引用部分为台版翻译，以大师之文自勉
前情提要
詹吉讲述了袋底洞的历史，警告了那些想搞事的人。
paragraph 01
Days passed and The Day drew nearer. An odd-looking waggon laden with odd-looking packages rolled into Hobbiton one evening and toiled up the Hill to Bag End. The startled hobbits peered out of lamplit doors to gape at it. It was driven by outlandish folk, singing strange songs: dwarves with long beards and deep hoods. A few of them remained at Bag End. At the end of the second week in September a cart came in through Bywater from the direction of the Brandywine Bridge in broad daylight. An old man was driving it all alone. He wore a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat. Small hobbit-children ran after the cart all through Hobbiton and right up the hill. It had a cargo of fireworks, as they rightly guessed. At Bilbo's front door the old man began to unload: there were great bundles of fireworks of all sorts and shapes, each labelled with a large red G and the elf-rune, .
translate
日子一天天过去，那一天近在眼前了。一天傍晚，一辆老旧的四轮马车载着同样老旧的包裹驶进了哈比屯，吭哧吭哧地爬上山驶向袋底洞。被吓着的霍比特人透过亮着灯的门瞪大眼睛看着。一些来自外边的人开着马车，唱着奇怪的歌。 他们是留着长长的胡须的矮人，戴着高高的兜帽。一些矮人留在了袋底洞。在九月的第二周，光天化日之下有一辆载货马车从烈酒桥穿过临水路，径直开了过来。一个老人单独掌着马车。他带着一顶又高又尖的蓝帽子，穿着长长的灰袍子，带着银色的围巾。他有着白色的胡须，浓密的眉毛甚至从帽子的边缘露了出来。小霍比特人跟着马车跑过了整个哈比屯，径直上了山。他们猜对了，马车上装着烟花。老人在比尔博的前门卸货: 这儿有很多各式各样的烟火，每个烟火上都有大大的红色的G, 和一些精灵文.
note
- roll into 滚进
- peer out 望向外面
- gape at 目瞪口呆
- stuck out 突出
日子一天天过去，大日子也越来越接近。某天傍晚，一辆装满怪异包裹的怪异马车开进哈比屯，在袋底洞前停了下来。吃惊的哈比人纷纷从窗内往外窥探。驾车的是形迹怪异的外地人，唱着没人听过的歌谣：车夫是有着长胡子带着兜帽的矮人。几名矮人甚至还在袋底洞留了下来。到了九月第二周的时候，另一辆马车在光天化日之下越过烈酒桥，沿着临水区开了过来。驾车的只有一名老人。他戴着一顶高高尖尖的蓝色帽子，穿着长长的灰袍以及一条银色的围巾。他的胡子又白又长，眉毛也长到伸出了帽缘。一大群小孩跟着马车后面跑，穿过整个哈比屯，沿路跟着上了小山。他们猜的果然没错，车内装的是烟火。老人在比尔博的门前开始卸货，里面有各种各样的烟火，每个都标明着一个大的红色“甘”和精灵文字。
paragraph 02
That was Gandalf's mark, of course, and the old man was Gandalf the Wizard, whose fame in the Shire was due mainly to his skill with fires, smokes, and lights. His real business was far more difficult and dangerous, but the Shire-folk knew nothing about it. To them he was just one of the 'attractions' at the Party. Hence the excitement of the hobbit-children. 'G
for Grand!' they shouted, and the old man smiled. They knew him by sight, though he only appeared in Hobbiton occasionally and never stopped long; but neither they nor any but the oldest of their elders had seen one of his firework displays - they now belonged to the legendary past.
translate
这当然是甘道夫的标记，这个老人就是甘道夫巫师，他以制造火焰、烟雾和光亮的技术闻名夏尔。夏尔的人一点儿也不知道，他真正的工作比这要困难和危险多了。对于他们来讲，甘道夫只是一个聚会中的噱头而已。因此那些霍比特小孩才这么激动。”甘道夫!甘道夫!“ 他们叫喊着，这个老人在旁边哈哈大笑。他们认得到甘道夫的标志，即使甘道夫只偶尔出现在哈比屯，而且每次都呆不长。但是即使他们中最年长的那个也没有见过甘道夫的烟火表演，这些表演已经是久远的传说了。
note
- by sight 凭外貌
这就是甘道夫的徽记，而那老人就是巫师甘道夫。他在夏尔的名气主要是关于他操纵火焰、烟雾和光线的技巧。他真正的工作比这还要复杂、危险的多，但单纯的夏尔居民对此一无所知。对他们来说，这巫师只是宴会的另一大卖点。因此小孩们才会这么兴奋。“这缩写是壮丽的意思！”孩子们大喊着，老人报以慈祥的微笑。虽然他偶尔才会来拜访此地，每次也不会停留很长的时间，但哈比人每个都知道他的长相。不过，包括这些小孩和目前最老的哈比人都一样没看过他的烟火表演；这伟大的表演现在只存在于史书的记载中了。
paragraph 03
When the old man, helped by Bilbo and some dwarves, had finished unloading. Bilbo gave a few pennies away; but not a single squib or cracker was forthcoming, to the disappointment of the onlookers.
