A Hobbit's Tale

:: Illustrated Movie Script ::

Frodo only sees a light and hears the voice of a man.

Elrond : "Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan nan galad." (Hear my voice. Come back to the light.)

Frodo wakes up again in Rivendell. Gandalf is sitting beside the bed where Frodo lies in.

Frodo : "Where am I ?"

Gandalf : "You are in the House of Elrond, and it is ten in the morning, on October the 24th, if you want to know."

Frodo : "Gandalf ?"

Gandalf : "Yes, I'm here. And you're lucky to be here, too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid, but you have some strength in you, dear hobbit."

Frodo : "What happened? Why didn't you meet us ?"

Gandalf : "I am sorry. I was delayed."

Gandalf remembers what has happened in Isengard. You can see Gandalf sitting on top of the tower after he let the moth fly away again. Now Saruman is on top of the tower, too.

Saruman : "The friendship of Saruman is not lightly cast aside. One ill turn deserves another."

With the power of his staff, Saruman holds Gandalf out over the edge of the tower.

Saruman : "It is over. Embrace the power of the Ring or embrace your own destruction."

Gandalf : "The ring has only one master. Only one may bend it to his will, and he does not share power."

Gandalf now jumps off the tower, it seems as if he would jump into death but Gwaihir, the King of the Eagles, catches him and flies away.

Saruman : "So you have chosen death."

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

Frodo : "Gandalf, what is it ?"

Gandalf : "Nothing."

Sam and Elrond enter the room.

Sam : "Bless you, Frodo, you're awake !"

Gandalf : "Sam has hardly left your side."

Sam : "We were that worried about you, weren't we, Mr. Gandalf "

Gandalf : "Thanks to the skills of Master Elrond, you have begun to mend."

Elrond : "Welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins."

Frodo is now able to leave his bed. Outside, he meets Merry and Pippin. And Bilbo is there, too. But he looks very old.

Frodo : "Bilbo !"

Bilbo : "Hello, Frodo, my lad !"

Bilbo has finished his book and Frodo takes a look at it.

Frodo : "There and back again, a hobbit's tale, by Bilbo Baggins. This is wonderful !"

Bilbo : "I meant to go back, wander the paths of the Mirkwood, visit Laketown, see the Lonely Mountain again, but age, it seems, has finally caught up with me."

Frodo : "I miss the Shire. I spent all my childhood pretending I was somewhere else, off with you on one of your adventures, but my own adventure turned out to be quite different. I'm not like you, Bilbo."

Bilbo : "My dear boy."

In the next scene you can see Sam packing.

Sam : "Now what have I forgotten ?"

Frodo : "Packed already ?"

Sam : "Doesn't hurt to be prepared."

Frodo : "I thought you wanted to see the elves, Sam."

Sam : "I do."

Frodo : "More than anything."

Sam : "I did, but... we did what we set off to do, didn't we ? We got the ring this far, to Rivendell, and seeing as how you're on the mend, I thought we'd be off soon. Off home."

Frodo : "You're right, Sam. We did what Gandalf wanted. The Ring will be safe in Rivendell. I am ready to go home."

Gandalf and Elrond are watching Frodo and Sam from Elrond's room.

Elrond : "His strength returns."

Gandalf : "That wound will never fully heal. He will carry it for the rest of his life."

Elrond : "Yet to have come so far still bearing the ring, the hobbit has shown remarkable resilience to its evil."

Gandalf : "It is a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

Elrond : "Gandalf, the Enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the East. The Eye is fixed on Rivendell. Now you tell me Saruman has betrayed us. The list of our allies grows thin."

Gandalf : "His treachery goes deeper than you know. At Falcraft, Saruman has crossed orcs with goblin men. He is breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight, and travel great distances at speed. Saruman is coming for the ring."

Elrond : "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the elves. We do not have the strength to stand against Mordor and Isengard both. The ring cannot stay here."

You can see Boromir who just arrives in Rivendell, as well as Legolas and a group of Elves.

Elrond : "This peril belongs to all Middle-Earth, and they must decide now how to end it. The age of elves is over. My people are leaving these shores. Who will you turn to once we are gone ? The dwarves hide in their mountains seeking riches and care not for the troubles of others."

