdays。　Not　very　expensive　ones；　as　a　rule；　and　not　so　lavishly　as　on　this　occasion；　but　it　was　not　a　bad　system。　Actually　in　Hobbiton　and　Bywater　every　day　in　the　year　it　was　somebody's　birthday；　so　that　every　hobbit　in　those　parts　had　a　fair　chance　of　at　least　one　present　at　least　once　a　week。　But　they　never　got　tired　of　them。

On　this　occasion　the　presents　were　unusually　good。　The　hobbitchildren　were　so　excited　that　for　a　while　they　almost　fot　about　eating。　There　were　toys　the　like　of　which　they　had　never　seen　before；　all　beautiful　and　some　ob