translate
在比尔博和一些矮人的帮助下，老人卸完了货。比尔博散了一些零钱，但一根爆竹也没有给他们。这让外边的那些小人很失望。
note
老人在比尔博和几名矮人的帮助下完成卸货之后，比尔博给了这群小孩一些零钱。不过，孩子们失望的发现，今天比尔博叔叔没有饼干或零嘴可以给他们。
paragraph 04
'Run away now!' said Gandalf. 'You will get plenty when the time comes.' Then he disappeared inside with Bilbo, and the door was shut. The young hobbits stared at the door in vain for a while, and then made off, feeling that the day of the party would never come.
Inside Bag End, Bilbo and Gandalf were sitting at the open window of a small room looking out west on to the garden. The late afternoon was bright and peaceful. The flowers glowed red and golden: snap-dragons and sun-flowers, and nasturtiums trailing all over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows.
translate
“走走走，去玩吧!”甘道夫说，“到时候不会少了你们的。” 然后他就和比尔博消失在了袋底洞，关上了门。这些小孩徒劳的看了门一会儿，就四散走开了。他们觉得这次聚会可能永远不会举办了。
袋底洞里面，比尔博和甘道夫一起坐在一个小房间的窗户旁，看着西边的花园。天色渐晚，却是个明亮祥和的黄昏。红色和金色的花长在一起: 这些是金鱼草和向日葵。旱金莲花爬过了抹着泥炭的墙，透过圆窗窥视着房间。
note
“快回家吧！”甘道夫说。“时候到了你们会吃都吃不完的。”然后他就和比尔博一起走进屋内，关上大门。年轻的哈比人们呆呆的看了大门半晌，最后才拖着不情愿的脚步离开，满心觉得宴会彷佛永远都不会到。在袋底洞里，比尔博和甘道夫坐在俯瞰花园的窗户下。傍晚的天色还很明亮，天气也很温和。红色和金色的花朵生长的十分茂盛，龙嘴花和向日葵都露出欣欣向荣的态势，金莲花则是生气勃勃的攀上窗子，看着屋内的情景。
paragraph 05
'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf.
'Yes,' said Bilbo.'I am very fond indeed of it, and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday.'
'You mean to go on with your plan then?'
'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it.'
'Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to your plan - your whole plan, mind - and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.'
'I hope so. Anyway I mean to enjoy myself on Thursday, and have my little joke.'
'Who will laugh, I wonder?' said Gandalf, shaking his head.
'We shall see,' said Bilbo.
translate
“你的花园真漂亮!” 甘道夫说。
“是啊,”比尔博说。“我很喜欢这个花园，也喜欢这个可爱的老夏尔。但是我需要一个假期。”
“ 你的意思是，你要继续按你的计划做?”
“ 是的。我在几个月前就决定了，没有动摇过。”
“好吧，我也不能说什么了。坚持你的计划吧，我希望这于你于我们都是好事。”
“我也希望这样。不管怎么样，我周四会很开兴的，我也准备了一个小玩笑。”
“ 我很好奇，谁最后会笑啊。”甘道夫摇了摇头，说道。
“ 到时候就知道了。” 比尔博说。
note
- turn out 结果是
“你的花园看起来真漂亮！”甘道夫说。
“没错，”比尔博回答。“我很喜欢这个花园，夏尔对我来说也一样的亲切。不过，我想也该是放个假的时候了。”
“你是说要继续你原先的计划吗？”
“是的。我几个月前就下定了决心，现在也不会临时变卦。”
“很好。那我们就不必多说了。不要心软，照着原订的计划进行。记住，是原订的计划，我希望这会为你，也为我们大家带来好结果。”
“我也这么希望。反正我准备这周四好好的享受一下，让大家看看我的小玩笑。”
“不知道最后谁会笑啊？”甘道夫摇着头说。
“到时就知道了，”比尔博回答。