Gandalf : "We must place our hope in men."

Elrond : "Men ! The race of men is weak, failing. The blood of Numenor is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of men that the Ring survives. I was there, three thousand years ago, when Isildur took the ring. I was there when the strength of men failed."

Elrond remembers what happend after Isildur cut the ring of Sauron's hand. You can see some scenes in which Elrond tries to convince Isildur to throw the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom.

Elrond : "I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom, where it was forged, the one place it could be destroyed.

Elrond remembers how Isildur and he himself were standing at the fires of Mount Doom, but Isildur didn't want to loose the Ring.

Elrond : "It should have ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure. Isildur kept the Ring. The line of Kings is broken. There is no strength left in the world of men. They are scattered, divided, leaderless."

Gandalf : "There is one who could unite them. Who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

Elrond : "He turned from that path long ago. He has chosen exile."

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

Strider is sitting in another room. He is reading a book when Boromir enters the room. Boromir looks at the shards of a sword.

Boromir : "The shards of Narsil. The blade that cut the ring from Sauron's hand."

He touches the shards and cuts his finger on them.

Boromir : "Still sharp. But no more than a broken hilt."

Boromir wants to leave the room. Quickly he replaces the shards on the statue where they are normally lying on, but they fall down to the ground. Aragorn picks them up and returns them to their place. He is standing in front of the statue when Arwen enters the room.

Arwen : "Why do you fear the past ? You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."

Strider: "The same blood flows in my veins, the same weakness."

Arwen : "Your time will come. You will face the same evil, and you will defeat it. A si i-Dhúath ú-orthor. Ú or le a ú or nin. (The Shadow does not hold sway yet, not over you and not over me.)"

Next scene : You can see Strider and Arwen standing on a bridge in the garden.

Arwen : "Renech i lu i erui govannem ? (Do you remember when we first met ?)"

Strider : "Nauthannem i ned ol reniannen. (I thought I had strayed into a dream.)"

Arwen : "Gwenwin in enninath...U-arnech in naeth i si celich. (Long years have passed since then. You did not have the cares you carry now.) Do you remember what I told you ?"

Strider : "You said you would bind yourself to me, and forsake the immortal life of your people."

Arwen : "And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of the world alone. I choose a mortal life."

Arwen gives Strider the necklace she is wearing as a symbol of her immorality.

Strider : "You cannot give me this."

Arwen : "It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart."

Strider kisses Arwen...

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

The day after, the Council of Elrond takes place. Representatives of the Dwarves, the Men, and the Elves and also Frodo, Elrond, Gandalf and Strider are sitting around a table.

Elrond : "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You are summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands on the brink of destruction. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo puts the Ring on the table.

Boromir : "So it is true. The Ring of power. The doom of man. It is a gift, a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring ? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of my people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."

Strider : "You cannot wield it. None of us can. The ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

Boromir : "What would a ranger know of this matter ?"

Legolas : "He is no mere ranger. This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir : "This is Isildur's heir ?"

Legolas : "And heir to the throne of Gondor."

Aragorn : "Havo band, Legolas (Sit down, Legolas.)"

Boromir : "Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king."

Gandalf : "Aragorn is right. We cannot control it."

Elrond : "We have but one choice. The ring must be destroyed."

Gimli : "What are we waiting for ?"

Gimli picks up his axe and tries to hit the ring, but the axe is shattered. Gimli falls to the ground.

Elrond : "The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. It was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor, and cast back into the fiery chasm from which it came. One of you must do this."

Boromir : "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. It is folly. Not with ten thousand men could you do this."

Legolas : "Have you heard nothing that Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed !"

Gimli : "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it ?"

Boromir : "And what if we fail ? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his ?"

Gimli : "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf! Never trust an elf !"

The Council dissolves into arguing but Frodo doesn't say a word. He just looks at the ring. Flames spread across the ring until Frodo stands up.

Frodo : "I will take it."

The arguement continues as if nobody could hear Frodo.

Frodo : "I will take it !"

