If Gollum and Bilbo had parted in a civil manner...

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

When Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, the ring was just a magic ring, a convenient device for making Bilbo invisible and helping him through his adventures. Only when JRRT chose to make it into The One Ring for LotR did its nature change - and that passage from The Hobbit had to be changed to make it fit. Rimbaud is right - they wouldn't have been the same ring.

This is true - but isn't it strange, that Tolkien didn't still seriously commit the version where Gollum cheats and Bilbo follows him invisible through the passages?