Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-men in their halls of stone, Nine
for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Bilbo Baggins celebrates his eleventy-first birthday and that is unusual, even by Hobbit standards. What is more unusual is that Bilbo does not look at all like one hundred and eleven. In him is a youthful look and vitality envied by his peers.
Gandalf, however, suspects. And the ring Bilbo carries, Gandalf believes to be no trinket. He has gone to far lands in search of answers to the whispers that evil is once again stirring in the shadows toward the East. Gandalf then discovers that the Ring of Power has been found - and it is Bilbo's ring.
Soon, an assembly of Elf, Men and Dwarves, those left who still believe that the Dark Lord has not been defeated, is called to discuss the fate of the Ring. The assembly is of the opinion that the Ring be cast into the fires of Mount Doom from where it was forged, if the Dark Lord is to be totally destroyed. They look now on Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's cousin, to be the Ring-bearer, the last hope of Middle Earth. Eight among the assembly they choose to accompany Frodo, and so the
Fellowship is formed: Sam, Merry and Pippin, Hobbits from the Shire; Gandalf, the Wizard; Aragorn, the Ranger; Legolas, the Elf; Gimli, the Dwarf; and Boromir, from the Men of the West.
Over mountains and under trees, the Fellowship journeys, in secret, lest the Dark Lord knows of their Quest. However, the forces of nature and a devilry at work make it difficult for the Fellowship to cross the mountains; it seeks the paths of Moria, instead. Here, Gandalf meets his doom. Aragorn now leads the devastated Fellowship, finding solace, if only for a while, in the woods of Lothlorien. The Fellowship sets out once again, wary of dangers that may befall its Quest. They rest on the lawn of Parth Galen but it is here where the true intention of Boromir is revealed. He desires the Ring to be used against the Dark Lord and for the glory of Gondor, the land where he lives. But Boromir does not understand that no one but the Dark Lord can control the Ring to do his bidding. Frodo escapes from Boromir and resolves, for the sake of Middle-Earth, to go to Mordor alone. Sam goes along with him, not wanting to leave his beloved master. As soon as Frodo and Sam have crossed to the eastern part of the river, Orcs of Saruman attack those members of the Fellowship left behind. The Orcs take Merry and Pippin as hostages and kill Boromir when he, single-handedly, prevents them from doing so. Thus, the Fellowship is broken.