<Tr> <Th> Book (s) </Th> <Td> The Hobbit (1937) The Lord of the Rings (1954--1955) Unfinished Tales (1980) </Td> </Tr> <P> Bilbo Baggins is the title character and protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit, as well as a supporting character in The Lord of the Rings . In Tolkien's narrative conceit, in which all the writings of Middle - earth are translations from the fictitious volume of The Red Book of Westmarch, Bilbo is the author of The Hobbit and translator of various "works from the elvish" (as mentioned in the end of The Return of the King). </P> <P> In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit in comfortable middle age, was hired as a "burglar"--despite his initial objections--by the wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves led by their king, Thorin Oakenshield . The Dwarves were on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasures from the dragon Smaug . The adventure took Bilbo and his companions through the wilderness, to the elf haven of Rivendell, across the Misty Mountains, through the black forest of Mirkwood, to Lake - town in the middle of Long Lake, and eventually to the Mountain itself . There, after Smaug was killed and the Mountain was reclaimed, the Battle of Five Armies took place . In that battle, a host of Elves, Men, and Dwarves--with the help of Eagles and Beorn the shapeshifter--defeated a host of Goblins and Wargs . At the end of the story, Bilbo returned to his home in the Shire to find that several of his relatives--believing him to be dead--were trying to claim his home and possessions . </P> <P> During his journey, Bilbo encountered other fantastic creatures, including Trolls, Elves, giant spiders, Beorn (a man who could change into a bear), Goblins, Eagles, Wargs, and a murderous creature named Gollum . Underground, near Gollum's lair under the Misty Mountains, Bilbo accidentally found a magic ring of invisibility that he used to escape from Gollum . </P>

What part was bilbo to take in the adventure