Bilbo and the Ring
We know that Bilbo carried the Ring for decades before it really seemed to get Its hooks into him at the end.
Of course, there is the part about his untruths regarding how he acquired It, but other than that It seemed to have remarkably little effect on him.
Now, Gandalf said a lot of that had to do with his mercy to Gollum, and I'm sure it did: but he did something remarkable in giving It voluntarily to Frodo.
I'm wondering... We know that hobbits are generous by nature, giving gifts to others on their own birthdays, for example. But Bilbo seemed to be especially generous, even for a hobbit--he spent lavishly on *new* gifts, for example, where others would have only given mathoms. And then there was his Adventure, in which he was able to resist the lure of Dragon-gold, and to give up the Arkenstone in order to bring peace between the Elves, Men and Dwarves.
How much, do you suppose, did this experience affect Bilbo, in helping him to resist the Ring?
Of course, there is the part about his untruths regarding how he acquired It, but other than that It seemed to have remarkably little effect on him.
Now, Gandalf said a lot of that had to do with his mercy to Gollum, and I'm sure it did: but he did something remarkable in giving It voluntarily to Frodo.
I'm wondering... We know that hobbits are generous by nature, giving gifts to others on their own birthdays, for example. But Bilbo seemed to be especially generous, even for a hobbit--he spent lavishly on *new* gifts, for example, where others would have only given mathoms. And then there was his Adventure, in which he was able to resist the lure of Dragon-gold, and to give up the Arkenstone in order to bring peace between the Elves, Men and Dwarves.
How much, do you suppose, did this experience affect Bilbo, in helping him to resist the Ring?
