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• find factors and multiples of numbers up to 100. (NA) 
• identify symmetry with respect to a line, and create figures that have line symmetry. (MG) 
• perform reflection with respect to a line, including glide reflection, to obtain images of shapes. (MG)


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Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• identify, construct, and interpret double bar graphs and double line graphs. (DP) 
• draw conclusions and make inferences from data represented in double bar graphs and double line graphs. (DP) 
• calculate theoretical probability. (DP) 
• multiply and divide decimal numbers. (NA)


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6. illustrate and describe solid figures and their nets. 
7. make models of solid figures. 
8. illustrate and find the surface area of solid figures. 
9. solve problems involving the surface area of solid figures. 
10. describe and distinguish cubes and rectangular prisms. 
11. estimate the volume of a cube and of a rectangular prism using non-standard units of 
measurement. 
12. draw the image of an object after applying rotation about a point given an angle of 
rotation, clockwise or counterclockwise. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• apply the GMDAS rules with operations with fractions and decimals. (NA) 
• illustrate and describe solid figures and their nets. (MG) 
• determine the surface area of solid figures. (MG) 
• distinguish between cubes and rectangular prisms, and estimate their volumes. (MG) 
• draw the image of an object after applying rotation about a point (MG)


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Page 49 of 67 
 
Grade 7 
CONTENT 
DOMAIN 
CONTENT STANDARDS 
The learners should have 
knowledge and understanding of ... 
LEARNING COMPETENCIES 
The learners … 
Quarter 1 
Measurement 
and Geometry 
(MG) 
1. regular and irregular 
polygons and their 
features/properties. 
2. determination of measures of 
angles and number of sides of 
polygons. 
1. draw and describe regular and irregular polygons with 5, 6, 8, or 10 sides, based on 
measurements of sides and angles, using a ruler and protractor. 
2. draw triangles, quadrilaterals, and regular polygons (5, 6, 8, or 10 sides) with given 
angle measures. 
3. describe and explain the relationships between angle pairs based on their measures. 
4. classify polygons according to the number of sides, whether they are regular or irregular, 
and whether they are convex or non-convex.  
5. deduce the relationship between the exterior angle and adjacent interior angle of a 
polygon.


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Page 47 of 67 
 
Grade 6 
Quarter 3 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. units of volume and 
capacity. 
2. volume of cubes and 
rectangular prisms. 
3. perimeter and area of 
triangles, parallelograms, 
trapezoids, and composite 
figures composed of 
triangles, squares, and 
rectangles. 
4. parts of a circle, including 
circumference. 
1. determine appropriate units for measuring volume and capacity. 
2. convert cu. cm to L, and vice versa. 
3. find the volume of a cube and of a rectangular prism using standard units of measurement. 
4. solve problems involving volumes of cubes and rectangular prisms. 
5. solve problems involving capacity. 
6. convert sq. cm to sq. m, and vice versa. 
7. find the area, in sq. m or sq. cm, of composite figures composed of triangles, squares, and 
rectangles. 
8. solve problems involving the perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and 
composite figures composed of triangles, squares, and rectangles.


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Page 48 of 67 
 
Grade 6 
Quarter 4 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. area of a circle 
2. composite figures 
composed of any two or 
more of: triangle, square, 
rectangle, circle, semi-
circle. 
1. explore inductively the area of a circle leading to the formula 𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟2. 
2. find the area of a circle using the formula. 
3. find the area of composite figures composed of any two or more of the following: triangle, square, 
rectangle, circle, and semicircle. 
4. solve problems involving circumference and area of circles, and composite figures. 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
3. pie graphs. 5. find the angle measures and/or percentages based on the given data for a pie graph. 
6. construct a pie graph using appropriate tools. 
7. interpret data presented in a pie graph. 
8. interpret data from digital media that are presented in tabular or graphical form. 
9. draw conclusions or make inferences based on data presented in a pie graph.


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problems involving money. 
6. mentally multiply decimals of up to 2 decimal places by 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 10, 100, and 
1000. 
7. solve multi-step problems involving multiplication of decimals that may or may not also 
involve addition or subtraction of decimals, including problems involving money. 
8. divide: 
a. 1- to 2-digit whole numbers resulting in a repeating (non-terminating) decimal 
 quotient. (e. g., 
1
3 = 0.3333 … ), and 
b. a whole number by a decimal of 1 decimal place. 
9. mentally divide:  
a. decimals of up to 4 decimal places by 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001, and 
b. decimals of up to 2 decimal places by 10, 100, and 1000. 
10. solve problems involving division of decimals that may or may not involve the other 
operations with decimals and/or whole numbers. 
11. obtain products that result from multiplying different combinations of fractions, whole 
numbers, and mixed numbers. 
12. solve multi-step problems involving multiplication that may or may not involve addition or


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9. identify and explain the uses of percentages. 
10. write numbers in exponential form e. g., 2 × 2 × 2 = 23, and vice versa 
e.g., 23 = 2 × 2 × 2. 
11. give the value of numbers expressed in exponential form. 
12. perform calculations involving numbers in exponential form by applying the GEMDAS rules. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• describe and apply the concepts of ratio and proportion. (NA) 
• relate percentages to fractions and decimals. (NA) 
• evaluate, and perform calculations with, numbers expressed in exponential form. (NA)


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Page 51 of 67 
 
Grade 7 
Quarter 3 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
1. data collection and sampling 
techniques, and the 
presentation of data in 
appropriate tables and graphs. 
2. interpretation of statistical 
graphs. 
1. investigate different data collection and sampling techniques. 
2. organize statistical data in a frequency distribution table. 
3. use appropriate graphs to represent organized data: pie graph, bar graph, line graph, 
and stem-and-leaf plot. 
4. interpret statistical graphs. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
3. the set of integers, and 
comparing and ordering 
integers. 
4. the four operations with 
integers. 
5. simplification of numerical 
expressions involving integers. 
6. absolute value of an integer. 
 
5. describe the set of integers. 
6. use positive and negative numbers to describe directions or opposites in real-life 
situations. 
7. locate integers on the number line. 
8. compare and order integers.


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Page 52 of 67 
 
Grade 7 
Quarter 4 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
1. the solution of simple 
equations. 
2. the evaluation of algebraic 
expressions following 
substitution. 
3. the rearrangement of a 
formula to make a different 
variable the subject of the 
formula. 
1. solve simple equations represented by bar models to find unknowns. 
2. distinguish a variable from a constant in an algebraic expression. 
3. evaluate algebraic expressions given the value/s of the variable/s. 
4. translate verbal phrases into algebraic expressions. 
5. illustrate the properties of equality. 
6. solve one variable in terms of the other variables in a formula. 
7. write equations in algebraic form. 
8. find the value of an unknown in an equation where the unknown is non-negative. 
9. solve problems involving algebraic expressions and formulas 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
4. outcomes from experiments. 10. collect data from experiments (e.g., number of heads obtained when tossing a coin, a


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Page 50 of 67 
 
Grade 7 
Quarter 2 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
1. square roots of perfect 
squares, cube roots of perfect 
cubes, and irrational 
numbers. 
1. determine the square roots of perfect squares and the cube roots of perfect cubes. 
2. identify irrational numbers involving square roots and cube roots, and their locations on 
the number line. 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
2. conversion of units of 
measure. 
3. volume of square and 
rectangular pyramids, and 
cylinders. 
 
3. convert units of measure within the International System of Units (SI) and across 
different systems of measure. 
4. explain inductively the volume of a cylinder using the area of a circle, leading to the 
identification of the formula. 
5. find the volume of a cylinder. 
6. solve problems involving the volumes of cylinders. 
7. explore inductively the volume of square and rectangular pyramids using rectangular 
prisms, leading to the identification of the formula.


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8. interpret data from digital media that are presented in tabular or graphical form. 
9. draw conclusions or make inferences based on data presented in a pie graph. 
10. solve problems using data presented in a pie graph. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
4. common factors, 
greatest common 
factors, common 
multiples, and least 
common multiples. 
11. determine the common factors and the greatest common factor (GCF) of two numbers using the 
following methods: listing, prime factorization, and continuous division. 
12. find the common multiples and least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers using the following 
methods: listing, prime factorization, and continuous division. 
13. solve problems involving GCF and LCM. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• find the area of a circle. (MG) 
• find the area of composite figures composed of any two or more of: triangle, square, rectangle, circle, semi-circle. (MG)


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rectangles. 
8. solve problems involving the perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and 
composite figures composed of triangles, squares, and rectangles. 
9. draw circles with different radii using a pair of compasses. 
10. identify and describes the parts of a circle. 
11. measure the circumference of circles using appropriate tools. 
12. approximate the value of pi (𝜋) (the ratio of circumference to diameter). 
13. find the circumference of a circle using 𝐶 = 𝜋𝑑 or 𝐶 = 2𝜋𝑟. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• convert between units of volume and capacity. (MG) 
• find the volume of cubes and rectangular prisms. (MG) 
• find the perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and composite figures composed of triangles, squares, and rectangles. (MG) 
• describe the parts of a circle. (MG) 
• use pi (𝜋) to calculate the circumference of a circle. (MG)


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and whether they are convex or non-convex.  
5. deduce the relationship between the exterior angle and adjacent interior angle of a 
polygon. 
6. determine the measures of angles and the number of sides of polygons. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
3. application of percentages. 
4. use of rates. 
5. rational numbers. 
7. solve problems involving: 
a. percentage increase, and 
b. percentage decrease. 
8. solve money problems involving percentages (e. g., discount, commission, sales tax, 
simple interest). 
9. create a financial plan. 
10. identify and explain the uses of rates. 
11. solve problems involving rates (e.g., speed). 
12. describe given rational numbers as fractions, decimals, or percentages. 
13. order rational numbers on a number line. 
14. perform operations on rational numbers. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• draw, and describe the features/properties of, regular and irregular polygons. (MG)


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numbers, and mixed numbers. 
12. solve multi-step problems involving multiplication that may or may not involve addition or 
subtraction of different combinations of fractions, whole numbers, and mixed numbers. 
13. divide different combinations of fractions, whole numbers, and mixed numbers.  
14. solve multi-step problems involving division of different combinations of fractions, whole 
numbers, and mixed numbers that may or may not involve any of the other operations of 
fractions. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• tessellate a surface using different shapes. (MG) 
• perform the four operations with decimals. (NA) 
• perform the four operations with different combinations of fractions, whole numbers, and mixed numbers. (NA)


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Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
4. outcomes from experiments. 10. collect data from experiments (e.g., number of heads obtained when tossing a coin, a 
number of times, number of prime numbers obtained when rolling a die a number of 
times). 
11. express outcomes in words and/or symbols, and represents outcomes in tables and/or 
graphs. 
12. solve problems using the outcomes of experiments. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
5. operations using scientific 
notation. 
11. write numbers in scientific notation to represent very large or very small numbers, and 
vice versa. 
12. perform operations on numbers expressed in scientific notation. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• solve simple equations. (NA) 
• substitute into an algebraic expression to evaluate the expression. (NA) 
• rearrange a formula to make a different variable the subject of the formula. (NA) 
• gather data from experiments and represent the data in different forms. (DP)


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Page 53 of 67 
 
Grade 8 
CONTENT 
DOMAIN 
CONTENT STANDARDS 
The learners demonstrate knowledge 
and understanding of... 
LEARNING COMPETENCIES 
The learners… 
 
Quarter 1 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
1. measures of central tendency of 
ungrouped data. 
1. determine measures of central tendency of ungrouped data. 
2. draw conclusions from statistical data using the measures of central tendency. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
2. algebraic expressions and 
operations with monomials, 
binomials, and multinomials. 
3, special products for binomials, 
and factorization of polynomials. 
4. rational algebraic expressions and 
equations. 
5. rules for obtaining terms in 
sequences. 
3. model real-life situations using algebraic expressions. 
4. add and subtract simple monomials. 
5. multiply and divide simple monomials, leading to the derivation of the laws of exponents. 
6. multiply simple monomials and binomials with simple binomials and multinomials, using


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6. use positive and negative numbers to describe directions or opposites in real-life 
situations. 
7. locate integers on the number line. 
8. compare and order integers. 
9. add and subtract integers; using concrete models (e.g., counters, integer chips), pictorial 
models (e.g., bar models, number lines), and with integers written as numerals. 
10. multiply and divide integers. 
11. simplify numerical expressions involving integers using number properties and the order 
of operations (GEMDAS). 
12. identify the absolute value of an integer, and its meaning on the number line. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• collect data, and organize data in a frequency distribution table. (DP) 
• represent and interpret data in different types of graphs. (DP) 
• compare and order integers, including through the use of the number line. (NA) 
• perform the four operations with integers. (NA) 
• simplify numerical expressions involving integers. (NA)


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6. solve problems involving the volumes of cylinders. 
7. explore inductively the volume of square and rectangular pyramids using rectangular 
prisms, leading to the identification of the formula. 
8. estimate volumes of square and rectangular pyramids.  
9. solve problems involving volumes of square or rectangular pyramids. 
 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
4. sets and subsets, and the 
union and intersection of sets 
using Venn diagrams 
5. subset of real numbers. 
10. describe sets and their subsets, the union of sets, and the intersection of sets  
11. illustrate sets and their subsets, the union of sets, and the intersection of sets, through 
the use of Venn diagrams. 
12. illustrate the different subsets of real numbers. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• determine square roots of perfect squares and cube roots of perfect cubes, and identify irrational numbers. (NA) 
• convert units of measure from different systems of measure. (MG)


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Page 54 of 67 
 
Grade 8 
Quarter 2 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
1. plotting points, and finding 
distance and the midpoint of 
line segments on the Cartesian 
coordinate plane. 
1. illustrate and describe the Cartesian coordinate plane. 
2. plot points on the Cartesian coordinate plane and determine the coordinates of a point 
on the plane. 
3. solve problems involving distance between two points and midpoint of a line segment on 
the Cartesian coordinate plane. 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
2. volume of pyramids (other than 
square and rectangular 
pyramids), cones, and spheres. 
3. the Pythagorean Theorem. 
4. triangle inequality theorems. 
4. explore inductively the volume of pyramids other than square and rectangular pyramids. 
5. find the volume of pyramids other than square and rectangular pyramids. 
6. solve problems involving volume of pyramids. 
7. explore inductively the volumes of cones and spheres, leading to their formulas. 
8. find the volumes of cones and spheres.


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• find the area of a circle. (MG) 
• find the area of composite figures composed of any two or more of: triangle, square, rectangle, circle, semi-circle. (MG) 
• construct and interpret pie graphs. (DP) 
• find common factors, greatest common factors, common multiples, and least common multiples. (NA)


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• compare and order integers, including through the use of the number line. (NA) 
• perform the four operations with integers. (NA) 
• simplify numerical expressions involving integers. (NA) 
• identify the absolute value of an integer. (NA)


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• rearrange a formula to make a different variable the subject of the formula. (NA) 
• gather data from experiments and represent the data in different forms. (DP) 
• write numbers in scientific notation and perform operations on numbers written in scientific notation. (NA)


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6. solve problems involving volume of pyramids. 
7. explore inductively the volumes of cones and spheres, leading to their formulas. 
8. find the volumes of cones and spheres. 
9. solve problems involving the volume of cones and spheres. 
10. apply the Pythagorean Theorem in finding the missing side of a right triangle, and its 
converse in classifying triangles. 
11. apply the triangle inequality theorems to establish results for angles and sides in 
triangles. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
5. earning money, profit and loss, 
‘best buys’, buying on terms. 
12. solve financial problems involving: 
a. earning money, 
b. profit and loss, 
c. buying amounts of products that represent the best value (‘best buys’), and 
d. buying on terms (‘instalment plan’). 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• plot points, find the distance between two points, and find the midpoint of line segments, on the Cartesian coordinate plane. (NA)


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Page 56 of 67 
 
Grade 8 
Quarter 4 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(D/P) 
1. measures of variability for 
ungrouped data. 
2. interpretation and 
analysis of graphs from 
primary and secondary 
data. 
3. experimental and 
theoretical probability. 
4. the Fundamental 
Counting Principle. 
1. calculate the measures of variability (range, mean deviation, and standard deviation) for 
ungrouped data. 
2. draw conclusions from statistical data using the measures of variability. 
3. investigate, interpret, and analyze graphs from primary data (e.g., examination scores). 
4. investigate, interpret, and analyze graphs from secondary data. 
5. differentiate theoretical from experimental probability by conducting an experiment or an 
investigation. 
6. describe the sample space of an experiment. 
7. use the Fundamental Counting Principle to determine the number of possible outcomes of an 
experiment. 
8. calculate the theoretical probability of a single event by listing all possible outcomes.


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• determine square roots of perfect squares and cube roots of perfect cubes, and identify irrational numbers. (NA) 
• convert units of measure from different systems of measure. (MG) 
• find the volume of square and rectangular pyramids, and the volume of cylinders. (MG) 
• describe sets and their subsets, and the union and intersection of sets. (NA) 
• illustrates sets and subsets, and union and intersection of sets, using Venn diagrams. (NA)


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5. multiply and divide simple monomials, leading to the derivation of the laws of exponents. 
6. multiply simple monomials and binomials with simple binomials and multinomials, using 
the distributive property with various techniques and models. 
7. use special product patterns to multiply binomials. 
8. completely factor different types of polynomials (polynomials with common monomial 
factor; difference of two squares; quadratic trinomials, including perfect square trinomials). 
9. solve problems involving special products and factors of polynomials. 
10. simplify rational algebraic expressions. 
11. perform operations on rational algebraic expressions. 
12. solve problems involving simple rational algebraic equations (using cross-multiplication). 
13. formulate the rule for finding the next term in a sequence by looking for patterns. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to …


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Page 55 of 67 
 
Grade 8 
Quarter 3 
Number 
and 
Algebra  
(NA) 
1. linear equations in one 
variable. 
2. linear inequalities in one 
variable and their 
graphs. 
3. linear equations in two 
variables and their 
graphs. 
4. systems of linear 
equations in two 
variables. 
5. linear inequalities in two 
variables. 
1. solve linear equations in one variable. 
2. solve problems (e.g., number problems, geometry problems, and money problems) involving linear 
equations in one variable. 
3. solve linear inequalities in one variable. 
4. graph on a number line the solution of linear inequalities in one variable. 
5. solve problems involving linear inequalities in one variable. 
6. describe a linear equation in two variables and express its solution using ordered pairs. 
7. define and determine the slope and intercepts of a line. 
8. find the equation of a line given:  
a. two points, 
b. the slope and a point, 
c. the slope and y-intercept, and 
d. the x– and y– intercepts.


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Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• draw, and describe the features/properties of, regular and irregular polygons. (MG) 
• use percentages in different contexts. (NA) 
• identify and use rates. (NA) 
• create a financial plan. (NA) 
• describe, order, and perform operations on, rational numbers. (NA)


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By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• plot points, find the distance between two points, and find the midpoint of line segments, on the Cartesian coordinate plane. (NA) 
• finds the volume of pyramids other than square and rectangular pyramids, and the volumes of cones and spheres. (MG) 
• use the Pythagorean theorem to find sides in right triangles and its converse to classify triangles. (MG) 
• use the triangle inequality theorems to establish results for angles and sides in triangles. (MG) 
• solve financial problems involving earning money, profit and loss, “best buys,” and buying on terms. (NA)


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Page 57 of 67 
 
Grade 9 
CONTENT 
DOMAIN 
CONTENT STANDARDS 
The learners demonstrate knowledge 
and understanding of ... 
LEARNING COMPETENCIES 
The learners …  
Quarter 1 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. simple geometric concepts and 
notations. 
2. perpendicular and parallel 
lines, and angles formed by 
parallel lines cut by a 
transversal. 
1. illustrate and describe point, line, ray, line segment, angle, and plane using models and 
geometric notations. 
2. construct perpendicular and parallel lines. 
3. identify the relationships between angles formed by parallel lines cut by a transversal. 
4. determine angle measures involving angle pairs, parallel and perpendicular lines, and 
parallel lines cut by a transversal. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
3. relations and functions. 
4. graphs of linear functions, and 
the identification of domain and 
range, slope, intercepts, and 
zeros. 
5. identify relations that are functions based on the definitions of relations and functions.


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experiment. 
8. calculate the theoretical probability of a single event by listing all possible outcomes. 
9. describe probability as a measure of the chance of an event occurring. 
10. calculate the probability of simple combined events by listing, or by possibility diagrams or 
tree diagrams. 
11. solve problems involving experimental probability and/or theoretical probability using the 
Fundamental Counting Principle. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• calculate measures of variability for ungrouped data. (DP) 
• interpret and analyze graphs from primary and secondary data. (DP) 
• determine the number of possible outcomes of an experiment using the Fundamental Counting Principle. (DP) 
• calculate the probability of a single event and the probability of simple combined events. (DP)


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Page 59 of 67 
 
Grade 9 
Quarter 3 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(N/A) 
1. quadratic equations and graphs 
of quadratic functions. 
2. the solution of quadratic 
equations. 
1. represent real-life situations that can be modelled using quadratic relationships. 
2. graph equations in two variables to represent quadratic relationships, such as 
𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥2, 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏, 𝑦 = 𝑎(𝑥 − 𝑏)2. 
3. interpret features of a parabola such as vertex, axis of symmetry, x–intercepts, opening 
direction, minimum or maximum value, zeros, and increasing and decreasing intervals. 
4. transform the quadratic functions 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥2, 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏, 𝑦 = 𝑎(𝑥 − 𝑏)2 
and 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 into the form 𝑦 = 𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + 𝑘, and vice versa. 
5. sketch the graph of quadratic functions expressed in equation form. 
6. analyze the effect of changing the values of the parameters on the behavior of its graph 
and on the properties of the quadratic function 𝑦 = 𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + 𝑘.


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13. formulate the rule for finding the next term in a sequence by looking for patterns. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• determine measures of central tendency of ungrouped data and use the measures to draw conclusions. (DP) 
• add and subtract monomials, and multiply combinations of monomials, binomials, and multinomials. (NA) 
• obtain special binomial products. (NA) 
• factorize different types of polynomials. (NA) 
• simplify, and operate with, rational algebraic expressions and solve simple rational algebraic equations. (NA) 
• obtain the rule for finding the next term in a sequence. (NA)


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Page 60 of 67 
 
 
 
Grade 9 
Quarter 4 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. triangle theorems and triangle 
inequality theorems. 
2. the trigonometric ratios and their 
application. 
1. solve problems involving the perpendicular bisector theorem, isosceles triangle theorem, 
theorems on equilateral triangles, and the midline theorem. 
2. explain theorems on triangle inequalities and apply these theorems in comparing 
measures in a triangle. 
3. determine the values of the sine, cosine, and tangent trigonometric ratios corresponding 
to the angles of the special triangles. 
4. find the values of the sine, cosine, and tangent ratios of any acute angle. 
5. use the trigonometric ratios in solving right triangles. 
6. illustrate angles of elevation and angles of depression. 
7. solve real-life problems involving right triangles through the application of the 
trigonometric ratios. 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
3. interpretation and analysis of 
data to assess whether the data


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Page 61 of 67 
 
Grade 10 
CONTENT 
DOMAIN 
CONTENT STANDARDS 
The learners demonstrate knowledge 
and understanding of ... 
LEARNING COMPETENCIES 
The learners … 
 
Quarter 1 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. the laws of sines and the laws of 
cosines. 
2. translations, reflections, and 
rotations, in the Cartesian plane. 
1. apply laws of sines in solving oblique triangles, including ambiguous cases. 
2. apply laws of cosines in solving oblique triangles. 
3. describe the position of points in the Cartesian plane. 
4. describe translations, reflections, and rotations, in the Cartesian plane using 
coordinates. 
5. solve problems involving laws of sines and cosines, including bearings. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
3. quadratic inequalities in one 
variable and in two variables. 
4. absolute value equations and 
inequalities in one variable and 
their graphs. 
6. illustrate on the number line quadratic inequalities in one variable.


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6. analyze the effect of changing the values of the parameters on the behavior of its graph 
and on the properties of the quadratic function 𝑦 = 𝑎(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + 𝑘. 
7. find the zeros of quadratic functions in factored and standard form, graphically and 
algebraically. 
8. solve quadratic equations by:  
a. extracting square roots, 
b. factoring, and 
c. using the quadratic formula. 
9. solve problems involving quadratic functions and equations 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
3. similarity of polygons. 
4. special triangles. 
10. illustrate similarity of polygons. 
11. illustrate and apply triangle similarity theorems in different situations. 
12. solve problems involving triangle similarity. 
13. solve problems involving measures of sides and angles of special triangles (30-60-90, 
45-45-90). 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
5. direct and inverse variation. 13. illustrate real-life situations that involve direct variation and real-life situations that 
involve inverse variation.


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Grade 10 
Quarter 2 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
1. box-and-whisker plots, and 
cumulative frequency 
histograms and polygons. 
2. quartiles, deciles, and 
percentiles; interquartile range, 
and outliers. 
1. illustrate measures of position (quartiles, deciles, and percentiles). 
2. construct and interpret box-and-whisker plots and cumulative frequency histograms and 
polygons. 
3. calculate a specified measure of position, interquartile range, and outliers, from ungrouped 
data. 
4. calculate the percentile rank of a given score from ungrouped data. 
5. draw conclusions from statistical data using the measures of position. 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
3. radical expressions. 
4. the roots of a quadratic 
equation. 
5. quadratic functions. 
6. equations reducible to 
quadratic equations. 
6. illustrate the laws of rational non-integral exponents. 
7. simplify radical expressions.


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Grade 10 
Quarter 3 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
1. equation of a circle and the 
graph of a circle. 
1. transform the equation of a circle from center-radius form to general form, and vice versa. 
2. determine the center and the radius of a circle from a given equation. 
3. sketch the graph of a circle given its equation. 
4. find the equation of a circle from given conditions, e.g., given two points as the endpoints of 
a diameter. 
5. solve problems involving geometric figures on the Cartesian plane. 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
2. evaluation of statistical reports. 
3. union and intersection of 
events, dependent and 
independent events, and 
complementary events. 
6. evaluate statistical reports by linking claims to displays, statistics, and representative data. 
7. illustrate mutually exclusive events and non-mutually exclusive events. 
8. identify complementary events. 
9. solve probability problems involving:


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trigonometric ratios. 
Data 
and 
Probability 
(DP) 
3. interpretation and analysis of 
data to assess whether the data 
may be misleading. 
4. probabilities of simple and 
compound events. 
8. interpret and analyze data from the digital media that are in tabular or graphical form to 
assess whether the data may be misleading. 
9. illustrate simple and compound events. 
10. determine the probabilities of simple and compound events. 
11. solve problems involving probabilities of simple and compound events. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• apply triangle theorems and triangle inequality theorems. (MG) 
• apply trigonometric ratios to solve right triangles. (MG) 
• interpret and analyze data to assess whether the data may be misleading. (DP) 
• determine the probabilities of simple and compound events. (DP)


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the identification of domain and 
range, slope, intercepts, and 
zeros. 
5. identify relations that are functions based on the definitions of relations and functions. 
6. determine the domain and the range of a function expressed in different 
representations. 
7. express the relationship between two variables as a function. 
8. determine the slopes (as rate of change) and the zeros of linear functions represented in:  
a. graphs,  
b. equations, and  
c. tables of values.  
9. graph a linear function and determine its: 
a. domain, 
b. range, 
c. intercepts, and 
d. slope. 
10. represent linear relationships found in real-life situations using different 
representations. 
11. solve problems involving linear functions. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• illustrate and describe points, lines, rays, line segments, angles, and planes. (MG) 
• construct perpendicular and parallel lines. (MG)


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Grade 9 
Quarter 2 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
1. parallelism and 
perpendicularity of lines. 
2. different quadrilaterals and 
their properties. 
3. congruence of triangles. 
4. congruence proofs. 
1. determine conditions that guarantee parallelism and perpendicularity of lines. 
2. classify quadrilaterals based on formal definitions. 
3. use properties of parallelograms to find measures of angles, sides, perpendicular height, 
and diagonals.  
4. solve problems involving parallelograms, rectangles, squares, or rhombuses by applying 
their different properties. 
5. prove properties of parallelograms by applying the relevant theorems. 
6. derive the properties of trapezoids and kites by exploring the relationship between their 
parts and secondary parts. 
7. solve problems on trapezoids and kites by applying their properties. 
8. distinguish inductive and deductive reasoning for establishing proofs.


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variable and in two variables. 
4. absolute value equations and 
inequalities in one variable and 
their graphs. 
6. illustrate on the number line quadratic inequalities in one variable. 
7. solve quadratic inequalities in one variable and expresses solutions in various notations. 
8. solve problems involving quadratic inequalities in one variable. 
9. solve quadratic inequalities in two variables. 
10. determine the region of solutions of a linear or quadratic inequality in two variables. 
11. solve absolute value equations in one variable and express solutions in various 
notations) 
12. solve absolute value inequalities in one variable and express solutions in various 
notations 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• find sides and angles in oblique triangles using the laws of sines and the laws of cosines. (MG) 
• describe translations, reflections, and rotations in the Cartesian plane. (MG)


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8. find the equation of a line given:  
a. two points, 
b. the slope and a point, 
c. the slope and y-intercept, and 
d. the x– and y– intercepts. 
9. sketch the graph (straight line) of a linear equation given:  
a. any two points on the line, 
b. the x– and y– intercepts, and 
c. the slope and a point on the line. 
10. define and illustrate a system of linear equations in two variables. 
11. solve a system of linear equations (with integer solutions) by graphing. 
12. classify the types of systems of linear equations based on the number of solutions. 
13. solve algebraically a system of linear equations in two variables. 
14. solve problems involving systems of linear equations in two variables. 
15. recognize and solve problems involving linear inequalities in two variables. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• solve linear equations and linear inequalities in one variable. (NA) 
• graph linear inequalities in one variable. (NA)


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45-45-90). 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
5. direct and inverse variation. 13. illustrate real-life situations that involve direct variation and real-life situations that 
involve inverse variation. 
14. translate a relationship between two quantities into a variation statement and/or a 
mathematical equation, given a table of values or a graph. 
15. solve problems involving variation. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• represent quadratic relationships. (NA) 
• interpret features of a parabola. (NA) 
• express quadratic functions in different forms. (NA) 
• sketch the graph of a quadratic function. (NA) 
• solve quadratic equations. (NA) 
• illustrate and apply similarity of polygons, including triangles. (MG) 
• apply direct and inverse variation. (NA)


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7. illustrate mutually exclusive events and non-mutually exclusive events. 
8. identify complementary events. 
9. solve probability problems involving: 
a. union and intersection of events, including mutually and non-mutually exclusive events; 
b. dependent and independent events, including conditional probability where the solution 
is limited to the use of contingency tables or Venn diagrams; and 
c. complementary events. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• transform the equation of a circle from center-radius form to general form, and vice versa, and determine the center and radius from a given 
equation. (NA) 
• graph a circle from a given equation of the circle. (NA) 
• evaluate statistical reports. (DP) 
• calculate probabilities in relation to union and intersection of events; dependent and independent events; and complementary events. (DP)


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Grade 10 
Quarter 4 
Number 
and 
Algebra 
(NA) 
1. simple interest, compound 
interest, and depreciation. 
1. explore inductively the relationship between simple interest and compound interest. 
2. calculate compound interest by repeated applications of simple interest. 
3. solve problems involving compound interest by repeated applications of simple interest. 
4. explain inductively the formulas for compound interest and depreciation. 
5. explore inductively the differences in the amount of compound interest obtained on 
amounts of money invested: 
a. annually, 
b. quarterly, and 
c. monthly. 
6. solve real-life problems involving: 
a. compound interest, and 
b. depreciation. 
Measurement 
and 
Geometry 
(MG) 
2. central angles; inscribed 
angles; and angles and 
lengths formed by 
intersecting chords, secants, 
and tangents of a circle. 
3. sectors and segments of a 
circle, and their areas.


