引用部分为台版翻译，以大师之文自勉。
前情提要
老詹吉提到了佛罗多的身世，他父母在他小时候就淹死了。
paragraph 01
'But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sackville-Bagginses. They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time when he went off and was thought to be dead. And then he comes back and orders them off; and he goes on living and living, and never looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and has all the papers made out proper. The Sackville-Bagginses won't never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.'
translate
“但我猜这对那些萨克维尔·巴金斯家的人肯定是个很大的打击。在比尔博离开的时候，他们以为他死在外面了，所以他们以为可以得到袋底洞。但是之后比尔博回来并且让他们滚蛋了，而且上帝保佑他，他就这样一天一天的住下去，一点都没有老态。他突然宣布有了继承者，而且手续都办妥了。萨克威尔家的人再到不了袋底洞里面了，当然我也希望如此。”
note
- make out 辨认、填写
“不过，我也明白这对于那些巴金斯家的塞克维尔一系人来说是个重大打击。当年在比尔博先生失踪，大家都以为他去世之后，他们满心以为终于可以继承袋底洞。他却又神秘出现，把他们赶了出来。而且老天保佑，比尔博先生越活越硬朗，一点都看不出来老态！突然，他又找了个继承人，备齐了一切的文件。我看这回塞克维尔他们是想都不要想踏进袋底洞一步了。我自己也希望那里不要被他们糟蹋了。”
paragraph 02
'There's a tidy bit of money tucked away up there, I hear tell,' said a stranger, a visitor on business from Michel Delving in the Westfarthing. 'All the top of your hill is full of tunnels packed with chests of gold and silver, and jools, by what I've heard. '
translate
“ 我听说袋底洞上藏着很多钱。”一个陌生人问道。他因公从西区的米歇尔·戴尔文镇过来。“ 我听说，你住的山上面都是放着塞满了装着金银财宝的箱子的地道。”
note
- tuck away 妥善保管、隐匿
- on business 因公
“我听说那里面藏了很多钱耶，”一个从西区米丘窟来做生意的陌生人说。“这座山里面的隧道全都装满了许多箱子，里面都是黄金、白银和珠宝。”
paragraph 03
'Then you've heard more than I can speak to,' answered the Gaffer. 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. I saw Mr. Bilbo when he came back, a matter of sixty years ago, when I was a lad. I'd not long come prentice to old Holman (him being my dad's cousin), but he had me up at Bag End helping him to keep folks from trampling and trapessing all over the garden while the sale was on. 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 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 fill tunnels. But my lad Sam will know more about that. He's in and out of Bag End. Crazy about stories of the old days he is, and he listens to all Mr. Bilbo's tales. Mr. Bilbo has learned him his letters - meaning no harm, mark you, and I hope no harm will come of it.
translate
“ 那你听说的比我能说的还要多，” 詹吉回答道。我根本不知道什么珠宝。比尔博先生对他的钱很坦率，而且看起来一点也不缺钱。但我知道根本没挖什么地道。当我还是个小伙的时候，我看到六十岁左右的比尔博先生回来。之后不久我就当了老何曼（他是我爸爸的表亲）的学徒，他请我去袋底洞在拍卖的时候看着花园，不要让那些践踏草地的人进来。在拍卖的中途，比尔博先生就回来了，他带上山来的东西只有一匹小马、一些很大的包裹还有一些箱子。我一点都不怀疑那些箱子里面装满了比尔博先生从外面带回来的财宝，他们说外面有黄金山。但是这些也不至于把隧道填满。我的小子山姆应该更了解这些事，他经常进出袋底洞。他很迷恋那些过去的故事，而且他也听过了比尔博讲的一切。你听好了，比尔博先生用他的书教会了山姆认字，我也不希望这会带来什么麻烦。
note
- be free with 直爽坦白
- a matter of 大约
- have up 请某人来做客
- in the middle of 在...中间
- mark you 你听好了
“你听说的比我知道的还要多，”老家伙回答。“我不知道什么珠宝。比尔博先生对钱财很大方，手头也很阔绰，但我没听说什么挖隧道的事情。大概六十年前，我小时候亲眼见到比尔博先生回来的样子。那时我才刚当上老何曼的学徒（他是我爹的表亲），他派我去袋底洞维持秩序，避免在拍卖的时候让闲杂人等把花园给踩乱了。正当大家急着拍卖比尔博先生的老家和财产时，他突然牵着小马走上这座山，马背上还有好几个大袋子和箱子。我想那里面一定都是从外面世界带回来的财宝；有人说外面有很多金山。但是，我看到的东西也不够把隧道塞满。我儿子山姆大概会知道的更清楚。他常常进出袋底洞。这孩子最喜欢听故事，所有比尔博先生的故事他都背的滚瓜烂熟。比尔博先生甚至还教他识字，各位别露出那种表情，他可是一片好心。但愿不会有什么麻烦才好。”
paragraph 04
'Elves and Dragons' I says to him. 'Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you. Don't go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you'll land in trouble too big for you,' I says to him. And I might say it to others,' he added with a look at the stranger and the miller.
