Chapter Text
Our history is not about great kings, warriors. It doesn't involve amazing battles or even great heroes.
Our history has no great enemies or darkness, it does not speak of impossible undertakings and insurmountable quests, of bitter enemies or unlikely allies.
Our story, however, talks about the little things, the gestures of everyday life.
Our story is about the life of a small child, born in the North-West of Middle-earth, in Eriador, in the realm of Arnor.
No dwarves, elves, or men would be seen in this land. This land was instead inhabited by Hobbits.
This region was a small but beautiful and fertile land, loved by its inhabitants. The Hobbits who settled there managed to develop an important agricultural system, thus growing various products, such as fruit, vegetables, wood and the famous and extremely fundamental Pipe Weed.
The Shire was founded by Hobbits in 1610 of the Third Age. The Hobbits, who originally lived in the Vale of Anduin, migrated west beyond the Misty Mountains, and before settling in the Shire, had lived in Dunland and parts of the fallen realms of Arnor, Rhudaur and Cardolan. Hobbits are supposed to have initially migrated West to escape the demons of Mirkwood and the raids of the Easterlings.
The hobbits obtained official permission from King Argeleb II to inhabit those lands, which were unpopulated and were regarded as the king's hunting grounds. The Hobbits considered themselves subjects of the king and therefore sent him auxiliary troops for the great battles of Arnor against Angmar. After the fall of Arnor, the Shire remained a minor but independent realm. The heads of the Clans elected an official one, called the Thain, who held power after the Northern Realm had fallen. The first Thains were the leaders of the Oldbeak Clan. Next it was the Tooks.
The Took family were the pre-eminent Hobbit clan in the Shire, being wealthy and having held the office of Earls for centuries.
Even now, the Tooks were held in special respect, numerous and wealthy, but inclined to produce in each generation strong characters of peculiar habits and even adventurous temperament, qualities only tolerated by other respectable Hobbits.
And not only were they adventurous, but they had some rather unusual bonds with other races.
After all, it was a Took who had fought against the goblins, despite the gentilhobbit weren't supposed to interfere in wars and in the affairs of men. It was a Took who had married a fairy, according to the stories, leading to the less than respectable lineage passed down through time.
And it was always the Tooks who had a connection with Gandalf, the wandering wizard.
Not that anyone doubted it, Gandalf was obviously a valued and never rejected guest in the Shire, and could find refuge and food in abundance at their feasts and gatherings. But, mind you, he was still one of the High People.
Respectable hobbits were not seen in the company of certain people.
Now, if there was a family of respectable Hobbits, then it was the Baggins, an extraordinary and wealthy family of Hobbits.
They were decent and respectable people, as well as very predictable, because it was said that you could tell what a Baggins would say on any occasion without even bothering to ask him.
So when Bungo Baggins, the son of Mungo Baggins and Laura Grubb, grandson of Balbo Baggins and Berylla Boffin fell in love with Belladonna Took, daughter of the Thain Gerontius Took and Adamanta Chubb, everyone was astonished, and shaken.
A Baggins in love with a Took? Now that was a scandal!
Obviously, no one thought of the sweet Rosa Baggins courted by the adventurous Hildigrim Took, since she was not the daughter of the previous head of the Baggins house, nor would she ever be responsible for the Baggins clan, as Bungo Baggins was destined to be.
Bungo loved Belladonna's freedom and Belladonna loved Bungo's strictness.
And so, their courtship began.
The walks were graced by the gifts Bungo found for Belladonna. Bouquets of flowers to symbolize their love, the hopes that Bungo cultivated for the beautiful girl, homemade desserts, because what Hobbit could ever refuse good food, and then books.
While Hobbits always appreciated good, practical books such as cookbooks, or about plants, Bungo set out to prove that he would never come between Belladonna and her adventures, often in the company of the wizard Gandalf. And that's how the library that would decorate their home began... oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let's get back to their courtship, then.
The books that Belladonna jealously and carefully kept were books about elves, dwarves, men, about the kingdoms beyond the river, about the species and their wars and their destinies. They were books of adventures, of kings and heroes.
After the walks, Bungo felt bold enough to offer to go shopping with Belladonna.
And what a scandal that he asked only after three walks, and not after many more, as it would have been respectable and expected to do.
