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wledge。 A love of learning （other thangenealogical lore） was far from general among them； but there remained still afew in the older families who studied their own books； and even gatheredreports of old times and distant lands from Elves； Dwarves； and Men。 Their ownrecords began only after the settlement of the Shire； and their most ancientlegends hardly looked further back than their Wandering Days。 It is clear；
nonetheless； from these legends； and from the evidence of their peculiar wordsand customs； that like many other folk Hobbits had in the distant past movedwestward。 Their earliest tales seem to glimpse a time when they dwelt in theupper vales of Anduin； between the eaves of Greenwood the Great and the MistyMountains。 Why they later undertook the hard and perilous crossing of themountains into Eriador is no longer certain。 Their own accounts speak of themultiplying of Men in the land； and of a shadow that fell on the forest； sothat it became darkened and its new name was Mirkwood。
Before the crossing of the mountains the Hobbits had already beedivided into three somewhat different breeds： Harfoots； Stoors； andFallohides。 The Harfoots were browner of skin； smaller； and shorter； and theywere beardless and bootless； their hands and feet were neat and nimble； andthey preferred highlands and hillsides。 The Stoors were broader； heavier inbuild； their feet and hands were larger； and they preferred flat lands andriversides。 The Fallohides were fairer of skin and also of hair； and they were
taller and slimmer than the others； they were lovers of trees and ofwoodlands。
The Harfoots had much to do with Dwarves in ancient times； and long livedin the foothills of the mountains。 They moved westward early； and roamed overEriador as far as Weathertop while the others were still in the Wilderland。
They were the most normal and representative variety of Hobbit； and far themost numerous。 They were the most inclined to settle in one place； and longestpreserved their ancestral habit of living in tunnels and holes。
The Stoors lingered long by the banks of the Great River Anduin； and wereless shy of Men。 They came west after the Harfoots and followed the course ofthe Loudwater southwards； and there many of them long dwelt between Tharbadand the borders of Dunland before they moved north again。
The Fallohides； the least numerous； were a northerly branch。 They weremore friendly with Elves than the other Hobbits were； and had more skill inlanguage and song than in handicrafts； and of old they preferred hunting totilling。 They crossed the mountains north of Rivendell and came down the RiverHoarwell。 In Eriador they soon mingled with the other kinds that had precededthem； but being somewhat bolder and more adventurous； they were often found asleaders or chieftains among clans of Harfoots or Stoors。 Even in Bilbo's timethe strong Fallohidish strain could still be noted among the greater families；
such as the Tooks and the Masters of Buckland。
In the westlands of Eriador； between the Misty Mountains and theMountains of Lune； the Hobbits found both Men and Elves。 Indeed； a remnantstill dwelt there of the Dúnedain； the kings of Men that came over the Sea outof Westernesse； but they were dwindling fast and the lands of their NorthKingdom were falling far and wide into waste。 There was room and to spare foriners； and ere long the Hobbits began to settle in ordered munities。
Most of their earlier settlements had long disappeared and been forgotten inBilbo's time； but one of the first to bee important still endured； thoughreduced in size； this was at Bree and in the Chetwood that lay round about；
some forty miles east of the Shire。
It was in these early days； doubtless； that the Hobbits learned theirletters and began to write after the manner of the Dúnedain； who had in theirturn long before learned the art from the Elves。 And in those days also theyforgot whatever languages they had used before； and spoke ever after themon Speech； the Westron as it was named； that was current through all thelands of the kings from Arnor to Gondor； and about all the coasts of the Seafrom Belfalas to Lune。 Yet they kept a few words of their own； as well astheir own names of months and days； and a great store of personal names out ofthe past。
About this time legend among the Hobbits first bees history with areckoning of years。 For it was in the one thousand six hundred and first yearof the Third Age that the Fallohide brothers； Marcho and Blanco； set out fromBree； and having obtained permission from the high king at Fornost； theycrossed the brown river Baranduin with a great following of Hobbits。 Theypassed over the Bridge of Stonebows； that had been built in the days of thepower of the North Kingdom； and they took ail the land beyond to dwell in；
