Few reliable records remain of these years, but it seems that prior to this time the Fallohides dwelt in the vales of the upper Anduin, beneath the eaves of Greenwood the Great. After a shadow fell upon the forest, thereafter known as Mirkwood, the Hobbits abandoned their homes and made passage of the Misty Mountains into Eriador, seeking a safer place in which to make their new home. For many years afterwards, the Fallohides became almost nomadic, living in the lands about Bree but never truly settling anywhere.

It so happened that at this time the people of Arnor were in decline, and many areas of the once-great kingdom were now but sparsely populated. Seeing this, and judging that the Fallohides were good and honest folk, Argeleb granted his consent, yielding unto them all the land between the Baranduin (or Brownwater) river in the east and the far downs in the west to be theirs in which to dwell, an area some forty by fifty leagues. All that was asked of them in return was that they should keep the roads and bridges of that region in good repair, and that they should hasten the king's messengers, should they pass through that land.

Over the next few years, the population of the newly founded Shire thrived and grew, due in no small part to the arrival of a large group of Stoors who came to settle within the borders of the Four Farthings and were welcomed by their Fallowhidish cousins. Even so, it was shortly thereafter that the Shire came close to destruction for, less than forty years after the Fallowhides had claimed the land, a great plague swept across Middle-earth, a pestilence that left the dead piled in the streets. All the great lands were brought low by its passage, but the fledgling Shire was almost eradicated by it. Only the Hobbits' natural determination saw them safely though that difficult time and into the years of plenty that followed.

Gandalf the Grey is a frequent visitor to the Shire.

For several hundred years after, the Shire knew peace, shielded by the watchful Men of Arnor, but before long the great kingdom of Men found itself pressed sorely by an enemy of old: the Witch-king of Angmar. It is to the Shire-folk's credit that when they learned of the war between Arnor and Angmar, they did not hesitate to send what little help they could to the defense of their king. Though the kingdom of Arnor fell in the final battle with the Witch-king, in the Shire the names of those twenty brave Hobbits are recorded with honour, all the more so since none of them ever returned. In truth, this marked the first, last, and only fighting force the Shire has ever contributed to the battles of Middle-earth, for they have since become distanced from the rest of the world and have forgotten their past hardships all too quickly. Fortunately for the folk of the Shire, their cheerful and innocent nature was seen by many of the Free Peoples to be something worth protecting. The Elves of Rivendell and Lindon, the Dwarves of the Ered Luin and Gandalf the Grey have all shielded the Shirefolk from wolves, famine, Orcs and worse throughout the passing years, unbeknownst to the Hobbits though their actions often remained. However, the chief guardians of the Shire have always been the descendants of broken Arnor, who have always proved equal to the task of defending the Halflings from that which would seek to harm them, leaving the Hobbits to pursue their simple lives in peace.

Next: A Tale of Years.