tolkiens legendarium - Why did Gollum ever take off the ring in the first place?

Bilbo was able to take the ring because Gollum had taken it off.

If you had the ring, and were accustomed to wearing it, why would you ever take it off anyway?

Answer

The ring was capable of taking indirect action on its own.

The Ring also caused those who possessed it to become obsessed with it, so much so that they might kill anyone who showed too much interest in it or attempted to touch the Ring. With an evil will of its own, the Ring would make attempts to return to its Master. It could "call out" subliminally to other persons, in an attempt to get them to pick it up or possibly kill the current owner. It was also capable of slipping unnoticed from the owner's finger, leaving him vulnerable to attack or to gain a new owner that would help get the Ring back to Sauron. Frodo Baggins was warned by Bilbo that the Ring tended to "slip away" at odd times, and compensated for this by wearing it on a chain around his neck.

As such, it is likely that the Ring left Gollum, sensing Sauron's return to power. As the caves were filled with goblins, trolls, and orcs, it likely expected to be picked up by one of them at which time it could begin moving back to its Master.

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