Gandalf hears Frodo's words. You can see by the look in his face that he doesn't want Frodo to bear the Ring again but he also knows that nobody else will be able to destroy the Ring. Now everybody is silent.

Frodo : "I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way."

Gandalf : " I will help you bear this burden for as long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn : "If by my life or my death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."

Legolas : "And my bow."

Gimli : " And my axe."

Boromir : "You carry the fate of us all, little one. But if this is truly the will of the council, Gondor will see it done."

Sam runs in.

Sam : "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me."

Elrond : "Indeed, it is hardly possible to separate the two of you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not. Very well."

Merry and Pippin also run in.

Merry : "We're going, too ! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to keep us away."

Pippin : "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission. Quest. Thing."

Merry : "Well, that rules you out, Pip."

Elrond : "Nine companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

Pippin : " Great. Now, where are we going ?"

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

Before he leaves Rivendell, Frodo visits Bilbo again to say goodbye. Bilbo gives Frodo his old sword.

Bilbo : "My old sword, Sting. Take it, take it !"

Frodo : "It's so light !"

Bilbo : "Yes. Made by the elves, you know. The blade glows blue when orcs are close. And it's times like those, dear boy, you have to be extra careful. Here's a pretty thing."

Bilbo gives Frodo a chainmail vest.

Bilbo : "As light as a feather, and as hard as dragon scales. Let me see you put it on."

Frodo starts to take off his shirt. He wears a necklace with the ring.

Bilbo : "Oh, my old ring. I should very much like to hold it again, one last time."

Bilbo becomes all Goblin like he was when Gandlaf wanted him to leave the Ring in Bag End. Frodo buttons up his shirt again and Bilbo recovers. Now he is near to cry.

Bilbo : "I'm sorry I brought this upon you, my boy. I'm sorry you must carry this burden. I'm sorry for everything !"

Frodo comforst him and forgives him.

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

The fellowship leaves Rivendell. They wander past ruins, over mountains and through fields.

Gandalf : "We must hold to this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us, and from there our road turns east toward Mordor."

They stop and take a rest.

Gimli : "If anyone were to ask my opinion, which I note they have not, I would say we're taking the long way around ! Gandalf, we could go through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome !"

Gandalf : "No, Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."

Legolas notices something on the horizon.

Sam : "What's that ?"

Gimli : "It's nothing, just a wisp of cloud."

Boromir : "It's moving fast, against the wind."

Legolas : "Crebain from Dunland ! Hide !"

They hide and it seems that the crows do not notice them.

Gandalf : "Spies for Saruman. The passage south is being watched. We will have to go over the pass of Caradhras."

The fellowship climbs the snowy mountain. Suddently Frodo falls down in the snow. Strider catches him. But Frodo notices that he has lost the Ring. Boromir picks it up.

Strider : " Boromir."

Boromir : "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing."

Strider : "Boromir ! Give the ring to Frodo."

Boromir : "As you wish. I care not."

But it is obvious that he cares. Boromir turns around and starts to climb the mountain again. Now Strider takes his hand off his sword.

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

The crows return to Isengard and report to Saruman what they have seen. Saruman speaks as if Gandalf could hear him.

