<The party is in full swing. The fireworks are going off and festivities are well underway. Some hobbits come in, staggering under the load of a huge birthday-cake, candles already lit. Some of the hobbits are already full of party spirit. Others, including Frodo, are dancing to music being played by the band.>
<<Bilbo: <greeting his guests inside the marquee> Hello, hello, Fatty Bolger, lovely to see you! Welcome, welcome!>>
<Frodo finishes his dance. He sits down next to a friend who has been casting sidelong glances at a hobbit-lass dancing— the one seen gardening earlier.>
<<Frodo: Go on Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!>>
<<Sam: <gets cold feet> I think I’ll just have another ale.>>
<<Frodo: Oh no you don’t! Go on!>>
<He pushes Sam to the dance floor and into Rosie’s arms. Frodo laughs aloud>
<<Gandalf: <setting off a firework> Whoa!>>
<Fireworks explode over the party field, a huge glittering umbrella in the night sky which changes into spears and whizzes away into the distance.
Bilbo is telling stories to the hobbit children gathered at his feet>
<<Bilbo: There I was, at the mercy of three monstrous trolls! And they were all arguing amongst themselves about how they were going to cook us, whether it be turned on a spit or whether they should sit on us one by one and squash us into jelly.>>
<A cute hobbit child gasps and shakes her head emphatically>
<<Bilbo: They spent so much time arguing the wither-tos and why-fors, that the sun’s first light cracked over the top of the trees - poof!>>
<Hobbit Children gasp>
<<Bilbo: And turned them all to stone!>>
<Gandalf, laughing, returns from his cart with more fireworks. A young hobbit appears from behind the tent, signaling his friend to get onto Gandalf’s cart>
<<Young Hobbit #1: Quickly!>>
<Gandalf releases a busy shower of firework butterflies, much to the amusement of the hobbit children, who try to catch them.>
<<Gandalf: Whoa! Up they go.>>
<<Young Hobbit #1: No, no the big one, big one>>
<The second Hobbit grabs a huge red firework and disappears inside the tent. His friend nonchalantly chews an apple, and strolls after him.>
<Bilbo is still greeting guests. One of them seems to have an inexhaustible supply of children.>
<<Bilbo: Mrs Bracegirdle, how nice to see you! Welcome, welcome. Are all these children yours?>>
<Mrs. Bracegirdle laughs and nods.>
<<Bilbo (somewhat at a loss): Good gracious. You have been productive!>>
<Mrs Bracegirdle passes on. Bilbo's ears are assailed by a familiar strident voice.>
<<Sackville-Baggins: Bilbo?>>
<<Bilbo (panicked): S-S-Sackville-Bagginses!>>
<He grabs Frodo and they head into another corner of the tent.>
<<Bilbo: Quickly! Hide!>>
<Frodo and Bilbo hole up behind a tent fold as the Sackville-Bagginses search for him, and then retreat, baulked of their prey. Bilbo breathes a huge sigh of relief.>
<<Bilbo: Thank you my boy.>>
<He sighs again and Frodo chuckles quietly. Bilbo then becomes more serious.>
<<Bilbo: You're a good lad, Frodo.>>
<Frodo stares at his uncle, perturbed by the change of tone.>
<<Bilbo: I'm very selfish, you know. Yes, I am. Very selfish . . . I don't know why I took you in after your mother and father died, but it wasn't out of charity. I think it was because, of all my numerous relations, you were the one that showed real . . . spirit.>>
<<Frodo: Bilbo, have you been at the Gaffer's home brew?>>
<<Bilbo: No. Well, yes. But that's - that's - not the point. The point is, Frodo (he pauses and seems uncertain what to say) - you'll be alright.>>
<The two hobbits inside the tent have managed to get their firework ready to light up.>
<<Hobbit #2: Done.>>
<He lights the fuse.>
<<Hobbit #1 (pushing it away): You’re supposed to stick it in the ground!>>
<<Hobbit #2 (pushing it back): It is in the ground.>>
<They continue to pass it to and fro like a hot potato.>
<<Hobbit #1: Outside!>>
<<Hobbit #2: It was your idea!>>
<Just then the firework explodes upwards, throwing them on to the ground and taking the tent up with it. High above the crowd, it bursts into the shape of a flaming dragon, turns and swoops slowly towards the merrymakers. The hobbits make a hurried attempt to get out of the way.>
<<Hobbit: Look at that!>>
<Frodo's face is lit momentarily by the dragon's flame. He shepherds Bilbo out of the way.>
<<Frodo: Bilbo? Bilbo, watch out for the dragon!>>
<<Bilbo: Dragon? Nonsense! There hasn’t been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years…>>
<Frodo pushes Bilbo to the ground. The dragon swoops low over the hobbits’ heads, flies off and bursts into a beautiful finale over the lake. Hobbits clap and cheer in delight.>
<The two mischief-making Hobbits, covered in soot, gaze proudly at their accomplishment.>
<<Hobbit #1: That was good!>>
<<Hobbit #2: Let’s get another one!>>
<Gandalf comes up behind them and grabs them each by their ear.>
<<Hobbits : Aah!>>
<<Gandalf: Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I might have known.>>
<The serious business of eating and drinking is concluding. Merry and Pippin, under Gandalf's eagle eye, are washing the mountainous piles of plates. Under the party tree, the other Hobbits are gathered.>
<<Hobbits: Speech, Bilbo! Speech!>>
<<Frodo: Speech!>>
<<Bilbo: My dear Bagginses and Boffins, <cheers> Tooks and Brandybucks, <cheers> Grubbs, <cheers> Chubbs, <cheers> Hornblowers, <cheers> Bolgers, <cheers> Bracegirdles <cheers> and Proudfoots.>>
<<Proudfoot Hobbit: Proudfeet!>>
<Hobbits laugh. Bilbo waves dismissively.>
<<Bilbo (stumbling slightly over the words): Today is my 111-11th birthday!>>
<<Hobbits: Happy birthday!>> <much raising of glasses>
<<Hobbit: Happy birthday!>>
<<Bilbo: Alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. <cheers and sentimental gazes abound.> I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.>>
<There is a dead silence from the crowd. They gaze at each other blank-faced. Gandalf smiles.>
<<Bilbo: I, uh, I h-have things to do. <fidgets with the Ring behind his back. Whispers to himself> I’ve put this off for far too long. <to the crowd> I regret to announce - this is The End. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell. <whispers to Frodo> Goodbye.>>
<Bilbo puts the Ring on and vanishes. There is a collective gasp.>
<<Hobbits: <shocked> Ooh!>>
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