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equation. 
5. quadratic functions. 
6. equations reducible to 
quadratic equations. 
6. illustrate the laws of rational non-integral exponents. 
7. simplify radical expressions. 
8. perform operations involving radical expressions, including rationalizing the denominator. 
9. determine the nature of roots of a quadratic equation using the discriminant. 
10. determine the equation of a quadratic function given: 
a. a table of values 
b. its graph, and 
c. its zeros. 
11. solve equations reducible to quadratic equations, e.g., 𝑥4 − 5𝑥2 + 4 = 0 
12. solve problems involving quadratic functions. 
13. solve radical equations, including equations reducible to linear or quadratic equations. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• construct and interpret box-and-whisker plots, and cumulative frequency histograms and polygons. (DP) 
• calculate quartiles, deciles, and percentiles; interquartile range, and outliers. (DP)


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parts and secondary parts. 
7. solve problems on trapezoids and kites by applying their properties. 
8. distinguish inductive and deductive reasoning for establishing proofs. 
9. state postulates and theorems about defined and undefined terms in geometry, and 
formulates proofs involving them. 
10. use the triangle congruence postulates and theorems to illustrate congruence of 
triangles, including CPCTC (definition of congruent triangles). 
11. solve problems involving right triangle congruence theorems, isosceles triangle theorem, 
perpendicular bisector theorem, and midline theorem 
12. construct and justify the construction of segments, angles and triangles, including, but 
not limited to, the triangle’s secondary parts and centers, using the triangle congruence 
postulates and theorems. 
13. construct congruence proofs involving triangles or corresponding parts of triangles 
using a two-column proof. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to …


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• find sides and angles in oblique triangles using the laws of sines and the laws of cosines. (MG) 
• describe translations, reflections, and rotations in the Cartesian plane. (MG) 
• solve and graph the solutions of quadratic inequalities in one variable and in two variables. (NA) 
• solve absolute value equations in one variable and absolute value inequalities in one variable, and graph the solutions. (NA)


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By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• illustrate and describe points, lines, rays, line segments, angles, and planes. (MG) 
• construct perpendicular and parallel lines. (MG) 
• determine the measure of the angles formed by parallel lines cut by a transversal. (MG) 
• identify relations and functions. (NA) 
• graph a linear function and identify the domain and range, intercepts, slope, and zeros. (NA)


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By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• solve linear equations and linear inequalities in one variable. (NA) 
• graph linear inequalities in one variable. (NA) 
• graph linear equations in two variables. (NA) 
• solve a system of linear equations graphically and algebraically. (NA) 
• use linear inequalities in two variables in the solution of problems. (NA)


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Curriculum Organization 
It is proposed that the curriculum organizers desc ribed below are used together to form the curriculum description in the 
Grades 1 to 10 Mathematics Curriculum Guide. The definitions (in italics) within this section are drawn from DepEd Order No. 8, s. 
2015 and DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2019. 
1) Standard – In its broadest sense, it is something against which other things can be compared to for the purpose of determining 
accuracy, estimating quantity or judging quality. It is a stated expectation of what one should know and be able to do. 
2) Key Stage – This refers to stages in the K to 12 Program reflecting distinct developmental milestones. These are Key Stage 1 
(Kindergarten – Grade 3), Key Stage 2 (Grades 4 – 6), Key Stage 3 (Grades 7 – 10), and Key Stage 4 (Grades 11 and 12). 
3) Key Stage Standard* – This shows the degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to demonstrate in each key stage


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References 
Ball, D.L., & Bass, H. (2003). Making mathematics reasonable in school. In J. Kilpatrick, W. G. Martin, and D. Schifter (Eds.). A Research 
Companion to Principals and Standards for School Mathematics (pp. 27-44). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers Mathematics. 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312532588_Making_mathematics_reasonable_in_school#fullTextFileContent. 
Boaler, Dance & Woodbury (2018). From Performance to Learning: Assessing to Encourage Growth Mindsets. Stanford University. Source: 
https://www.youcubed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Assessent-paper-final-4.23.18.pdf. 
Bruner, J.S. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 
Charles, R. (2005). Big ideas and understandings as the foundation for elementary and middle school Mathematics. National Council of Supervisors  
of Mathematics (NCSM) Journal, 7 (3), 9–24.


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(MG) 
2. central angles; inscribed 
angles; and angles and 
lengths formed by 
intersecting chords, secants, 
and tangents of a circle. 
3. sectors and segments of a 
circle, and their areas. 
7. establish properties and relationships for central angles, inscribed angles, secants, and 
tangents, of a circle. 
8. solve problems involving: 
a. central angles, 
b. inscribed angles, 
c. angles formed by two intersecting chords, 
d. angles formed by two secants intersecting outside the circle, 
e. angles formed by two intersecting tangents, and 
f. angles formed by intersecting secant and tangent. 
9. establish properties and relationships for chords, secants, and tangents. 
10. solve problems involving lengths of: 
a. intersecting chords, 
b. two secant segments intersecting outside a circle, and 
c. two intersecting tangent segments. 
11. define sectors and segments of a circle and finds their areas.


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• construct and interpret box-and-whisker plots, and cumulative frequency histograms and polygons. (DP) 
• calculate quartiles, deciles, and percentiles; interquartile range, and outliers. (DP) 
• simplify, and perform operations, involving radical expressions. (NA) 
• determine the nature of roots of a quadratic equation. (NA) 
• determine the equation of a quadratic function. (NA) 
• solve equations reducible to quadratic equations and radical equations. (NA)


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Page 67 of 67 
 
Gelman, S. A. (Eds.) & Hirschfeld, L. A.,. (1994). Mapping the mind: Domain specificity in cognition and culture. Cambridge University Press. 
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511752902. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-97940-000. 
Harden, R.M., & Stamper, N. (1999). What is a spiral curriculum? Medical Teacher, 21 (2), 141–143. 
Hui, C., Hoe, L., & Lee, K.  (2017).  Teaching and learning with concrete-pictorial-abstract sequence – a proposed model.  The Mathematics Educator, 
17, 1&2, 1–28 
Mandell, Lewis & Klein, L. S. (2009). The Impact of Financial Literacy Education on Subsequent Financial Behavior. Journal of Financial 
Counseling and Planning, 20(1), 15-24. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-19876-001. 
Mullis, I.V.S., Martin, M.O., Foy, P., Kelly, D.L., & Fi shbein, B. (2020). TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science . MA: 
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).


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13. construct congruence proofs involving triangles or corresponding parts of triangles 
using a two-column proof. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• determine the conditions for lines to be parallel or perpendicular. (MG) 
• use geometric properties to find unknown sides and angles of quadrilaterals. (MG) 
• apply the triangle congruence postulates and theorems. (MG) 
• construct and justify the construction of segments, angles, and triangles. (MG) 
• construct proofs of the congruence of triangles. (MG)


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3) Key Stage Standard* – This shows the degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to demonstrate in each key stage 
after learning a particular learning area in relation to the core learning area standard. 
4) Grade Level Standard – This shows the degree or quality of proficiency that the learner is able to demonstrate in each Grade 
after learning a particular learning area in relation to the core learning area standard. 
5) Content Domain** – This is a particular strand (or ‘domain’) of the curriculum in which the scope and sequen ce of a set of 
related topics and skills are covered. 
6) Content Standard – The content standards identify and set the essential knowledge and understanding that should be learned. 
They cover a specified scope of sequential topics within each learning strand, domain, theme, or component. Content standards 
answer the question, “What should the learners know?”


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a. intersecting chords, 
b. two secant segments intersecting outside a circle, and 
c. two intersecting tangent segments. 
11. define sectors and segments of a circle and finds their areas. 
12. solve problems involving area of a sector of a circle, segment of a circle, and shaded regions 
in other figures that involve sectors or segments. 
Performance Standards 
By the end of the quarter, the learners are able to … 
• calculate compound interest and depreciation. (NA) 
• apply properties and relationships of central angles, inscribed angles, chords, secants, and tangents of circles. (MG) 
• define sectors and segments of a circle, and find their areas. (MG)


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Charles, R. (2005). Big ideas and understandings as the foundation for elementary and middle school Mathematics. National Council of Supervisors  
of Mathematics (NCSM) Journal, 7 (3), 9–24. 
Confrey, Jere (1991). Steering a Course Between Vygotsky and Piaget. American Educational Research and Association. Volume 20, issue 8. 
https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X020008028. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0013189X020008028?icid=int.sj-
abstract.similar-articles.2. 
DepEd Order 8, s. 2015. Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
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DepEd Order 21 S. 2019. Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program. Released 22 August 2019. Source: 
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2019/08/22/august-22-2019-do-021-s-2019-policy-guidelines-on-the-k-to-12-basic-education-program/


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International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). 
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National Academy Press. 
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Future of Education and Skills 2030. Paris: OECD. 
Piaget, Jean (1977). The development of thought: Equilibration of cognitive structures. (Trans A. Rosin). Viking. 
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Polya, G. (1981). Mathematical Discovery. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


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They cover a specified scope of sequential topics within each learning strand, domain, theme, or component. Content standards 
answer the question, “What should the learners know?” 
7) Learning Competency – This refers to a specific skill performed with varying degrees of independence. It has different degrees 
of difficulty and perfor mance levels. It also refers to the ability to perform activities according to the standards expected by 
drawing from one’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes. 
8) Performance Standard – The performance standards describe the abilities and skills that learners are expected to demonstrate 
in relation to the content standards and integration of 21st century skills. The integration of knowledge, understanding, and  
skills is expressed through creation, innovation, and adding value to products/performance during indep endent work or in 
collaboration with others.


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https://scholar.google.com.ph/scholar?q=piaget,+1977&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart. 
Polya, G. (1981). Mathematical Discovery. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 
Science Education Institute-Department of Science and Technology (SEI-DOST) (2011). Framework For Philippine Mathematics Teacher 
Education. Manila: SEI-DOST & MATHTED. https://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/images/downloads/publ/sei_mathteach.pdf. 
SEAMEO Basic Education Standards (SEA-BES): Common Core Regional Learning Standards (CCRLS) in Mathematics and Science (2017).  
UNICEF & SEAMEO. (2020). SEA-PLM 2019 Main Regional Report, Children’s learning in 6 Southeast Asian countries. Bangkok, Thailand: United 
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) & Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) – SEA-PLM Secretariat. 
Vygotsky, Lev (1978). Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory. 
http://www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/events/archive/aligningcollaborativelearning/Vygotsky.pdf.


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https://www.deped.gov.ph/2019/08/22/august-22-2019-do-021-s-2019-policy-guidelines-on-the-k-to-12-basic-education-program/ 
DepEd Order 22, s. 2021. Financial Education Policy. Released 3rd of June, 2021. Source: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2021/06/DO_s2021_022.pdf  
Department of Education (2016). Mathematics Curriculum Guide. Pasig City: DepEd. 
Disessa, Andrea A, Roschelle, Jeremy and Smith, John P. (1993). Misconceptions Reconceived: A Constructivist Analysis of Knowledge in 
Transition. November 1993. Journal of the Learning Sciences 3(2). DOI: 
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ysis_of_Knowledge_in_Transition. 
Facione, P., & Gittens, C.A. (2016). Think Critically. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. 
Fennell, F. & Rowan, T.   (2001).  Representation:  an important process for teaching mathematics.   Teaching Children Mathematics .  January


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skills is expressed through creation, innovation, and adding value to products/performance during indep endent work or in 
collaboration with others. 
 
* To ensure that the components of mathematical proficiency focused on problem solving are articulated in the revised curriculu m, the key stage standards 
presented provide guidance in the writing of the content standards, learning competencies and performance standards. 
** The content domains proposed for the K to 10 Mathematics curriculum are Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Data and Probability.


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Fennell, F. & Rowan, T.   (2001).  Representation:  an important process for teaching mathematics.   Teaching Children Mathematics .  January 
2001.  Reston, VA:  National Council for Teachers of Mathematics. 
Glasersfeld, Ernst Von (1987). Constructivism in Education. Source: https://www.vonglasersfeld.com/114#:~:text= 
The%20two%20principles%20are%3A,the%20discovery%20of%20ontological%20reality.


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Vygotsky, Lev (1978). Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory. 
http://www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/events/archive/aligningcollaborativelearning/Vygotsky.pdf. 
WGU (2020). What is constructivism? Retrieved from: https://www.wgu.edu/blog/what-constructivism2005.html#close.


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####-"A  little  beer  would  suit  me  better,  if  it  is  all  the  same  to  you, my  good  sir," 
said  Balin  with  the  white  beard.  "But  I  don't  mind  some  cake-seed-cake,  if  you 
have any." 
"Lots!"  Bilbo  found  himself  answering,  to  his  own  surprise;  and  he  found 
himself  scuttling  off,  too,  to  the  cellar  to  fill  a  pint  beer-mug, and to the pantry to 
fetch  two  beautiful  round  seed-cakes  which  he  had  baked  that  afternoon  for  his 
after-supper morsel. 
When he got back Balin and Dwalin were  talking at  the  table  like old  friends 
(as  a  matter  of  fact  they  were  brothers).  Bilbo  plumped  down  the  beer  and  the 
cake  in  front  of  them, when  loud  came  a  ring  at  the  bell  again,  and  then  another 
ring. 
"Gandalf for certain this time," he thought as he puffed along the passage. But 
it was not. It was two more dwarves, both with blue hoods, silver belts, and yellow


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####-All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. 
He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white 
beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots. 
"Good  morning!"  said  Bilbo,  and  he  meant  it.  The  sun  was  shining,  and  the 
grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows 
that  stuck  out  further  than  the  brim  of  his  shady  hat.  "What  do  you  mean?"  be 
said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether 
I  want  not;  or  that  you  feel  good  this  morning;  or  that  it  is  morning  to  be  good 
on?" 
"All  of  them  at  once,"  said  Bilbo.  "And  a  very  fine  morning  for  a  pipe  of 
tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down  and 
have  a  fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have  all  the day before us!" Then Bilbo


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####-grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs, and off they 
marched  with  their  broad  hands  stuck  in  their  gold  and  silver  belts  to  join  the 
others. Already  it had almost become a  throng. Some called  for ale, and some  for 
porter,  and  one  for  coffee,  and  all  of  them  for  cakes;  so  the hobbit was kept very 
busy for a while. 
A  big  jug  of  coffee  bad  just  been  set  in  the  hearth,  the  seed-cakes were gone, 
and  the  dwarves  were  starting  on  a  round  of  buttered  scones,  when  there  came-a 
loud  knock.  Not  a  ring,  but  a  hard  rat-tat  on  the  hobbit's  beautiful  green  door. 
Somebody was banging with a stick! 
Bilbo  rushed  along  the  passage,  very  angry,  and  altogether  bewildered  and 
bewuthered-this  was  the  most  awkward  Wednesday  he  ever  remembered.  He 
pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More


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####-Gandalf,  and  Gandalf  means  me!  To  think  that  I  should  have  lived  to  be  good-
morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!" 
"Gandalf,  Gandalf!  Good  gracious  me!  Not  the  wandering  wizard  that  gave 
Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came 
undone  till  ordered?  Not  the  fellow  who  used  to  tell  such  wonderful  tales  at 
parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and  the rescue of princesses and  the 
unexpected  luck  of  widows'  sons?  Not  the  man  that  used  to  make  such 
particularly  excellent  fireworks!  I  remember  those!  Old  Took  used  to  have  them 
on  Midsummer's  Eve.  Splendid!  They  used  to  go  up  like  great  lilies  and 
snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!" You will 
notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also


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####-was  finishing  his  second  cake  and  beginning  to  think  that  he  had  escape 
adventures very well. 
The  next  day  he  had  almost  forgotten  about  Gandalf  He  did  not  remember 
things  very  well,  unless  he  put  them  down  on  his  Engagement  Tablet:  like  this: 
Gandalf ’¥a Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the 
kind. Just before tea-time there came a tremendous ring on the front-door bell, and 
then he remembered! He rushed and put on the kettle, and put out another cup and 
saucer and an extra cake or two, and ran to the door.  
"I am so sorry  to keep you waiting!" he was going  to say, when he saw  that  it 
was not Gandalf at all. It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, 
and  very  bright  eyes  under  his  dark-green hood.  As  soon a  the door was opened, 
he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected. 
He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and "Dwalin at your service!" he


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####-green  and  yellow);  wear  no  shoes,  because  their  feet  grow  natural  leathery  soles 
and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long 
clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially 
after  dinner,  which  they  have  twice  a  day when  they  can  get  it). Now  you  know 
enough  to  go  on  with.  As  I  was  saying,  the  mother  of  this  hobbit  -  of  Bilbo 
Baggins, that is  - was  the fabulous Belladonna Took, one of  the  three remarkable 
daughters  of  the  Old  Took,  head  of  the  hobbits  who  lived  across  The Water,  the 
small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that 
long  ago  one  of  the  Took  ancestors  must  have  taken  a  fairy  wife.  That  was,  of 
course,  absurd,  but  certainly  there  was  still  something  not  entirely  hobbit-like 
about  them,  -  and  once  in  a while members  of  the  Took-clan would go and have


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tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down  and 
have  a  fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have  all  the day before us!" Then Bilbo 
sat down on a seat by his door, crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring 
of  smoke  that  sailed  up  into  the  air without  breaking  and  floated  away  over  The 
Hill. 
"Very  pretty!"  said  Gandalf.  "But  I  have  no  time  to  blow  smoke-rings  this 
morning.  I  am  looking  for  someone  to  share  in  an  adventure  that  I  am  arranging, 
and it's very difficult to find anyone." 
«I should think so  - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for 
adventures.  Nasty  .disturbing  uncomfortable  things! Make  you  late  for  dinner!  I 
can’t  think  what  anybody  sees  in  them,»  said  our  Mr.  Baggins,  and  stuck  one 
thumb  behind  his  braces,  and  blew  out  another  even  bigger  smoke-ring. Then he


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snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!" You will 
notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also 
that  he was  very  fond  of  flowers. "Dear me!" she went on. "Not  the Gandalf who 
was  responsible  for so many quiet  lads and  lasses going off  into  the Blue  for mad 
adventures.  Anything  from  climbing  trees  to  visiting  Elves  -  or  sailing  in  ships, 
sailing  to other  shores! Bless me,  life used  to be quite  inter  - I mean, you used  to 
upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no 
idea you were still in business." 
"Where else  should  I be?"  said  the wizard.  "All  the  same  I am pleased  to  find 
you  remember  something about me. You seem  to  remember my  fireworks kindly, 
at any  rate,  land  that  is not without hope.  Indeed  for your old grand-father Took's 
sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for."


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course,  absurd,  but  certainly  there  was  still  something  not  entirely  hobbit-like 
about  them,  -  and  once  in  a while members  of  the  Took-clan would go and have 
adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and  the  family hushed  it up; but  the  fact 
remained  that  the  Tooks  were  not  as  respectable  as  the  Bagginses,  though  they 
were undoubtedly richer. Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after 
she  became  Mrs.  Bungo  Baggins.  Bungo,  that  was  Bilbo's  father,  built  the  most 
luxurious  hobbit-hole  for  her  (and  partly  with  her  money)  that  was  to  be  found 
either  under  The  Hill  or  over  The  Hill  or  across  The  Water,  and  there  they 
remained  to  the  end  of  their  days.  Still  it  is  probable  that  Bilbo,  her  only  son, 
although  he  looked  and  behaved  exactly  like  a  second  edition  of  his  solid  and 
comfortable  father,  got  something  a  bit  queer  in  his makeup  from  the Took  side,


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bewuthered-this  was  the  most  awkward  Wednesday  he  ever  remembered.  He 
pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More 
dwarves,  four  more!  And  there  was  Gandalf  behind,  leaning  on  his  staff  and 
laughing. He had made quite a dent on the beautiful door; he had also, by the way, 
knocked out the secret mark that he had put there the morning before. 
"Carefully!  Carefully!"  he  said.  "It  is  not  like  you,  Bilbo,  to  keep  friends 
waiting  on  the  mat,  and  then  open  the  door  like  a  pop-gun!  Let  me  introduce 
Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!" 
"At your service!" said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row. Then they 
hung  up  two  yellow  hoods  and  a  pale  green  one;  and  also  a  sky-blue one with  a 
long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in 
fact  no  other  than  the  great  Thorin  Oakenshield  himself,  who  was  not  at  all


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he pushed inside, just as if he had been expected. 
He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg, and "Dwalin at your service!" he 
said with a low bow.  
"Bilbo  Baggins  at  yours!"  said  the  hobbit,  too  surprised  to  ask  any  questions 
for  the  moment.  When  the  silence  that  followed  had  become  uncomfortable,  he 
added:  "I  am  just  about  to  take  tea;  pray  come  and  have  some with me." A  little 
stiff  perhaps,  but  he  meant  it  kindly.  And  what  would  you  do,  if  an  uninvited 
dwarf came and hung his things up in your hall without a word of explanation? 
They had not been at table long, in fact they had hardly reached the third cake, 
when there came another even louder ring at the bell. 
"Excuse me!" said the hobbit, and off he went to the door.  
"So  you  have  got  here  at  last!" was what  he was  going  to  say  to Gandalf  this 
time.  But  it  was  not  Gandalf.  Instead  there  was  a  very  old-looking  dwarf  on  the


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In this reprint several minor inaccuracies, most of them noted by readers, have 
been corrected. For example, the rune text now corresponds exactly with the runes 
on  Thror's  Map.  More  important  is  the  matter  of  Chapter  Five.  There  the  true 
story  of  the  ending  of  the  Riddle  Game,  as  it  was  eventually  revealed  (under 
pressure)  by Bilbo  to Gandalf,  is  now  given  according  to  the Red Book,  in  place 
of  the  version  Bilbo  first  gave  to  his  friends,  and  actually  set  down  in  his  diary. 
This  departure  from  truth  on  the  part  of  a  most  honest  hobbit  was  a  portent  of 
great  significance.  It  does  not,  however,  concern  the  present  story,  and  those who 
in this edition make their first acquaintance with hobbit-lore need not troupe about 
it.  Its  explanation  lies in the history of the Ring, as it was set out in the chronicles 
of the Red Book of Westmarch, and is now told in The Lord of the Rings.


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ring. 
"Gandalf for certain this time," he thought as he puffed along the passage. But 
it was not. It was two more dwarves, both with blue hoods, silver belts, and yellow 
beards;  and  each  of  them  carried  a  bag  of  tools  and  a  spade.  In  they  hopped,  as 
soon as the door began to open-Bilbo was hardly surprised at all. 
"What can I do for you, my dwarves?" he said. "Kili at your service!" said the 
one.  "And  Fili!"  added  the  other;  and  they  both  swept  off  their  blue  hoods  and 
bowed. 
"At  yours  and  your  family's!"  replied  Bilbo,  remembering  his  manners  this 
time. 
"Dwalin and Balin here already, I see," said Kili. "Let us join the throng!" 
"Throng!" thought Mr. Baggins. "I don't like the sound of that. I really must sit 
down for a minute and collect my wits, and have a drink." He had only just had a 
sip-in  the  corner,  while  the  four  dwarves  sat  around  the  table,  and  talked  about


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In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with 
the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing 
in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. 
It  had  a  perfectly  round  door  like  a  porthole,  painted  green,  with  a  shiny 
yellow  brass  knob  in  the  exact middle. The  door  opened  on  to  a  tube-shaped hall 
like  a  tunnel:  a  very  comfortable  tunnel without  smoke, with  panelled walls,  and 
floors  tiled  and  carpeted,  provided with  polished  chairs,  and  lots  and  lots of pegs 
for  hats  and  coats - the hobbit was  fond of visitors. The  tunnel wound on  and on, 
going  fairly  but  not  quite  straight  into  the  side  of  the  hill  -  The  Hill,  as  all  the 
people for many miles round called  it - and many little round doors opened out of 
it,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  another.  No  going  upstairs  for  the  hobbit:


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can’t  think  what  anybody  sees  in  them,»  said  our  Mr.  Baggins,  and  stuck  one 
thumb  behind  his  braces,  and  blew  out  another  even  bigger  smoke-ring. Then he 
took out his morning  letters, and begin  to  read, pretending  to  take no more notice 
of  the old man. He had decided  that he was not quite his  sort,  and wanted him  to 
go away. But  the old man did not move. He stood  leaning on his stick and gazing 
at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even 
a little cross. 
"Good  morning!"  he  said  at  last.  "We  don't  want  any  adventures  here,  thank 
you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water." By this he meant that the 
conversation was at an end. 
"What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you 
mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off." 
"Not  at  all,  not  at  all,  my  dear  sir!  Let  me  see,  I  don't  think  I  know  your 
name?"


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long silver tassel. This last belonged to Thorin, an enormously important dwarf, in 
fact  no  other  than  the  great  Thorin  Oakenshield  himself,  who  was  not  at  all 
pleased at falling flat on Bilbo's mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur on top of him. 
For  one  thing  Bombur  was  immensely  fat  and  heavy.  Thorin  indeed  was  very 
haughty,  and  said  nothing  about  service;  but  poor Mr. Baggins  said  he was  sorry 
so  many  times,  that  at  last  he  grunted  "pray  don't  mention  it,"  and  stopped 
frowning. 
"Now we  are  all here!"  said Gandalf,  looking  at  the  row of  thirteen hoods-the 
best  detachable  party  hoods-and his own hat hanging on  the pegs. "Quite a merry 
gathering! 
I hope there is something left for the late-comers to eat and drink! What's that? 
Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think, for me." "And for me," said Thorin. 
"And raspberry jam and apple-tart," said Bifur. "And mince-pies and cheese," said


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although  he  looked  and  behaved  exactly  like  a  second  edition  of  his  solid  and 
comfortable  father,  got  something  a  bit  queer  in  his makeup  from  the Took  side, 
something  that  only  waited  for  a  chance  to  come  out.  The  chance  never  arrived, 
until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in 
the  beautiful  hobbit-hole  built  by  his  father,  which  I  have  just described  for you, 
until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.  
By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when 
there  was  less  noise  and  more  green,  and  the  hobbits  were  still  numerous  and 
prosperous,  and  Bilbo  Baggins  was  standing  at  his  door  after  breakfast  smoking 
an  enormous  long  wooden  pipe  that  reached  nearly  down  to  his  woolly  toes 
(neatly brushed)  - Gandalf  came  by. Gandalf!  If  you  had  heard  only  a  quarter  of


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at any  rate,  land  that  is not without hope.  Indeed  for your old grand-father Took's 
sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for." 
"I beg your pardon, I haven't asked for anything!" 
"Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as 
to  send  you  on  this  adventure.  Very  amusing  for  me,  very  good  for  you  and 
profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it." 
"Sorry!  I  don't  want  any  adventures,  thank  you.  Not  today.  Good  morning! 
But please come to tea - any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! 
Good-bye!" 
With  that  the hobbit  turned and  scuttled  inside his  round green door, and  shut 
it as quickly as he dared, not to seen rude. Wizards after all are wizards. 
"What on earth did I ask him to tea for!" he said to him-self, as he went to the 
pantry. He had only  just had break  fast, but he  thought a cake or  two and a drink


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it.  Its  explanation  lies in the history of the Ring, as it was set out in the chronicles 
of the Red Book of Westmarch, and is now told in The Lord of the Rings. 
 
A final note may be added, on a point raised by several students of  the  lore of 
the  period.  On  Thror's  Map  is  written  Here  of  old  was  Thrain  King  under  the 
Mountain;  yet  Thrain  was  the  son  of  Thror,  the  last  King  under  the  Mountain 
before  the  coming  of  the  dragon.  The  Map,  however,  is  not  in  error.  Names  are 
often  repeated  in  dynasties,  and  the  genealogies  show  that  a  distant  ancestor  of 
Thror  was  referred  to,  Thrain  I,  a  fugitive  from  Moria,  who  first  discovered  the 
Lonely Mountain, Erebor, and ruled there for a while, before his people moved on 
to the remoter mountains of the North.


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"So  you  have  got  here  at  last!" was what  he was  going  to  say  to Gandalf  this 
time.  But  it  was  not  Gandalf.  Instead  there  was  a  very  old-looking  dwarf  on  the 
step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the 
door was open, just as if he had been invited. 
"I  see  they  have  begun  to  arrive  already,"  he  said  when  he  caught  sight  of 
Dwalin's  green  hood  hanging  up.  He  hung  his  red  one  next  to  it,  and  "Balin  at 
your service!" he said with his hand on his breast. 
"Thank  you!"  said  Bilbo with  a  gasp.  It was  not  the  correct  thing  to  say,  but 
they have begun  to  arrive had  flustered him badly. He  liked visitors, but he  liked 
to know  them before  they arrived, and he preferred  to ask  them himself. He had a 
horrible  thought  that  the  cakes might  run  short,  and  then  he-as  the host: he knew 
his duty and stuck to it however painful-he might have to go without.