Saruman : "So, you tried to lead them over Caradhras. And if that fails ? Where will you go ? If the mountain defeats you, will you risk a more dangerous road ?"

~~~~~¤¤¤~~~~~

The fellowship arrives almost at the top of the mountain. Legolas stands at the edge of a cliff and listens.

Legolas : " There is a fell voice on the air !"

Gandalf : "Saruman !"

Rocks and snow fall down from the top of the mountain.

Aragorn : " He's trying to bring down the mountain ! We must turn back !"

Gandalf : "No !"

A storm begins and Gandalf tries to stop it but Saruman is stronger. Suddently snow falls down again from the top and buries them all. One by one they dig out and shake the snow off.

Aragorn : "We must get off the mountain !"

Boromir : "We must take the Pass of Rohan, or take the road west to my city !"

Aragorn : "Rohan takes us too close to Isengard !"

Gimli : "If we cannot go over the mountain, I say let us go under it !"

Saruman (in Isengard) : "Moria. You fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-Dum. Shadow and flame."

Gandalf : " Let the Ringbearer decide !"

Frodo thinks for a moment and then he takes his decision.

Frodo : "We will go through the mines !"

Gandalf : "So be it."

Gandalf looks frightened.

They walk to the mines of Moria. They arrive at a wall where a door is supposed to be. Before the wall there is a dark lake. Gandalf scrubs away dirt from the wall to find a pattern on the wall.

Gandalf : " Isildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight."

The moon comes out and suddently a door appears on the wall. Above that door there is some elvish inscription.

Gandalf : "It reads, The Gates of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak Friend and enter."

Pippin : "What do you suppose it means ?"

Gandalf : "Simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors open."

Gandalf starts to try several passwords but none of them works.

Merry and Pippin start to throw stones into the lake but Aragorn stops them.

Aragorn : " Don't disturb the water !"

Gandalf : "This is useless !"

He sits down in disgust. Suddenly Frodo has an idea.

Frodo : "It's a riddle. What's the Elvish word for friend ?"

Gandalf : "Mellon"

The gate opens and they start to walk in.

Gimli : " Soon, mister elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves ! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone ! This is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"

Boromir : "This is is no mine, it's a tomb."

Skeletons are spread all over the ground. Legolas puts an arrow out of one of them.

Legolas : " Goblins !"

Boromir : "We make for the Gap of Rohan ! We should never have come here! Get out! Get out !"

Suddently Frodo is catched by a tentacle from the water. Sam cuts the first tentacle, but then many other tentacles appear and they push away the Hobbits. One tentacle grabs Frodo and lifts him high into the air. Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir start to fight against the tentacles and finally Aragorn is able to cut the one which was holding Frodo. Frodo falls down and Boromir catches him.

Gandalf : " Into the mines !"

They all run back into the mine and the Kraken crumbles the gate behind them

Gandalf : "Now we have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard! There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world. It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."

They all start to walk into the mine and climb many stairs until they finally reach the top. There are three possible ways, three tunnels.

Gandalf : " I have no memory of this place."

Pippin : "Are we lost ?"

Merry : "No, we're not lost."

Pippin : "I think we're lost."

Merry : "Quiet, Gandalf's thinking."

Pippin : "Merry ? I'm hungry.

Gandalf sits down in front of the three tunnels. Frodo takes place beside him. They sit there, silent, thinking, but suddenly Frodo sees something behind them.

Frodo : "There's something down there."

Gandalf : "It's Gollum. He's been following us for three days."

Frodo : "He escaped from the dungeons of Barad-dur !"

Gandalf: "Escaped, or was set loose. Gollum hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be free of his need for it."

Frodo : "Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."

Gandalf : "Pity ? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life. Can you give it to them ? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends, but my heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play, for good or ill. Before this is over, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."

Frodo : "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had ever happened."

Gandalf : "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given. There are other forces at work in the world than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, which means that you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought. Ah ! It's this way."

Merry : "He's remembered !"

Gandalf : "No, but the air smells less foul down here. When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."

They enter one of the tunnels.

Gandalf : "Let me risk a little more light."

He makes light with his staff and at the end of the tunnel they see a huge cavern held up with very big pillars.

Gandalf : "Behold ! The great realm of the dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf."

Gimli sees a door and runs through it. The others follow him and find him grieving over a tomb. There are runs on top of the tomb. Gandalf reads them.

Gandalf : " Here lies Balin, son of Hrundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead then. It is as I feared."

