[ninja91]

Especially in the first few pages of A Long Expected Party in FOTR, there seem to be many rumors and myths concerning Bilbo's wealth and where it is located.

In the very first paragraph Tolkien states that

"The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure."

Later on, there are conversations among Hobbiton residents, including the Gaffer. This is some of what they said.

"There's a tidy bit of money tucked away up there, I hear tell, All the top of your hill is full of tunnels packed with chests of gold and silver and jools, by what I've heard."

This was stated by a traveler from Michel Delving, and obviously shows that the stories about Bilbo's wealth have traveled much farther than just Hobbiton.

Also:

"I know nothing about jools. Mr. Bilbo is free with his money, and there seems no lack of it; but I know of no tunnel-making... And in the middle of it all Mr. Bilbo comes up the Hill with a pony and some mighty big bags and a couple of chests. I don't doubt that they were mostly full of treasure he had picked up in foreign parts, where there be mountains of gold, they say; but there wasn't enough to full tunnels."

This was stated by the Gaffer, Sam's father, who is a prominent elder among the Hobbits in Hobbiton. I, personally, do not doubt his wisdom here. But there does seem to be alot of rumors... to many, for my reckoning.

What do you think?