![]() ![]() I believe it was a moot-point in Hobbit lore (which the ruling of Mayor Samwise prevented from being argued in this particular case) whether 'adoption' by a childless 'head' could affect the descent of the headship. ![]() It was his rather absurd ambition to achieve the rare distinction of being 'head' of two families (he would probably then have called himself Baggins-Sackville-Baggins): a situation which will explain his exasperation with the adventures and disappearances of Bilbo, quite apart from any loss of property involved in the adoption of Frodo. For the nominal headship of the Sackvilles had come to him through his mother Camellia. This was the case with Otho Sackville-Baggins. In such cases the heir (if he accepted the courtesy title) took the name of his mother's family - though he often retained that of his father's family also (placed second). This latter custom was usual in families of more recent origin, without ancient records or ancestral mansions. In other great families the headship might pass through a daughter of the deceased to his eldest grandson (irrespective of the daughter's age). descent was strictly through the male line. The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 1, A Long-expected Party By this adoption, Bilbo ensured that Frodo would succeed him as the head of the Baggins family, to the great disappointment of Otho Sackville-Baggins:Ĭustoms differed in cases where the 'head' died leaving no son. It was, unfortunately, very clear and correct (according to the legal customs of hobbits, which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red ink). The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 1, A Long-expected Party Otho would have been Bilbo's heir, but for the adoption of Frodo. The Sackville-Bagginses won't never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.' And then he comes back and orders them off and he goes on living and living, and never looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and has all the papers made out proper. They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time when he went off and was thought to be dead. 'But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sackville-Bagginses. Bilbo never did a kinder deed than when he brought the lad back to live among decent folk. Frodo left an orphan and stranded, as you might say, among those queer Bucklanders, being brought up anyhow in Brandy Hall. The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 1, A Long-expected Party the Gaffer. 'You had better come and live here, Frodo my lad,' said Bilbo one day 'and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together.' At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday, September 22nd. When Bilbo was ninety-nine, he adopted Frodo as his heir, and brought him to live at Bag End and the hopes of the Sackville-Bagginses were finally dashed. ![]() The eldest of these, and Bilbo's favourite, was young Frodo Baggins. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his good fortune. At ninety-nine they began to call him well-preserved, but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. At ninety he was much the same as at fifty. And., there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at. The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become a local legend. Bilbo Baggins adopts the orphaned Frodo Baggins, his second cousin once removed: Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the Shire for sixty years. ![]()
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