Frodo's relation to Bilbo

Near the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring it is said "So Mr. Frodo is his first and second cousin, once removed either way". This makes little sense for me of two reasons, first because I don't know what once removed is, and secondly because the way I see it, Frodo is Bilbo's nephew. Does anyone have an explanation that's easy to understand for a fresh starter?

"Once removed" refers to generations in family trees. Frodo is "once removed" from Bilbo because they are not members of the same generation. If you refer to the family trees in Appendix C, you can see this. Frodo and Bilbo are not on the same line (each line is a new generation). Frodo cannot be Bilbo's nephew. If you look at the Baggins tree, you will see that Bilbo was an only child. I think Frodo called Bilbo "uncle" because it was shorter than saying "first and second cousin once removed either way." A first cousin is what we usually call just plain "cousin". Your (first) cousins are the children of you aunts or uncles. Frodo is Bilbo's first cousin once removed on the Took side; Frodo's mother was Bilbo's first cousin. Primula, Frodo's mother, was the daughter of Mirabella Took, who was in turn the sister of Bilbo's mother, Belladonna. The second cousin part is more complicated. this occures on the Baggins side. Basically, second cousins have great-grandparents in common, while first cousins have grand parents in common. Look at the Baggins family tree, and you will see that Frodo's father, Drogo, is descended from Balbo Baggins, as was Bilbo. Hope that's clear enough. These family relationships are quite complicated.

Having nothing to add to Eruve's wonderful explanation, I'll just welcome you to the board

VERY complicated! That must have taken a long time to type!

good job, Eruve.

Eruve, wise within the wises... Good job!

Now I see, thanks!

Thanks Eruve, very nice.

It seems rather moot (not ent moot) as Bilbo adopted Frodo when he was 99 (Bilbo not Frodo) so no matter what he was called before, Frodo became the heir. Which is not to say a hair grew any shorter.

It never seemed right to me that a hobbit should make another hobbit his heir, because I was always taught that 'to HEIR is HUMAN'. :rollin:

To avoid getting hurt, I'd better get out of this topic NOW. In fact, I'll send my self out. By HEIR MAIL.

aack! pun alert! run! RUN!

aryne *

Running!

I think I'll go to the mod forum and suggest a no puns rule






Even though puns rule