India, March 16 -- Today's quote of the day is, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." It comes from the beloved fantasy novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. First published in 1937, the novel follows the unlikely adventure of Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving hobbit who joins a band of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield on a quest to reclaim their lost kingdom and treasure from the dragon Smaug.

The quote appears in the second-to-last chapter of the book, "The Return Journey." Thorin speaks these words to Bilbo Baggins after the climactic Battle of Five Armies, when he lies mortally wounded. In this moment, Thorin reflects on his earlier greed and the conflict it caused over the tre...