[Thinhyandoiel]

I really don't know if this has any relevence to what you're saying C7A, but what you said reminded me of something that my sister said when she first saw LOTR:FOTR with me. She hadn't read the books (still hasn't) but she HAD read the Hobbit, so she recalled Bilbo as a neat little old grouchy Hobbit, who was concerned with his hankerchiefs and keeping things just so. So, when Gandalf first entered Bag-End in FOTR, there was a big gasp from my sister.
"What happened to Bilbo? He used to be so clean and tidy!" were her relative words. I kind of balked at that, because I recalled Bilbo as someone who took a tremendous leap in life when he went on his quest, and came back as a different and better person. What happened to Bilbo? Everything! And I agree completely with you about him being the "teacher". I remember somewhere that Sam used to listen to Bilbo's stories, and that's how he became infatuated with Elves and such. Why, without Bilbo, Sam might have never went with Frodo on his quest to destroy the Ring! And where would that have turned the story!? Disastrous I say. So, yeah, you're right. Bilbo doesn't get enough recognition. Cheers to the old Hobbit! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]