Bilbo's Original Story

[JPMaximilian]

In the LOTR, at the Council of Elrond Bilbo apologizes about how he was untruthful when he first recounted how he found the ring from Gollum. My understanding is that this is an in universe explanation for the disparate out of universe editions of The Hobbit. Is that a fair assessment. How could one read the original account of Bilbo's encounter with Gollum in the Hobbit?

 

[Elthir]

Hullo! The Prologue informs us that the story Bilbo first told (first edition Hobbit) wasn't quite. . . accurate; but yet it remains an "in-story" text.

According to the Prologue, Bilbo set this account in his memoirs and seems never to have altered it himself, not even after the Council of Elrond. "Evidently it still appeared in the original Red Book, as it did in several copies and abstracts. But many copies contain the true account (as an alternative), derived no doubt from. . ."

🥚

 

[Starbrow]

The Annotated Hobbit by Douglas A. Anderson includes the original version in its notes.
Briefly, the stakes are different. Gollum offers to give Bilbo a present (the ring) if Bilbo wins the riddle contest, or eat him if Bilbo loses. The riddles are the same, but the ending of the chapter is quite different. Once Gollum realizes he doesn't have a present to give since he lost the ring, Bilbo makes him show him the way out. Gollum is not as terrible in the original version. Bilbo does not have to leap over him in the dark to escape and Gollum doesn't accuse Bilbo of being a thief. I don't think Gollum even figures out the Bilbo had the ring in his pocket.

 

[JPMaximilian]

The Annotated Hobbit by Douglas A. Anderson includes the original version in its notes.
Briefly, the stakes are different. Gollum offers to give Bilbo a present (the ring) if Bilbo wins the riddle contest, or eat him if Bilbo loses. The riddles are the same, but the ending of the chapter is quite different. Once Gollum realizes he doesn't have a present to give since he lost the ring, Bilbo makes him show him the way out. Gollum is not as terrible in the original version. Bilbo does not have to leap over him in the dark to escape and Gollum doesn't accuse Bilbo of being a thief. I don't think Gollum even figures out the Bilbo had the ring in his pocket.

Thank you, I'm thinking that finding a first edition of the Hobbit will be...expensive.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

As Starbrow suggested, this contains the original and revised texts, plus much else. Well worth it.