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down for a minute and collect my wits, and have a drink." He had only just had a 
sip-in  the  corner,  while  the  four  dwarves  sat  around  the  table,  and  talked  about 
mines  and  gold  and  troubles  with  the  goblins,  and  the  depredations  of  dragons, 
and lots of other things which he did not understand, and did not want to, for they 
sounded much too adventurous-when, ding-dong-a-ling-' dang, his bell rang again, 
as if some naughty little hobbit-boy was trying to pull the handle off. "Someone at 
the  door!"  he  said,  blinking.  "Some  four,  I  should  say  by  the  sound,"  said  Fili. 
"Be-sides, we saw them coming along behind us in the distance." 
The  poor  little  hobbit  sat  down  in  the  hall  and  put  his  head  in  his  hands,  and 
wondered  what  had  happened,  and  what  was  going  to  happen,  and  whether  they 
would all stay  to supper. Then  the bell rang again  louder  than ever, and he had  to


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people for many miles round called  it - and many little round doors opened out of 
it,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  another.  No  going  upstairs  for  the  hobbit: 
bedrooms,  bathrooms,  cellars,  pantries  (lots  of  these),  wardrobes  (he  had  whole 
rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and 
indeed  on  the  same  passage. The  best  rooms were  all  on  the  left-hand side (going 
in),  for  these  were  the  only  ones  to  have  windows,  deep-set  round  windows 
looking over his garden and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.  
This  hobbit  was  a  very  well-to-do  hobbit,  and  his  name  was  Baggins.  The 
Bagginses  had  lived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  The  Hill  for  time  out  of mind,  and 
people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, 
but  also  because  they  never had  any  adventures or did  anything unexpected: you


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mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off." 
"Not  at  all,  not  at  all,  my  dear  sir!  Let  me  see,  I  don't  think  I  know  your 
name?" 
"Yes,  yes,  my  dear  sir  -  and  I  do  know  your  name, Mr.  Bilbo  Baggins.  And 
you  do  know  my  name,  though  you  don't  remember  that  I  belong  to  it.  I  am


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wondered  what  had  happened,  and  what  was  going  to  happen,  and  whether  they 
would all stay  to supper. Then  the bell rang again  louder  than ever, and he had  to 
run  to  the  door.  It  was  not  four  after  all,  t  was  FIVE.  Another  dwarf  had  come 
along while he was wondering in the hall. He had hardly turned the knob, be-x)re 
they were all  inside, bowing and  saying  "at your  service" one after another. Dori, 
Nori,  Ori,  Oin,  and  Gloin  were  their  names;  and  very  soon  two  purple  hoods,  a


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"What on earth did I ask him to tea for!" he said to him-self, as he went to the 
pantry. He had only  just had break  fast, but he  thought a cake or  two and a drink 
of  something  would  do  him  good  after  his  fright.  Gandalf  in  the  meantime  was 
still  standing  outside  the  door,  and  laughing  long  but  quietly.  After  a  while  he 
stepped  up,  and  with  the  spike  of  his  staff  scratched  a  queer  sign  on  the  hobbit's 
beautiful  green  front-door.  Then  he  strode  away,  just  about  the  time  when  Bilbo


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Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think, for me." "And for me," said Thorin. 
"And raspberry jam and apple-tart," said Bifur. "And mince-pies and cheese," said 
Bofur.  "And  pork-pie  and  salad,"  said  Bombur.  "And  more  cakes-and  ale-and 
coffee, if you don't mind," called the other dwarves through the door.


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an  enormous  long  wooden  pipe  that  reached  nearly  down  to  his  woolly  toes 
(neatly brushed)  - Gandalf  came  by. Gandalf!  If  you  had  heard  only  a  quarter  of 
what  I  have  heard  about  him,  and  I  have  only  heard  very  little  of  all  there  is  to 
hear,  you  would  be  prepared  for  any  sort  I  of  remarkable  tale.  Tales  and 
adventures  sprouted  up  all  over  the  place  wherever  he  went,  in  the  most 
extraordinary  fashion.  He  had  not  been  down  that  way  under  The  Hill  for  ages 
and  ages,  not  since  his  friend  the  Old  Took  died,  in  fact,  and  the  hobbits  had 
almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across 
The  Water  on  business  of  his  own  since  they  were  all  small  hobbit-boys  and 
hobbit-girls.


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people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, 
but  also  because  they  never had  any  adventures or did  anything unexpected: you 
could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking 
him. This  is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure,  found himself doing and 
saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours' respect, but 
he gained-well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.
The  mother  of  our  particular  hobbit  …  what  is  a  hobbit?  I  suppose  hobbits 
need  some description nowadays,  since  they have become  rare  and  shy of the Big 
People,  as  they  call  us.  They  are  (or  were)  a  little  people,  about  half  our  height, 
and  smaller  than  the  bearded Dwarves. Hobbits  have  no  beards. There  is  little  or 
no  magic  about  them,  except  the  ordinary  everyday  sort  which  helps  them  to


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horrible  thought  that  the  cakes might  run  short,  and  then  he-as  the host: he knew 
his duty and stuck to it however painful-he might have to go without. 
"Come  along  in,  and  have  some  tea!"  he  managed  to  say  after  taking  a  deep 
breath.


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####-"Put  on  a  few  eggs,  there's  a  good  fellow!"  Gandalf  called  after  him,  as  the 
hobbit  stumped  off  to  the  pantries.  "And  just  bring  out  the  cold  chicken  and 
pickles!" 
"Seems  to  know  as  much  about  the  inside  of  my  larders  as  I  do  myself!" 
thought Mr. Baggins, who was  feeling  positively  flummoxed,  and was  beginning 
to wonder whether  a most wretched  adventure  had  not  come  right  into his house. 
By  the  time he had got all  the bottles and dishes and knives and forks and glasses 
and  plates  and  spoons  and  things  piled  up  on  big  trays,  he  was  getting  very  hot, 
and red in the face, and annoyed. 
"Confusticate  and  bebother  these  dwarves!"  he  said  aloud.  "Why  don't  they 
come and lend a hand?" Lo and behold! there stood Balin and Dwalin at the door 
of  the  kitchen,  and  Fili  and Kili  behind  them,  and  before  he  could  say  knife  they


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####-"That's  right,"  said  Gandalf.  "Let's  have  no  more  argument.  I  have  chosen  Mr. 
Baggins  and  that  ought  to  !6te  enough  for  all  of  you.  If  I  say  he  is  a  Burglar,  a 
Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes. There is a lot more in him than you 
guess,  and  a  deal  more  than  he  has  any  idea  of  himself.  You  may  (possibly)  all 
live to thank me yet. Now Bilbo, my boy, fetch the lamp, and let's have little light 
on this!" 
On  the  table  in  the  light  of  a  big  lamp  with  a  red  shad  he  spread  a  piece  of 
parchment rather like a map. 
"This was made  by  Thror,  your  grandfather,  Thorin,  he  said  in  answer  to  the 
dwarves' excited questions. "It is a plan of the Mountain." 
"I  don't  see  that  this  will  help  us  much,"  said  Thorin  disappointedly  after  a 
glance. "I remember the Mountain well enough and the lands about it. And I know 
where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred."


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####-The dragon's ire more fierce than fire  
Laid low their towers and houses frail. 
 
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; 
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom. 
They fled their hall to dying -fall 
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon. 
 
Far over the misty mountains grim 
To dungeons deep and caverns dim 
We must away, ere break of day,  
To win our harps and gold from him!


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####-hair  on  his  toes  never  fall  out!  all  praise  to  his  wine  and  ale!-"  He  paused  for 
breath  and  for  a  polite  remark  from  the  hob-bit,  but  the  compliments were  quite 
lost on-poor Bilbo Baggins, who was wagging his mouth in protest at being called 
audacious  and worst  of  all  fellow  conspirator,  though  no  noise  came  out,  he was 
so flummoxed. So Thorin went on: 
"We  are  met  to  discuss  our  plans,  our  ways,  means,  policy  and  devices.  We 
shall soon before the break of day start on our long journey, a journey from which 
some  of  us,  or  perhaps  all  of  us  (except  our  friend  and  counsellor,  the  ingenious 
wizard Gandalf) may never return. It is a solemn moment. Our object is, I take it, 
well known  to us all. To  the estimable Mr. Baggins, and perhaps  to one or  two of 
the  younger  dwarves  (I  think  I  should  be  right  in  naming  Kili  and  Fili,  for


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####-parlour. This is what he heard, Gloin speaking: "Humph!" (or some snort more or 
less  like  that).  "Will  he  do,  do  you  think?  It  is  all  very  well  for Gandalf  to  talk 
about  this hobbit being  fierce, but one  shriek  like  that  in a moment of excitement 
would be enough  to wake  the dragon and all his  relatives, and kill  the  lot of us.  I 
think it sounded more like fright than excitement! In fact, if it bad not been for the 
sign  on  the  door,  I  should  have  been  sure  we  had  come  to  the  wrong  house.  As 
soon  as  I  clapped  eyes  on  the  little  fellow  bobbing  and  puffing  on  the mat,  I  had 
my doubts. He looks more like a grocer-than a burglar!" 
Then Mr. Baggins  turned  the handle and went in. The Took side had won. He 
suddenly  felt  he would  go without  bed  and  breakfast  to  be  thought  fierce. As  for 
little  fellow  bobbing  on  the  mat  it  almost  made  him  really  fierce.  Many  a  time


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and  smaller  than  the  bearded Dwarves. Hobbits  have  no  beards. There  is  little  or 
no  magic  about  them,  except  the  ordinary  everyday  sort  which  helps  them  to 
disappear  quietly  and  quickly  when  large  stupid  folk  like  you  and  me  come 
blundering  along,  making  a  noise  like  elephants  which  they  can  hear  a  mile  off. 
They  are  inclined  to  be    at  in  the  stomach;  they  dress  in  bright  colours  (chiefly


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And  of  course  they  did  none  of  these  dreadful  things,  and  everything  was 
cleaned  and  put  away  safe  as  quick  as  lightning,  while  the  hobbit  was  turning 
round  and  round  in  the middle of  the kitchen  trying  to  see what  they were doing. 
Then  they  went  back,  and  found  Thorin  with  his  feet  on  the  fender  smoking  a 
pipe. He was  blowing  the most  enormous  smoke-rings, and wherever he  told one 
to  go,  it  went-up  the  chimney,  or  behind  the  clock  on  the  man-telpiece,  or  under 
the  table,  or  round  and  round  the  ceiling;  but  wherever  it  went  it  was  not  quick 
enough  to escape Gandalf. Pop! he  sent a  smaller  smoke-ring from his short clay-
pipe  straight  through  each  one  of  Thorin's.  The  Gandalf's  smoke-ring  would  go 
green  and  come  back  to  hover  over  the  wizard's  head.  He  had  quite  a  cloud  of 
them  about  him  already,  and  in  the  dim  light  it  made  him  look  strange  and


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come and lend a hand?" Lo and behold! there stood Balin and Dwalin at the door 
of  the  kitchen,  and  Fili  and Kili  behind  them,  and  before  he  could  say  knife  they 
had  whisked  the  trays  and  a  couple  of  small  tables  into  the  parlour  and  set  out 
everything afresh. 
Gandalf  sat  at  the  head  of  the  party with  the  thirteen,  dwarves  all  round:  and 
Bilbo  sat  on  a  stool  at  the  fireside,  nibbling  at  a  biscuit  (his  appetite  was  quite 
taken away), and trying to look as if this was all perfectly  ordinary and. not in the 
least  an  adventure. The  dwarves  ate  and  ate,  and  talked  and  talked,  and  time  got 
on.  At  last  they  pushed  their  chairs  back,  and  Bilbo  made  a  move  to  collect  the 
plates and glasses. 
"I suppose you will all stay to supper?" he said in his politest unpressing tones. 
"Of  course!"  said Thorin.  "And  after. We  shan't  get  through  the  business  till  late,


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glance. "I remember the Mountain well enough and the lands about it. And I know 
where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred." 
"There  is  a dragon marked  in  red on  the Mountain,  said Balin,  "but  it will be 
easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there." 
"There  is one point  that you haven't noticed,"  said  the wizard,  "and  that  is  the 
secret  entrance.  You  see  that  rune  on  the  West  side,  and  the  hand  pointing  to  it 
from the other runes?** That marks a hidden passage to the Lower Halls. 
"It may  have  been  secret  once,"  said  Thorin,  "but  how  do  we  know  that  it  is 
secret  any  longer?  Old  Smaug  had  lived  there  long  enough  now  to  find  out 
anything there is to know about those caves." 
"He may-but he can't have used it for years and years. "Why?" 
"Because  it  is  too  small.  'Five  feet  high  the  door  and  three may walk  abreast'


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As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by 
cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and jealous love, the desire of 
the  hearts  of  dwarves.  Then  something  Tookish  woke  up  inside  him,  and  he 
wished  to  go  and  see  the  great  mountains,  and  hear  the  pine-trees  and  the 
waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick. He 
looked  out  of  the  window.  The  stars  were  out  in  a  dark  sky  above  the  trees.  He 
thought  of  the  jewels  of  the  dwarves  shining  in  dark  caverns.  Suddenly  in  the 
wood  beyond  The  Water  a  flame  leapt  up--probably  somebody  lighting  a  wood-
fire-and he thought of plundering dragons settling on his quiet Hill and kindling it 
all  to  flames. He  shuddered;  and  very  quickly  he was  plain Mr.  Baggins  of  Bag-
End, Under-Hill, again. 
He got up trembling. He had less than half a mind to fetch the lamp, and more


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well known  to us all. To  the estimable Mr. Baggins, and perhaps  to one or  two of 
the  younger  dwarves  (I  think  I  should  be  right  in  naming  Kili  and  Fili,  for 
instance), the exact situation at the moment may require a little brief explanation-" 
This was  Thorin's  style. He was  an  important  dwarf.  If  he  had  been  allowed, 
he  would  probably  have  gone  on  like  this  until  he  was  out  of  breath,  without 
telling  any  one  there  'anything  that  was  not  known  already.  But  he  was  rudely 
interrupted. Poor Bilbo couldn't bear  it any  longer. At may never  return he began 
to feel a shriek coming up  inside, and very soon  it burst out  like  the whistle of an 
engine coming out of a tunnel. All the dwarves sprang Bp knocking over the table. 
Gandalf struck a blue  light on  the end of his magic staff, and  in  its firework glare 
the poor little hobbit could be seen kneeling on the hearth-rug, shaking like a jelly


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suddenly  felt  he would  go without  bed  and  breakfast  to  be  thought  fierce. As  for 
little  fellow  bobbing  on  the  mat  it  almost  made  him  really  fierce.  Many  a  time 
afterwards  the  Baggins  part  regretted  what  he  did  now,  and  he  said  to  himself: 
"Bilbo, you were a fool; you walked right in and put your foot in it." 
"Pardon me," he said, "if I have overheard words that you were saying. I don't 
pretend  to  understand  what  you  are  talking  about,  or  your  reference  to  burglars, 
but  I  think  I  am  right  in  believing"  (this  is  what  he  called  being  on  his  dignity) 
"that you  think  I am no good.  I will show you.  I have no signs on my door-it was 
painted  a  week  ago-,  and  I  am quite  sure you have  come  to  the wrong house. As 
soon as  I  saw  your  funny  faces  on  the  door-step,  I had my doubts. But  treat  it as 
the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from


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####-Mountain. That is the usual dwarves' method- I think that is right, isn't it?" "Quite 
right," said Thorin. 
"Also," went on Gandalf, "I forgot  to mention  that with  the map went a key, a 
small and curious key. Here it is!" he said, and handed to Thorin a key with a long 
barrel and intricate wards, made of silver. "Keep it safe!" 
"Indeed  I  will,"  said  Thorin,  and  he  fastened  it  upon  a  fine  chain  that  hung 
about his neck and under his jacket. "Now things begin to look more hopeful. This 
news alters them much for-the better. So far we have had no clear idea what to do. 
We  thought  of  going  East,  as  quiet  and  careful  as  we  could,  as  far  as  the  Long 
Lake. After that the trouble would begin." 
"A long time before that, if I know anything about the loads East," interrupted 
Gandalf. 
"We might go from there up along the River Running," went on Thorin taking


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"I suppose you will all stay to supper?" he said in his politest unpressing tones. 
"Of  course!"  said Thorin.  "And  after. We  shan't  get  through  the  business  till  late, 
and we must have some music first. Now to clear up!" 
Thereupon  the  twelve  dwarves-not  Thorin,  he  was  too  important,  and  stayed 
talking  to  Gandalf-jumped  to  their  feet  and  made  tall  piles  of  all  the  things.  Off 
they went, not waiting for trays, balancing columns of plates, each with a bottle on 
the  top,  with  one  hand,  while  the  hobbit  ran  after  them  almost  squeaking  with 
fright:  "please  be  careful!"  and  "please,  don't  trouble!  I  can  manage."  But  the 
dwarves only started to sing:


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####-up  to Gandalf's  recommendation. "Also  I  should  like  to know about  risks, out-of-
pocket  expenses,  time  required  and  remuneration,  and  so  forth"-by  which  he 
meant: "What am I going to get out of it? and am I going to come back alive?" 
"O  very  well,"  said  Thorin.  "Long  ago  in  my  grandfather  Thror's  time  our 
family  was  driven  out  of  the  far  North,  and  came  back  with  all  their  wealth  and 
their tools to this Mountain on the map. It had been discovered by my far ancestor, 
Thrain the Old, but now they mined and they tunnelled and they made huger halls 
and greater workshops  -and  in  addition  I  believe  they  found  a  good  deal  of  gold 
and a great many  jewels  too. Anyway they grew immensely rich and famous, and 
my  grandfather  was  King  under  the  Mountain  again  and  treated  with  great 
reverence  by  the  mortal  men,  who  lived  to  the  South,  and  were  gradually


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"He may-but he can't have used it for years and years. "Why?" 
"Because  it  is  too  small.  'Five  feet  high  the  door  and  three may walk  abreast' 
say  the  runes,  but  Smaug  could  not  creep  into  a  hole  that  size,  not even when he 
was  a  young  dragon,  certainly  not  after  devouring  so  many  of  the  dwarves  and 
men of Dale." 
"It  seems  a  great  big  hole  to me,"  squeaked Bilbo  (who  had  no  experience  of 
dragons  and  only  of  hobbit-holes) He was getting excited and  interested  again, so 
that he forgot to keep his mouth shut. He loved maps, and in his hall there hung a 
large  one  of  the  Country  Round with  all  his  favourite walks marked  on  it  in  red 
ink.  "How  could  such  a  large  door  be  kept  secret  from  everybody  outside,  apart 
from the dragon?" he asked. He was only a little hobbit you must remember.  
"In lots of ways," said Gandalf. "But in what way this one has been hidden we


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all  to  flames. He  shuddered;  and  very  quickly  he was  plain Mr.  Baggins  of  Bag-
End, Under-Hill, again. 
He got up trembling. He had less than half a mind to fetch the lamp, and more 
than  half  a  mind  to  pretend  to,  and  go  and  hide  behind  the  beer  barrels  in  the 
cellar,  and  not  come  out  again  until  all  the  dwarves  had  gone  away. Suddenly  he 
found that the music and the singing had stopped, and they were all looking at him 
with eyes shining in the dark. 
"Where  are  you  going?"  said  Thorin,  in  a  tone  that  seemed  to  show  that  he 
guessed both halves of the hobbit's mind. 
"What about a little light?" said Bilbo apologetically.  
"We like the dark," said the dwarves. "Dark for dark business! There are many 
hours before dawn." 
"Of  course!"  said Bilbo,  and  sat down  in  a hurry. He missed  the  stool  and  sat 
in the fender, knocking over the poker and shovel with a crash.


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green  and  come  back  to  hover  over  the  wizard's  head.  He  had  quite  a  cloud  of 
them  about  him  already,  and  in  the  dim  light  it  made  him  look  strange  and 
sorcerous. Bilbo stood still and watched-he loved smoke-rings-and then be blushed 
to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent 
up the wind over The Hill. 
"Now for some music!" said Thorin. "Bring out the instruments!" 
Kili  and  Fili  rushed  for  their  bags  and  brought  back  little  fiddles; Dori, Nori, 
and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats; Bombur produced a 
drum  from  the  hall; Bifur  and Bofur went  out  too,  and  came  back with  clarinets 
that they had left among the walking-sticks Dwalin and Balin said: "Excuse me, I 
left  mine  in  the  porch!"  "Just  bring  mine  in  with  you,"  said  Thorin.  They  came 
back with  viols  as  big  as  themselves,  and with  Thorin’s  harp wrapped  in  a  green


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"A long time before that, if I know anything about the loads East," interrupted 
Gandalf. 
"We might go from there up along the River Running," went on Thorin taking 
no  notice,  "and  so  to  the  ruins  of Dale-the old  town  in  the valley  there, under  the 
shadow  of  the Mountain. But we  none of us liked the idea of the Front Gate. The 
river  runs  right out of  it  through  the great  cliff  at  the South of  the Mountain,  and 
out of it comes the dragon too-far too often, unless he has changed." 
"That  would  be  no  good,"  said  the  wizard,  "not  without  a  mighty  Warrior, 
even  a  Hero.  I  tried  to  find  one;  but  warriors  are  busy  fighting  one  another  in 
distant  lands,  and  in  this  neighbourhood  heroes  are  scarce,  or  simply  lot  to  be 
found.  Swords  in  these  parts  are  mostly  blunt,  and  axes  are  used  for  trees,  and 
shields  as  cradles  or  dish-covers;  and  dragons  are  comfortably  far-off  (and


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soon as  I  saw  your  funny  faces  on  the  door-step,  I had my doubts. But  treat  it as 
the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from 
here  to  the East of East and fight  the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert. I bad a 
great-great-great-granduncle once, Bullroarer Took, and —" 
"Yes, yes, but  that was  long ago," said Gloin. "I was  talking about you. And I 
assure  you  there  is  a  mark  on  this  door-the  usual  one  in  the  trade,  or used  to be. 
Burglar  wants  a  good  job,  plenty  of  Excitement  and  reasonable  Reward,  that's 
how  it  is  usually  read.  You  can  say  Expert  Treasure-hunter  instead of Burglar  if 
you like. Some of them do. It's all the same to us. Gandalf told us that there was a 
man of  the  sort  in  these parts  looking  for  a  Job  at once,  and  that he had arranged 
for a meeting here this Wednesday tea-time." 
"Of course there is a mark," said Gandalf. "I put it there myself. For very good


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Chip the glasses and crack the plates! 
Blunt the knives and bend the forks! 
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates- 
Smash the bottles and burn the corks! 
 
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat! 
Pour the milk on the pantry floor! 
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat! 

####-Splash the wine on every door! 
 
Dump the crocks in a boiling bawl; 
Pound them up with a thumping pole; 
And when you've finished, if any are whole, 
Send them down the hall to roll ! 
 
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates! 
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!


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my  grandfather  was  King  under  the  Mountain  again  and  treated  with  great 
reverence  by  the  mortal  men,  who  lived  to  the  South,  and  were  gradually 
spreading  up  the  Running  River  as  far  as  the  valley  overshadowed  by  the 
Mountain.  They  built  the merry  town  of  Dale  there  in  those  days.  Kings  used  to 
send  for  our  smiths,  and  reward  even  the  least  skilful most  richly.  Fathers would 
beg  us  to  take  their  sons  as  apprentices,  and  pay  us  handsomely,  especially  in 
food-supplies, which we  never  bothered  to  grow  or  find  for  ourselves. Altogether 
those were good days for us, and the poorest of us had money to spend and to lend, 
and leisure to make beautiful things just for the. fun of it, not to speak of the most 
marvellous  and  magical  toys,  the  like  of  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  world 
now-a-days.  So  my  grandfather's  halls  became  full  of  armour  and  jewels  and


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left  mine  in  the  porch!"  "Just  bring  mine  in  with  you,"  said  Thorin.  They  came 
back with  viols  as  big  as  themselves,  and with  Thorin’s  harp wrapped  in  a  green 
cloth.  It was  a  beautiful  gold-en harp, and when Thorin struck it the music began 
all  at  once,  so  sudden  and  sweet  that Bilbo  forgot everything else, and was  swept 
away  into dark  lands under  strange moons,  far over The Water and very  far  from 
his hobbit-hole under The Hill. 
The dark came into the room from the little window that opened in the side of 
The  Hill;  the  firelight  flickered-it  was  April-and  still  they  played  on,  while  the 
shadow of Gandalf's beard wagged against the wall.


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hours before dawn." 
"Of  course!"  said Bilbo,  and  sat down  in  a hurry. He missed  the  stool  and  sat 
in the fender, knocking over the poker and shovel with a crash. 
"Hush!" said Gandalf. "Let Thorin speak!" And this is bow Thorin began. 
"Gandalf,  dwarves  and Mr. Baggins! We  are  not  together  in  the  house  of  our 
friend  and  fellow  conspirator,  this  most  excellent  and  audacious  hobbit-may  the


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Gandalf struck a blue  light on  the end of his magic staff, and  in  its firework glare 
the poor little hobbit could be seen kneeling on the hearth-rug, shaking like a jelly 
that was melting. Then he fell flat on  the floor, and kept on calling out  "struck by 
lightning,  struck  by  lightning!"  over  and  over  again;  and  that  was  all  they  could 
get  out  of  him  for  a  long  time.  So  they  took  him  and  laid  him  out  of  the way  on 
the drawing-room sofa with a drink at his elbow, and they went back to their dark 
business. 
"Excitable  little  fellow,"  said  Gandalf,  as  they  sat  down  again.  "Gets  funny 
queer  fits,  but  he  is  one  of  the  best,  one  of  the  best-as  fierce  as  a  dragon  in  a 
pinch." 
If  you  have  ever  seen  a  dragon  in  a  pinch,  you will  realize  that  this was  only 
poetical  exaggeration  applied  to  any  hobbit,  even  to Old Took's  great-granduncle


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for a meeting here this Wednesday tea-time." 
"Of course there is a mark," said Gandalf. "I put it there myself. For very good 
reasons. You asked me to find the fourteenth man for your expedition, and I chose 
Mr. Baggins.  Just  let  any one say I chose the wrong man or the wrong house, and 
you can stop at  thirteen and have all  the bad  luck you  like, or go back  to digging 
coal." 
He  scowled  so  angrily  at Gloin  that  the  dwarf  huddled  back  in  his  chair;  and 
when  Bilbo  tried  to  open  his  mouth  to  ask  a  question,  he  turned  and  frowned  at 
him and stuck oat his bushy eyebrows, till Bilbo shut his mouth tight with a snap.


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####-the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. By that time all 
the bells were  ringing  in Dale and  the warriors were arming. The dwarves  rushed 
out  of  their  great  gate;  but  there was  the  dragon waiting  for  them. None  escaped 
that way.  The  river  rushed  up  in  steam  and  a  fog  fell  on Dale, and  in  the  fog  the 
dragon came on them and destroyed most of the warriors-the usual unhappy story, 
it was only too common in those days. Then he went back and crept in through the 
Front  Gate  and  routed  out  all  the  halls,  and  lanes,  and  tunnels,  alleys,  cellars, 
mansions  and passages. After  that  there were no dwarves  left  alive  inside,  and he 
took  all  their  wealth  for  himself.  Probably,  for  that  is  the  dragons'  way,  he  has 
piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it for a bed. Later he used to 
crawl  out  of  the  great  gate  and  come  by  night  to  Dale,  and  carry  away  people,


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found.  Swords  in  these  parts  are  mostly  blunt,  and  axes  are  used  for  trees,  and 
shields  as  cradles  or  dish-covers;  and  dragons  are  comfortably  far-off  (and 
therefore  legendary).  That  is  why  I  settled  on  burglary-especially  when  I 
remembered the existence of a Side-door. And here is our little Bilbo Baggins, the 
burglar,  the  chosen  and  selected  burglar.  So  now  let's  get  on  and  make  some 
plans." 
"Very  well  then,"  said  Thorin,  "supposing  the  burglar-expert  gives  us  some 
ideas or suggestions." He turned with mock-politeness to Bilbo. 
"First  I  should  like  to  know  a  bit  more  about  things,"  said  he,  feeling  all 
confused and a bit shaky inside, but so far still lookishly determined to go on with 
things.  "I mean  about  the  gold  and  the  dragon,  and  all  that,  and  how  it  got  there, 
and who it belongs to, and so on and further."


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####-I had to find you. Your father could not remember his own name when he gave me 
the  paper,  and  he  never  told  me  yours;  so  on  the  whole  I  think  I  ought  to  be 
praised and thanked. Here it is," said he handing the map to Thorin. 
"I don't understand," said Thorin, and Bilbo felt he would have liked to say the 
same. The explanation did not seem to explain. 
"Your  grandfather,"  said  the  wizard  slowly  and  grimly,  "gave  the map  to  his 
son for safety before he went  to  the mines of Moria. Your father went away  to  try 
his  luck with  the map after your grandfather was killed; and  lots of adventures of 
a  most  unpleasant  sort  he  had,  but  he  never  got  near  the  Mountain. How  he  got 
there  I  don't  know,  but  I  found  him  a  prisoner  in  the  dungeons  of  the 
Necromancer." 
"Whatever  were  you  doing  there?"  asked  Thorin  with  a  shudder,  and  all  the 
dwarves shivered.


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marvellous  and  magical  toys,  the  like  of  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  world 
now-a-days.  So  my  grandfather's  halls  became  full  of  armour  and  jewels  and 
carvings and cups, and the toy-market of Dale was the wonder of the North. 
"Undoubtedly  that  was  what  brought  the  dragon.  Dragons  steal  gold  and 
jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarves, wherever they can find them; 
and  they  guard  their  plunder  as  long  as  they  live  (which  is  practically  forever, 
unless they are killed), and never enjoy a brass ring of it. Indeed they hardly know 
a  good  bit  of  work  from  a  bad,  though  they  usually  have  a  good  notion  of  the 
current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a 
little  loose  scale of  their armour. There were  lots of dragons  in  the North  in  those 
days, and gold was probably getting scarce up there, with the dwarves flying south


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####-The  dark  filled  all  the  room,  and  the  fire  died  down,  and  the  shadows  were 
lost,  and  still  they  played  on.  And  suddenly  first  one  and  then  another  began  to 
sing  as  they  played,  deep-throated  singing  of  the  dwarves  in  the  deep  places  of 
their ancient homes; and this is like a fragment of their song, if it can be like their 
song without their music.


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pinch." 
If  you  have  ever  seen  a  dragon  in  a  pinch,  you will  realize  that  this was  only 
poetical  exaggeration  applied  to  any  hobbit,  even  to Old Took's  great-granduncle 
Bullroarer, who was so huge (for a hobbit)  that he could ride a horse. He charged 
the  ranks  of  the  goblins  of  Mount  Gram  in  the  Battle  of  the  Green  Fields,  and 
knocked  their  king  Gol-firnbul's  head  clean  off  with  a  wooden  club.  It  sailed  a 
hundred  yards  through  the  air  and  went  down  a  rabbit  hole,  and  in  this  way  the 
battle was won and the game of Golf invented at the same moment. 
In the meanwhile, however, Bullroarer's gentler descendant was reviving in the 
drawing-room.  After  a  while  and  a  drink  he  crept  nervously  to  the  door  of  the


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piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it for a bed. Later he used to 
crawl  out  of  the  great  gate  and  come  by  night  to  Dale,  and  carry  away  people, 
especially maidens, to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. 
What goes on there now I don't know for certain, but I don't suppose anyone lives 
nearer to the Mountain than the far edge of the Long Lake now-a-days. 
"The  few  of  us  that  were  well  outside  sat  and  wept  in  hiding,  and  cursed 
Smaug;  and  there we were unexpectedly  joined by my  father  and my grandfather 
with singed beards. They looked very grim but they said very little. When I asked 
how  they had got away,  they  told me  to hold my  tongue, and said  that one day  in 
the proper time I should know. After that we went away, and we have had to earn 
our  livings  as  best we  could  up  and  down  the  lands,  often enough sinking as  low


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Bilbo went  to  sleep with  that  in  his  ears,  and  it  gave  him  very  uncomfortable 
dreams. It was long after the break of day, when he woke up.


