A Hobbit's Tale

Gandalf was a Maiar of Manwë and Varda. He was immortal and entered Middle-Earth in the year 1000 of the Third Age. Like all wizards Gandalf was sent by the Valar to help Elves and Men. When the wizards arrived at the Grey Havens, Saruman was meant to be their leader and the most powerful of them, but Círdan saw that Gandalf was greater than all the others and gave him the Red Ring of Power, Narya.

The first 1500 years, Gandalf travelled through Middle-Earth and learned much about the land and it's people until in the year 2463 of the Third Age Sauron's spirit arose again. Gandalf became a member of the White Council which was built by the greatest among the Elves and Wizards.

In the year 2941 of the Third Age, Gandalf, thirteen Dwarves and Bilbo Baggins went out to bring back the Dwarves treasure which had been stolen from the dragon Smaug. It was at this journey that Bilbo Baggins found the One Ring, but at that time Gandalf didn't knew what ring that was.t Path galen, but he went on searching for Merry and Pippin who had been kidnapped in the battle with the Uruk-Hai.

Many years later, Gandalf joined the Fellowship of the Ring. In the Mines of Moria, he fought against a Balrog and though it seemed as if Gandalf would loose the fight he finally won and returned as Gandalf the White even stronger and more powerful. During the War of the Ring, he fought in many battles and after Sauron was defeated he left Middle-Earth with the other Ring-bearers.

Gandal's horse is called Shadowfax.

Gandalf is performed by Ian Mc Kellen in Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings.

"I see Gandalf as the archetypal wizard. I think in the creation of Gandalf, Tolkien was playing with ideas about wizards from stories and classic tales throughout time. Gandalf is related to Merlin, and maybe even Shakespeare's Prospero, but he also is very much his own man."

Ian Mc Kellen