It’s World Hobbit Day! Let’s celebrate these delightful fuzzy-footed creatures with 5 little-known facts about one of our favorite Hobbits, Bilbo Baggins.
Gandalf picked Bilbo because he smelled different.
Smaug, the Dragon of the Lonely Mountain, had never smelled a Hobbit before. Thus, Smaug would be unable to identify Bilbo by smell, which allowed the Hobbit to sneak the Arkenstone out of the caverns without Smaug turning him into bacon.
Bilbo was 50 years old.
Though he doesn’t look it, Bilbo Baggins is a half-century old. Fifty is young for a Hobbit, as Hobbits can live up to 130 years old (as in the case of Old Tooks, Bilbo’s grandfather).
Bilbo chose his sword, Sting.
Within the Stone-troll caverns, Bilbo and the dwarves discover ancient weapons. In the movies, Gandalf presents Bilbo with the blade, Sting. However, in the novel, Bilbo chooses the blade and names it Sting, which means he develops a special relationship with the blade from then on.
He finds the One Ring by chance.
Although the scene plays out differently in the movies, Bilbo comes across the One Ring while he’s lost in the dark tunnels leading to Gollum’s lair. Because the One Ring is believed to possess Sauron’s consciousness, it can be inferred that the Ring even put itself in Bilbo’s hands on purpose!
Bilbo was based on designer William Morris
J.R.R. Tolkien was apparently inspired by William Morris’s adventures in Iceland. It’s said that he (Morris) liked his home comforts, but grew through his adventurous journeying and became one of Britain’s most beloved poets and fantasy writers.
That’s all, folks! Keep an eye out on the blog for more stories and fun facts about your favorite fantasy characters. See you soon!
And don’t forget—life’s an adventure! Go out and live it. ❣️