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Necromancer." 
"Whatever  were  you  doing  there?"  asked  Thorin  with  a  shudder,  and  all  the 
dwarves shivered. 
"Never  you  mind.  I  was  finding  things  out,  as  usual;  and  a  nasty  dangerous 
business it was. Even I, Gandalf, only just escaped. I tried to save your father, but 
it  was  too  late.  He  was  witless  and  wandering,  and  had  forgotten  almost 
everything  except  the  map  and  the  key."  "We  have  long  ago  paid  the  goblins  of 
Moria,"  said  Thorin;  "we  must  give  a  thought  to  the  Necromancer."  "Don't  be 
absurd! He is an enemy quite beyond the powers of all the dwarves put together, if 
they could all be collected again from the four corners of the world. The one thing 
your  father  wished  was  for  his  son  to  read  the map  and  use  the  key.  The  dragon 
and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you!" 
"Hear, hear!" said Bilbo, and accidentally said  it aloud, "Hear what?"  they all


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things.  "I mean  about  the  gold  and  the  dragon,  and  all  that,  and  how  it  got  there, 
and who it belongs to, and so on and further." 
"Bless  me!"  said  Thorin,  "haven't  you  got  a  map?  and  didn't  you  hear  our 
song? and haven't we been talking about all this for hours?" 
"All  the  same,  I  should  like  it  all plain  and  clear,"  said he obstinately, putting 
on  his  business  manner  (usually  reserved  for  people  who  tried  to  borrow money 
off him),  and doing his best  to  appear wise  and prudent  and professional  and  live


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little  loose  scale of  their armour. There were  lots of dragons  in  the North  in  those 
days, and gold was probably getting scarce up there, with the dwarves flying south 
or  getting  killed,  and  all  the  general  waste  and  destruction  that  dragons  make 
going  from  bad  to  worse.  There  was  a  most  specially  greedy,  strong  and  wicked 
worm called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. The first we 
heard of  it was a noise  like a hurricane coming from  the North, and  the pine-trees 
on  the  Mountain  creaking  and  cracking  in  the  wind.  Some  of  the  dwarves  who 
happened  to  be  outside  (I  was  one  luckily  -a  fine  adventurous  lad  in  those  days, 
always wandering about, and it saved my life that day)-well, from a good way off 
we saw the dragon settle on our mountain in a spout of flame. Then he came down


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Far over the misty mountains cold 
To dungeons deep and caverns old 
We must away ere break of day 
To seek the pale enchanted gold. 
 
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, 
While hammers fell like ringing bells 
In places deep, where dark things sleep, 
In hollow halls beneath the fells. 
 
For ancient king and elvish lord  
There many a gloaming golden hoard  
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught 
To hide in gems on hilt of sword. 
 
On silver necklaces they strung 
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung 
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire  
They meshed the light of moon and sun. 
 
Far over the misty mountains cold 
To dungeons deep and caverns old 
We must away, ere break of day,  
To claim our long-forgotten gold. 
 
Goblets they carved there for themselves 
And harps of gold; where no man delves 
There lay they long, and many a song 
Was sung unheard by men or elves. 
 
The pines were roaring on the height, 
The winds were moaning in the night.


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and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you!" 
"Hear, hear!" said Bilbo, and accidentally said  it aloud, "Hear what?"  they all 
said  turning  suddenly  towards  him,  and  he  was  so  flustered  that  he  answered 
"Hear what I have got to say!" "What's that?" they asked. 
"Well, I should say that you ought to go East and have a look round. After all 
there  is  the Side-door, and dragons must sleep sometimes, I suppose. If you sit on 
the  doorstep  long  enough,  I daresay you will  think of  something. And well, don't 
you  know,  I  think  we  have  talked  long  enough  for  one  night,  if  you  see  what  I 
mean.  What  about  bed,  and  an  early  start,  and  all  that?  I  will  give  you  a  good 
breakfast before you go." 
"Before  we  go,  I  suppose  you  mean,"  said  Thorin.  "Aren't  you  the  burglar? 
And isn't sitting on the door-step your job, not to speak of getting inside the door?


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"That leaves you just ten minutes. You will have to run," said Gandalf. 
"But—" said Bilbo. 
"No time for it," said the wizard. 
"But—"said Bilbo again. 
"No time for that either! Off you go!" 
To  the  end  of  his  days  Bilbo  could  never  remember  how  he  found  himself 
outside,  without  a  hat,  walking-stick  or  say  money,  or  anything  that  he  usually 
took  when  he  went  out;  leaving  his  second  breakfast  half-finished  and  quite 
unwashed-up,  pushing  his  keys  into  Gandalf's  hands,  and  running  as  fast  as  his 
furry  feet  could  carry  him  down  the  lane,  past  the  great Mill,  across  The Water, 
and then on for a whole mile or more. Very puffed he was, when he got to Bywater 
just  on  the  stroke  of  eleven,  and  found  he  had  come  without  a  pocket-
handkerchief! 
"Bravo!" said Balin who was standing at the inn door looking out for him. 
Just  then  all  the  others  came  round  the  corner  of  the  road  from  the  village.


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####-muttered  something  about  supper,  "and  where  shall  we  get  a  dry  patch  to  sleep 
on?" Not until  then did  they notice  that Gandalf was missing. So far he had come 
all  the way with  them, never  saying  if he was  in  the adventure or merely keeping 
them  company  for  a  while.  He  had  eaten  most,  talked  most,  and  laughed  most. 
But now he simply was not there at all! 
"Just  when  a  wizard  would  have  been  most  useful,  too,"  groaned  Dori  and 
Nori  (who  shared  the hobbit's views about  regular meals, plenty and often). They 
decided in  the end that they would have to camp where they were. So far they had 
not  camped  before  on  this  journey,  and  though  they  knew  that  they  soon  would 
have to camp regularly, when they were among the Misty Mountains and far from 
the  lands  of  respectable  people,  it  seemed  a  bad  wet  evening  to  begin,  on.  They


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####-That's  how  they  all  came  to  start,  jogging  off  from  the  inn  one  fine  morning 
just  before  May,  on  laden  ponies;  and  Bilbo  was  wearing  a  dark-green  hood  (a 
little  weather-stained)  and  a  dark-green cloak borrowed  from Dwalin. They were 
too large for him, and he looked rather comic. What his father Bungo would have 
thought of him, I daren't think. His only comfort was he couldn't be mistaken for a 
dwarf, as he had no beard. 
They had not been riding very long when up came Gandalf very splendid on a 
white  horse.  He  had  brought  a  lot  of  pocket-handkerchiefs,  and Bilbo's  pipe  and 
tobacco.  So  after  that  the  party  went  along  very  merrily,  and  they  told  stories  or 
sang  songs  as  they  rode  forward  all  day,  except  of  course  when  they  stopped  for 
meals. These didn't  come quite  as often  as Bilbo would have  liked  them, but  still


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####-Chapter 2
<br>
Roast Mutton 
<br>
 
Up jumped Bilbo, and putting on his dressing-gown went into the dining-room. 
There he saw nobody, but all the signs of a large and hurried breakfast. There was 
a  fearful  mess  in  the  room,  and  piles  of  unwashed  crocks  in  the  kitchen.  Nearly 
every pot and pan he possessed seemed to have been used. The washing-up was so 
dismally real that Bilbo was forced to believe the party of the night before had not 
been part of his bad dreams, as he had rather hoped. Indeed he was really relieved 
after  all  to  think  that  they  had  all  gone  without  him,  and  without  bothering  to 
wake him up ("but with never a thank-you" he thought); and yet in a way he could 
not help feeling just a trifle disappointed. The feeling surprised him. 
"Don't be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!" he said  to himself, "thinking of dragons  and 
all  that  outlandish  nonsense  at  your  age!"  So  be  put  on  an  apron,  lit  fires,  boiled


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And harps of gold; where no man delves 
There lay they long, and many a song 
Was sung unheard by men or elves. 
 
The pines were roaring on the height, 
The winds were moaning in the night. 
The fire was red, it flaming spread; 
The trees like torches biased with light, 
 
The bells were ringing in the dale 
And men looked up with faces pale;


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"Before  we  go,  I  suppose  you  mean,"  said  Thorin.  "Aren't  you  the  burglar? 
And isn't sitting on the door-step your job, not to speak of getting inside the door? 
But  I agree about bed and breakfast.  I  like eggs with my ham, when starting on a 
journey: fried not poached, and mind you don't break 'em." 
After  all  the  others  had  ordered  their  breakfasts  without  so  much  as  a  please 
(which  annoyed  Bilbo  very much),  they  all  got  up.  The  hobbit  had  to  find  room


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the proper time I should know. After that we went away, and we have had to earn 
our  livings  as  best we  could  up  and  down  the  lands,  often enough sinking as  low 
as  blacksmith-work  or  even  coalmining.  But  we  have  never  forgotten  our  stolen 
treasure. And even now, when I will allow we have a good bit laid by and are not 
so  badly  off"-here Thorin  stroked  the gold  chain  round his neck-"we still mean to 
get it back, and to bring our curses home to Smaug-if we can. 
"I  have  often  wondered  about  my  father's  and  my  grandfather's  escape.  I  see 
now  they  must  have  had  a  private  Side-door  which  only  they  knew  about.  But 
apparently  they made a map, and  I  should  like  to know how Gandalf got hold of 
it, and why it did not come down to me, the rightful heir." 
"I did not 'get hold of it,' I was given it," said the wizard. 
"Your grandfather Thror was killed, you  remember,  in  the mines of Moria by 
Azog the Goblin —"


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####-us,"  they said; and so  they made off,  leading  their ponies (with all due and proper 
caution)  in  the  direction  of  the  light.  They  came  to  the  hill  and  were  soon  in  the 
wood.  Up  the  hill  they  went;  but  there  was  no  proper  path  to  be  seen,  such  as 
might  lead  to  a  house  or  a  farm;  and  do  what  they  could  they  made  a  deal  of 
rustling  and  crackling  and  creaking  (and  a good deal of grumbling  and drafting), 
as they went through the trees in the pitch dark. 
Suddenly  the  red  light  shone  out  very  bright  through  the  tree-trunks  not  far 
ahead.  "Now  it  is  the  burglar's  turn,"  they  said, meaning Bilbo.  "You must  go  on 
and  find  out  all  about  that  light,  and what  it  is  for,  and  if  all  is  perfectly  safe and 
canny," said Thorin to the hobbit. "Now scuttle off, and come back quick, if all is 
well.  If  not,  come  back  if  you  can!  It  you  can't,  hoot  twice  like  a  barn-owl and


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"Don't be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!" he said  to himself, "thinking of dragons  and 
all  that  outlandish  nonsense  at  your  age!"  So  be  put  on  an  apron,  lit  fires,  boiled 
water,  and  washed  up.  Then  he  had  a  nice  little  breakfast  in  the  kitchen  before 
turning  out  the  dining-room. By  that  time  the sun was shining; and  the front door 
was  open,  letting  in  a  warm  spring  breeze.  Bilbo  began  to  whistle  loudly  and  to 
forget about the night before. In fact he was just sitting down to a nice little second 
breakfast  in  the  dining-room by  the open window, when  in walked Gandalf.  "My 
dear  fellow,"  said  he,  "whenever  are  you  going  to  come?  What  about  an  early 
start?-and here you are having breakfast, or whatever you call  it, at half past  ten! 
They left you the message, because they could not wait." 
"What message?" said poor Mr. Baggins all in a fluster.


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sang  songs  as  they  rode  forward  all  day,  except  of  course  when  they  stopped  for 
meals. These didn't  come quite  as often  as Bilbo would have  liked  them, but  still 
he began to feel that adventures were not so bad after all. At  first they had passed 
through  hobbit-lands,  a  wild  respectable  country  inhabited  by  decent  folk,  with 
good  roads,  an  inn  or  two,  and  now  and  then  a  dwarf  or  a  farmer  ambling  by  on 
business.  Then  they  came  to  lands where people  spoke  strangely,  and  sang  songs 
Bilbo  had  never  heard  before.  Now  they  had  gone  on  far  into  the  Lone-lands, 
where  there were  no  people  left,  no  inns,  and  the  roads  grew  steadily worse. Not 
far  ahead were  dreary  hills,  rising  higher  and  higher, dark with trees. On some of 
them  were  old  castles  with  an  evil  look,  as  if  they  had  been  built  by  wicked


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handkerchief! 
"Bravo!" said Balin who was standing at the inn door looking out for him. 
Just  then  all  the  others  came  round  the  corner  of  the  road  from  the  village. 
They were on ponies, and each pony was  slung about with all kinds of baggages, 
packages, parcels, and paraphernalia. There was a very small pony, apparently for 
Bilbo. 
"Up you two get, and off we go!" said Thorin. 
"I'm  awfully  sorry,"  said Bilbo,  "but  I  have  come without my  hat,  and  I  have 
left my pocket-handkerchief behind, and I haven't got any money. I didn't get your 
note until after 10.45 to be precise." 
"Don't  be  precise,"  said  Dwalin,  "and  don't  worry!  You will  have  to manage 
without pocket-handkerchiefs, and a good many other things, before you get to the 
journey's end. As for a hat, I have got a spare hood and cloak in my luggage."


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####-for  them  all,  and  filled  all  his  spare-rooms  and  made  beds  on  chairs  and  sofas, 
before  he  got  them  all  stowed  and  went  to  his  own  little  bed  very  tired  and  not 
altogether  happy. One  thing  he  did make  his mind  up  about was  not  to  bother  to 
get up very early and cook everybody else's wretched breakfast. The Tookishness 
was  wearing  off,  and  he  was  not  now  quite  so  sure  that  he  was  going  on  any 
journey  in  the morning.  As  he  lay  in  bed  he  could  hear  Thorin  still  humming  to 
himself in the best bedroom next to him: 
 

Far over the misty mountains cold  
To dungeons deep and caverns old  
We must away, ere break of day,  
To find our long-forgotten gold. 

 
Bilbo went  to  sleep with  that  in  his  ears,  and  it  gave  him  very  uncomfortable 
dreams. It was long after the break of day, when he woke up.


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have to camp regularly, when they were among the Misty Mountains and far from 
the  lands  of  respectable  people,  it  seemed  a  bad  wet  evening  to  begin,  on.  They 
moved to a clump of trees, and though it was drier under them, the wind shook the 
rain  off  the  leaves,  and  the  drip,  drip,  was  most  annoying.  Also  the  mischief 
seemed to have got into the fire. Dwarves can make a fire almost anywhere out of 
almost anything, wind or no wind; but they could not do it that night, not even Oin 
and Gloin, who were specially good at it. 
Then one of  the ponies  took  fright at nothing and bolted. He got  into  the  river 
before they could catch him; and before they could get him out again, Fili and Kili 
were  nearly  drowned,  and  all  the  baggage  that  he  carried  was  washed  away  off 
him. Of course it was mostly food, and there was mighty little left for supper, and 
less  for  breakfast.  There  they  all  sat  glum  and wet  and muttering, while Oin  and


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They left you the message, because they could not wait." 
"What message?" said poor Mr. Baggins all in a fluster.  
"Great Elephants!" said Gandalf, "you are not at all yourself this morning-you 
have never dusted the mantel- piece!" 
"What's  that  got  to  do  with  it?  I  have  had  enough  to  do  with  washing  up  for 
fourteen!" 
"If  you  had  dusted  the  mantelpiece  you  would  have  found  this  just under  the 
clock,"  said  Gandalf,  handing  Bilbo  a  note  (written,  of  course,  on  his  own  note-
paper). 
This is what he read:


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"I did not 'get hold of it,' I was given it," said the wizard. 
"Your grandfather Thror was killed, you  remember,  in  the mines of Moria by 
Azog the Goblin —" 
"Curse his name, yes," said Thorin. 
"And  Thrain  your  father  went  away  on  the  twenty-first  of  April,  a  hundred 
years ago last Thursday, and has never been seen by you since—" 
"True, true," said Thorin. 
"Well,  your  father  gave me  this  to  give  to  you;  and  if  I have  chosen my own 
time and way of handing it over, you can hardly blame me, considering the trouble


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canny," said Thorin to the hobbit. "Now scuttle off, and come back quick, if all is 
well.  If  not,  come  back  if  you  can!  It  you  can't,  hoot  twice  like  a  barn-owl and 
once like a screech-owl, and we will do what we can." 
Off Bilbo had  to go, before he  could explain that he could not hoot even once 
like  any  kind  of  owl  any  more  than  fly  like  a  bat.  But  at  any  rate  hobbits  can 
move quietly  in woods,  absolutely quietly. They  take  a pride  in  it,  and Bilbo had 
sniffed  more  than  once  at  what  he  called  "all  this dwarvish  racket," as  they went 
along,  though  I  don't  sup-pose  you  or  I  would  notice  anything  at  all  on  a  windy 
night,  not  if  the  whole  cavalcade  had  passed  two  feet  off.  As  for  Bilbo  walking 
primly  towards  the  red  light,  I  don't  suppose  even  a  weasel  would  have  stirred  a 
whisker  at  it.  So,  naturally,  he  got  right  up  to  the  fire-for  fire  it  was  without


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far  ahead were  dreary  hills,  rising  higher  and  higher, dark with trees. On some of 
them  were  old  castles  with  an  evil  look,  as  if  they  had  been  built  by  wicked 
people.  Everything  seemed  gloomy,  for  the  weather  that  day  had  taken  a  nasty 
turn. Mostly  it  had  been  as  good  as May  can  be,  even  in  merry  tales, but now  it 
was  cold  and  wet.  In  the  Lone-lands  they  had  to  camp  when  they  could,  but  at 
least  it  had  been  dry.  "To  think  it  will  soon  be  June,"  grumbled  Bilbo  as  he 
splashed  along  behind  the  others  in  a  very  muddy  track.  It  was  after  tea-time;  it 
was  pouring with  rain, and had been all day; his hood was dripping  into his eyes, 
his cloak was full of water;  the pony was  tired and stumbled on stones;  the others 
were  too  grumpy  to  talk.  "And  I'm  sure  the  rain  has  got  into  the  dry  clothes  and


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####-d'yer want? And time's been up our way, when yer'd have said 'thank yer Bill' for a 
nice bit o'  fat valley mutton  like what  this  is." He  took a big bite off a  sheep's  leg 
he was toasting, and wiped his lips on his sleeve. 
Yes, I am afraid trolls do behave like that, even those with only one head each. 
After  hearing  all  this  Bilbo  ought  to  have  done  something  at  once.  Either  he 
should  have  gone  back  quietly  and  warned  his  friends  that  there  were  three  fair-
sized  trolls  at  hand  in  a  nasty  mood,  quite  likely  to  try  toasted  dwarf,  or  even 
pony,  for  a  change;  or  else  he  should  have  done  a  bit  of  good  quick  burgling.  A 
really  first-class  and  legendary  burglar would  at  this  point  have  picked  the  trolls' 
pockets-it  is  nearly  always  worthwhile  if  you  can  manage  it-,  pinched  the  very 
mutton off the spite, purloined the beer, and walked off without their noticing him.


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####-"He wouldn't make  above  a mouthful,"  said William, who  had  already  had  a 
fine supper, "not when he was skinned and boned." 
"P'raps  there  are more  like  him  round  about,  and we might make  a  pie,"  said 
Bert.  "Here  you,  are  there  any  more  of  your  sort  a-sneakin'  in  these  here woods, 
yer  nassty  little  rabbit,"  said  he  looking  at  the  hobbit's  furry  feet;  and  he  picked 
him up by the toes and shook him. 
"Yes,  lots,"  said  Bilbo,  before  he  remembered  not  to  give  his  friends  away. 
"No, none at all, not one," he said immediately afterwards. 
"What  d'yer  mean?"  said  Bert,  holding  him  right  away  up,  by  the  hair  this 
time. 
"What I say," said Bilbo gasping. "And please don't cook me, kind sirs! I am a 
good  cook myself,  and  cook  bet-ter  than  I cook,  if you  see what  I mean.  I'll cook 
beautifully for you, a perfectly beautiful breakfast for you, if only you won't have 
me for supper."


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primly  towards  the  red  light,  I  don't  suppose  even  a  weasel  would  have  stirred  a 
whisker  at  it.  So,  naturally,  he  got  right  up  to  the  fire-for  fire  it  was  without 
disturbing anyone. And this is what he saw. Three very large persons sitting round 
a  very  large  fire  of  beech-logs. They were  toasting mutton  on  long  spits of wood, 
and  licking  the  gravy  off  their  fingers.  There  was  a  fine  toothsome  smell.  Also 
there was a barrel of good drink at hand, and  they were drinking out of  jugs. But 
they were  trolls. Obviously  trolls.  Even Bilbo,  in  spite  of  his  sheltered  life,  could 
see  that:  from  the great heavy  faces of  them, and  their size, and  the shape of  their 
legs, not to mention their language, which was not drawing-room fashion at all, at 
all. 
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again 
tomorrer," said one of the trolls.


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####-awful  howl.  Trolls  simply  detest  the  very  sight  of  dwarves  (uncooked).  Bert  and 
Bill  stopped  fighting  immediately,  and  "a  sack,  Tom,  quick!"  they  said,  before 
Balin,  who  was  wondering  where  in  all  this  commotion  Bilbo  was,  knew  what 
was happening, a sack was over his head, and he was down. 
"There's more  to come yet," said Tom, "or I'm mighty mistook. Lots and none 
at  all,  it  is,"  said  he.  "No  burra-  hobbits,  but  lots  of  these  here  dwarves.  That's 
about the shape of it!" 
"I reckon you 're right," said Bert, "and we'd best get out of the light." 
And  so  they  did.  With  sacks  in  their  hands,  that  they  used  for  carrying  off 
mutton and other plunder, they waited in the shadows. As each dwarf came up and 
looked  at  the  fire,  and  the  spilled  jugs,  and  the  gnawed mutton,  in  surprise,  pop! 
went  a  nasty  smelly  sack  over  his  head,  and  he  was  down.  Soon  Dwalin  lay  by


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"Thorin and Company to Burglar Bilbo greeting! 
For  your  hospitality  our  sincerest  thanks,  and  for  your  offer  of 
professional assistance our grateful acceptance. Terms: cash on delivery, up to 
and  not  exceeding  one  fourteenth  of  total  profits  (if  any);  all  traveling 

####-expenses  guaranteed  in  any  event;  funeral  expenses  to  be  defrayed  by  us  or 
our representatives, if occasion arises and the matter is not otherwise arranged 
for. 
"Thinking  it  unnecessary  to  disturb  your  esteemed  repose,  we  have 
proceeded  in  advance  to  make  requisite  preparations,  and  shall  await  your 
respected person at the Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, at II a.m. sharp. Trusting 
that you will be punctual. 
 
"We have the honour to remain 
                                  "Yours deeply 
                                              "Thorin& Co."


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his cloak was full of water;  the pony was  tired and stumbled on stones;  the others 
were  too  grumpy  to  talk.  "And  I'm  sure  the  rain  has  got  into  the  dry  clothes  and 
into  the  food-bags," thought Bilbo. "Bother burgling and everything to do with it! 
I wish  I was at home  in my nice hole by  the  fire, with  the kettle  just beginning  to 
sing!" It was not the last time that he wished that! 
Still  the  dwarves  jogged  on,  never  turning  round  or  taking  any  notice  of  the 
hobbit.  Somewhere  behind  the  grey  clouds  the  sun  must  have  gone  down,  for  it 
began  to  get  dark.  Wind  got  up,  and  the  willows  along  the  river-bank  bent  and 
sighed. I don't know what river it was, a rushing red one, swollen with the rains of 
the  last  few  days,  that  came  down  from  the  hills  and mountains  in  front  of  them. 
Soon it was nearly dark. The winds broke up the grey clouds, and a waning moon


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good  cook myself,  and  cook  bet-ter  than  I cook,  if you  see what  I mean.  I'll cook 
beautifully for you, a perfectly beautiful breakfast for you, if only you won't have 
me for supper." 
"Poor  little blighter,"  said William. He had  already had  as much  supper  as he 
could hold; also he had had lots of beer. "Poor little blighter! Let him go!" 
"Not  till  he  says  what  he  means  by  lots  and  none  at  all,"  said  Bert.  "I  don't 
want to have me throat cut in me sleep. Hold his toes in the fire, till he talks!" 
"I won't have it," said William. "I caught him anyway." 
"You're a fat fool, William," said Bert, "as I've said afore this evening." 
"And you're a lout!" 
"And  I won't  take  that  from you. Bill Huggins,"  says Bert, and puts his  fist  in 
William's eye. 
Then  there  was  a  gorgeous  row.  Bilbo  had  just  enough  wits  left,  when  Bert 
dropped  him  on  the  ground,  to  scramble  out  of  the way  of  their  feet,  before  they


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pockets-it  is  nearly  always  worthwhile  if  you  can  manage  it-,  pinched  the  very 
mutton off the spite, purloined the beer, and walked off without their noticing him. 
Others more practical but with less professional pride would perhaps have stuck a 
dagger  into  each  of  them  before  they observed  it. Then  the night could have been 
spent cheerily.  
Bilbo knew  it. He had  read of a good many  things he had never seen or done. 
He  was  very  much  alarmed,  as  well  as  disgusted;  he  wished  himself  a  hundred 
miles away, and yet-and yet somehow he could not go straight back to Thorin and 
Company empty-handed. So he stood and hesitated in the shadows. Of the various 
burglarious  proceedings  he  had  heard  of  picking  the  trolls'  pockets  seemed  the 
least difficult, so at last he crept behind a tree just behind William. 
Bert and Tom went off  to  the barrel. William was having another drink. Then


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him. Of course it was mostly food, and there was mighty little left for supper, and 
less  for  breakfast.  There  they  all  sat  glum  and wet  and muttering, while Oin  and 
Gloin  went  on  trying  to  light  the  fire,  and  quarrelling  about  it.  Bilbo  was  sadly 
reflecting  that  adventures  are  not  all  pony-rides  in  May-sunshine,  when  Balin, 
who was  always  their  look-out man, said:  "There's a light over there!" There was 
a hill  some way off with  trees on  it, pretty  thick  in parts. Out of  the dark mass of 
the  trees  they  could  now  see  a  light  shining,  a  reddish  comfortable-looking light, 
as  it  might  be  a  fire  or  torches  twinkling.  When  they  had  looked  at  it  for  some 
while,  they  fell  to  arguing.  Some  said  "no"  and  some  said  "yes."  Some  said  they 
could but go and see, and anything was better than little supper, less breakfast, and


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####-It was  just  then  that Gandalf  came  back. But  no  one  saw  him. The  trolls  had 
just  decided  to  roast  the dwarves now and eat  them  later-that was Bert's idea, and 
after a lot of argument they had all agreed to it. 
"No  good  roasting  'em  now,  it’d  take  all  night,"  said  a  voice.  Bert  thought  it 
was William's. 
"Don't  start  the  argument  all  over-again.  Bill,"  he  said,  "or  it  will  take  all 
night." 
"Who's a-arguing?" said William, who thought it was. Bert that had spoken. 
"You are," said Bert. 
"You're  a  liar,"  said William;  and  so  the  argument  beg  all  over  again.  In  the 
end  they  decided  to  mince  them  fine  and  boil  them. So  they got  a black pot,  and 
they took out their knives. 
"No  good  boiling  'em! We  ain't  got  no  water,  and  it's  a  long  way  to  the  well 
and all," said a voice. Bert and William thought it was Tom's.


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looked  at  the  fire,  and  the  spilled  jugs,  and  the  gnawed mutton,  in  surprise,  pop! 
went  a  nasty  smelly  sack  over  his  head,  and  he  was  down.  Soon  Dwalin  lay  by 
Balin, and Fili and Kili together, and Dori and Nori and Ori all in a heap, and Oin 
and Gloin and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur piled uncomfortably near the fire. 
"That'll teach 'em," said Tom; for Bifur and Bombur had given a lot of trouble, 
and fought like mad, as dwarves will when cornered. 
Thorin  came  last-and  he  was  not  caught  unawares.  He  came  expecting 
mischief,  and  didn't  need  to  see  his  friends'  legs  sticking  out  of  sacks  to  tell  him 
that  things were  not  all well. He  stood  outside  in  the  shadows  some way  off,  and 
said: "What's all this trouble? Who has been knocking my people about?" 
"It's  trolls!"  said  Bilbo  from  behind  a  tree.  They  had  forgotten  all  about him. 
"They're hiding in the bushes with sacks," said he.


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the  last  few  days,  that  came  down  from  the  hills  and mountains  in  front  of  them. 
Soon it was nearly dark. The winds broke up the grey clouds, and a waning moon 
appeared  above  the  hills  between  the  flying  rags.  Then  they  stopped,  and  Thorin


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all. 
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again 
tomorrer," said one of the trolls. 
"Never  a  blinking  bit  of  manflesh  have  we  had  for  long  enough,"  said  a 
second.  "What  the  'ell William was  a-thinkin' of to bring us into these parts at all, 
beats me  - and  the drink  runnin'  short, what's more," he  said  jogging the elbow of 
William, who was taking a pull at his jug. 
William  choked.  "Shut  yer  mouth!"  he  said  as  soon  as  he  could.  "Yer  can't 
expect  folk  to stop here  for ever  just  to be et by you and Bert. You've et a village 
and a half between yer, since we come down from the mountains. How much more


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least difficult, so at last he crept behind a tree just behind William. 
Bert and Tom went off  to  the barrel. William was having another drink. Then 
Bilbo  plucked  up  courage  and  put  his  little  hand  in William's  enormous  pocket. 
There was a purse in it, as big as a bag to Bilbo. "Ha!" thought he warming to his 
new work as he lifted it carefully out, "this is a beginning!" 
It was! Trolls' purses are the mischief, and this was no exception. " 'Ere, 'oo are 
you?"  it  squeaked,  as  it  left  the  pocket;  and  William  turned  round  at  once  and 
grabbed Bilbo by the neck, before he could duck behind the tree. 
"Blimey, Bert, look what I've copped!" said William. 
"What is it?" said the others coming up. 
"Lumme, if I knows! What are yer?" 
"Bilbo  Baggins,  a  bur—  a  hobbit,"  said  poor  Bilbo,  shaking  all  over,  and 
wondering how to make owl-noises before they throttled him.


