<P> Frodo is introduced in The Fellowship of the Ring as the adoptive heir of Bilbo Baggins . The chapter "A Long - expected Party" relates that Frodo's parents Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck had been killed in a boating accident when Frodo was 12; Frodo subsequently spent the next nine years living with his maternal family, the Brandybucks in Brandy Hall . At the age of 21 he was adopted by his cousin, Bilbo, who brought him to live at Bag End . He and Bilbo shared the same birthday, the 22nd of' September' . It was Bilbo who introduced the Elvish languages to Frodo, and they often shared long walking trips together . </P> <P> Frodo and Meriadoc Brandybuck are first cousins once removed, since Frodo is first cousin to Meriadoc's father, Saradoc Brandybuck . Their common ancestors are Gorbadoc Brandybuck and Mirabella Took Brandybuck . Frodo is moreover second (through her paternal grandfather Hildigrim Took) and third (through her paternal grandmother Rosa Baggins) cousin to Meriadoc's mother, Esmeralda Took . Frodo is also related to Peregrin Took, being his second and third cousin once removed (Peregrin's father, Paladin Took is, like his sister Esmeralda, second and third cousin to Frodo, as explained above). Even Fredegar Bolger (through his mother Rosamund Took) is second cousin once removed to Frodo . Frodo also shares a close relationship with his gardener Samwise Gamgee although they are not related . </P> <P> The Fellowship of the Ring opens as Frodo came of age (at 33 years old) and Bilbo left the Shire for good on his one hundred and eleventh birthday . Frodo inherited Bag End and Bilbo's ring, which were both introduced in The Hobbit . Gandalf, at this time, was not certain about the origin of the Ring, so he warned Frodo to avoid using it and to keep it secret . Frodo kept the Ring hidden for 17 years, resulting in it giving him the same longevity of Bilbo, until Gandalf returned to tell him that it was the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, who desired to use it to conquer Middle - earth . </P> <P> Realizing that he was a danger to the Shire as long as he remained there with the Ring, Frodo decided to leave home and take the Ring to Rivendell, home of Elrond, a mighty Elf lord . He left the Shire with three companions: his gardener Samwise Gamgee and his cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took . They escaped just in time, for Sauron's most powerful servants, the Nine Nazgûl, had entered the Shire as Black Riders, looking for Bilbo and the Ring . They followed Frodo's trail across the Shire and nearly intercepted him . </P>

Who helped frodo in lord of the rings