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“ ‘忘掉精灵和巨龙吧。’我和他说。‘对你我来说卷心菜和土豆更合适。别被那些比你厉害的人冲昏了头脑，不然你会碰上解决不了的大麻烦的，’ 我对他说，我也会和其他人这样说。” 说完他看了看陌生人和磨坊主。
note
- mix up 和...厮混
“‘老是想搞一些有关那些精灵与龙的故事！’我这样说。‘莴苣和马铃薯对你我来说才是比较适合的念头。别老是好高骛远，想要和比我们高贵几百倍的人物打交道，不然你会惹上大麻烦的，’我一向都这样告诫他。其他人最好也听我的劝告，”他看了那陌生人和磨坊主人一眼。
paragraph 05
But the Gaffer did not convince his audience. The legend of Bilbo's wealth was now too firmly fixed in the minds of the younger generation of hobbits.
'Ah, but he has likely enough been adding to what he brought at first,' argued the miller, voicing common opinion. 'He's often away from home. And look at the outlandish folk that visit him: dwarves coming at night, and that old wandering conjuror, Gandalf, and all. You can say what you like, Gaffer, but Bag End's a queer place, and its folk are queerer.'
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但是詹吉并没有说服他的听众。有关比尔博财富的传说已经在年轻一代的霍比特人中根生蒂固了。
“ 啊哈。但是他肯定又赚到了更多的钱。” 磨坊主争论道，同时也说出了大家的看法。“他经常离开家。看看那些来见他的古怪的种族: 夜里来的矮人，流浪的变戏法的甘道夫，所有这些。你就说你喜欢说的吧，詹吉，但是袋底洞就是一个古怪的地方，而且在那里的人一样古怪。
note
- add to 增强
不过，老家伙的警告没办法说服他的听众。比尔博传说中的财富在年轻的哈比人心中可说是根深蒂固的传奇，无法动摇了。
“啊，不过他也可能后来又赚到更多的钱，”磨坊主人的论调和大多数人一样，“他常常离家去旅行。你们看看那些拜访他的外地人：晚上出现的矮人、那个老法师甘道夫等等。老家伙，你爱怎么说都没关系，但袋底洞真的是个诡异的地方，里面住的人更奇怪。”
paragraph 06
'And you can say what you like, about what you know no more of than you do of boating, Mr. Sandyman,' retorted the Gaffer, disliking the miller even more than usual.'' If that's being queer, then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts. There's some not far away that wouldn't offer a pint of beer to a friend, if they lived in a hole with golden walls. But they do things proper at Bag End. Our Sam says that everyone's going to be invited to the party, and there's going to be presents, mark you, presents for all - this very month as is.'
That very month was September, and as fine as you could ask. A day or two later a rumour (probably started by the knowledgeable Sam) was spread about that there were going to be fireworks - fireworks, what is more, such as had not been seen in the Shire for nigh on a century, not indeed since the Old Took died.
translate
” 你爱怎么说都行，但是你知道的还不比你关于怎么划船知道的多，桑迪曼先生，“ 詹吉反驳道，而且更讨厌磨坊主了。 ” 如果那就算是怪异的话，我们在这些地方可得多一些这样的怪异。离这儿不远的地方就有一些人，如果他们住在黄金屋里面，他们连一品脱啤酒都不愿意给朋友。但是在袋底洞，他们就愿意这样做。我们的山姆说，每个人都会被邀请参加宴会，而且大家都会有礼物。你听好了，就在这个特殊的月份，每个人都有。“
你如果想细问的话，这个特殊的月份是九月。一两天后一个谣言（可能是山姆那里传出来的）开始传播，这次将会有烟火表演。在夏尔已经将近有一个世纪没有看到烟花了，确切的说是在老图克死后。
note
- queerness 奇妙、古怪
- a pint of 一品托
“我说山迪曼，你爱说什么也都没关系，反正大家也清楚你知道的其实有限，就跟你不会划船一样。”老家伙这次比平常更讨厌这个磨坊主人了。“如果那样就叫诡异，那我们这一带还真的需要多一些这种诡异。其它地方有些一毛不拔的家伙就算住在金山里，也不愿意请朋友喝啤酒。袋底洞可是以慷慨待人出了名的。我们家的山姆说这次每个人都会受邀参加宴会，听好喔，每个人都还会有礼物！就在这个月！”
这个月就是九月，天气依旧十分的怡人。一两天之后，到处就开始流传一个谣言（多半是情报灵通的山姆放出来的消息）：据说这次宴会有烟火！而且，这次的烟火将会是百年来夏尔第一次盛大的烟火表演；自从上次老图克过世之后就没人见过烟火表演了。