The Hobbit (book) and FOTR question

[shanefowlkes]

This question is very minor and trivial but I have to ask. I read the LOTR books about a year ago. I've now gone back and started reading The Hobbit. In the chapter Riddles in the Dark where Bilbo meets Gollum, he simply introduces himself as Bilbo Baggins and makes no mention of The Shire. Yet, at aleast in the movie, Gollum yells out "Shire! Baggins!" when being tortured by the Orcs and Nazgul (sp?).

So how did Gollum know Bilbo was from The Shire? Are we just to assume that Gollum knew he was a hobbit and all hobbits come from The Shire? Just curious......

[Corwin of Amber]

The answer is in the FotR Chapter "The Shadow of the Past".

Gandalf tells Frodo that in his travels Gollum got as far as Dale where he heard the story of Bilbo Bagins from the Shire.

'That is a sample of his talk. I don't suppose you want any more. I had
weary days of it. But from hints dropped among the snarls I even gathered
that his padding feet had taken him at last to Esgaroth, and even to the
streets of Dale, listening secretly and peering. Well, the news of the great
events went far and wide in Wilderland, and many had heard Bilbo's name and
knew where he came from. We had made no secret of our return journey to his
home in the West. Gollum's sharp ears would soon learn what he wanted.'