rnor 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 Shire in Bilbo's days it was； as a rule； only the richest and thepoorest Hobbits that maintained the old custom。 The poorest went on living inburrows of the most primitive kind； mere holes indeed； with only one window ornone； while the well…to…do still constructed more luxurious versions of thesimple diggings of old。 But suitable sites for these large and ramifyingtunnels （or _smials_ as they called them） were not everywhere to be found； andin the flats and the low…lying districts the Hobbits； as they multiplied；
began to build above ground。 Indeed； even in the hilly regions and the oldervillages； such as Hobbiton or Tuckborough； or in the chief township of theShire； Michel Delving on the White Downs； there were now many houses of wood；
brick； or stone。 These were specially favoured by millers； smiths； ropers； andcartwrights； and others of that sort； for even when they had holes to live in。
Hobbits had long been accustomed to build sheds and workshops。
The habit of building farmhouses and barns was said to have begun amongthe inhabitants of the Marish down by the Brandywine。 The Hobbits of thatquarter； the Eastfarthing； were rather large and heavy…legged； and they woredwarf…boots in muddy weather。 But they were well known to be Stoors in a largepart of their blood； as indeed was shown by the down that many grew on theirchins。 No Harfoot or Fallohide had any trace of a beard。 Indeed； the folk ofthe Marish； and of Buckland； east of the River； which they afterwardsoccupied； came for the most part later into the Shire up from south…away； andthey still had many peculiar names and strange words not found elsewhere inthe Shire。
It is probable that the craft of building； as many other crafts beside；
was derived from the Dúnedain。 But the Hobbits may have learned it direct fromthe Elves； the teachers of Men in their youth。 For the Elves of the HighKindred had not yet forsaken Middle…earth； and they dwelt still at that timeat the Grey Havens away to the west； and in other places within reach of theShire。 Three Elf…towers of immemorial age were still to be seen on the TowerHills beyond the western marches。 They shone far off in the moonlight。 Thetallest was furthest away； standing alone upon a green mound。 The Hobbits ofthe Westfarthing said that one could see the Sea from the lop of that tower；
but no Hobbit had ever been known to climb it。 Indeed； few Hobbits had everseen or sailed upon the Sea； and fewer still had ever returned to report it。
Most Hobbits regarded even rivers and small boats with deep misgivings； andnot many of them could swim。 And as the days of the Shire lengthened theyspoke less and less with the Elves； and grew afraid of them； and distrustfulof those that had dealings with them； and the Sea became a word of fear amongthem； and a token of death； and they turned their faces away from the hills inthe west。
The craft of building may have e from Elves or Men； but the Hobbitsused it in their own fashion。 They did not go in for towers。 Their houses wereusually long； low； and fortable。 The oldest kind were； indeed； no more thanbuilt imitations of _smials；_ thatched with dry grass or straw； or roofed withturves； and having walls somewhat bulged。 That stage； however； belonged to theearly days of the Shire； and hobbit…building had long since been altered；
improved by devices； learned from Dwarves； or discovered by themselves。 Apreference for round windows； and even round doors； was the chief remainingpeculiarity of hobbit…architecture。
The houses and the holes of Shire…hobbits were often large； and inhabitedby large families。 （Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were as bachelors veryexceptional； as they were also in many other ways； such as their friendshipwith the Elves。） Sometimes； as in the case of the Tooks of Great Smials； orthe Brandybucks of Brandy Hall； many generations of relatives lived in（parative） peace together in one ancestral and many…tunnelled mansion。 AllHobbits were； in any case； clannish and reckoned up their relationships withgreat care。 They drew long and elaborate family…trees with innumerablebranches。 In dealing with Hobbits it is important to remember who is relatedto whom； and in what degree。 It would be impossible in this book to set out afamily…tree that included even the more important members of the moreimportant families at the time which these tales tell of。 The genealogicaltrees at the end of the Red Book of Westmarch are a small book in themselves；
and all but Hobbits would find them exceedingly dull。 Hobbits delighted insuch things； if they were accurate： they liked to have books filled withthings that they already knew； set out fair and square with no contradictions。
There is another astonishing thing about Hobbits of old that must bementioned； an astonishing habit： they imbibed or inhaled； through pipes of
clay or wood； the smoke of the burning leaves of a herb； which they called_pipe…weed_ or _leaf；_ a variety probably of _Nicotiana。_ A great deal ofmystery surrounds the origin of this peculiar custom； or 'art' as the Hobbitspreferred to call it。 All that could be discovered about it in antiquity wasput together by Meriadoc Brandybuck （later Master of Buckland）； and since heand the tobacco of the Southfarthing play a part in the history that follows；
his remarks in the introduction to his _Herblore of the Shire_ may be quoted。
'This；' he says； 'is the one art that we can certainly claim to be ourown invention。 When Hobbits first began to smoke is not known； all the legendsand family histories take it for granted； for ages folk in the Shire smokedvarious herbs； some fouler； some sweeter。 But all accounts agree that ToboldHornblower of Longbottom in the Southfarthing first grew the true pipe…weed inhis gardens in the days of Isengrim the Second； about the year 1070 of Shire…
reckoning。 The best home…grown still es from that district； especially thevarieties now known as Longbottom Leaf； Old Toby； and Southern Star。
'How Old Toby came by the plant is not recorded； for to his dying day hewould not tell。 He knew much about herbs； but he was no traveller。 It i