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they took out their knives. 
"No  good  boiling  'em! We  ain't  got  no  water,  and  it's  a  long  way  to  the  well 
and all," said a voice. Bert and William thought it was Tom's. 
"Shut  up!"  said  they,  "or  we'll  never  have  done.  And  yer  can  fetch  the water 
yerself, if yer say any more." 
"Shut  up  yerself!"  said  Tom,  who  thought  it  was  William's  voice.  "Who's 
arguing but you. I'd like to know." 
"You're a booby," said William. 
"Booby yerself!" said Tom. 
And  so  the  argument  began  all  over again, and went on hotter than ever, until 
at last they decided to sit on the sacks one by one and squash them, and boil them 
next time. 
"Who shall we sit on first?" said the voice. 
"Better sit on  the  last fellow first," said Bert, whose eye had been damaged by 
Thorin. He thought Tom was talking. 
"Don't talk to yerself!" said Tom. "But if you wants to sit on the last one, sit on 
him. Which is he?" 
"The one with the yellow stockings," said Bert.


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William's eye. 
Then  there  was  a  gorgeous  row.  Bilbo  had  just  enough  wits  left,  when  Bert 
dropped  him  on  the  ground,  to  scramble  out  of  the way  of  their  feet,  before  they 
were  fighting  like  dogs,  and  calling  one  another  all  sorts  of  perfectly  true  and 
applicable  names  in  very  loud  voices.  Soon  they  were  locked  in  one  another's 
arms,  and  rolling  nearly  into  the  fire  kicking  and  thumping, while Tom whacked 
at  then  both  with  a  branch  to  bring  them  to  their  senses-and  that  of  course  only 
made  them  madder  than  ever.  That  would  have  been  the  time  for  Bilbo  to  have 
left. But his poor  little  feet had been very  squashed  in Bert's big paw,  and he had 
no  breath  in  his  body,  and  his  head was  going  round;  so  there  he  lay  for  a while 
panting, just outside the circle of firelight. 
Right  in  the middle of  the  fight up  came Balin. The dwarves had heard noises


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####-and  a  nasty  smell  was  in  the  air;  but  there  was  a  good  deal  of  food  jumbled 
carelessly  on  shelves  and  on  the  ground,  among  an  untidy  litter  of  plunder,  of  all 
sorts from brass buttons to pots full of gold coins standing in a corner. There were 
lots  of  clothes,  too,  hanging  on  the  walls-too  small  for  trolls,  I  am  afraid  they 
belonged  to  victims-and  among  them  were  several  swords  of  various  makes, 
shapes,  and  sizes.  Two  caught  their  eyes  particularly,  because  of  their  beautiful 
scabbards  and  jewelled  hilts.  Gandalf  and  Thorin  each  took  one  of  these;  and 
Bilbo took a knife in a leather sheath. It would have made only a tiny pocket-knife 
for a troll, but it was as good as a short sword for the hobbit. 
"These look like good blades," said the wizard, half drawing them and looking 
at them curiously. "They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men


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####-"Now  stop  it!"  said  Tom  and  Bert  together.  "The  night's  gettin'  on,  and  dawn 
comes early. Let's get on with it!" 
"Dawn  take  you  all,  and  be  stone  to  you!"  said  a  voice  that  sounded  like 
William's. But  it wasn't. For  just  at  that moment  the  light  came over  the hill,  and 
there  was  a  mighty  twitter  in  the  branches.  William  never  spoke  for  he  stood 
turned  to  stone  as  he  stooped;  and  Bert  and  Tom  were  stuck  like  rocks  as  they 
looked at him. And there they stand to this day,  all alone, unless the birds perch on 
them; for trolls, as you probably know, must be underground before dawn, or they 
go  back  to  the  stuff  of  the  mountains  they  are  made  of,  and  never  move  again. 
That is what had happened to Bert and Tom and William. 
"Excellent!"  said Gandalf, as he  stepped  from behind a  tree, and helped Bilbo 
to  climb  down  out  of  a  thorn-bush.  Then  Bilbo  understood.  It  was  the  wizard's


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while,  they  fell  to  arguing.  Some  said  "no"  and  some  said  "yes."  Some  said  they 
could but go and see, and anything was better than little supper, less breakfast, and 
wet  clothes  all  the  night. Others  said:  "These  parts  are  none  too well known, and 
are  too  near  the mountains. Travellers  seldom  come  this way  now. The  old maps 
are  no  use:  things  have  changed  for  the  worse  and  the  road  is  unguarded.    They 
have seldom even heard of the king round here, and the less inquisitive you are as 
you  go  along,  the  less  trouble  you  are  likely  to  find."  Some  said:  "After  all  there 
are  fourteen  of  us."  Others  said:  "Where  has  Gandalf  got  to?"  This  remark  was 
repeated  by  everybody.  Then  the  rain  began  to  pour  down  worse  than  ever,  and 
Oin and Gloin began to fight. That settled it. "After all we have got a burglar with


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"Lumme, if I knows! What are yer?" 
"Bilbo  Baggins,  a  bur—  a  hobbit,"  said  poor  Bilbo,  shaking  all  over,  and 
wondering how to make owl-noises before they throttled him. 
"A  burrahobbit?"  said  they  a  bit  startled.  Trolls  are  slow  in  the  uptake,  and 
mighty suspicious about anything new to them. 
"What's a burrahobbit got to do with my pocket, anyways?" said William. 
"And can yer cook 'em?" said Tom. 
"Yer can try," said Bert, picking up a skewer.


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"These look like good blades," said the wizard, half drawing them and looking 
at them curiously. "They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men 
in  these  parts  and  days;  but when we  can  read  the  runes  on  them, we  shall  know 
more about them." 
"Let's  get  out  of  this  horrible  smell!"  said  Fili  So  they  carried  out  the  pots  of 
coins, and such food as was un-touched and looked fit to eat, also one barrel of ale 
which  was  still  full.  By  that  time  they  felt  like  breakfast,  and  being  very  hungry 
they  did  not  turn  their  noses  up  at what  they had got  from  the  trolls'  larder. Their 
own  provisions were  very  scanty. Now  they  had  bread  and  cheese,  and  plenty  of 
ale,  and  bacon  to  toast  in  the  embers  of  the  fire.  After  that  they  slept,  for  their 
night had been disturbed; (and they did nothing more till the afternoon. Then they


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Thorin. He thought Tom was talking. 
"Don't talk to yerself!" said Tom. "But if you wants to sit on the last one, sit on 
him. Which is he?" 
"The one with the yellow stockings," said Bert. 
"Nonsense, the one with the grey stockings," said a voice like William's. 
"I made sure it was yellow," said Bert. 
"Yellow it was," said William. 
"Then what did yer say it was grey for?" said Bert. 
"I never did. Tom said it." 
"That I never did!" said Tom. "It was you." 
"Two to one, so shut yer mouth!" said Bert. 
"Who are you a-talkin' to?" said William.


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from the dragon?" he asked. He was only a little hobbit you must remember.  
"In lots of ways," said Gandalf. "But in what way this one has been hidden we 
don't  know  without  going  to  see.  From  what  it  says  on  the  map  I  should  guess 
there  is  a  closed  door  which  has  been  made  to  look  exactly  like  the  side  of  the


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"Excellent!"  said Gandalf, as he  stepped  from behind a  tree, and helped Bilbo 
to  climb  down  out  of  a  thorn-bush.  Then  Bilbo  understood.  It  was  the  wizard's 
voice  that  had  kept  the  trolls  bickering  and  quarrelling,  until  the  light  came  and 
made an end of them. 
The  next  thing  was  to  untie  the  sacks  and  let  out  the  dwarves.  They  were 
nearly  suffocated,  and  very  annoyed:  they  had  not  at  all  enjoyed  lying  there 
listening  to  the  trolls  making  plans  for  roasting  them  and  squashing  them  and 
mincing  them.  They  had  to  hear  Bilbo's  account  of  what  had  happened  to  him 
twice over, before they were satisfied.  
"Silly time to go practising pinching and pocket-picking," said Bombur, "when 
what we wanted was fire and food!" 
"And  that's  just  what  you  wouldn't  have  got  of  those  fellows  without  a 
struggle, in any case," said Gandalf.


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"It's  trolls!"  said  Bilbo  from  behind  a  tree.  They  had  forgotten  all  about him. 
"They're hiding in the bushes with sacks," said he. 
"O!  are  they?"  said  Thorin,  and  he  jumped  forward  to  the  fire,  before  they 
could  leap on him. He caught up a big branch all on fire at one end; and Bert got 
that  end  in  his  eye before he could step aside. That put him out of  the battle  for a 
bit.  Bilbo  did  his  best.  He  caught  hold  of  Tom's  leg-as  well  as  he  could,  it  was 
thick  as  a  young  tree-trunk  -but  he  was  sent  spinning  up  into  the  top  of  some 
bushes, when Tom kicked the sparks up in Thorin's face. 
Tom got the branch in his teeth for that, and lost one of the front ones. It made 
him  howl,  I  can  tell  you.  But  just  at  that  moment  William  came  up  behind  and 
popped  a  sack  right  over  Thorin's  head  and  down  to  his  toes.  And  so  the  fight


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####-<h4>Chapter 3 </h4> <br>
<br>
A Short Rest 
<br>
 
They  did  not  sing  or  tell  stories  that  day,  even  though  the weather  improved; 
nor the next day, nor the day after. They had begun to feel that danger was not far 
away on either side. They camped under the stars, and their horses had more to eat 
than  they had; for there was plenty of grass, but there was not much in their bags, 
even with what  they had got  from  the  trolls. One morning  they  forded a  river at a 
wide  shallow  place  full  of  the  noise  of  stones  and  foam.  The  far  bank  was  steep 
and slippery. When they got to the top of it, leading their ponies, they saw that the 
great mountains had marched down very near to them. Already they I seemed only 
a day's easy journey from the feet of the nearest. Dark and drear it looked, though 
there were patches of sunlight on its brown sides, and behind its shoulders the tips 
of snow-peaks gleamed.


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O! What are you doing, 
And where are you going? 
Your ponies need shoeing! 
The river is flowing! 
O! tra-la-la-lally 
here down in the valley! 
 
O! What are you seeking, 
And where are you making? 
The faggots are reeking, 
The bannocks are baking! 
O! tril-lil-lil-lolly 
the valley is jolly,  
ha! ha! 
 
O! Where are you going 
With beards all a-wagging? 
No knowing, no knowing 
What brings Mister Baggins, 
And Balin and Dwalin  
down into the valley 
in June 
ha! ha! 
 
O! Will you be staying, 
Or will you be flying? 
Your ponies are straying! 
The daylight is dying! 
To fly would be folly,  
To stay would be jolly 
And listen and hark 
Till the end of the dark 
to our tune 
ha! ha.'


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####-There  seemed  to  be  no  trees  and  no  valleys  and  no  hills  to  break  the  ground  in 
front  of  them,  only  one  vast  slope  going  slowly  up  and  up  to meet  the  feet  of  the 
nearest  mountain,  a  wide  land  the  colour  of  heather  and  crumbling  rock,  with 
patches and slashes of grass-green and moss-green showing where water might be. 
Morning  passed,  afternoon  came;  but  in  all  the  silent waste  there was  no  sign 
of  any  dwelling.  They  were  growing  anxious,  for  they  now  saw  that  the  house 
might be hidden almost anywhere between them and the mountains. They came on 
unexpected valleys, narrow with deep sides, that opened suddenly at their feet, and 
they  looked  down  surprised  to  see  trees  below  them  and  running  water  at  the 
bottom.  There  were  gullies  that  they  could  almost  leap  over;  but  very  deep  with 
waterfalls in them. There were dark ravines that one could neither jump nor climb


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panting, just outside the circle of firelight. 
Right  in  the middle of  the  fight up  came Balin. The dwarves had heard noises 
from  a  distance,  and  after  wait-ing  for  some  time  for  Bilbo  to  come  back,  or  to 
hoot  like  an  owl,  they  started  off  one  by  one  to  creep  towards  the  light  as  quietly 
as  they  could.  No  sooner  did  Tom  see  Balin  come  into  the  light  than he gave an


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what we wanted was fire and food!" 
"And  that's  just  what  you  wouldn't  have  got  of  those  fellows  without  a 
struggle, in any case," said Gandalf. 
"Anyhow you are wasting time now. Don't you realize that the trolls must have 
a cave or a hole dug  somewhere near  to hide  from  the  sun  in? We must  look  into 
it!" 
They  searched  about,  and  soon  found  the  marks  of  trolls'  stony  boots  going 
away  through  the  trees.  They  followed  the  tracks  up  the  hill,  until  hidden  by 
bushes  they  came  on  a  big  door  of  stone  leading  to  a  cave.  But  they  could  not 
open it, not though they all pushed while Gandalf tried various incantations. 
"Would  this  be  any  good?"  asked  Bilbo,  when  they  were  getting  tired  and 
angry.  "I  found  it  on  the  ground  where  the  trolls  had  their  fight."  He  held  out  a 
largish key, though no doubt William had thought it very small and secret. It must


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him  howl,  I  can  tell  you.  But  just  at  that  moment  William  came  up  behind  and 
popped  a  sack  right  over  Thorin's  head  and  down  to  his  toes.  And  so  the  fight 
ended. A  nice  pickle  they were  all  in  now:  all  neatly  tied  up  in  sacks, with  three 
angry trolls (and two with burns and bashes to remember) sitting by them, arguing 
whether  they  should  roast  them  slowly,  or mince  them  fine  and  boil  them,  or  just 
sit on them one by one and squash them into jelly: and Bilbo up in a bush, with his 
clothes and his skin torn, not daring to move for fear they should hear him.


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a day's easy journey from the feet of the nearest. Dark and drear it looked, though 
there were patches of sunlight on its brown sides, and behind its shoulders the tips 
of snow-peaks gleamed. 
"Is  that  The  Mountain?"  asked  Bilbo  in  a  solemn  voice,  looking  at  it  with 
round eyes. He had never seen a thing that looked so big before. 
"Of  course  not!"  said  Balin.  "That  is  only  the  beginning  of  the  Misty 
Mountains,  and we  have  to  get  through,  or  over,  or  under  those  somehow,  before 
we  can  come  into  Wilderland  beyond.  And  it  is  a  deal  of  a  way  even  from  the 
other  side  of  them  to  the  Lonely Mountain  in  the  East Where  Smaug  lies on our 
treasure." 
"O!"  said  Bilbo,  and  just  at  that  moment  he  felt  more  fared  than  he  ever 
remembered  feeling  before. He was  thinking  once  again  of  his  comfortable  chair 
before  the  fire  in  his  favourite  sitting-room  in  his  hobbit-hole,  and  of  the  kettle


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bottom.  There  were  gullies  that  they  could  almost  leap  over;  but  very  deep  with 
waterfalls in them. There were dark ravines that one could neither jump nor climb 
into. There were bogs, some of them green pleasant places to look at with flowers 
growing  bright  and  tall;  but  a  pony  that  walked  there  with  a  pack  on  its  back 
would never have come out again. 
It was indeed a much wider land from the ford to the mountains than ever you 
would have guessed. Bilbo was astonished. The only path was marked with white 
stones  some  of  which  were  small,  and  others  were  half  covered  with  moss  or 
heather.  Altogether  it  was  a  very  slow  business  following  the  track,  even  guided 
by Gandalf, who seemed to know his way about pretty well. 
His head and beard wagged  this way and  that as he looked for the stones, and 
they  followed  his  head,  but  they  seemed  no  nearer  to  the  end  of  the  search when


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ale,  and  bacon  to  toast  in  the  embers  of  the  fire.  After  that  they  slept,  for  their 
night had been disturbed; (and they did nothing more till the afternoon. Then they 
I brought up their ponies, and carried away the pots of gold, and buried them very 
secretly not far from the track by the river, putting a great many spells over them, 
just  in  case  they  ever  had  the-chance  to  come  back  and  recover  them. When  that 
was  done,  they  all  mounted  once  more,  and  jogged  along  again  on  the  path 
towards the East. 
"Where  did  you  go  to,  if  I  may  ask?"  said  Thorin  to  Gandalf  as  they  rode 
along. 
"To look ahead," said he. 
"And what brought you back in the nick of time?" 
"Looking behind," said he. 
"Exactly!" said Thorin; "but could you be more plain?" 
"I  went  on  to  spy  out  our  road.  It  will  soon  become  dangerous  and  difficult. 
Also  I  was  anxious  about  replenishing  our  small  stock  of  provisions.  I  had  not


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####-So  they  laughed  and  sang  in  the  trees;  and  pretty  fair  nonsense  I  daresay  you 
think  it. Not  that  they would  care  they would only  laugh  all  the more  if you  told 
them  so.  They  were  elves  of  course.  Soon  Bilbo  caught  glimpses  of  them  as  the 
darkness deepened. He loved elves, though he seldom met them; but he was a little 
frightened of  them  too. Dwarves don't get on well with  them. Even decent enough 
dwarves  like  Thorin  and  his  friends  think  them  foolish  (which  is  a  very  foolish 
thing to think), or get annoyed with them. For some elves tease them and laugh at 
them, and most of all at their beards. 
"Well,  well!"  said  a  voice.  "Just  look!  Bilbo  the  hobbit  on  a  pony,  my  dear! 
Isn't it delicious!" 
"Most astonishing wonderful!" 
Then  off  they  went  into  another  song  as  ridiculous  as  the  one  I  have  written 
down  in  full. At  last one, a  tall young  fellow, came out  from  the  trees and bowed


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angry.  "I  found  it  on  the  ground  where  the  trolls  had  their  fight."  He  held  out  a 
largish key, though no doubt William had thought it very small and secret. It must 
have fallen out of his pocket, very luckily, before he was turned to stone. 
"Why on earth didn't you mention it before?" they cried. 
Gandalf  grabbed  it  and  fitted  it  into  the  key-hole. Then  the  stone door  swung 
back  with  one  big  push,  and  they  all  went  inside.  There were  bones  on  the  floor


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####-"Don't dip your beard in the foam, father!" they cried to Thorin, who was bent 
almost on to his hands and knees. "It is long enough without watering it." 
"Mind  Bilbo  doesn't  eat  all  the  cakes!"  they  called.  "He  is  too  fat  to  get 
through key-holes yet!" 
"Hush,  hush!  Good  People!  and  good  night!"  said  Gandalf,  who  came  last. 
"Valleys have ears, and some elves have over merry tongues. Good night!" 
And  so  at  last  they  all  came  to  the  Last  Homely  House,  and  found  its  doors 
flung wide. 
Now  it  is  a  strange  thing,  but  things  that  are  good  to  have  and  days  that  are 
good  to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are 
uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a 
deal of telling anyway. They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, 
and  they  found  it  hard  to  leave.  Bilbo  would  gladly  have  stopped  there  for  ever


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####-made  in  Gondolin  for  the  Goblin-wars.  They  must  have  come  from  a  dragon's 
hoard  or  goblin  plunder,  for  dragons  and  goblins  destroyed  that  city  many  ages 
ago.  This,  Thorin,  the  runes  name  Orcrist,  the  Goblin-cleaver  in  the  ancient 
tongue  of  Gondolin;  it  was  a  famous  blade.  This,  Gandalf,  was  Glamdring,  Foe-
hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!" 
"Whence  did  the  trolls  get  them,  I wonder?"  said Thorin  looking at his  sword 
with new interest. 
"I  could  not  say,"  said  Elrond,  "but  one  may  guess  that  your  trolls  had 
plundered other plunderers, or come on the remnants of old robberies in some hold 
in  the mountains  of  the North.  I  have heard  that  there are  still  forgotten  treasures 
of  old  to  be  found  in  the  deserted  caverns  of  the mines  of Moria,  since  the  dwarf 
and goblin war." 
Thorin  pondered  these  words.  "I  will  keep  this  sword  in  honour,"  he  said.


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####-"Stand  by  the  grey  stone  when  the  thrush  knocks,"  read  Elrond,  "and  the 
setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole." 
"Durin,  Durin!"  said  Thorin.  "He  was  the  father  of  the  fathers  of  the  eldest 
race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir." 
"Then what is Durin's Day?" asked Elrond. 
"The  first day of  the dwarves' New Year," said Thorin, "is as all should know 
the first, day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter. We still call it 
Durin's  Day  when  the  last  moon  of  Autumn  and  the  sun  are  in  the  sky  together. 
But this will not help us much, I fear, for it passes our skill in these days to guess 
when such a time will come again." 
"That remains to be seen," said Gandalf. "Is there any more writing?" 
"None  to  be  seen  by  this  moon,"  said  Elrond,  and  he  gave  the  map  back  to


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remembered  feeling  before. He was  thinking  once  again  of  his  comfortable  chair 
before  the  fire  in  his  favourite  sitting-room  in  his  hobbit-hole,  and  of  the  kettle 
singing. Not for the last time! 
Now  Gandalf  led  the  way.  "We  must  not  miss  the  road,  or  we  shall  be  done 
for,"  he  said.  "We  need  food,  for  one  thing,  and  rest  in  reasonable  safety-also it is 
very necessary  to  tackle  the Misty Mountains by  the proper path, or else you will 
get  lost  in  them,  and  have  to  come  back  and  start  at  the  beginning  again  (if  you 
ever get back at all)." 
They asked him where he was making for, and he answered: "You are come to 
the very edge of the Wild, as some of you may know. Hidden somewhere ahead of 
us  is  the  fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond  lives  in  the Last Homely House.  I 
sent a message by my friends, and we are expected."


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Then  off  they  went  into  another  song  as  ridiculous  as  the  one  I  have  written 
down  in  full. At  last one, a  tall young  fellow, came out  from  the  trees and bowed 
to Gandalf and to Thorin. 
"Welcome to the valley!" he said. 
"Thank you!"  said Thorin a bit gruffly; but Gandalf was already off his horse 
and among the elves, talking merrily with them. 
"You  are  a  little  out  of  your way,"  said  the  elf:  "that  is,  if  you  are making for 
the only path across the water and to the house beyond. We will set you right, but 
you had best get on foot, until you are over the bridge. Are you going to stay a bit 
and  sing  with  us,  or  will  you  go  straight  on?  Supper  is  preparing  over  there," he 
said. "I can smell the Wood-fires for the cooking." 
Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay awhile. Elvish singing is not a 
thing  to  miss,  in  June  under  the  stars,  not  if  you  care  for  such  things.  Also  he


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"I  went  on  to  spy  out  our  road.  It  will  soon  become  dangerous  and  difficult. 
Also  I  was  anxious  about  replenishing  our  small  stock  of  provisions.  I  had  not 
gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine from Rivendell." 
"Where's that?" asked Bilbo, 
"Don't interrupt!" said Gandalf. "You will get there in a few days now, if we're 
lucky, and find out all about it As I was saying I met two of Elrond's people. They


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His head and beard wagged  this way and  that as he looked for the stones, and 
they  followed  his  head,  but  they  seemed  no  nearer  to  the  end  of  the  search when 
the day began to fail. Tea-time had long gone by, and it seemed supper-time would 
soon  do  the  same.  There  were  moths  fluttering  about,  and  the  light  became  very 
dim,  for  the  moon  had  not  risen.  Bilbo's  pony  began  to  stumble  over  roots  and 
stones.  They  came  to  the  edge  of  a  steep  fall  in  the  ground  so  suddenly  that 
Gandalf s horse nearly slipped down the slope. 
"Here  it  is  at  last!"  he  called,  and  the  others  gathered  round  him  and  looked 
over the edge. They saw a valley far below. They could hear the voice of hurrying 
water in rocky bed at the bottom; the scent of trees was in the air; and there was a 
light  on  the  valley-side across the water. Bilbo never forgot the way they slithered


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and goblin war." 
Thorin  pondered  these  words.  "I  will  keep  this  sword  in  honour,"  he  said. 
"May it soon cleave goblins once again!" 
"A  wish  that  is  likely  to  be  granted  soon  enough  in  the  mountains!"  said 
Elrond.  "But  show  me  now  your  map!"  He  took  it  and  gazed  long  at  it,  and  he 
shook  his  head;  for  if  he  did  not  altogether  approve  of  dwarves  and  their  love  of 
gold, he hated dragons and their cruel wickedness, and he grieved to remember the 
ruin  of  the  town  of  Dale  and  its  merry  bells,  and  the  burned  banks  of  the  bright 
River Running. The moon was  shining  in  a  broad  silver  crescent. He  held  up  the 
map  and  the  white  light  shone  through  it.  "What  is  this?"  he  said.  "There  are 
moon-letters  here,  beside  the  plain  runes  which  say  'five  feet  high  the  door  and 
three may walk abreast.' " 
"What  are moon-letters?" asked  the hobbit  full of excitement. He  loved maps,


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water in rocky bed at the bottom; the scent of trees was in the air; and there was a 
light  on  the  valley-side across the water. Bilbo never forgot the way they slithered 
and  slipped  in  the  dusk  down  the  steep  zig-zag  path  into  the  secret  valley  of 
Rivendell. The air grew warmer as  they got  lower, and  the  smell of  the pine-trees 
made  him  drowsy,  so  that  every  now  and  again  he  nodded  and  nearly  fell off, or 
bumped  his  nose  on  the  pony's  neck.  Their  spirits  rose  as  they  went  down  and 
down. The  trees changed  to beech and oak, and hire was a comfortable  feeling  in 
the  twilight. The  last green had  almost  faded out of  the grass, when  they  came  at 
length to an open glade not far above the banks of the stream.


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####-were  hurrying  along  for  fear  of  the  trolls.  It  was  they  who  told  me  that  three  of 
them had come down from the mountains and settled in the woods not far from the 
road;  they  had  frightened  everyone  away  from  the  district,  and  they  waylaid 
strangers. 
"I  immediately had  a  feeling  that  I was wanted back. Looking behind  I  saw  a 
fire  in  the  distance  and  made  for  it.  So  now  you  know.  Please  be  more  careful, 
next time, or we shall never get anywhere!" 
"Thank you!" said Thorin.


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Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay awhile. Elvish singing is not a 
thing  to  miss,  in  June  under  the  stars,  not  if  you  care  for  such  things.  Also  he 
would  have  liked  to  have  a  few  private  words  with  these  people  that  seemed  to 
know  his  name  and  all  about  him,  although  he  had  never  been  them  before.  He 
thought  their  opinion  of  his  adventure might  be  interesting. Elves  know  a  lot  and 
are wondrous  folk  for news, and know what  is going on among the peoples of the 
land,  as  quick  as water  flows,  or  quicker. But  the  dwarves were  all  for  supper  as 
soon  'as  possible  just  then,  and  would  not  stay.  On  they  all  went,  leading  their 
ponies, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the very brink of the 
river.  It  was  flowing  fast  and  noisily,  as  mountain-streams  do  of  a  summer 
evening, when  sun  has  been  all  day  on  the  snow  far  up  above.  There was  only  a


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deal of telling anyway. They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, 
and  they  found  it  hard  to  leave.  Bilbo  would  gladly  have  stopped  there  for  ever 
and  ever-even  supposing  a  wish  would  have  taken  him  right  back  to  his  hobbit-
hole without trouble. Yet there is little to tell about their stay.  
The  master  of  the  house  was  an  elf-friend-one  of  those  people whose  fathers 
came  into  the  strange  stories  before  the  beginning  of History,  the wars  of  the  evil 
goblins and the elves and the first men in the North. In those days of our tale there 
were  still  some  people who  had  both  elves  and  heroes  of  the North  for ancestors, 
and Elrond the master of the house was their chief. He was as noble and as fair in 
face  as  an  elf-lord,  as  strong  as  a warrior,  as wise  as  a wizard,  as  venerable  as  a 
king  of  dwarves,  and  as  kind  as  summer. He  comes  into. many  tales, but his part


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us  is  the  fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond  lives  in  the Last Homely House.  I 
sent a message by my friends, and we are expected." 
That  sounded  nice  and  comforting,  but  they  had  not  got  there  yet,  and  it was 
not  so  easy  as  it  sounds  to  find  the  Last  Homely  House  west  of  the  Mountains.


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when such a time will come again." 
"That remains to be seen," said Gandalf. "Is there any more writing?" 
"None  to  be  seen  by  this  moon,"  said  Elrond,  and  he  gave  the  map  back  to 
Thorin; and then they went down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon 
the midsummer's eve. 
The  next  morning  was  a  midsummer's  morning  as  fair  and  fresh  as  could  be 
dreamed: blue sky and never a cloud, and the sun dancing on the water. Now they 
rode away amid songs of farewell and good speed, with their hearts ready for more 
adventure,  and  with  a  knowledge  of  the  road  they  must  follow  over  the  Misty 
Mountains to the land beyond.


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There  were  many  paths  that  led  up  into  those  mountains,  and  many  passes 
over them. But most of the paths were cheats and deceptions and led nowhere or to 
bad ends; and most of the passes were infested by evil things and dreadful dangers. 
The  dwarves  and  the  hobbit,  helped  by  the  wise  advice  of  Elrond  and  the 
knowledge and memory of Gandalf, took the right road to the right pass. 
Long  days  after  they  had  climbed  out  of  the  valley  and  left  the  Last  Homely 
House  miles  behind,  they  were  still  going  up  and  up  and  up.  It  was  a  hard  path 
and  a  dangerous  path,  a  crooked  way  and  a  lonely  and  a  long.  Now  they  could 
look  back  over  the  lands  they  had  left,  laid  out  behind  them  far  below.  Far,  far 
away in the West, where things were blue and faint, Bilbo knew there lay his own 
country  of  safe  and  comfortable  things,  and  his  little  hobbit-hole. He shivered.  It


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####-"Hrnmm!  it  smells  like  elves!"  thought  Bilbo,  and  he  looked  up  at  the  stars. 
They  were  burning  bright  and  blue.  Just  then  there  came  a  burst  of  song  like 
laughter in the trees:


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river.  It  was  flowing  fast  and  noisily,  as  mountain-streams  do  of  a  summer 
evening, when  sun  has  been  all  day  on  the  snow  far  up  above.  There was  only  a 
narrow bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; 
and  over  that  they had  to go, slow and careful, one by one, each  leading his pony 
by  the  bridle. The  elves  had  brought  bright  lanterns  to  the  shore,  and  they  sang  a 
merry song as the party went across.


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####-He  knew  that  something  unexpected  might  happen,  and  he  hardly  dared  to 
hope  that  they  would  pass  without  fearful  adventure  over  those  great  tall 
mountains  with  lonely  peaks  and  valleys  where  no  king  ruled. They did not. All 
was  well,  until  one  day  they  met  a  thunderstorm  -  more  than  a  thunderstorm,  a 
thunder-battle.  You  know  how  terrific  a  really  big  thunderstorm  can  be  down  in 
the  land  and  in  a  river-valley;  especially  at  times  when  two  great  thunderstorms 
meet  and  clash. More  terrible  still  are  thunder  and  lightning  in  the  mountains  at 
night,  when  storms  come  up  from  East  and  West  and  make  war.  The  lightning 
splinters  on  the  peaks,  and  rocks  shiver,  and  great  crashes  split  the  air  and  go 
rolling  and  tumbling  into  every  cave  and  hollow;  and  the  darkness  is  filled  with 
overwhelming noise and sudden light.