Gandalf finds a book which was held by a skeleton. He starts to read.

Gandalf : "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. The ground shakes. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. A shadow moves in the dark. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They are coming."

Pippin knocks a skeleton which is sitting on a well. The skeleton falls down into the well and makes much noise.

Gandalf : "Fool of a Took ! Next time, throw yourself in, and rid us of your stupidity !"

They all are silent. First it seems as if they have not been heard but then they can hear drums. Frodo's sword starts to glue blue.

Legolas : "Orcs !"

Boromir runs to the door of the chamber to see who or what is coming. He almost gets hit by some arrows and shuts the door.

Boromir : "They have a cave troll."

Strider (to the Hobbits) : "Stay back, close to Gandalf !"

Gimli : "Let them come ! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath !"

Orcs start to break holes in the door. Legolas and Aragorn shoot arrows through these holes and kill some Orcs but finally the Orcs are able to break the door. They enter the room and a terrible fight begins. The fellowship kills almost all the Orcs but then the cave troll enters the chamber. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli start to fight against the troll but when the troll discovers the Hobbits, he starts to hunt them. Merry, Pippin and Sam can hide themselves from the troll but Frodo is grabbed by him. Frodo screams for help and is able to cut the hand of the troll. The troll lets him fall to the ground again but in the next moment he tries to grab Frodo again. Aragron runs to help Frodo and can at least get the troll's attention. The troll smashes him against a wall and Aragorn faints. Frodo runs to Aragorn and shakes him but Strider doesn't wake up. Now the troll realizes Frodo again and before Frodo can do anything he is smashed against the wall by the troll. The troll stabs Frodo with his spear so that Frodo looses consciousness. In the end Legolas is able to kill the troll with an arrow shot through his brain.

Now Strider comes to consciousness again and sees Frodo lying on the ground. Thinking Frodo would be dead, Strider runs to him but then Frodo sits up.

Sam : "He's alive !"

Frodo : "I'm all right, I'm not hurt."

Strider : "You should be dead ! That spear would have skewered a wild boar !"

Gandalf : " I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye."

Frodo pulls open his shirt so that the others can see Mithril.

Gimli : "Mithril ! You are full of surprises, Mr. Baggins !"

They hear the noise of some Orcs coming towards the chamber where they are now.

Gandalf : "To the bridge of Khazad-Dum !"

They run through the great hall but they become surrounded by Orcs. Suddently there is a great roar somewhere in the distance. The Orcs run away and let them alone.

Boromir : „What is this new devilry ?"

Gandalf : " A balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run !"

They start to run over endless stairs, until they suddently come to a gap in the staircase. Legolas jumps across easily, Gandalf follows him. Boromir grabs Merry and Pippin and jumps across too. The edge of the stair they have to jump on starts to break off. Strider throws Sam across and wants to throw Gimli as well.

Gimli : "Nobody tosses a dwarf !"

Gimli jumps and is near to fall down to the ground but Legolas grabs his beard to keep him from falling.

Gimli : "Not the beard !"

More stones break off the edge. The gap is too big to jump across it. A part of the roof of the hall breaks off and breaks a part of the stair off, so that now are gaps at both sites of the part of the stair, Strider and Frodo are standing on. The section start to tilt Strider and Frodo lean froward and the stair starts to fall in the direction of the rest of the fellowship. Now Strider and Frodo are able to join the others again.

They run and can already see the bridge when the Balrog appears. Everyone crosses the bridge except Gandalf. He turns around in the middle of the bridge and makes his stand there.

Gandalf : "You cannot pass."

Frodo : "Gandalf !"

A wave of flame spreads across the Balrog.

Gandalf : "I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor ! Dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Udun !"

The Balrog swings a flaming sword at Gandalf but Gandalf is able to block it.

Gandalf : "Go back to the shadow ! You shall not pass !"

Gandalf slams his staff on the ground, and a flash of white light drives the Balrog. The demon draws a whip of fire, steps onto the bridge, and the bridge gives way, dropping the Balrog into the chasm.It seems as if Gandalf had defeated the Balrog but as Gandalf turns around to go the others the tail of the whip catches Gandalf's ankle and pulls him down. He gets a brief grasp on the edge of the bridge.

Gandalf : "Flee, you fools !"

Gandalf falls in the shadow. Frodo tries to return on the bridge but Boromir holds him back. They all start to run and can finally escape from Moria. Outside of Moria, they sit on the ground weeping for the loss of their friend. But after a few minutes Aragorn stands up again.

Strider : "Legolas, get them up !"

Boromir : "Give them a moment, for pity's sake !"

Strider : "By nightfall these hills will be crawling with orcs ! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Gimli, Legolas, get them up ! On your feet, Sam. Frodo ?"

Frodo has drawn away from the rest. He stands thre and just watches the horizon. Tears run down his face.