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ied by thewar that began in 1939 or its sequels。
The real war does not resemble the legendary war in its process or itsconclusion。 If it had inspired or directed the development of the legend； thencertainly the Ring would have been seized and used against Sauron； he wouldnot have been annihilated but enslaved； and Barad…d。r would not have beendestroyed but occupied。 Saruman； failing to get possession of the Ring； wouldm the confusion and treacheries of the time have found in Mordor the missinglinks in his own researches into Ring…lore； and before long he would have madea Great Ring of his own with which to challenge the self…styled Ruler ofMiddle…earth。 In that conflict both sides would have held hobbits in hatred
and contempt： they would not long have survived even as slaves。
Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views ofthose who like allegory or topical reference。 But I cordially dislike allegoryin all its manifestations； and always have done so since I grew old and waryenough to detect its presence。 I much prefer history； true or feigned； withits varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers。 I thinkthat many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'； but the one resides in thefreedom of the reader； and the other in the purposed domination of the author。
An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience；
but the ways in which a story…germ uses the soil of experience are extremelyplex； and attempts to define the process are at best guesses from evidencethat is inadequate and ambiguous。 It is also false； though naturallyattractive； when the lives of an author and critic have overlapped； to supposethat the movements of thought or the events of times mon to both werenecessarily the most powerful influences。 One has indeed personally to eunder the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression； but as the years go byit seems now often forgotten that to be caught in youth by 1914 was no lesshideous an experience than to be involved in 1939 and the following years。 By1918 all but one of my close friends were dead。 Or to take a less grievousmatter： it has been supposed by some that 'The Scouring of the Shire' reflectsthe situation in England at the time when I was finishing my tale。 It doesnot。 It is an essential part of the plot； foreseen from the outset； though inthe event modified by the character of Saruman as developed in the storywithout； need I say； any allegorical significance or contemporary politicalreference whatsoever。 It has indeed some basis in experience； though slender（for the economic situation was entirely different）； and much further back。
The country in which I lived in childhood was being shabbily destroyed before
I was ten； in days when motor…cars were rare objects （I had never seen one）
and men were still building suburban railways。 Recently I saw in a paper apicture of the last decrepitude of the once thriving corn…mill beside its poolthat long ago seemed to me so important。 I never liked the looks of the Youngmiller； but his father； the Old miller； had a black beard； and he was notnamed Sandyman。
_The Lord of the Rings_ is now issued in a new edition； and theopportunity has been taken of revising it。 A number of errors andinconsistencies that still remained in the text have been corrected； and anattempt has been made to provide information on a few points which attentivereaders have raised。 I have considered all their ments and enquiries； andif some seem to have been passed over that may be because I have failed tokeep my notes in order； but many enquiries could only be answered byadditional appendices； or indeed by the production of an accessory volumecontaining much of the material that I did not include in the originaledition； in particular more detailed linguistic information。 In the meantimethis edition offers this Foreword； an addition to the Prologue； some notes；
and an index of the names of persons and places。 This index is in intentionplete in items but not in references； since for the present purpose it hasbeen necessary to reduce its bulk。 A plete index； making full use of thematerial prepared for me by Mrs。 N。 Smith； belongs rather to the accessoryvolume。
PROLOGUE
This book is largely concerned with Hobbits； and from its pages a reader maydiscover much of their character and a little of their history。 Furtherinformation will also be found in the selection from the Red Book of Westmarch
that has already been published； under the title of _The Hobbit_。 That storywas derived from the earlier chapters of the Red Book； posed by Bilbohimself； the first Hobbit to bee famous in the world at large； and calledby him _There and Back Again；_ since they told of his journey into the Eastand his return： an adventure which later involved all the Hobbits in the greatevents of that Age that are here related。
Many； however； may wish to know more about this remarkable people fromthe outset； while some may not possess the earlier book。 For such readers afew notes on the more important points are here collected from Hobbit…lore；
and the first adventure is briefly recalled。
Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people； more numerousformerly than they are today； for they love peace and quiet and good tilledearth： a well…ordered and well…farmed countryside was their favourite haunt。
They do not and did not understand or like machines more plicated than aforge…bellows； a water…mill； or a hand…loom； though they were skilful withtools。 Even in ancient days they were； as a rule； shy of 'the Big Folk'； asthey call us； and now they avoid us with dismay and are being hard to find。
They are quick of hearing and sharp…eyed； and though they are inclined to befat and do not hurry unnecessarily； they are nonetheless nimble and deft intheir movements。 They possessed from the first the art of disappearing swiftlyand silently； when large folk whom they do not wish to meet e blunderingby； and this an they have developed until to Men it may seem magical。 ButHobbits have never； in fact； studied magic of any kind； and their elusivenessis due solely to a professional skill that heredity and practice； and a closefriendship with the earth； have rendered inimitable by bigger and clumsierraces。
For they are a little people； smaller than Dwarves： less tout and stocky；
that is； even when they are not actually much shorter。 Their height is
variable； ranging between two and four feet of our measure。 They seldom nowreach three feet； but they hive dwindled； they say； and in ancient days theywere taller。 According to the Red Book； Bandobras Took （Bullroarer）； son ofIsengrim the Second； was four foot five and able to ride a horse。 He wassurpassed in all Hobbit records only by two famous characters of old； but thatcurious matter is dealt with in this book。
As for the Hobbits of the Shire； with whom these tales are concerned； inthe days of their peace and prosperity they were a merry folk。 They dressed inbright colours； being notably fond of yellow and green； but they seldom woreshoes； since their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thickcurling hair； much like the hair of their heads； which was monly brown。
Thus； the only craft little practised among them was shoe…making； but they hadlong and skilful fingers and could make many other useful and ely things。
Their faces were as a rule good…natured rather than beautiful； broad； bright…
eyed； red…cheeked； with mouths apt to laughter； and to eating and drinking。
And laugh they did； and eat； and drink； often and heartily； being fond ofsimple jests at all times； and of six meals a day （when they could get them）。
They were hospitable and delighted in parties； and in presents； which theygave away freely and eagerly accepted。
It is plain indeed that in spite of later estrangement Hobbits arerelatives of ours： far nearer to us than Elves； or even than Dwarves。 Of oldthey spoke the languages of Men； after their own fashion； and liked anddisliked much the same things as Men did。 But what exactly our relationship iscan no longer be discovered。 The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in theElder Days that are now lost and forgotten。 Only the Elves still preserve anyrecords of that vanished time； and their traditions are concerned almostentirely with their own history； in which Men appear seldom and Hobbits arenot mentioned at all。 Yet it is clear that Hobbits had； in fact； lived quietlyin Middle…earth for many long years before other folk became even aware ofthem。 And the world being after all full of strange creatures beyond count；
these little people seemed of very little importance。 But in the days ofBilbo； and of Frodo his heir； they suddenly became； by no wish of their own；
both important and renowned； and troubled the counsels of the Wise and theGreat。
Those days； the Third Age of Middle…earth； are now long past； and theshape of all lands has been changed； but the regions in which Hobbits thenlived were doubtless the same as those in which they still linger： the North…
West of the Old World； east of the Sea。 Of their original home the Hobbits inBilbo's time preserved no knowledge。 A love of learning （other thangenealogical lore） was far from general among them； but there