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face  as  an  elf-lord,  as  strong  as  a warrior,  as wise  as  a wizard,  as  venerable  as  a 
king  of  dwarves,  and  as  kind  as  summer. He  comes  into. many  tales, but his part 
in  the  story  of  Bilbo's  great  adventure  is  only  a  small  one,  though  important,  as 
you  will  see,  if  we  ever  get  to  the  end  of  it.  His  house  was  perfect,  whether  you 
liked  food,  or  sleep,  or  work,  or  story-telling,  or  singing,  or  just  sitting  and 
thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that 
valley.  
I wish I had  time  to  tell you even a few of  the  tales or one or  two of  the songs 
that  they  heard  in  that  house. All  of  them,  the  ponies  as well,  grew  refreshed and 
strong  in  a  few  days  there.  Their  clothes  were  mended  as  well  as  their  bruises, 
their tempers and their hopes. Their bags were filled with food and provisions light


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three may walk abreast.' " 
"What  are moon-letters?" asked  the hobbit  full of excitement. He  loved maps, 
as  I  have  told  you  before;  and  he  also  liked  runes  and  letters  and  cunning 
handwriting, though when he wrote himself it was a bit thin and spidery.  
"Moon-letters  are  rune-letters,  but  you  cannot  see  them,"  said  Elrond,  "not 
when  you  look  straight  at  them.  They  can  only  be  seen  when  the  moon  shines 
behind  them,  and what  is more, with  the more  cunning  sort  it must  be  a moon  of 
the  same  shape  and  season  as  the  day  when  they  were  written.  The  dwarves 
invented  them  and  wrote  them  with  silver  pens,  as  your  friends  could  tell  you. 
These  must  have  been  written  on  a midsummer's  eve  in  a  crescent moon,  a  long 
while ago." 
"What  do  they  say?"  asked Gandalf  and Thorin  together,  a  bit  vexed  perhaps 
that even Elrond should have found this out first, though really there had not been


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####-Soon  Fili  and  Kili  came  crawling  back,  holding  on  to  the  rocks  in  the  wind. 
"We have  found a dry cave,"  they said, "not  far  round  the next corner; and ponies 
and all could get inside." 
"Have  you  thoroughly  explored  it?"  said  the wizard, who  knew  that  caves  up 
in the mountains were seldom unoccupied. 
"Yes,  yes!"  they  said,  though  everybody  knew  they  could  not  have  been  long 
about  it;  they had come back too quick. "It isn't all that big, and it does not go far 
back." 
That,  of  course,  is  the  dangerous  part  about  caves:  you  don't  know  how  far 
they  go  back,  sometimes,  or  where  a  passage  behind  may  lead  to,  or  what  is 
waiting for you inside. But now Fili and Kill's news seemed good enough. So they 
all  got  up  and  prepared  to  move.  The  wind  was  howling  and  the  thunder  still 
growling, and  they had a business getting  themselves and  their ponies along. Still


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####-and light. It is not unlikely that they invented some of the machines that have since 
troubled  the  world,  especially  the  ingenious  devices  for  killing  large  numbers  of 
people at once, for wheels and engines and explosions always delighted them, and 
also  not  working  with  their  own  hands  more  than  they  could  help;  but  in  those 
days  and  those  wild  parts  they had not  advanced  (as  it  is  called)  so  far. They did 
not  hate  dwarves  especially,  no  more  than  they  hated  everybody  and  everything, 
and  particularly  the  orderly  and  prosperous;  in  some  parts  wicked  dwarves  had 
even  made  alliances  with  them.  But  they  had  a  special  grudge  against  Thorin's 
people,  because  of  the war which  you  have  heard mentioned,  but which  does  not 
come  into  this  tale; and anyway goblins don't care who  they catch, as  long as  it  is 
done smart and secret, and the prisoners are not able to defend themselves.


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It  sounded  truly  terrifying. The walls  echoed  to  the  clap,  snap!  and  the  crush, 
smash!  and  to  the  ugly  laughter  of  their  ho,  ho! my  lad! The  general meaning  of 
the song was only too plain; for now the goblins took out whips and whipped them 
with  a  swish,  smack!,  and set them running as fast as they could in front of them; 
and  more  than  one  of  the  dwarves  were  already  yammering  and  bleating  like 
anything, when they stumbled into a big cavern. 
It was  lit by a great red fire  in  the middle, and by  torches along  the walls, and 
it  was  full  of  goblins.  They  all  laughed  and  stamped  and  clapped  their  hands, 
when  the  dwarves  (with  poor  little  Bilbo  at  the  back  and  nearest  to  the  whips) 
came  running  in,  while  the  goblin-drivers  whooped  and  cracked  their  whips 
behind. The  ponies were already  there huddled  in a corner; and  there were all  the


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strong  in  a  few  days  there.  Their  clothes  were  mended  as  well  as  their  bruises, 
their tempers and their hopes. Their bags were filled with food and provisions light 
to  carry  but  strong  to  bring  them  over  the  mountain  passes.  Their  plans  were 
improved  with  the  best  advice.  So  the  time  came  to  mid-  summer  eve,  and  they 
were to go on again with the early sun on midsummer morning. 
Elrond  knew  all  about  runes  of  every  kind. That  day  he  looked  at  the  swords 
they had brought from the trolls' lair, and he said: "These are not troll-make. They 
are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were


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rolling  and  tumbling  into  every  cave  and  hollow;  and  the  darkness  is  filled  with 
overwhelming noise and sudden light. 
Bilbo had never seen or imagined anything of the kind. They were high up in a 
narrow place, with a dreadful fall into a dim valley at one side of them. There they 
were  sheltering  under  a  hanging  rock  for  the  night,  and  he  lay  beneath  a  blanket 
and  shook  from  head  to  toe. When  he  peeped  out  in  the  lightning-flashes, he saw 
that  across  the  valley  the  stone-giants  were  out  and  were  hurling  rocks  at  one 
another  for a. game, and catching  them, and  tossing  them down  into  the darkness 
where  they  smashed among  the  trees  far below, or  splintered  into  little bits with a 
bang.  Then  came  a  wind  and  a  rain,  and  the  wind  whipped  the  rain  and  the  hail 
about  in  every  direction,  so  that  an  overhanging  rock  was  no  protection  at  all.


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while ago." 
"What  do  they  say?"  asked Gandalf  and Thorin  together,  a  bit  vexed  perhaps 
that even Elrond should have found this out first, though really there had not been 
a  chance  before,  and  there  would  not  have  been  another  until  goodness  knows 
when.


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####-very  afraid  but  could  not  call  out  or  do  anything  but  lie  and  look.  Then  he 
dreamed  that  the floor of  the cave was giving way, and he was slipping-beginning 
to fall down, down, goodness knows where to. 
At  that he woke up with a horrible start, and found  that part of his dream was 
true. A crack had opened at the back of the cave, and was already a wide passage. 
He  was  just  in  time  to  see  the  last  of  the  ponies'  tails  disappearing  into  it.  Of 
course  he  gave  a  very  loud  yell,  as  loud  a  yell  as  a  hobbit  can  give,  which  is 
surprising for their size. 
Out  jumped  the  goblins,  big  goblins,  great  ugly-looking  goblins,  lots  of 
goblins,  before  you  could  say  rocks  and  blocks.  There were  six  to each dwarf, at 
least,  and  two  even  for Bilbo;  and  they were  all  grabbed  and  carried  through  the 
crack,  before  you  could  say  tinder  and  flint.  But  not  Gandalf.  Bilbo's  yell  had


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away in the West, where things were blue and faint, Bilbo knew there lay his own 
country  of  safe  and  comfortable  things,  and  his  little  hobbit-hole. He shivered.  It 
was  getting  bitter  cold  up  here,  and  the  wind  came  shrill  among  the  rocks. 
Boulders,  too,  at  times  came  galloping  down  the  mountain-sides,  let  loose  by 
midday  sun  upon  the  snow,  and  passed  among  them  (which  was  lucky),  or  over 
their heads (which was alarming). The nights were comfortless and chill, and they 
did not dare  to sing or  talk  too  loud,  for  the echoes were uncanny, and  the silence 
seemed  to  dislike  being  broken-except by  the noise of water and  the wail of wind 
and the crack of stone. 
"The  summer  is  getting  on  down  below,"  thought  Bilbo,  "and  haymaking  is 
going  on  and  picnics. They will  be  harvesting  and  blackberrying,  before we  even 
begin to go down the other side at this rate." And the others were thinking equally


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all  got  up  and  prepared  to  move.  The  wind  was  howling  and  the  thunder  still 
growling, and  they had a business getting  themselves and  their ponies along. Still 
it was not very far to go, and before long they came to a big rock standing out into 
the path. If you stepped behind, you found a low arch in the side of the mountain. 
There was just room to get the ponies through with a squeeze, when they had been 
unpacked  and  unsaddled.  As  they  passed  under  the  arch,  it was  good  to  hear  the 
wind and the rain outside instead of all about them, and to feel safe from the giants 
and their rocks. But the wizard was taking no risks. He lit up his wand  - as he did 
that  day  in Bilbo's  dining-room  that  seemed  so  long ago,  if you remember—, and 
by its light they explored the cave from end to end. 
It seemed quite a fair size, but not  too  large and mysterious. It had a dry floor


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bang.  Then  came  a  wind  and  a  rain,  and  the  wind  whipped  the  rain  and  the  hail 
about  in  every  direction,  so  that  an  overhanging  rock  was  no  protection  at  all. 
Soon  they were  getting  drenched  and  their  ponies were  standing with  their  heads 
down  and  their  tails  between  their  legs,  and  some  of  them  were  whinnying  with 
fright.  They  could  hear  the  giants  guffawing  and  shouting  all  over  the 
mountainsides. 
"This won't  do  at  all!"  said Thorin.  "If we  don't  get  blown  off  or  drowned,  or 
struck by lightning, we shall be picked up by some giant and kicked sky-high for a 
football." 
"Well,  if  you  know  of  anywhere  better, take us there!" said Gandalf, who was 
feeling very grumpy, and was far from happy about the giants himself. 
The  end of  their  argument was  that  they  sent Fill  and Kili  to  look  for  a better 
shelter. They had very sharp eyes, and being the youngest of the dwarves by some


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####-Then  Gandalf  lit  up  his  wand.  Of  course  it  was  Gandalf;  but  just  then  they 
were  too busy  to ask how he got  there. He  took out his  sword again, and again  it 
flashed  in  the  dark  by  itself.  It  burned  with  a  rage  that  made  it  gleam  if  goblins 
were  about; now  it was bright  as blue  flame  for delight  in  the killing of  the great 
lord of the cave. It made no trouble whatever of cutting through the goblin-chains 
and  setting  all  the  prisoners  free  as  quickly  as  possible.  This  sword's  name  was 
Glamdring  the  Foe-hammer,  if  you  remember.  The  goblins  just  called  it  Beater, 
and hated it worse than Biter if possible. Orcrist, too, had been saved; for Gandalf 
had brought it along as well, snatching it from one of the terrified guards. Gandalf 
thought of most things; and though he could not do everything, he could do a great 
deal for friends in a tight comer.


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####-held out the sword which Thorin had worn, the sword which came from the Trolls' 
lair.  
The Great Goblin gave a truly awful howl of rage when he looked at it, and all 
his soldiers gnashed their teeth, clashed their shields, and stamped. They knew the 
sword at once.  It had killed hundreds of goblins  in  its  time, when  the  fair elves of 
Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls. They had called 
it Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver, but the goblins called it simply Biter. They hated it and 
hated worse any one that carried it. 
"Murderers'  and  elf-friends!"  the  Great  Goblin  shouted.  "Slash  them!  Beat 
them! Bite  them! Gnash  them! Take  them  away  to  dark  holes  full  of  snakes,  and 
never  let  them  see  the  light  again!" He was  in  such  a  rage  that he  jumped off his 
seat and himself rushed at Thorin with his mouth open. 
Just  at  that  moment  all  the  lights  in  the  cavern  went  out,  and  the  great  fire


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come  into  this  tale; and anyway goblins don't care who  they catch, as  long as  it  is 
done smart and secret, and the prisoners are not able to defend themselves. 
"Who are these miserable persons?" said the Great Goblin. 
"Dwarves, and this!" said one of the drivers, pulling at Bilbo's chain so that he 
fell forward onto his knees. 
"We found them sheltering in our Front Porch." 
"What do you mean by it?" said the Great Goblin turning to Thorin. "Up to no 
good, I'll warrant! Spying on the private business of my people, I guess! Thieves, I 
shouldn't  be  surprised  to  learn!  Murderers  and  friends  of  Elves,  not  unlikely! 
Come! What have you got to say?" 
"Thorin  the  dwarf  at  your  service!"  he  replied-it was merely a polite nothing. 
"Of the things which you suspect and imagine we had no idea at all. We sheltered 
from  a  storm  in what  seemed  a  convenient  cave  and  unused;  nothing was  further


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going  on  and  picnics. They will  be  harvesting  and  blackberrying,  before we  even 
begin to go down the other side at this rate." And the others were thinking equally 
gloomy  thoughts,  although  when  they  had  said  good-bye  to  Elrond  in  the  high 
hope  of  a  midsummer  morning,  they'  had  spoken  gaily  of  the  passage  of  the 
mountains,  and  of  riding  swift  across  the  lands  beyond.  They  had  thought  of 
coming  to  the  secret  door  in  the  Lonely  Mountain,  perhaps  that  very  next  first 
moon  of  Autumn—"  and  perhaps  it  will  be  Durin's  Day"  they  had  said.  Only 
Gandalf had  shaken his head  and  said nothing. Dwarves had not passed  that way 
for  many  years,  but  Gandalf  had,  and  he  knew  how  evil  and  danger  had  grown 
and  thriven  in  the Wild, since  the dragons had driven men from the lands, and the 
goblins had spread  in secret after  the battle of  the Mines of Moria. Even  the good


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came  running  in,  while  the  goblin-drivers  whooped  and  cracked  their  whips 
behind. The  ponies were already  there huddled  in a corner; and  there were all  the 
baggages  and  packages  lying  broken  open,  and  being  rummaged  by  goblins,  and 
smelt by goblins, and fingered by goblins, and quarreled over by goblins. 
I  am  afraid  that  was  the  last  they  ever  saw  of  those  excellent  little  ponies, 
including  a  jolly  sturdy  little  white  fellow  that  Elrond  had  lent  to  Gandalf,  since 
his  horse  was  not  suitable  for  the  mountain-paths.  For  goblins  eat  horses  and 
ponies  and  donkeys  (and  other much more  dreadful  things),  and  they are always 
hungry.  Just  now  however  the  prisoners  were  thinking  only  of  themselves.  The 
goblins  chained  their  hands  behind  their  backs  and  linked  them  all  together  in  a 
line  and dragged  them  to  the  far  end of  the  cavern with  little Bilbo  tugging  at the


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thought of most things; and though he could not do everything, he could do a great 
deal for friends in a tight comer.  
"Are we all here?" said he, handing his sword back to Thorin with a bow. "Let 
me see: one-that's Thorin; two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven; 
where  are  Fili  and  Kili?  Here  they  are,  twelve,  thirteen-and  here's Mr.  Baggins: 
fourteen!  Well,  well!  it  might  be  worse,  and  then  again  it  might  be  a  good  deal 
better. No ponies, and no food, and no knowing quite where we are, and hordes of 
angry goblins just behind! On we go!" 
On  they  went.  Gandalf  was  quite  right:  they  began  to  hear  goblin  noises  and 
horrible cries far behind in the passages they had come through. That sent them on 
faster  than  ever,  and  as  poor Bilbo  could  not  possibly  go  half  as  fast-for dwarves 
can roll along at a tremendous pace, I can tell you, when they have to-they took it 
in turn to carry him on their backs.


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seat and himself rushed at Thorin with his mouth open. 
Just  at  that  moment  all  the  lights  in  the  cavern  went  out,  and  the  great  fire 
went  off  poof!  into  a  tower  of  blue  glowing  smoke,  right  up  to  the  roof,  that 
scattered piercing white sparks all among the goblins. 
The  yells  and  yammering,  croaking,  jibbering  and  jabbering;  howls,  growls 
and curses; shrieking and skriking, that followed were beyond description. Several 
hundred wild  cats  and wolves being  roasted  slowly  alive  together would not have 
compared  with  it.  The  sparks  were  burning  holes  in  the  goblins,  and  the  smoke 
that  now  fell  from  the  roof  made  the  air  too  thick  for  even  their  eyes  to  see 
through. Soon they were falling over one another and rolling in heaps on the floor, 
biting and kicking and fighting as if they had all gone mad. 
Suddenly  a  sword  flashed  in  its  own  light.  Bilbo  saw  it  go  right  through  the


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goblins  chained  their  hands  behind  their  backs  and  linked  them  all  together  in  a 
line  and dragged  them  to  the  far  end of  the  cavern with  little Bilbo  tugging  at the 
end of the row.  
There in the shadows on a large flat stone sat a tremendous goblin with a huge 
head,  and  armed  goblins were  standing  round  him  carrying  the  axes  and  the  bent 
swords that they use. Now goblins are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make 
no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones. They can tunnel and mine as 
well as any but the most skilled dwarves, when they take the trouble, though they 
are  usually  untidy  and  dirty.  Hammers,  axes,  swords,  daggers,  pickaxes,  tongs, 
and  also  instruments of  torture,  they make very well, or get other people  to make 
to  their design, prisoners and  slaves  that have  to work  till  they die  for want of air


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The  end of  their  argument was  that  they  sent Fill  and Kili  to  look  for  a better 
shelter. They had very sharp eyes, and being the youngest of the dwarves by some 
fifty  years  they  usually  got  these  sort  of  jobs  (when  everybody  could  see  that  it 
was  absolutely  no  use  sending Bilbo). There  is  nothing  like  looking,  if  you want 
to find something (or so Thorin said to the young dwarves). You certainly usually 
find  something,  if  you  look,  but  it  is  not  always  quite  the  something  you  were 
after. So it proved on this occasion.


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"Of the things which you suspect and imagine we had no idea at all. We sheltered 
from  a  storm  in what  seemed  a  convenient  cave  and  unused;  nothing was  further 
from  our  thoughts  than  inconveniencing goblins  in any way whatever." That was 
true enough! 
"Urn!"  said  the Great Goblin.  "So you  say! Might  I  ask what you were doing 
up in the mountains at all, and where you were coming from, and where you were 
going to? In fact I should like to know all about you. Not that it willdo you much 
good,  Thorin  Oakenshield,  I  know  too  much  about  your  folk  already;  but  let's 
have the truth, or I will prepare something particularly uncomfortable for you!" 
"We were on a journey to visit our relatives, our nephews and nieces, and first, 
second, and third cousins, and the other descendants of our grandfathers, who live 
on  the  East  side  of  these  truly  hospitable  mountains,"  said  Thorin,  not  quite


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by its light they explored the cave from end to end. 
It seemed quite a fair size, but not  too  large and mysterious. It had a dry floor 
and some comfortable nooks. At one end there was room for the ponies; and there 
they stood (mighty glad of the change) steaming, and champing in their nosebags. 
Oin  and Gloin wanted  to  light  a  fire  at  the  door  to  dry  their  clothes,  but Gandalf 
would not hear of  it. So  they  spread out  their wet  things on  the  floor, and got dry 
ones out of  their bundles;  then they made their blankets comfortable, got out their 
pipes  and  blew  smoke  rings,  which  Gandalf  turned  into  different  colours  and  set 
dancing  up  by  the  roof  to  amuse  them.  They  talked  and  talked,  and  forgot  about 
the  storm, and discussed what each would  do with his share of the treasure (when 
they got it, which at the moment did not seem so impossible); and so they dropped


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can roll along at a tremendous pace, I can tell you, when they have to-they took it 
in turn to carry him on their backs. 
Still  goblins  go  faster  than  dwarves,  and  these  goblins  knew  the  way  better 
(they had made the paths themselves), and were madly angry; so that do what they 
could  the  dwarves  heard  the  cries  and  howls  getting  closer  and  closer.  Soon  they 
could  hear  even  the  flap  of  the  goblin  feet,  many  many  feet which  seemed  only 
just  round  the  last  corner.  The  blink  of  red  torches  could  be  seen  behind  them  in 
the tunnel they were following; and they were getting deadly tired. 
"Why,  O  why  did  I  ever  leave  my  hobbit-hole!"  said  poor  Mr.  Baggins 
bumping up and down on Bombur's back. 
"Why, O why did I ever bring a wretched little hobbit on a treasure hunt!" said 
poor Bombur, who was fat, and staggered along with the sweat dripping down his 
nose in his heat and terror.


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biting and kicking and fighting as if they had all gone mad. 
Suddenly  a  sword  flashed  in  its  own  light.  Bilbo  saw  it  go  right  through  the 
Great Goblin as he stood dumbfounded in the middle of his rage. He fell dead, and 
the goblin soldiers fled before the sword shrieking into the darkness. 
The  sword  went  back  into  its  sheath.  "Follow  me  quick!"  said  a  voice  fierce 
and  quiet;  and  before Bilbo  understood what  had  happened  he was  trotting  along 
again, as fast as he could trot, at the end of the line, down more dark passages with 
the  yells  of  the  goblin-hall  growing  fainter  behind  him.  A  pale  light  was  leading 
them on. 
"Quicker, quicker!" said the voice. "The torches will soon be relit." 
"Half  a  minute!"  said  Dori,  who  was  at  the  back  next  to  Bilbo,  and  a  decent 
fellow.  He  made  the  hobbit  scramble  on  his  shoulders  as  best  he  could  with  his


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second, and third cousins, and the other descendants of our grandfathers, who live 
on  the  East  side  of  these  truly  hospitable  mountains,"  said  Thorin,  not  quite 
knowing  what  to  say  all  at  once  in  a  moment,  when  obviously  the  exact  truth 
would not do at all. 
"He is a liar, O truly tremendous one!" said one of the drivers. "Several of our 
people  were  struck  by  lightning  in  the  cave,  when  we  invited  these  creatures  to 
come  below;  and  they  are  as  dead  as  stones. Also  he  has  not  explained  this!" He


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####-shining  cold  and  bright  right  in  their  astonished  eyes.  The  ones  in  front  dropped 
their  torches  and  gave  one  yell  before  they  were  killed.  The  ones  behind  yelled 
still  more,  and  leaped  back  knocking  over  those  that  were  running  after  them. 
"Biter  and Beater!"  they  shrieked;  and  soon  they were  all  in  confusion,  and most 
of them were hustling back the way they had come. 
It was quite a  long while before any of  them dared  to  turn  that comer. By  that 
time the dwarves had gone on again, a long, long, way on into the dark tunnels of 
the  goblins'  realm.  When  the  goblins  discovered  that,  they  put  out  their  torches 
and they slipped on soft shoes, and they chose out their very quickest runners with 
the sharpest ears and eyes. These ran forward, as swift as weasels in the dark,  and 
with hardly any more noise than bats. 
That  is  why  neither  Bilbo,  nor  the  dwarves,  nor  even  Gandalf  heard  them


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the  storm, and discussed what each would  do with his share of the treasure (when 
they got it, which at the moment did not seem so impossible); and so they dropped 
off  to  sleep  one  by  one.  And  that  was  the  last  time  that  they  used  the  ponies, 
packages, baggages, tools and paraphernalia that they had brought with them. 
It  turned  out  a  good  thing  that  night  that  they  had  brought  little  Bilbo  with 
them, after all. For somehow, he could not go  to sleep for a  long while; and when 
he did sleep, he had very nasty dreams. He dreamed that a crack in the wall at the 
back  of  the  cave  got  bigger  and  bigger,  and  opened wider  and wider,  and  he was


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####-he  had  noticed  that  such  weapons made  a  great  impression  on  goblins  that  came 
upon them suddenly.  
"Go  back?"  he  thought.  "No  good  at  all!  Go  sideways?  Impossible!  Go 
forward? Only  thing  to  do! On we  go!"  So  up  he  got,  and  trotted  along with  his 
little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of 
a patter and a pitter.  
 
Now  certainly  Bilbo  was  in  what  is  called  a  tight  place.  But  you  must 
remember  it  was  not  quite  so  tight  for  him  as  it  would  have  been  for  me  or  for 
you. Hobbits are not quite like ordinary people; and after all if their holes are nice 
cheery  places  and  properly  aired,  quite  different  from  the  tunnels  of  the  goblins, 
still they are more used to tunnelling than we are, and they do not easily lose their 
sense  of  direction  underground-not  when  their  heads  have  recovered  from  being


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"Why, O why did I ever bring a wretched little hobbit on a treasure hunt!" said 
poor Bombur, who was fat, and staggered along with the sweat dripping down his 
nose in his heat and terror.  
At  this  point  Gandalf  fell  behind,  and  Thorin  with  him.  They  turned  a  sharp 
corner. "About turn!" he shouted. "Draw your sword, Thorin!" 
There was nothing else  to be done; and  the goblins did not  like  it. They came 
scurrying  round  the corner  in  full cry, and  found Goblin-cleaver and Foe-hammer


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When Bilbo opened his eyes, he wondered  if he had; for  it was  just as dark as 
with them shut. No one was anywhere near him. Just imagine his fright! He could 
hear nothing, see nothing, and he could feel nothing except the stone of the floor.  
Very slowly he got up and groped about on all fours, till he touched the wall of 
the  tunnel;  but  neither  up  nor  down  it  could  he  find  anything:  nothing  at  all,  no 
sign of goblins, no sign of dwarves. His head was swimming, and he was far from 
certain  even  of  the  direction  they  had  been  going  in  when  he  had  his  fall.  He 
guessed  as well  as  he  could,  and  crawled  along  for  a  good way,  till  suddenly  his 
hand met what felt like a tiny ring of cold metal lying on the floor of the tunnel. It 
was  a  turning  point  in  his  career,  but  he  did  not  know  it.  He  put  the  ring  in  his 
pocket  almost without  thinking;  certainly  it  did  not  seem  of  any  particular  use  at


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with hardly any more noise than bats. 
That  is  why  neither  Bilbo,  nor  the  dwarves,  nor  even  Gandalf  heard  them 
coming. Nor did they see them. But they were seen by the goblins that ran silently 
up  behind,  for  Gandalf  was  letting  his  wand  give  out  a  faint  light  to  help  the 
dwarves as they went along. 
Quite suddenly Dori, now at the back again carrying Bilbo, was grabbed from 
behind in the dark. He shouted and fell; and the hobbit rolled off his shoulders into 
the blackness, bumped his head on hard rock, and remembered nothing more.


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still they are more used to tunnelling than we are, and they do not easily lose their 
sense  of  direction  underground-not  when  their  heads  have  recovered  from  being 
bumped.  Also  they  can  move  very  quietly,  and  hide  easily,  and  recover 
wonderfully  from  falls  and  bruises,  and  they  have  a  fund  of  wisdom  and  wise 
sayings that men have mostly never heard or have forgotten long ago. 
I  should  not  have  liked  to  have  been  in Mr. Baggins'  place,  all  the  same. The 
tunnel seemed to have no end. All he knew was that it was still going down pretty 
steadily  and  keeping  in  the  same  direction  in  spite  of  a  twist  and  a  turn  or  two. 
There were passages leading off to the side every now and then, as he knew by the 
glimmer of his sword, or  could feel with his hand on the wall. Of these he took no 
notice,  except  to  hurry  past  for  fear  of  goblins  or  half-imagined  dark  things


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least,  and  two  even  for Bilbo;  and  they were  all  grabbed  and  carried  through  the 
crack,  before  you  could  say  tinder  and  flint.  But  not  Gandalf.  Bilbo's  yell  had 
done  that  much  good.  It  had  wakened  him  up  wide  in  a  splintered  second,  and 
when  goblins  came  to  grab  him,  there  was  a  terrible  flash  like  lightning  in  the 
cave, a smell like gunpowder, and several of them fell dead. 
The  crack  closed with  a  snap,  and  Bilbo  and  the  dwarves were  on  the wrong 
side  of  it! Where was Gandalf? Of  that neither they nor the goblins had any idea, 
and  the  goblins  did  not  wait  to  find  out.  It  was  deep,  deep,  dark,  such  as  only 
goblins  that  have  taken  to  living  in  the  heart  of  the  mountains  can  see  through. 
The  passages  there  were  crossed  and  tangled  in  all  directions,  but  the  goblins 
knew  their  way,  as  well  as  you  do  to  the  nearest  post-office;  and  the  way  went


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####-"Who are you?" he said, thrusting his dagger in front of him. 
"What iss he, my preciouss?" whispered Gollum (who always spoke to himself 
through  never  having  anyone  else  to  speak  to). This  is what  he  had  come  to  find 
out,  for  he was  not  really  very  hungry  at  the moment, only  curious; otherwise he 
would have grabbed first and whispered afterwards. 
"I  am Mr. Bilbo Baggins.  I  have  lost  the  dwarves  and  I  have  lost  the wizard, 
and I don't know where I am; and "I don't want to know, if only I can get ,away." 
"What's  he  got  in  his  handses?"  said Gollum,  looking  at  the  sword, which  he 
did not quite like. 
"A sword, a blade which came out of Gondolin!" 
"Sssss,"  said  Gollum,  and  became  quite  polite.  "Praps  ye  sits  here  and  chats 
with  it  a  bitsy,  my  preciousss.  It  like  riddles,  praps  it  does,  does  it?"  He  was 
anxious  to  appear  friendly,  at  any  rate  for  the  moment,  and  until  he  found  out


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####-fish whose fathers swam in, goodness only knows how many years ago, and never 
swam out again, while their eyes grew bigger and bigger and bigger from trying to 
see  in  the  blackness;  also  there  are other  things more  slimy  than  fish. Even  in  the 
tunnels  and  caves  the  goblins  have  made  for  themselves  there  are  other  things 
living unbeknown to them that have sneaked in from outside to lie up in the dark. 
Some  of  these  caves,  too,  go  back  in  their  beginnings  to  ages  before  the  goblins, 
who  only  widened  them  and  joined  them  up  with  passages,  and  the  original 
owners are still there in odd comers, slinking and nosing about. 
Deep down here by  the dark water  lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature. I 
don't  know where  he  came  from,  nor who  or what  he was. He was Gollum  — as 
dark  as  darkness,  except  for  two  big  round  pale  eyes  in  his  thin  face.  He  had  a


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and  thriven  in  the Wild, since  the dragons had driven men from the lands, and the 
goblins had spread  in secret after  the battle of  the Mines of Moria. Even  the good 
plans  of  wise  wizards  like  Gandalf  and  of  good  friends  like  Elrond  go  astray 
sometimes when  you  are  off  on  dangerous  adventures  over  the Edge  of  the Wild; 
and Gandalf was a wise enough wizard to know it.


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"Half  a  minute!"  said  Dori,  who  was  at  the  back  next  to  Bilbo,  and  a  decent 
fellow.  He  made  the  hobbit  scramble  on  his  shoulders  as  best  he  could  with  his 
tied  hands,  and  then  off  they  all  went  at  a  run,  with  a  clink-clink  of  chains,  and 
many a stumble, since they had no hands to steady themselves with. Not for a long 
while did  they  stop,  and by  that  time  they must have been  right down  in  the very 
mountain's heart.


