How were hobbits crreated?

[hobbitlass]

I've been reading all the books on Middle-Earth but have found nothing that says how Hobbits were created. Does anyone know?
1.elves and men by Eru
2.orcs- transformed elves
3.dwarves- by that lesser god (sorry forgot name, doing this off my head)
I know they are the closest to men, but are they like midgets in our world? Or did a lesser god create them? or what? Any input will be appreciated.

[Eärendil]

I don´t think there is any info on how and when they were created, but I might be wrong.

[Eol]

From what I can recall, no one created them as in a god of any sorts. You might try looking in the hobbit, it has been a while since I have read it.

[Frodo Baggins]

Hmmmmm....

Maybe one of the Valar got bored one day??

Are Hobbits Children of Illuvatar?

[Eol]

Well if they are decended from the Men, they definatly have a place in the great food chain of Middle-earth.

[Tirned Tinnu]

Everywhere I've looked says "They appeared".
Treebeard himself says, "Very Strange," as he tries to find them in the rolls of men a creatures. Hobbits were not accounted for!

It is my belief the Illuvitar meant them to arise, but told no-one of them in order to keep the from the eyes of Melkor and Sauron. Indeed, if the Hobbits were discovered too soon, they might never have a chance of redeeming the world.
At the same time, the Maiar Wizards were sent out. Indeed, if Gandalf were not sent to watch over them it would be a surprise to me. Illuvitar is mysterious, is he/she not?

[Eol]

That is pretty sublime to think of it in that way. Well Illuvatar was cool, considering that the Elves and Men are their children.

[hobbitlass]

To Tirned Tinnu. I like that. I suppose it probably happened that way. Or at least I will think so until proof comes of exactly what J.R.R. Tolkien meant. Thanks everyone that responded.

[piosenniel]

You can use the 'Search' option on the board to see if this has been addressed elsewhere: Here is a reference for you:

Hobbit origins

[*Varda*]

There's a bit of info about hobbits at the beginning of my copy of FOTR.

The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in the Elder Days that are now lost and forgotten.

Yet it is clear that Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk became even aware of them.

I don't think Tolkien was entirely sure about the origins of hobbits. There was a chatroom discussion ages ago about how they could be the children of a dwarf and elf meeting at a party (therefore explaining their love of drink, food, and parties.)

[Tirned Tinnu]

*Becomes totally grossed out!*
*Pounds her head to shake that thought from her head*
Oh, dang it. I GIVE UP. Tell me was it a female dwarf with a male Elf or the reverse?! (Morbid curiousity, eh?)
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[Bruce MacCulloch]

Tolkien actually does answer this question very specifically. I have quoted a few passages illustrating that the Professor held hobbits to be Men.


From The Letters of JRR Tolkien, Footnote to Letter 131:

The Hobbits are, of course, really meant to be a branch of the specifically human race (not Elves or Dwarves) - hence the two kinds can dwell together (as at Bree), and are called just the Big Folk and Little Folk. ...

From Letter 319:

... my 'hobbits' were ... a diminutive branch of the human race. ...

The next quotes are all from The History of Middle Earth, Volume 12, The Peoples of Middle Earth, Part X, 'Of Dwarves and Men':

Thus there grew up in those regions the economy, later characteristic of the dealings of Dwarves and Men (including Hobbits): ...

Hobbits on the other hand were in nearly all respects normal Men, but of very short stature. They were called 'halflings'; but this refers to the normal height of men of Numenorean descent and of the Eldar (especially those of Noldorin descent), which appears to have been about seven of our feet. Their height at the periods concerned was usually more than three feet for men, though very few ever exceeded three foot six; women seldom exceeded three feet. They were not as numerous or variable as ordinary Men, but evidently more numerous and adaptable to different modes of life and habitat than the Drûgs, and when they are first encountered in the histories already showed divergences in colouring, stature, and build, and in their ways of life and preferences for different types of country to dwell in. ...
With Men of normal stature they recognized their close kinship, whereas Dwarves or Elves, whether friendly or hostile, were aliens, with whom their relations were uneasy and clouded by fear.