Frodo wandered aimlessly through the silent meadow surrounding the Shire. It had been many years since his famous journey concerning the One Ring, and now he spent most of his lazy days dreamily exploring near his home.
The long silence was soon broken by the echoing cries of a small girl.
"I know that voice," thought Frodo. "That's little Elanor, Sam's daughter!" He ran across the open grass in search of the seemingly in distress girl. The shrill voice seemed to be coming from Farmer Maggot's field, which was not far off in the distance.
"Help! Uncle Frodo! Help!" cried Elanor. Frodo ran into the field, only to see the farmer's dog chasing the girl.
"Down, boy!" he commanded the dog. It whimpered its way back to the old farm house."Elanor, don't tell me you were sneaking around in Farmer Maggot's crop again?"
"Oh uncle, I just wanted some carrots!" the girl pleaded.
"All right, just don't let me catch you again! Come on now, we better be off," replied Frodo. He took Elanor's hand and headed for the path home.
As they neared the woods, Elanor stumbled over a tree root.
"Oh! Uncle Frodo, what's this!" she exclaimed as she lay on the cold earth.
"Oh no, not again . . . " he mumbled as he saw what little Elanor had picked up. It was the very last thing Frodo wanted to find on that ground. A ring. A small, gold, most likely powerful and dangerous ring.
"What's wrong, uncle?" said Elanor as she looked upon his concerned face.
"Nothing . . . it's just that I expect we'll be hearing from an old friend soon," he responded. Frodo pocketed the trinket after helping Elanor to her feet.
It was now many hours since their arrival home. Frodo paced back and forth worriedly in his dining room. The scene was all too familiar. He found a letter from Gandalf when he came home earlier that day, and expected the old wizard to show up within the hour.
"How does that Gandalf know when something's up? I think he's grown to fancy hobbits," thought Frodo. At that very moment, the sound of a sharp knock filled the room. "Well, there's the old chap now."
He opened the door and, sure enough, Gandalf quickly strode into the dimly lit hobbit hole.
"I sense something, Frodo. What is it? What have you found?" he said as soon as he walked in the room. Frodo pulled out the ring and placed it on the table with anger. Gandalf stared miserably at the object in front of him.
"Frodo. It has been many years since the darkness in the south has fallen. A new power is rising. East, in the Iron Hills, a new dark lord has begun to take form. He has forged a ring. This ring. With it, he can take control of Middle Earth."
Frodo gazed at Gandalf, hoping he was joking. Before Frodo could speak, Gandalf began to talk again.
"Dear hobbit, we must take this ring to Erebor and cast it into the flames from which it -"
Frodo interrupted before he could finish. "Gandalf, I hate it when you do that! I'm not going!"
"What do you mean, not going?! Who is going to destroy the ring!?" Gandalf shouted.
"Find yourself another ring bearer! I'm off to live in peace!" he replied. And with that, Frodo packed his bags and walked out the door. He was quite ready for another adventure.
It was at least a two-day walk to the Grey Havens. Frodo rode the old pony, Bill, to the shipyard. He boarded the next ship out of Middle Earth and lived happily ever after in the Undying Lands.