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was  a  turning  point  in  his  career,  but  he  did  not  know  it.  He  put  the  ring  in  his 
pocket  almost without  thinking;  certainly  it  did  not  seem  of  any  particular  use  at 
the moment. He did not go much  further, but sat down on  the cold  floor and gave 
himself  up  to  complete  miserableness,  for  a  long  while.  He  thought  of  himself 
frying bacon and eggs  in his own kitchen at home  - for he could feel inside that it 
was high time for some meal or other; but that only made him miserabler.  
He could not think what to do; nor could he think what had happened; or why 
he  had  been  left  behind;  or  why,  if  he  had  been  left  behind,  the  goblins  had  not 
caught  him;  or  even  why  his  head  was  so  sore.  The  truth  was  he  had  been  lying 
quiet, out of sight and out of mind, in a very dark corner for a long while. 
After some time he felt for his pipe. It was not broken, and that was something.


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glimmer of his sword, or  could feel with his hand on the wall. Of these he took no 
notice,  except  to  hurry  past  for  fear  of  goblins  or  half-imagined  dark  things 
coming out of them. On and on he went, and down and down; and still he heard no 
sound of anything except  the occasional  whirr of a bat by his ears, which  startled 
him at first, till it became too frequent to bother about. I do not know how long he 
kept  on  like  this,  hating  to  go  on,  not  daring  to  stop,  on,  on,  until  he was  tireder 
than tired. It seemed like all the way to tomorrow and over it to the days beyond. 
Suddenly  without  any  warning  he  trotted  splash  into  water!  Ugh!  it  was  icy 
cold. That  pulled  him  up  sharp  and  short. He  did  not  know whether  it was  just  a 
pool in the path, or the edge of an underground stream that crossed the passage, or 
the  brink  of  a  deep  dark  subterranean  lake.  The  sword was  hardly  shining  at  all.


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The  passages  there  were  crossed  and  tangled  in  all  directions,  but  the  goblins 
knew  their  way,  as  well  as  you  do  to  the  nearest  post-office;  and  the  way  went 
down and down, and it was most horribly stuffy. The goblins were very rough, and 
pinched  unmercifully,  and  chuckled  and  laughed  in  their  horrible  stony  voices; 
and Bilbo was more  unhappy  even  than when  the  troll  had  picked  him  up  by  his 
toes.  He  wished  again  and  again  for  his  nice  bright  hobbit-hole. Not  for  the  last 
time. 
Now  there  came  a  glimmer  of  a  red  light  before  them.  The  goblins  began  to 
sing,  or  croak,  keeping  time  with  the  flap  of  their  flat  feet  on  the  stone,  and 
shaking their prisoners as well.


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with  it  a  bitsy,  my  preciousss.  It  like  riddles,  praps  it  does,  does  it?"  He  was 
anxious  to  appear  friendly,  at  any  rate  for  the  moment,  and  until  he  found  out 
more  about  the  sword  and  the  hobbit, whether  he was  quite  alone  really, whether 
he  was  good  to  eat,  and  whether  Gollum  was  really  hungry.  Riddles were  all  he 
could  think  of.  Asking  them,  and  sometimes  guessing  them,  had  been  the  only 
game  he  had  ever  played  with  other  funny  creatures  sitting  in  their  holes  in  the 
long, long ago, before he lost all his friends and was driven away, alone, and crept 
down, down, into the dark under the mountains. 
"Very  well,"  said  Bilbo,  who  was  anxious  to  agree,  until  he  found  out  more 
about  the  creature, whether  he was  quite  alone, whether  he was  fierce  or  hungry, 
and whether he was a friend of the goblins. 
"You ask first," he said, because he had not had time to think of a riddle.


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An eye in a blue face 
Saw an eye in a green face. 
"That eye is like to this eye"  
Said the first eye, 
"But in low place, 
Not in  high place."  

 
"Ss, ss, ss," said Gollum. He had been underground a long long time, and was 
forgetting  this  sort  of  thing.  But  just  as  Bilbo  was  beginning  to  hope  that  the 
wretch  would  not  be  able  to  answer,  Gollum  brought  up  memories  of  ages  and 
ages and ages before, when he lived with his grandmother in a hole in a bank by a 
river, "Sss, sss, my preciouss," he said. "Sun on the daisies it means, it does." 
But  these  ordinary  aboveground  everyday  sort  of  riddles  were  tiring  for  him. 
Also  they  reminded  him  of  days  when  he  had  been  less  lonely  and  sneaky  and 
nasty, and that put him out of temper. What is more they made him hungry; so this 
time he tried something a bit more difficult and more unpleasant: 
 

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, 
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.


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don't  know where  he  came  from,  nor who  or what  he was. He was Gollum  — as 
dark  as  darkness,  except  for  two  big  round  pale  eyes  in  his  thin  face.  He  had  a 
little boat, and he rowed about quite quietly on the lake; for lake it was, wide and 
deep  and  deadly  cold.  He  paddled  it  with  large  feet  dangling  over  the  side,  but 
never a ripple did he make. Not he. He was looking out of his pale lamp-like eyes 
for  blind  fish,  which  he  grabbed  with  his  long  fingers  as  quick  as  thinking.  He 
liked  meat  too.  Goblin  he  thought  good,  when  he  could  get  it;  but  he  took  care 
they  never  found  him  out.  He  just  throttled  them  from  behind,  if  they  ever  came 
down  alone  anywhere  near  the  edge  of  the  water,  while  he  was  prowling  about. 
They  very  seldom  did,  for  they  had  a  feeling  that  something  unpleasant  was 
lurking down there, down at the very roots of the mountain. They had come on the


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####-After  a  while  Gollum  began  to  hiss  with  pleasure  to  himself:  "Is  it  nice,  my 
preciousss? Is it juicy? Is it scrumptiously crunchable?" He began to peer at Bilbo 
out of the darkness. 
"Half  a  moment,"  said  the  hobbit  shivering.  "I  gave  you  a  good  long  chance 
just now." 
"It must make  haste,  haste!"  said Gollum,  beginning  to  climb  out  of  his  boat 
on to the shore to get at Bilbo. But when he put his long webby foot in the water, a 
fish jumped out in a fright and fell on Bilbo's toes. 
"Ugh!"  he  said,  "it  is  cold  and  clammy!"-and  so  he  guessed.  "Fish!  Fish!"  he 
cried. "It is fish!" 
Gollum was  dreadfully  disappointed;  but Bilbo  asked  another  riddle  as  quick 
as ever be could, so that Gollum had to get back into his boat and think. 
 
No-legs lay on one-leg, two-legs sat near on three-legs, four-legs got some. 
 
It was not really the right time for this riddle, but Bilbo was in a hurry. Gollum


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####-Bilbo was saved by pure luck. For that of course was the answer.  
Gollum was  disappointed  once more;  and  now  he was  getting  angry,  and also 
tired  of  the  game.  It  had made  him  very  hungry  indeed.  This  time  he  did  not  go 
back  to  the  boat.  He  sat  down  in  the  dark  by  Bilbo.  That  made  the  hobbit  most 
dreadfully uncomfortable and scattered his wits. 
"It's  got  to  ask  uss  a  quesstion, my  preciouss, yes, yess, yesss.  Jusst one more 
quesstion to guess, yes, yess," said Gollum. 
But  Bilbo  simply  could  not  think  of  any  question  with  that  nasty  wet  cold 
thing  sitting  next  to  him,  and  pawing  and  poking  him.  He  scratched  himself,  he 
pinched himself; still he could not think of anything. 
"Ask us! ask us!" said Gollum. 
Bilbo  pinched  himself  and  slapped  himself;  he  gripped  on  his  little  sword;  he 
even felt  in his pocket with his other hand. There he found  the ring he had picked


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and whether he was a friend of the goblins. 
"You ask first," he said, because he had not had time to think of a riddle. 
So Gollum hissed:


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quiet, out of sight and out of mind, in a very dark corner for a long while. 
After some time he felt for his pipe. It was not broken, and that was something. 
Then  he  felt  for  his  pouch,  and  there  was  some  tobacco  in  it,  and  that  was 
something more. Then he felt for matches and he could not find any at all, and that 
shattered his hopes completely. Just as well for him, as he agreed when he came to 
his senses. Goodness knows what the striking of matches and the smell of tobacco 
would  have  brought  on  him  out  of  dark  holes  in  that  horrible  place.  Still  at  the 
moment he felt very crushed. But in slapping all his pockets and feeling all round 
himself  for matches his hand came on  the hilt of his  little sword  - the little dagger 
that he got from the trolls, and that he had quite forgotten; nor do the goblins seem 
to have noticed it, as he wore it inside his breeches.


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pool in the path, or the edge of an underground stream that crossed the passage, or 
the  brink  of  a  deep  dark  subterranean  lake.  The  sword was  hardly  shining  at  all. 
He  stopped,  and  he  could  hear,  when  he  listened  hard,  drops  drip-drip-dripping 
from an unseen roof into the water below; but there seemed no other sort of sound. 
"So  it  is  a  pool  or  a  lake,  and  not  an  underground  river,"  he  thought.  Still  he 
did  not  dare  to  wade  out  into  the  darkness.  He  could  not  swim;  and  he  thought, 
too,  of  nasty  slimy  things,  with  big  bulging  blind  eyes,  wriggling  in  the  water. 
There  are  strange  things  living  in  the  pools  and  lakes  in  the  hearts  of mountains:


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They  very  seldom  did,  for  they  had  a  feeling  that  something  unpleasant  was 
lurking down there, down at the very roots of the mountain. They had come on the 
lake, when  they were  tunnelling down  long ago, and  they  found  they could go no 
further;  so  there  their  road  ended  in  that  direction,  and  there was no  reason  to go 
that  way-unless  the  Great  Goblin  sent  them.  Sometimes  he  took  a  fancy  for  fish 
from the lake, and sometimes neither goblin nor fish came back. 
Actually Gollum  lived on a slimy  island of  rock  in  the middle of  the  lake. He 
was  watching  Bilbo  now  from  the  distance  with  his  pale  eyes  like  telescopes. 
Bilbo could not see him, but he was wondering a lot about Bilbo, for he could see 
that he was no goblin at all. 
Gollum got  into his boat  and  shot off  from  the  island, while Bilbo was  sitting 
on  the  brink  altogether  flummoxed  and  at  the  end  of  his  way  and  his  wits.


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Clap! Snap! the black crack! 
Grip, grab! Pinch, nab! 
And down down to Goblin -town  
You go, my lad! 
 
Clash, crash! Crush, smash! 
Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs! 
Pound, pound, far underground! 

####-Ho, ho! my lad! 
 
Swish, smack! Whip crack! 
Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat! 
Work, work! Nor dare to shirk, 
While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh, 
Round and round far underground 
Below, my lad!


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It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, 
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. 

####-It lies behind stars and under hills, 
And empty holes it fills. 
It comes first and follows after,  
Ends life, kills laughter.  

 
Unfortunately  for  Gollum  Bilbo  had  heard  that  sort  of  thing  before;  and  the 
answer  was  all  round  him  anyway.  "Dark!"  he  said  without  even  scratching  his 
head or putting on his thinking cap. 
 

A box without hinges, key, or lid, 
Yet golden treasure inside is hid,


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No-legs lay on one-leg, two-legs sat near on three-legs, four-legs got some. 
 
It was not really the right time for this riddle, but Bilbo was in a hurry. Gollum 
might  have  had  some  trouble  guessing  it,  if  he  had  asked  it  at  another time. As it 
was,  talking  of  fish,  "no-legs" was not so very difficult, and after that the rest was 
easy. "Fish on a  little  table, man at  table sitting on a stool,  the cat has  the bones"-
that  of  course  is  the  answer,  and  Gollum  soon  gave  it.  Then  he  thought  the  time 
had come to ask something hard and horrible. This is what he said:


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Bilbo  pinched  himself  and  slapped  himself;  he  gripped  on  his  little  sword;  he 
even felt  in his pocket with his other hand. There he found  the ring he had picked 
up in the passage and forgotten about. 
"What have I got in my pocket?" he said aloud. He was talking to himself, but 
Gollum thought it was a riddle, and he was frightfully upset. 
"Not fair! not fair!" he hissed. "It isn't fair, my precious, is it, to ask us what it's 
got in its nassty little pocketses?" 
Bilbo seeing what had happened and having nothing better  to ask stuck  to his 
question. "What have I got in my pocket?" he said louder.  
"S-s-s-s-s,"  hissed  Gollum.  "It  must  give  us  three  guesseses,  my  preciouss, 
three guesseses." 
"Very well! Guess away!" said Bilbo. 
"Handses!" said Gollum. 
"Wrong," said Bilbo, who had luckily just taken his hand 
out again. "Guess again!" 
"S-s-s-s-s,"  said Gollum more  upset  than  ever. He  thought  of  all  the  things  he


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What has roots as nobody sees, 
Is taller than trees, 
Up, up it goes, 
And yet never grows?  

 
"Easy!" said Bilbo. "Mountain, I suppose." 
"Does  it  guess  easy?  It  must  have  a  competition  with  us,  my  preciouss!  If 
precious asks, and it doesn't answer, we eats it, my preciousss. If it asks us, and we 
doesn't answer, then we does what it wants, eh? We shows it the way out, yes!" 
"All  right!" said Bilbo, not daring  to disagree, and nearly bursting his brain to 
think of riddles that could save him from being eaten. 
 

Thirty white horses on a red hill, 

####-First they champ, 
Then they stamp, 
Then they stand still. 

 
That was all he could think of to ask-the idea of eating was rather on his mind. 
It was rather an old one, too, and Gollum knew the answer as well as you do. 
"Chestnuts,  chestnuts,"  he  hissed.  "Teeth!  teeth!  my  preciousss;  but  we  has 
only six!" Then he asked his second:


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Gollum got  into his boat  and  shot off  from  the  island, while Bilbo was  sitting 
on  the  brink  altogether  flummoxed  and  at  the  end  of  his  way  and  his  wits. 
Suddenly up came Gollum and whispered and hissed: 
"Bless  us  and  splash  us, my  precioussss!  I  guess  it's  a  choice  feast;  at  least  a 
tasty morsel  it'd make  us,  gollum!" And when  he  said gollum he made a horrible 
swallowing  noise  in  his  throat.  That  is  how  he  got  his  name,  though  he  always 
called himself 'my precious.' 
The  hobbit  jumped  nearly  out  of  his  skin when  the  hiss  came  in  his  ears,  and 
he suddenly saw the pale eyes sticking out at him.


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####-"Come  on!"  said  Bilbo.  "I  am waiting!" He  tried  to  sound  bold  and  cheerful, 
but  he  did  not  feel  at  all  sure  how  the  game  was  going  to  end,  whether  Gollum 
guessed right or not. 
"Time's up!" he said. 
"String,  or  nothing!"  shrieked  Gollum,  which  was  not  quite  fair-working  in 
two guesses at once. 
"Both  wrong,"  cried  Bilbo  very much  relieved;  and  he  jumped  at  once  to  his 
feet,  put  his  back  to  the  nearest  wall,  and  held  out  his  little  sword.  He  knew,  of 
course,  that  the  riddle-game  was  sacred  and  of  immense  antiquity,  and  even 
wicked creatures were afraid  to cheat when  they played at  it. But he  felt he could 
not trust this slimy thing to keep any promise at a pinch. Any excuse would do for 
him to slide out of it. And after all that last question had not been a genuine riddle 
according to the ancient laws. 
But at any  rate Gollum did not at once attack him. He could  see  the  sword  in


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that he got from the trolls, and that he had quite forgotten; nor do the goblins seem 
to have noticed it, as he wore it inside his breeches. 
Now  he  drew  it  out.  It  shone  pale  and  dim  before  his  eyes.  "So  it  is  an  elvish 
blade, too," he thought; "and goblins are not very near, and yet not far enough." 
But  somehow  he was  comforted.  It was  rather  splendid  to be wearing  a blade 
made  in Gondolin for  the goblin-wars of which so many songs had sung; and also


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This thing all things devours:  
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;  
Gnaws iron, bites steel; 
Grinds hard stones to meal; 
Slays king, ruins town, 
And beats high mountain down. 

 
Poor  Bilbo  sat  in  the  dark  thinking  of  all  the  horrible  names  of  all  the  giants 
and ogres he had ever heard told of in tales, but not one of them had done all these 
things.  He  had  a  feeling  that  the  answer  was  quite  different  and  that  he  ought  to 
know it, but he could not think of it. He began to get frightened, and that is bad for 
thinking.  Gollum  began  to  get  out  of  his  boat.  He  flapped  into  the  water  and 
paddled  to  the  bank;  Bilbo  could  see  his  eyes  coming  towards  him.  His  tongue 
seemed  to  stick  in  his mouth; he wanted  to  shout out:  "Give me more  time! Give 
me time!" But all that came out with a sudden squeal was: 
"Time! Time!"


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"Handses!" said Gollum. 
"Wrong," said Bilbo, who had luckily just taken his hand 
out again. "Guess again!" 
"S-s-s-s-s,"  said Gollum more  upset  than  ever. He  thought  of  all  the  things  he 
kept  in  his  own  pockets:  fishbones,  goblins'  teeth, wet  shells,  a  bit  of  bat-wing, a 
sharp stone to sharpen his fangs on, and other nasty things. He tried to think what 
other people kept in their pockets. 
"Knife!" he said at last. 
"Wrong!" said Bilbo, who had lost his some time ago. "Last guess!" 
Now Gollum was  in  a much worse  state  than when  Bilbo  had  asked  him  the 
egg-question.  He  hissed  and  spluttered  and  rocked  himself  backwards  and 
forwards, and slapped his feet on the floor, and wriggled and squirmed; but still he 
did not dare to waste his last guess.


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A box without hinges, key, or lid, 
Yet golden treasure inside is hid, 

 
he asked  to gain  time, until he could  think of a really hard one. This he  thought a 
dreadfully  easy  chestnut,  though  he  had  not  asked  it  in  the  usual  words.  But  it 
proved a nasty poser for Gollum. He hissed to himself, and still he did not answer; 
he whispered and spluttered. 
After  some  while  Bilbo  became  impatient.  "Well,  what  is  it?"  he  said.  "The 
answer's  not  a  kettle  boiling  over,  as  you  seem  to  think  from  the  noise  you  are 
making." 
"Give us a chance; let it give us a chance, my preciouss-ss-ss." 
"Well," said Bilbo, after giving him a long chance, "what about your guess?" 
But  suddenly  Gollum  remembered  thieving  from  nests  long  ago,  and  sitting 
under  the  river bank  teaching his grandmother,  teaching his grandmother  to suck-
"Eggses!" he hissed. "Eggses it is!" Then he asked:


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####-He  wanted  it  because  it  was  a  ring  of  power,  and  if  you  slipped  that  ring on 
your  finger,  you  were  invisible;  only  in  the  full  sunlight  could  you  be  seen,  and 
then only by your shadow, and that would be shaky and faint. 
"My  birthday-present! It came to me on my birthday, my precious," So he had 
always  said  to  himself.  But  who  knows  how Gollum  came  by  that  present,  ages 
ago  in  the old days when such rings were still at  large  in  the world? Perhaps even 
the Master who ruled them could not have said. Gollum used to wear it at first, till 
it tired him; and then he kept it in a pouch next his skin, till it galled him; and now 
usually he hid it in a hole in the rock on his island, and was always going back to 
look  at  it.  And  still  sometimes  he  put  it  on,  when  he  could  not  bear  to  be  parted 
from  it  any  longer,  or when  he was  very,  very,  hungry, and  tired of  fish. Then he


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Voiceless it cries, 
Wingless flutters, 
Toothless bites, 
Mouthless mutters. 

 
"Half  a  moment!"  cried  Bilbo,  who  was  still  thinking  uncomfortably  about 
eating.  Fortunately  he  had  once  heard  something  rather  like  this  before,  and 
getting  his  wits  back  he  thought  of  the  answer.  "Wind,  wind  of  course,"  he  said, 
and  he was  so  pleased  that  he made  up  one  on  the  spot.  "This'll  puzzle  the  nasty 
little underground creature," he thought: 
 

An eye in a blue face 
Saw an eye in a green face. 
"That eye is like to this eye"  
Said the first eye, 
"But in low place, 
Not in  high place."


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####-"Come along!" he shouted. 
"No,  not  yet,  precious!"  Gollum  answered.  "We  must  search  for  it,  it's  lost, 
gollum." 
"But you never guessed my last question, and you promised," said Bilbo. 
"Never guessed!"  said Gollum. Then  suddenly out of  the gloom came a  sharp 
hiss. "What has it got in its pocketses? Tell us that. It must tell first." 
As  far  as  Bilbo  knew,  there  was  no  particular  reason  why  he  should  not  tell. 
Gollum's mind had jumped to a guess quicker than his; naturally, for Gollum had 
brooded  for  ages  on  this  one  thing,  and  he  was  always  afraid  of  its  being  stolen. 
But Bilbo was annoyed at  the delay. After all, he had won  the game, pretty fairly, 
at a horrible risk. "Answers were to be guessed not given," he said. 
"But it wasn't a fair question," said Gollum. "Not a riddle, precious, no." 
"Oh  well,  if  it's  a  matter  of  ordinary  questions,"  Bilbo  replied,  "then  I  asked


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####-In a moment Gollum was on him. But before Bilbo could do anything, recover 
his breath, pick himself up, or wave his sword, Gollum passed by, taking no notice 
of him, cursing and whispering as he ran. 
What could it mean? Gollum could see in the dark. Bilbo could see the light of 
his  eyes  palely  shining  even  from  behind.  Painfully  he  got  up,  and  sheathed  his 
sword,  which  was  now  glowing  faintly  again,  then  very  cautiously  he  followed. 
There seemed nothing else to do. It was no good crawling back down to Gollum's 
water. Perhaps if he followed him, Gollum might lead him to some way of escape 
without meaning to. 
"Curse  it!  curse  it!  curse  it!"  hissed  Gollum.  "Curse  the  Baggins!  It's  gone! 
What has it got in its pocketses? Oh we guess, we guess, my precious. He's found 
it, yes he must have. My birthday-present." 
Bilbo  pricked  up  his  ears.  He  was  at  last  beginning  to  guess  himself.  He


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according to the ancient laws. 
But at any  rate Gollum did not at once attack him. He could  see  the  sword  in 
Bilbo's  hand.  He  sat  still,  shivering  and  whispering.  At  last  Bilbo  could  wait  no 
longer.  
"Well?" he said. "What about your  promise? I want to go. You must show me 
the way." 
"Did we say so, precious? Show the nassty little Baggins the way out, yes, yes. 
But what has  it got  in  its pocketses, eh? Not string, precious, but not nothing. Oh 
no! gollum!" 
"Never you mind," said Bilbo. "A promise is a promise." 
"Cross  it  is,  impatient,  precious,"  hissed  Gollum.  "But  it  must  wait,  yes  it 
must. We  can't  go  up  the  tunnels  so  hasty. We must  go  and  get  some  things  first, 
yes, things to help us." 
"Well,  hurry  up!"  said  Bilbo,  relieved  to  think  of  Gollum  going  away.  He 
thought he was just making an excuse and did not mean to come back. What was


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####-on, and  then no one will  see him. He'll be  there but not  seen. Not even our clever 
eyeses  will  notice  him;  and  he'll  come  creepsy  and  tricksy  and  catch  us,  gollum, 
gollum!" 
"Then let's stop talking, precious, and make haste. If the Baggins has gone that 
way, we must go quick and see. Go! Not far now. Make haste!" 
With  a  spring Gollum got up  and  started  shambling off  at  a great pace. Bilbo 
hurried  after  him,  still  cautiously,  though  his  chief  fear  now  was  of  tripping  on 
another snag and falling with a noise. His head was in a whirl of hope and wonder. 
It  seemed  that  the  ring  he  had  was  a  magic  ring:  it  made  you  invisible!  He  had 
heard  of  such  things,  of  course,  in old old  tales; but  it was hard  to believe  that he 
really  had  found  one,  by  accident.  Still  there  it was: Gollum with  his  bright  eyes 
had passed him by, only a yard to one side.


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A live without breath, 
As cold as death; 
Never thirsty, ever drinking, 
All in mail never clinking. 

 
He  also  in  his  turn  thought  this  was  a  dreadfully  easy  one,  because  he  was 
always  thinking  of  the  answer. But  he  could  not  remember  anything  better  at  the 
moment,  he was  so  flustered  by  the  egg-question. All  the  same  it was  a poser  for 
poor  Bilbo,  who  never  had  anything  to  do  with  the  water  if  he  could  help  it.  I 
imagine you know the answer, of course, or can guess it as easy as winking, since 
you  are  sitting  comfortably  at  home  and  have  not  the  danger  of  being  eaten  to 
disturb  your  thinking.  Bilbo  sat  and  cleared  his  throat  once  or  twice,  but  no 
answer came.


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look  at  it.  And  still  sometimes  he  put  it  on,  when  he  could  not  bear  to  be  parted 
from  it  any  longer,  or when  he was  very,  very,  hungry, and  tired of  fish. Then he 
would creep along dark passages looking for stray goblins. He might even venture 
into  places  where  the  torches  were  lit  and made  his  eyes  blink  and  smart;  for  he 
would  be  safe.  Oh  yes,  quite  safe.  No  one  would  see  him,  no  one  would  notice 
him,  till  he  had  his  fingers  on  their  throat. Only  a  few  hours  ago  he  had worn  it, 
and caught a small goblin-imp. How it squeaked! He still had a bone or two left to 
gnaw, but he wanted something softer.  
"Quite  safe,  yes,"  he  whispered  to  himself.  "It  won't  see  us,  will  it,  my 
precious? No. It won't see us, and its nassty little sword will be useless, yes quite." 
That is what was in his wicked little mind, as he slipped suddenly from Bilbo's


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####-out, nose almost to the stone. Though he was only a black shadow in the gleam of 
his own eyes, Bilbo could see or feel that he was tense as a bowstring, gathered for 
a spring. 
Bilbo  almost  stopped  breathing,  and  went  stiff  himself. He was desperate. He 
must  get  away,  out  of  this  horrible  darkness,  while  he  had  any  strength  left.  He 
must  fight.  He  must  stab  the  foul  thing,  put  its  eyes  out,  kill  it.  It  meant  to  kill 
him.  No,  not  a  fair  fight.  He  was  invisible  now.  Gollum  had  no  sword. Gollum 
had  not  actually  threatened  to  kill  him,  or  tried  to  yet.  And  he  was  miserable, 
alone, lost. A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo's 
heart:  a  glimpse  of  endless  unmarked  days  without  light  or  hope  of  betterment, 
hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering. All these thoughts passed in a flash


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"But it wasn't a fair question," said Gollum. "Not a riddle, precious, no." 
"Oh  well,  if  it's  a  matter  of  ordinary  questions,"  Bilbo  replied,  "then  I  asked 
one first. What have you lost? Tell me that!" 
"What has it got in its pocketses?" The sound came hissing louder and sharper, 
and as he  looked  towards  it,  to his alarm  Bilbo now saw two small points of light 
peering  at  him. As  suspicion  grew  in Gollum's mind,  the  light  of  his  eyes  burned 
with a pale flame. 
"What have you lost?" Bilbo persisted. But now the light in Gollum's eyes had 
become  a  green  fire,  and  it  was  coming  swiftly  nearer.  Gollum  was  in  his  boat 
again,  paddling  wildly  back  to  the  dark  shore;  and  such  a  rage  of  loss  and 
suspicion was in his heart that no sword had any more terror for him. 
Bilbo  could  not  guess  what  had maddened  the  wretched  creature,  but  he  saw


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####-short  incline,  he  saw,  filtering  round  another  corner-a  glimpse  of  light.  Not  red 
light,  as  of  fire  or  lantern,  but  a  pale  out-of-doors  sort of  light. Then Bilbo began 
to run. 
Scuttling as fast as his legs would carry him he turned the last corner and came 
suddenly  right  into  an  open  space, where  the  light,  after  all  that  time  in  the  dark, 
seemed  dazzlingly  bright.  Really  it  was  only  a  leak  of  sunshine  in  through  a 
doorway, where a great door, a stone door, was left standing open. 
Bilbo  blinked,  and  then  suddenly  he  saw  the  goblins:  goblins  in  full  armour 
with drawn swords sitting just inside the door, and watching it with wide eyes, and 
watching the passage that led to it. They were aroused, alert, ready for anything. 
They saw him sooner than he saw them. Yes, they saw him. Whether it was .an 
accident,  or  a  last  trick  of  the  ring  before  it  took  a  new master,  it was  not  on  his


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it, yes he must have. My birthday-present." 
Bilbo  pricked  up  his  ears.  He  was  at  last  beginning  to  guess  himself.  He 
hurried  a  little,  getting  as  close  as  he  dared  behind  Gollum,  who  was  still  going 
quickly,  not  looking  back,  but  turning  his  head  from  side  to  side,  as Bilbo  could 
see from the faint glimmer on the walls. 
"My birthday-present! Curse it! How did we lose it, my precious? Yes, that's it. 
When we came  this way  last, when we  twisted  that nassty young squeaker. That's 
it. Curse it! It slipped from us, after all these ages and ages! It's gone, gollum." 
Suddenly Gollum sat down and began to weep, a whistling and gurgling sound 
horrible  to  listen  to.  Bilbo  halted  and  flattened  himself  against  the  tunnel-wall. 
After a while Gollum stopped weeping and began to talk. He seemed to be having 
an argument with himself. 
"It's  no  good  going  back  there  to  search,  no.  We  doesn't  remember  all  the


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yes, things to help us." 
"Well,  hurry  up!"  said  Bilbo,  relieved  to  think  of  Gollum  going  away.  He 
thought he was just making an excuse and did not mean to come back. What was 
Gollum talking about? What useful thing could he keep out on the dark lake? But 
he  was  wrong.  Gollum  did  mean  to  come  back.  He  was  angry  now  and  hungry.  
And he was a miserable wicked creature, and already he had a plan. 
Not  far  away  was  his  island,  of  which  Bilbo  knew  nothing,  and  there  in  his 
hiding-place he kept a few wretched oddments, and one very beautiful thing, very 
beautiful, very wonderful. He had a ring, a golden ring, a precious ring. 
"My  birthday-present!"  he  whispered  to  himself,  as  he  had  often  done  in  the 
endless dark days. "That's what we wants now, yes; we wants it!"


