Gollum is a hobbit-like creature in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Gollum was originally Sméagol, a member of a river-dwelling people related to hobbits. On his birthday, he found the One Ring while fishing with his relative Déagol. Sméagol killed Déagol to obtain it, and the Ring gradually corrupted him.
The Ring’s influence drove Sméagol away from his community. He eventually lived for centuries beneath the Misty Mountains, where he became the emaciated, secretive figure known as Gollum. His name comes from the swallowing or gurgling sound associated with his speech.
Gollum is not an Orc, Elf, Dwarf, or Maia. His hobbit origins explain both his small stature and his unusual resilience. He is also crucial to the Ring’s history: he possesses it before Bilbo finds it, and his obsession ultimately helps bring about its destruction.