between the river and the Far Downs。 All that was demanded of them was that
they should keep the Great Bridge in repair； and all other bridges and roads；
speed the king's messengers； and acknowledge his lordship。
Thus began the _Shire…reckoning；_ for the year of the crossing of theBrandywine （as the Hobbits turned the name） became Year One of the Shire； andall later dates were reckoned from it。 At once the western Hobbits fell in
love with their new land； and they remained there； and soon passed once moreout of the history of Men and of Elves。 While there was still a king they werein name his subjects； but they were； in fact； ruled by their own chieftainsand meddled not at all with events in the world outside。 To the last battle at
Fornost with the Witch…lord of Angmar they sent some bowmen to the aid of theking； or so they maintained； though no tales of Men record it。 But in that warthe North Kingdom ended； and then the Hobbits took the land for their own； and
they chose from their own chiefs a Thain to hold the authority of the kingthat was gone。 There for a thousand years they were little troubled by wars；
and they prospered and multiplied after the Dark Plague （S。R。 37） until thedisaster of the Long Winter and the famine that followed it。 Many thousandsthen perished； but the Days of Dearth （1158…60） were at the time of this talelong past and the Hobbits had again bee accustomed to plenty。 The land wasrich and kindly； and though it had long been deserted when they entered it； ithad before been well tilled； and there the king had once had many farms；
cornlands； vineyards； and woods。
Forty leagues it stretched from the Far Downs to the Brandywine Bridge；
and fifty from the northern moors to the marshes in the south。 The Hobbitsnamed it the Shire； as the region of the authority of their Thain； and adistrict of well…ordered business； and there in that pleasant er of theworld they plied their well…ordered business of living； and they heeded lessand less the world outside where dark things moved； until they came to thinkthat peace and plenty were the rule in Middle…earth and the right of allsensible folk。 They forgot or ignored what little they had ever known of theGuardians； and of the labours of those that made possible the long peace ofthe Shire。 They were； in fact； sheltered； but they had ceased to remember it。
At no time had Hobbits of any kind been warlike； and they had neverfought among themselves。 In olden days they had； of course； been often obligedto fight to maintain themselves in a hard world； but in Bilbo's time that wasvery ancient history。 The last battle； before this story opens； and indeed theonly one that had ever been fought within the borders of the Shire； was beyondliving memory： the Battle of Greenfields； S。R。 1147； in which Bandobras Tookrouted an invasion of Orcs。 Even the weathers had grown milder； and the wolvesthat had once e ravening out of the North in bitter white winters were nowonly a grandfather's tale。 So； though there was still some store of weapons inthe Shire； these were used mostly as trophies； hanging above hearths or onwalls； or gathered into the museum at Michel Delving。 The Mathom…house it wascalled； for anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for； but were unwillingto throw away； they called a _mathom_。 Their dwellings were apt to beerather crowded with mathoms； and many of the presents that passed from hand tohand were of that son。
Nonetheless； ease and peace had left this people still curiously tough。
They were； if it came to it； difficult to daunt or to kill； and they were；
perhaps； so unwearyingly fond of good things not least because they could；
when put to it； do without them； and could survive rough handling by grief；
foe； or weather in a way that astonished those who did not know them well andlooked no further than their bellies and their well…fed faces。 Though slow toquarrel； and for sport killing nothing that lived； they were doughty at bay；
and at need could still handle arms。 They shot well with the bow； for theywere keen…eyed and sure at the mark。 Not only with bows and arrows。 If anyHobbit stooped for a stone； it was well to get quickly under cover； as alltrespassing beasts knew very well。
All Hobbits had originally lived in holes in the ground； or so theybelieved； and in such dwellings they still felt most at home； but in thecourse of time they had been obliged to adopt other forms of abode。 Actuallyin the