Needless to say, the Took in Belladonna greatly appreciated the gesture, and not only bought the necessary items with Bungo, but offered to let him help her with her garden and prepare dinner together!
Needless to say, both clans, Baggins and Took, were invited to that wonderful dinner, full of laughter and new loves (some sources, needless to say that they were some gossipy cousins, said that Rosa and Hilgrim met at that evening, and that they were then seen walking together shortly after the big event!). Not only the clans were invited. Bungo, showing that he deeply loved Belladonna, even invited the wandering wizard to their dinner, insisting that he knew his True Love's friend.
Gandalf was very present in the lives of Bungo and Belladonna, and not only theirs! But, that is another story once again!
A great feast was prepared by Bungo and Belladonna. Side dishes, desserts, three types of main courses, sauces, whatever, it was cooked. This combines food and family, the most important things to a Hobbit.
At the end of this feast, the couple were given items such as great-great-grandmother Baggins's gravy boats, a set of handmade bowls that Belladonna's uncle had carved especially for his favorite niece (not that the uncles in the Long Cleeve might have had favorites, but Belladonna and Gandalf had wandered around that city in the Shire before leaving it, and so Belladonna had been able to talk to them much more!), doilies made by sweet Laura, eager to make Belladonna feel welcomed and well-liked, jewelery box by her numerous cousins, and the list could go on forever!
The most important gift is always that of the Thain, in this case the father of Belladonna herself!
As a Thain, Gerontius attended every wedding in the Shire, and his gift served to demonstrate his approval of the couple.
There was a time when his gift was lost (this too is a story for the future, my dear readers), and that couple had to work hard to even get to the wedding!
Another time, despite having given the gift, Gerontius advised against such a quick marriage, but the couple ignored him and were one of the few to ask for a divorce!
The Thain knew how to recognize True Love, much better than the other Hobbits. Perhaps it was precisely because of this gift that many hypothesized the presence of fairy blood in their dynasty.
After the series of gifts, the couple sets a wedding date and the family works together to create a Hobbit hole for the loving couple. Depending on the status of the family, this may be a simple hobbit hole with two bedrooms and a sitting room off the kitchen or a large hobbit hole with five or more bedrooms, a sitting room, a hall, a separate dining room from the kitchen, a large pantry, everything the family would think the future couple would ever need to develop their life together.
And this is where Bungo Baggins demonstrated his deep love for Belladonna Took.
Not only did he create the best Hobbit hole ever, cosy and warm, comfortable and adventurous, but he also did it completely on his own, without the help of well-meaning parents and responsible cousins.
“It is tangible proof of my love for Belladonna.” He said standing up, as confident as he had been when he expressed his interest in Belladonna Took. “If I cannot offer her a home worthy of the name after her travels, how can I dare hope to marry her?”
Gerontius had never been happier to see one of his Clan marry such a respectable Hobbit.
Finally, after Bag End was concluded, the wedding took place.
A beautiful summer wedding, held in a field of flowers with all your family, friends and acquaintances present.
Gandalf made his appearance once again, with his fantastic fireworks, fireworks which remained etched in the memories of the Hobbits for a long time, much more than his wanderings with some Hobbits .
After their vows were said, the exchange of necklaces took place.
Bungo Baggins's contained a small Palantír stone, a copy of the Seeing Stones that Belladonna had seen in Rivendell's library.
Belladonna's was much more valuable.
Bungo once again demonstrated his talent in shaping metals and stones and his care for Belladonna's passions. In fact he gave her a clear green stone, set in a silver brooch in the shape of an eagle with outstretched wings, a prized copy of the heirloom that an elf in Rivendell wore.
That elf would have a place in a future story, along with possessing the heart of a man as valiant and precious as the gem she possessed.
Bilbo Baggins was born on 22 September 1290 by the count of the Shire, in the year 2890 of the Third Age, the son of Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took.
Bilbo Baggins had 13 uncles from the Took clan and 11 from the Baggins clan, not to mention numerous great uncles and great aunts, and he had 15 cousins from the Took clan and 11 from the Baggins clan, almost all of them younger than him, except obviously Fortinbras II Took, Adalgrim Took and Flambard Took, the oldest of the cousins and therefore the most responsible, although their level of responsibility never reached Bilbo's.
After all, everyone knew that: Pan roddai Baggins o Dŷ Baggins ei air, yna sicr oedd yr addewid honno i'w chadw.[1]