Bilbo Baggins is the main character of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
Bilbo begins the story as a respectable hobbit of Bag End who prefers regular meals, predictable routines, and the comforts of home. The wizard Gandalf and a company of thirteen dwarves draw him into a journey to the Lonely Mountain, where the dwarves hope to reclaim their treasure from Smaug.
During the adventure, Bilbo finds a powerful ring in the Goblin tunnels and wins a riddle contest against Gollum. He also uses courage, wit, and diplomacy rather than great physical strength. His encounter with the dragon helps establish him as a clever burglar and an unexpectedly important figure in Middle-earth.
Bilbo is often confused with Frodo, the central hobbit of The Lord of the Rings. They are related: Frodo is Bilbo’s younger cousin and adopted heir. Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday party is the opening event of The Fellowship of the Ring.