Bhí gnaoi an phobail riamh leis an sárscéal fantasaíochta seo faoi hobad darb ainm Biolbó Baigín agus é á sciobadh chun siúil gan choinne ar eachtra fhada in éineacht le Gandalf Draoi agus le trí abhac déag. Is scéal An Hobad faoi thuras a dhéanann Biolbó i gcuideachta na n-abhac le teacht ar thaisce ór a bhfuil dragan i seilbh uirthi. In aghaidh a thola ar dtús a ghlacann Biolbó Baigín páirt sa tóraíocht chontúirteach, mar is hobad gan uaillmhian é, atá an-tugtha do chompord an tsaoil. I ndeireadh na dála, áfach, cuireann sé iontas air féin lena sheiftiúlacht agus lena scil amhail buirgléir. I measc eachtraí eile buaileann Biolbó le troill, le púcaí, le habhaic, le heilbh agus le damháin alla ollmhóra, déanann sé comhrá le Smóg Dragan, agus bíonn sé i láthair go han-drogallach ag Cath na gCúig Arm. Tá Biolbó Baigín le háireamh i measc laochra neamhbhásmhara litríocht na bpáistí. Is dá pháistí féin a scríobh an tOllamh Tolkien an scéal an chéad lá agus bhain an bunleagan Béarla cáil dhomhanda amach a thúisce is a foilsíodh é. Anois tá leagan Gaeilge le fáil den chéad uair riamh in aistriúchán den scoth leis an Ollamh Nicholas Williams. Feicfear sa leabhar na pictiúir agus na léirscáileanna uile a rinne an t-údar féin. --- The beloved fantasy classic for readers of all ages, about a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins who is whisked off on an unexpected journey by Gandalf the wizard and a company of thirteen dwarves. The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published. Now the book is available for the first time in Irish, in a superb translation by Professor Nicholas Williams. The book includes all the drawings and maps by the author.
J.R.R. TOLKIEN(1892 1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as "The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, "and "The Silmarillion". His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.
Nicholas Williams is a senior lecturer in the Department of Modern Irish, University College, Dublin.
