birthday: I am eleventy-one today! ‘Hurray! Hurray! Many Happy
Returns!’ they shouted, and they hammered joyously on the tables.
Bilbo was doing splendidly. This was the sort of stuff they liked:
short and obvious.
     / hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am. Deafening
cheers. Cries of Yes (and No). Noises of trumpets and horns, pipes and
flutes, and other musical instruments. There were, as has been said,
many young hobbits present. Hundreds of musical crackers had been
pulled. Most of them bore the mark DALE on them; which did not convey
much to most of the hobbits, but they all agreed they were marvellous
crackers. They contained instruments, small, but of perfect make and
enchanting tones. Indeed, in one corner some of the young Tooks and
Brandybucks, supposing Uncle Bilbo to have finished (since he had
plainly said all that was necessary), now got up an impromptu
orchestra, and began a merry dance-tune. Master Everard Took and Miss
Melilot Brandybuck got on a table and with bells in their hands began
to dance the Springle-ring: a pretty dance, but rather vigorous.
     But Bilbo had not finished. Seizing a horn from a youngster near by,
he blew three loud hoots. The noise subsided. / shall not keep you
long, he cried. Cheers from all the assembly. / have called you all