Frodo Baggins Timeline and Summary

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• Frodo inherits the Ring from Bilbo on his thirty-third birthday, when he comes of age and Bilbo leaves the Shire.
• Frodo lives in peace for seventeen years.
• One year, Gandalf arrives with the bad news that Frodo's magic ring is actually the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron.
• What's more, Sauron knows that a Hobbit named Baggins, of the Shire, has the Ring.
• Frodo has to leave the Shire with the Ring to keep it safe.
• Gandalf also wants Sam, Frodo's loyal gardener, to go with him.
• Frodo buys a decoy house in Crickhollow, across the Brandywine River. He wants to convince people that he isn't really leaving the Shire, just moving a bit further away.
• On September 22nd, Frodo's birthday, he travels to the house at Crickhollow. Weirdly, Gandalf has not yet turned up to accompany Frodo.
• In Crickhollow, Frodo's cousins Merry and Pippin tell Frodo that they know he is trying to leave the Shire; they know why, and they want to accompany him and Sam.
• Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, set off for the Elf land of Rivendell.
• They are closely pursued by Black Riders from Sauron, looking for the One Ring.
• Frodo takes his friends on a shortcut through the Old Forest. Not a great idea: they almost die twice, thanks to evil trees and evil ghosts. Each time, they are saved by the mysterious Tom Bombadil.
• Frodo, Merry, Sam, and Pippin finally make it to the village of Bree.
• There, Frodo accidentally slips the Ring on while performing a song for a bunch of Bree-landers at The Prancing Pony inn.
• Luckily for Frodo, since he has caused so many disasters since starting this quest, a hero turns up to lead the Hobbits to Rivendell.
• This man is Aragorn, a Ranger of the North. Gandalf has left a letter at The Prancing Pony telling Frodo to trust him.
• Aragorn leads Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin out of Bree and into the wilderness on the way to Rivendell.
• They get ambushed by Black Riders, and Frodo takes a cursed stab-wound to the shoulder. He begins to fade into a wraith, but his strength of will keep him safe.
• One of the Elves of Elrond's household, Glorfindel, helps bring Frodo to safety in Rivendell. There, Frodo heals up from his awful stab wound.
• He reunites with Gandalf, who explains that he has been delayed by the betrayal of another Wizard, Saruman, who has joined Sauron's side.
• Now, the Ring quest has become even more urgent.
• At the Council of Elrond, the wise people assembled resolve that the Ring must be destroyed by bringing it to the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor.
• Frodo volunteers to take it, since it seems to be his fate to do so.
• Elrond appoints a Fellowship to accompany Frodo: Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas (an Elf), Gimli (a Dwarf), Boromir (a man), Merry, and Pippin.
• These companions help Frodo get through the Misty Mountains (where they lose Gandalf) and into Lothlórien (where he meets Galadriel, who gives him a jewel filled with the light of the star Eärendil).
• But his companions can't protect Frodo from themselves.
• Boromir, seduced by the Ring, tries to take it from Frodo by force.
• Realizing the danger of the Ring to all of his friends, Frodo finally decides to take sole responsibility for the quest.
• He attempts to leave his friends behind and go east into Mordor.
• But faithful Sam follows Frodo, and Frodo is grateful for it.
• Now, Frodo and Sam are prepared to creep quietly into Mordor on their own.
• The most serious part of their quest has begun.