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really  had  found  one,  by  accident.  Still  there  it was: Gollum with  his  bright  eyes 
had passed him by, only a yard to one side. 
On  they  went,  Gollum  flip-flapping  ahead,  hissing  and  cursing;  Bilbo  behind 
going  as  softly  as  a  hobbit  can.  Soon  they  came  to  places  where,  as  Bilbo  had 
noticed  on  the way  down,  side-passages opened, this way and that. Gollum began 
at once to count them. 
"One  left,  yes. One  right,  yes. Two  right,  yes,  yes. Two  left,  yes,  yes." And so 
on and on. 
As  the count grew he slowed down, and he began  to get shaky and weepy; for 
he  was  leaving  the  water  further  and  further  behind,  and  he  was  getting  afraid. 
Goblins  might  be  about,  and  he  had  lost  his  ring.  At  last  he  stopped  by  a  low 
opening, on their left as they went up. 
"Seven  right,  yes.  Six  left,  yes!"  he  whispered.  "This  is  it.  This  is  the  way  to 
the back-door, yes. Here's the passage!"


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####-squeezed, and he  stuck!  It was awful. His buttons had got wedged on  the edge of 
the  door  and  the  door-post.  He  could  see  outside  into  the  open  air:  there  were  a 
few  steps  running  down  into  a  narrow  valley  between  tall  mountains;  the  sun 
came  out  from  behind  a  cloud  and  shone  bright  on  the  outside  of  the  door-but he 
could not get through. 
Suddenly  one  of  the  goblins  inside  shouted:  "There  is  a  shadow  by  the  door. 
Something is outside!" 
Bilbo's  heart  jumped  into  his mouth. He  gave  a  terrific  squirm. Buttons burst 
off in all directions. He was through, with a torn coat and waistcoat, leaping down 
the steps  like a goat, while bewildered goblins were still picking up his nice brass 
buttons on the doorstep. 
Of course they soon came down after him, hooting and hallooing, and hunting 
among  the  trees. But  they  don't  like  the  sun:  it makes  their  legs wobble  and  their


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heart:  a  glimpse  of  endless  unmarked  days  without  light  or  hope  of  betterment, 
hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering. All these thoughts passed in a flash 
of a second. He  trembled. And  then quite suddenly  in another flash, as  if  lifted by 
a new strength and resolve, he leaped. 
No great leap for a man, but a leap in the dark. Straight over Gollum's head he 
jumped,  seven  feet  forward  and  three  in  the  air;  indeed, had he known  it, he only 
just missed cracking his skull on the low arch of the passage. 
Gollum  threw  himself  backwards,  and  grabbed  as  the  hobbit  flew  over  him, 
but  too  late:  his  hands  snapped  on  thin  air,  and  Bilbo,  falling  fair  on  his  sturdy 
feet, sped off down the new tunnel. He did not turn to see what Gollum was doing. 
There was a hissing and cursing almost at his heels at  first,  then  it stopped. All at 
once  there  came  a  bloodcurdling  shriek,  filled  with  hatred  and  despair.  Gollum


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precious? No. It won't see us, and its nassty little sword will be useless, yes quite." 
That is what was in his wicked little mind, as he slipped suddenly from Bilbo's 
side,  and  flapped  back  to  his  boat,  and  went  off  into  the  dark.  Bilbo  thought  he 
had  heard  the  last  of  him. Still  he waited  a while;  for  he  had  no  idea  how  to  find 
his way out alone. 
Suddenly  he  heard  a  screech.  It  sent  a  shiver  down  his  back.  Gollum  was 
cursing and wailing away in the gloom, not very far off by the sound of it. He was 
on his island, scrabbling here and there, searching and seeking in vain. 
"Where is it? Where iss it?" Bilbo heard him crying. "Losst it is, my precious, 
lost, lost! Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!" 
"What's the matter?" Bilbo called. "What have you lost?" 
"It mustn't  ask  us,"  shrieked Gollum.  "Not  its  business,  no,  gollum!  It's  losst, 
gollum, gollum, gollum."


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suspicion was in his heart that no sword had any more terror for him. 
Bilbo  could  not  guess  what  had maddened  the  wretched  creature,  but  he  saw 
that all was up, and that Gollum meant to murder him at any rate. Just in time he 
turned  and  ran  blindly  back  up  the  dark  passage  down  which  he  had  come, 
keeping close to the wall and feeling it with his left hand. 
"What  has  it  got  in  its  pocketses?"  he heard  the hiss  loud behind him, and  the 
splash as Gollum leapt from his boat. 
"What have I, I wonder?" he said to himself, as he panted and stumbled along. 
He put his left hand in his pocket. The ring felt very cold as it quietly slipped on to 
his groping forefinger.  
The  hiss  was  close  behind  him.  He  turned  now  and  saw  Gollum's  eyes  like 
small  green  lamps  coming  up  the  slope.  Terrified  he  tried  to  run  faster,  but 
suddenly he struck his toes on a snag in the floor, and fell flat with his little sword 
under him.


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After a while Gollum stopped weeping and began to talk. He seemed to be having 
an argument with himself. 
"It's  no  good  going  back  there  to  search,  no.  We  doesn't  remember  all  the 
places we've  visited. And  it's  no  use.  The  Baggins  has  got  it  in  its  pocketses;  the 
nassty noser has found it, we says." 
"We  guesses,  precious,  only  guesses.  We  can't  know  till  we  find  the  nassty 
creature and squeezes it. But it doesn't know what the present can do, does it? It'll 
just  keep  it  in  its  pocketses.  It  doesn't  know,  and  it  can't  go  far.  It's  lost  itself, the 
nassty nosey thing. It doesn't know the way out It said so." 
"It  said  so, yes; but  it's  tricksy.  It doesn't  say what  it means.  It won't  say what 
it's got in its pocketses. It knows. It knows a way in, it must know a way out, yes. 
It's off to the back-door. To the back-door, that's it." 
"The goblinses will catch it then. It can't get out that way, precious."


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opening, on their left as they went up. 
"Seven  right,  yes.  Six  left,  yes!"  he  whispered.  "This  is  it.  This  is  the  way  to 
the back-door, yes. Here's the passage!" 
He  peered  in,  and  shrank  back.  "But  we  durstn't  go  in,  precious,  no  we 
durstn't. Goblinses down there. Lots of goblinses. We smells them. Ssss!" 
"What shall we do? Curse them and crush them! We must wait here, precious, 
wait a bit and see." 
So  they  came  to  a  dead  stop. Gollum  had  brought  Bilbo  to  the way  out  after 
all,  but  Bilbo  could  not  get  in!  There was Gollum  sitting humped up  right  in  the 
opening,  and his  eyes gleamed  cold  in his head,  as he  swayed  it  from  side  to  side 
between his knees. 
Bilbo  crept  away  from  the  wall  more  quietly  than  a  mouse;  but  Gollum 
stiffened  at  once,  and  sniffed,  and  his  eyes  went  green.  He  hissed  softly  but 
menacingly. He could not see  the hobbit, but now he was on  the alert, and he had


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####-"After  all  he  is  my  friend,"  said  the  wizard,  "and  not  a  bad  little  chap.  I  feel 
responsible for him. I wish to goodness you had not lost him." 
The  dwarves  wanted  to  know  why  he  had  ever  been  brought  at  all,  why  he 
could not  stick  to his  friends  and  come  along with  them,  and why  the wizard had 
not chosen someone with more sense. "He has been more trouble than use so far," 
said  one.  "If  we  have  got  to'  go  back  now  into  those  abominable  tunnels  to  look 
for him, then drat him, I say." 
Gandalf answered angrily: "I brought him, and  I don't bring  things  that are of 
no use. Either you help me to look for him, or I go and leave you here to get out of 
the mess as best you can yourselves. If we can only find him again, you will thank 
me before all is over. Whatever did you want to go and drop him for, Dori?" 
"You would  have  dropped  him,"  said Dori,  "if a goblin had suddenly grabbed


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buttons on the doorstep. 
Of course they soon came down after him, hooting and hallooing, and hunting 
among  the  trees. But  they  don't  like  the  sun:  it makes  their  legs wobble  and  their 
heads giddy. They could not find Bilbo with the ring on, slipping in and out of the 
shadow of  the  trees,  running quick and quiet, and keeping out of  the sun; so soon 
they went back grumbling and cursing to guard the door. Bilbo had escaped.


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They saw him sooner than he saw them. Yes, they saw him. Whether it was .an 
accident,  or  a  last  trick  of  the  ring  before  it  took  a  new master,  it was  not  on  his 
finger. With yells of delight the goblins rushed upon him. 
A  pang  of  fear  and  loss,  like  an  echo  of  Gollum's  misery,  smote  Bilbo,  and 
forgetting even  to draw his sword he struck his hands  into his pockets. And- there 
was  the  ring  still,  in  his  left  pocket,  and  it  slipped  on  his  finger.  The  goblins 
stopped  short.  They  could  not  see  a  sign  of  him.  He  had  vanished.  They  yelled 
twice as loud as before, but not so delightedly.  
"Where is it?" they cried. 
"Go back up the passage!" some shouted. 
"This way!" some yelled. "That way!" others yelled. 
"Look out for the door," bellowed the captain. 
Whistles  blew,  armour  clashed,  swords  rattled,  goblins  cursed  and  swore  and 
ran hither and thither, falling over one another and getting very angry. There was a


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There was a hissing and cursing almost at his heels at  first,  then  it stopped. All at 
once  there  came  a  bloodcurdling  shriek,  filled  with  hatred  and  despair.  Gollum 
was defeated. He dared go no  further. He had  lost:  lost his prey, and  lost,  too,  the 
only thing he had ever cared for, his precious. The cry brought Bilbo's heart to his 
mouth,  but  still  he  held  on. Now  faint  as  an  echo,  but menacing,  the  voice  came 
behind: 
"Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it for ever!" 
Then  there was  a  silence. But  that  too  seemed menacing  to Bilbo.  "If  goblins 
are  so  near  that  he  smelt  them," he  thought, "then  they'll have heard his shrieking 
and cursing. Careful now, or this way will lead you to worse things." 
The passage was low and roughly made. It was not too difficult for the hobbit, 
except when,  in  spite of all care, he  stubbed his poor  toes again, several times, on


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"What's the matter?" Bilbo called. "What have you lost?" 
"It mustn't  ask  us,"  shrieked Gollum.  "Not  its  business,  no,  gollum!  It's  losst, 
gollum, gollum, gollum." 
"Well,  so  am  I,"  cried  Bilbo,  "and  I want  to  get  unlost. And  I won  the  game, 
and you promised. So come along! Come and let me out, and then go on with your 
looking!" 
Utterly  miserable  as  Gollum  sounded,  Bilbo  could  not  find  much  pity  in  his 
heart, and he had a feeling that anything Gollum wanted so much could hardly be 
something good.


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####-"Well,  it  is  the  first  time  that  even  a  mouse  has  crept  along  carefully  and 
quietly  under my  very  nose  and  not  been  spotted,"  said Balin,  "and  I  take  off my 
hood to you." Which he did. 
"Balin at your service," said he. 
"Your servant, Mr. Baggins," said Bilbo. 
Then  they  wanted  to  know  all  about  his  adventures  after  they  had  lost  him, 
and  he  sat  down  and  told  them  everything-except  about  the  finding  of  the  ring 
("not  just  now"  he  thought).  They  were  particularly  interested  in  the  riddle-
competition, and shuddered most appreciatively at his description of Gollum. 
"And  then  I  couldn't  think  of  any  other  question with  him  sitting  beside me," 
ended Bilbo; "so I said  'what's in my pocket?' And he couldn't guess in three goes. 
So I said: 'what about your promise? Show me the way out!' But he came at me to 
kill  me,  and  I  ran,  and  fell  over,  and  he missed me  in  the  dark.  Then  I  followed


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stiffened  at  once,  and  sniffed,  and  his  eyes  went  green.  He  hissed  softly  but 
menacingly. He could not see  the hobbit, but now he was on  the alert, and he had 
other senses  that  the darkness had sharpened: hearing and smell. He seemed  to be 
crouched  right  down with  his  flat  hands  splayed  on  the  floor, and his head  thrust


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It's off to the back-door. To the back-door, that's it." 
"The goblinses will catch it then. It can't get out that way, precious." 
"Ssss,  sss,  gollum!  Goblinses!  Yes,  but  if  it's  got  the  present,  our  precious 
present,  then  goblinses  will  get  it,  gollum!  They'll  find  it,  they'll  find  out what  it 
does. We shan't ever be safe again, never, gollum! One of  the goblinses will put  it


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Whistles  blew,  armour  clashed,  swords  rattled,  goblins  cursed  and  swore  and 
ran hither and thither, falling over one another and getting very angry. There was a 
terrible outcry, to-do, and disturbance. 
Bilbo was  dreadfully  frightened,  but  he  had  the  sense  to  understand what  had 
happened and to sneak behind a big barrel which held drink for the goblin-guards, 
and  so  get  out  of  the  way  and  avoid  being  bumped  into,  trampled  to  death,  or 
caught by feel. 
"I must  get  to  the  door,  I must  get  to  the  door!"  he  kept  on  saying  to  himself, 
but  it was  a  long  time  before  he ventured  to  try. Then  it was  like a horrible game 
of  blind-man's  buff.  The  place  was  full  of  goblins  running  about,  and  the  poor 
little  hobbit  dodged  this  way  and  that,  was  knocked  over  by  a  goblin  who  could 
not  make  out  what  he  had  bumped  into,  scrambled  away  on  all  fours,  slipped


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The passage was low and roughly made. It was not too difficult for the hobbit, 
except when,  in  spite of all care, he  stubbed his poor  toes again, several times, on 
nasty  jagged  stones  in  the  floor.  "A  bit  low  for  goblins,  at  least  for  the  big  ones," 
thought Bilbo,  not  knowing  that  even  the  big  ones,  the  ores  of  the mountains,  go 
along at a great speed stooping low with their hands almost on the ground. 
Soon the passage that had been sloping down began to go up again, and after a 
while  it  climbed  steeply.  That  slowed  Bilbo  down.  But  at  last  the  slope  stopped, 
the passage  turned a corner, and dipped down again, and  there, at  the bottom of a


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me before all is over. Whatever did you want to go and drop him for, Dori?" 
"You would  have  dropped  him,"  said Dori,  "if a goblin had suddenly grabbed 
your  leg  from  behind  in  the  dark,  tripped  up  your  feet,  and  kicked  you  in  the 
back!" 
"Then why didn't you pick him up again?" 
"Good  heavens!  Can  you  ask!  Goblins  fighting  and  biting  in  the  dark, 
everybody falling over bodies  and hitting one another! You nearly chopped off my 
head  with  Glamdring,  and  Thorin Was  stabbing  here  there  and  everywhere  with 
Orcrist.  All  of  a  sudden  you  gave  one  of  your  blinding  flashes,  and  we  saw  the 
goblins running back yelping. You shouted 'follow me everybody!' and everybody 
ought  to  have  followed. We  thought  everybody  had. There was  no  time  to  count, 
as  you  know  quite  well,  till  we  had  dashed  through  the  gate-guards,  out  of  the


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####-"I  daresay,"  grumbled Bombur;  "but  they won't  find  it  difficult  to  send  stones 
bouncing  down  on  our  heads."  The  dwarves  (and  Bilbo)  were  feeling  far  from 
happy, and were rubbing their bruised and damaged legs and feet. 
"Nonsense!  We  are  going  to  turn  aside  here  out  of  the  path  of  the  slide.  We 
must  be  quick! Look  at  the  light!" The  sun  had  long  gone behind  the mountains. 
Already  the  shadows  were  deepening  about  them,  though  far  away  through  the 
trees and over  the black  tops of  those growing  lower down  they could still see  the 
evening  lights  on  the  plains  beyond. They  limped  along  now  as  fast  as  they were 
able  down  the  gentle  slopes  of  a  pine  forest  in  a  slanting  path  leading  steadily 
southwards. At  times  they were pushing  through a sea of bracken with  tall  fronds 
rising  right  above  the  hobbit's  head;  at  times  they  were  marching  along  quiet  as


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little  hobbit  dodged  this  way  and  that,  was  knocked  over  by  a  goblin  who  could 
not  make  out  what  he  had  bumped  into,  scrambled  away  on  all  fours,  slipped 
between the legs of the captain just in time, got up, and ran for the door.  
It  was  still  ajar,  but  a  goblin  had  pushed  it  nearly  to.  Bilbo  struggled  but  he 
could  not  move  it.  He  tried  to  squeeze  through  the  crack.  He  squeezed  and


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####-"What  shall  we  do,  what  shall  we  do!"  he  cried.  "Escaping  goblins  to  be 
caught  by wolves!"  he  said,  and  it  became  a  proverb,  though we  now  say  'out  of 
the frying-pan into the fire' in the same sort of uncomfortable situations. 
"Up the trees quick!" cried Gandalf; and they ran to the trees at the edge of the 
glade,  hunting  for  those  that  had  branches  fairly  low,  or  were  slender  enough  to 
swarm  up.  They  found  them  as  quick  as  ever  they  could,  you  can  guess;  and  up 
they went as high as ever  they could  trust  the branches. You would have  laughed 
(from a safe distance), if you had seen the dwarves sitting up in the trees with their 
beards dangling down, like old gentlemen gone cracked and playing at being boys. 
Fili and Kili were at the top of a tall larch like an enormous Christmas tree. Dori, 
Nori,  On,  Oin,  and  Gloin  were  more  comfortable  in  a  huge  pine  with  regular


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ought  to  have  followed. We  thought  everybody  had. There was  no  time  to  count, 
as  you  know  quite  well,  till  we  had  dashed  through  the  gate-guards,  out  of  the 
lower  door,  and  helter-skelter  down  here.  And  here  we  are-without  the  burglar, 
confusticate him!" 
"And  here's  the  burglar!"  said  Bilbo  stepping  down  into  the  middle  of  them, 
and slipping off the ring. 
Bless  me,  how  they  jumped!  Then  they  shouted  with  surprise  and  delight. 
Gandalf was as astonished as any of  them, but probably more pleased than all the 
others. He called to Balin and told him what he thought of a look-out man who let 
people  walk  right  into  them  like  that  without  warning.  It  is  a  fact  that  Bilbo's 
reputation  went  up  a  very  great  deal  with  the  dwarves  after  this.  If  they had  still 
doubted  that  he  was  really  a  first-class  burglar,  in  spite  of Gandalf's words,  they


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southwards. At  times  they were pushing  through a sea of bracken with  tall  fronds 
rising  right  above  the  hobbit's  head;  at  times  they  were  marching  along  quiet  as 
quiet  over  a  floor  of  pine-needles;  and  all  the  while  the  forest-gloom got heavier 
and  the  forest-silence deeper. There was no wind that evening to bring even a sea-
sighing into the branches of the trees. 
 
"Must we go any further?" asked Bilbo, when it was so dark that he could only 
just  see  Thorin's  beard  wagging  beside  him,  and  so  quiet  that  he  could  hear  the 
dwarves'  breathing  like  a  loud  noise.  "My  toes  are  all  bruised  and  bent,  and  my 
legs ache, and my stomach is wagging like an empty sack." 
"A bit further," said Gandalf. 
After  what  seemed  ages  further  they  came  suddenly  to  an  opening  where  no 
trees  grew.  The  moon  was  up  and  was  shining  into  the  clearing.  Somehow  it


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So I said: 'what about your promise? Show me the way out!' But he came at me to 
kill  me,  and  I  ran,  and  fell  over,  and  he missed me  in  the  dark.  Then  I  followed 
him,  because  I  heard  him  talking  to  himself.  He  thought  I  really  knew  the  way 
out,  and  so  he  was  making  for  it.  And  then  he  sat  down  in  the  entrance,  and  I 
could not get by. So I jumped over him and escaped, and ran down to the gate." 
"What about guards?" they asked. "Weren't there any?" 
"O yes! lots of them; but I dodged 'em. I got stuck in the door, which was only 
open a crack, and  I  lost  lots of buttons," he  said  sadly  looking at his  torn clothes. 
"But I squeezed through all right-and here I am." 
The  dwarves  looked  at  him  with  quite  a  new  respect,  when  he  talked  about 
dodging  guards,  jumping  over  Gollum,  and  squeezing  through,  as  if  it  was  not 
very difficult or very alarming.


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####-But  even  the  wild  Wargs  (for  so  the  evil  wolves  over  the  Edge  of  the  Wild 
were named) cannot climb  trees. For a  time  they were  safe.  'Luckily  it was warm 
and not windy. Trees are not very comfortable to sit in for long at any time; but in 
the  cold  and  the wind, with wolves  all  round  below waiting  for  you,  they  can  be 
perfectly miserable places. 
This  glade  in  the  ring  of  trees  was  evidently  a  meeting-place  of  the  wolves. 
More  and  more  kept  coming  in.  They  left  guards  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  in which 
Dori  and  Bilbo  were,  and  then  went  sniffling  about  till  they  had  smelt  out  every 
tree that had anyone in it. These they guarded too, while all the rest (hundreds and 
hundreds  it  seemed) went  and  sat  in  a  great  circle  in  the  glade;  and  in the middle 
of  the circle was a great grey wolf. He  spoke  to  them  in  the dreadful  language of


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Bilbo had escaped the goblins, but he did not know where he was. He had lost 
hood,  cloak,  food,  pony,  his  buttons  and  his  friends. He wandered  on  and  on,  till 
the  sun  began  to  sink westwards-behind  the mountains. Their shadows fell across 
Bilbo's  path,  and  he  looked  back.  Then  he  looked  forward  and  could  see  before 
him  only  ridges  and  slopes  falling  towards  lowlands  and  plains  glimpsed 
occasionally between the trees. 
"Good  heavens!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  seem  to  have  got  right  to  the  other  side  of 
the Misty Mountains,  right  to  the  edge  of  the Land Beyond! Where  and O where 
can  Gandalf  and  the  dwarves  have  got  to?  I  only  hope  to  goodness  they  are  not 
still back there in the power of the goblins!" 
He  still wandered on, out of  the  little high valley, over  its edge, and down  the 
slopes beyond; but all the while a very uncomfortable thought was growing inside


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####-"I  am  so dreadfully hungry," groaned Bilbo, who was  suddenly  aware  that he 
had  not  had  a meal  since  the  night  before  the  night  before  last.  Just  think  of  that 
for  a  hobbit!  His  stomach  felt  all  empty  and  loose  and  his  legs  all  wobbly,  now 
that the excitement was over.  
"Can't  help  it,"  said Gandalf,  "unless  you  like  to  go  back  and  ask  the  goblins 
nicely to let you have your pony back and your luggage." 
"No thank you!" said Bilbo. 
"Very well  then, we must  just  tighten our belts  and  trudge on  - or  we shall be 
made into supper, and that will be much worse than having none ourselves." 
As  they went  on  Bilbo  looked  from  side  to  side  for  something  to  eat;  but  the 
blackberries were  still  only  in  flower,  and  of  course  there were  no  nuts,  nor  even 
hawthorn-berries. He nibbled a bit of sorrel, and he drank from a small mountain-


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Fili and Kili were at the top of a tall larch like an enormous Christmas tree. Dori, 
Nori,  On,  Oin,  and  Gloin  were  more  comfortable  in  a  huge  pine  with  regular 
branches  sticking  out  at  intervals  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel.  Bifur,  Bofur, 
Bombur,  and  Thorin  were  in  another.  Dwalin  and  Balin  had  swarmed  up  a  tall 
slender fir with few branches and were  trying  to find a place  to sit  in  the greenery 
of  the  topmost  boughs.  Gandalf,  who  was  a  good  deal  taller  than  the  others,  had 
found  a  tree  into  which  they  could  not  climb,  a  large  pine  standing  at  the  very 
edge  of  the  glade. He was  quite  hidden  in  its  boughs,  but  you  could  see  his  eyes 
gleaming in the moon as he peeped out. 
And Bilbo? He could not get into any tree, and was scuttling about from trunk 
to trunk, like a rabbit that has lost its hole and has a dog after it. 
"You've left the burglar behind again}" said Nori to Dori looking down.


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After  what  seemed  ages  further  they  came  suddenly  to  an  opening  where  no 
trees  grew.  The  moon  was  up  and  was  shining  into  the  clearing.  Somehow  it 
struck  all of  them  as not  at  all  a nice place,  although  there was nothing wrong  to 
see. 
All  of a sudden  they heard a howl away down hill, a  long shuddering howl. It 
was  answered  by  another  away  to  the  right  and  a  good  deal  nearer  to  them;  then 
by  another  not  far  away  to  the  left.  It  was  wolves  howling  at  the  moon,  wolves 
gathering together! 
There were no wolves living near Mr. Baggins' hole at home, but he knew that 
noise.  He  had  had  it  described  to  him  often  enough  in  tales.  One  of  his  elder 
cousins  (on  the  Took  side),  who  had  been  a  great  traveller,  used  to  imitate  it  to 
frighten him. To hear  it  out  in  the forest under  the moon was  too much for Bilbo.


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####-"I must see if I can't find a more or less decent giant to block it up again," said 
Gandalf, "or soon there will be no getting over the mountains at all." 
As  soon  as Gandalf  had  heard Bilbo's  yell  he  realized what  had  happened.  In 
the flash which killed the goblins that were grabbing him he had nipped inside the 
crack, just as it snapped to. He followed after the drivers and prisoners right to the 
edge  of  the  great  hall,  and  there  he  sat  down  and  worked  up  the  best  magic  he 
could in the shadows. 
"A very ticklish business, it was," he said. "Touch and go!" 
But,  of  course,  Gandalf  had  made  a  special  study  of  bewitchments  with  fire 
and  lights (even  the hobbit had never forgotten  the magic fireworks at Old Took's 
midsummer-eve  parties,  as  you  remember).  The  rest  we  all  know  -  except  that 
Gandalf knew all about  the back-door, as the goblins called the lower gate, where


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hundreds  it  seemed) went  and  sat  in  a  great  circle  in  the  glade;  and  in the middle 
of  the circle was a great grey wolf. He  spoke  to  them  in  the dreadful  language of 
the  Wargs.  Gandalf  understood  it.  Bilbo  did  not,  but  it  sounded  terrible  to  him, 
and  as  if  all  their  talk  was  about  cruel  and  wicked  things,  as  it  was.  Every  now 
and then all the Wargs in the circle would answer their grey chief all together, and 
their dreadful clamour almost made the hobbit fall out of his pine-tree. 
I  will  tell  you  what  Gandalf  heard,  though  Bilbo  did  not  understand  it.  The 
Wargs  and  the  goblins  often  helped  one  another  in wicked  deeds. Goblins  do  not 
usually venture very  far  from  their mountains, unless  they  are driven out  and  are 
looking  for  new  homes,  or  are marching  to  war  (which  I  am  glad  to  say  has  not 
happened for a long while). But in those days they sometimes used to go on raids,


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reputation  went  up  a  very  great  deal  with  the  dwarves  after  this.  If  they had  still 
doubted  that  he  was  really  a  first-class  burglar,  in  spite  of Gandalf's words,  they 
doubted  no  longer. Balin was  the most  puzzled  of  all;  but  everyone  said  it was  a 
very clever bit of work. 
Indeed Bilbo was  so  pleased with  their  praise  that he just chuckled inside and 
said nothing whatever about  the  ring; and when  they asked him how he did  it, he 
said: "O, just crept along, you know-very carefully and quietly."


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He  still wandered on, out of  the  little high valley, over  its edge, and down  the 
slopes beyond; but all the while a very uncomfortable thought was growing inside 
him.  He  wondered  whether  he  ought  not,  now  he  had  the magic  ring,  to  go  back 
into  the  horrible,  horrible,  tunnels  and  look  for  his  friends.  He  had  just made  up 
his  mind  that  it  was  his  duty,  that  he  must  turn  back-and  very miserable  he  felt 
about it-when he heard voices. 
He  stopped  and  listened.  It  did  not  sound  like  goblins;  so  he  crept  forward 
carefully. He was  on  a  stony  path winding  downwards with  a  rocky wall.  on  the 
left hand; on the other side the ground sloped away and there were dells below the 
level  of  the  path  overhung with  bushes  and  low  trees.  In  one  of  these  dells  under 
the bushes people were talking. 
He crept still nearer, and suddenly he saw peering between  two big boulders a


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blackberries were  still  only  in  flower,  and  of  course  there were  no  nuts,  nor  even 
hawthorn-berries. He nibbled a bit of sorrel, and he drank from a small mountain-
stream that crossed the path, and he ate three wild strawberries that he found on its 
bank, but it was not much good. 
They  still  went  on  and  on.  The  rough  path  disappeared.  The  bushes,  and  the 
long  grasses,  between  the  boulders,  the  patches  of  rabbit-cropped  turf,  the  thyme 
and  the  sage  and  the  marjoram,  and  the  yellow  rockroses  all  vanished,  and  they 
found themselves at the top of a wide steep slope of fallen stones, the remains of a 
landslide.  When  they  began  to  go  down  this,  rubbish  and  small  pebbles  rolled 
away  from  their  feet;  soon  larger  bits  of  split  stone  went  clattering  down  and 
started  other  pieces  below  them  slithering  and  rolling;  then  lumps  of  rocks  were


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to trunk, like a rabbit that has lost its hole and has a dog after it. 
"You've left the burglar behind again}" said Nori to Dori looking down. 
"I  can't  be  always  carrying  burglars  on  my  back,"  said  Dori,  "down  tunnels 
and up trees! What do you think I am? A porter?" 
"He'll be eaten if we don't 'do something," said Thorin, for there were howls all 
around  them  now,  getting  nearer  and  nearer.  "Dori!"  he  called,  for  Dori  was 
lowest down in the easiest tree, "be quick, and give Mr. Baggins a hand up!" 
Dori was really a decent fellow in spite of his grumbling. Poor Bilbo could not 
reach  his  hand  even  when  he  climbed  down  to  the  bottom  branch  and  hung  his 
arm down as far as ever he could. So Dori actually climbed out of the tree and let 
Bilbo scramble up and stand on his back. 
Just  at  that  moment  the  wolves  trotted  howling  into  the  clearing.  All  of  a


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dodging  guards,  jumping  over  Gollum,  and  squeezing  through,  as  if  it  was  not 
very difficult or very alarming. 
"What  did  I  tell  you?"  said  Gandalf  laughing.  "Mr.  Baggins  has more  about 
him than you guess." He gave Bilbo a queer look from under his bushy eyebrows, 
as he said this, and the hobbit wondered if he guessed at the part of his tale that he 
had left out. 
Then he had questions of his own to ask, for if Gandalf had explained it all by 
now  to  the  dwarves,  Bilbo  had  not  heard  it.  He  wanted  to  know  how  the  wizard 
had turned up again, and where they had all got to now.  
The wizard, to tell the truth, never minded explaining his cleverness more than 
once, so now he had told Bilbo that both he and Elrond had been well aware of the 
presence of evil goblins  in  that part of  the mountains. But  their main gate used  to 
come out on a different pass, one more easy to travel by, so that they often caught


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cousins  (on  the  Took  side),  who  had  been  a  great  traveller,  used  to  imitate  it  to 
frighten him. To hear  it  out  in  the forest under  the moon was  too much for Bilbo. 
Even  magic  rings  are  not  much  use  against  wolves-especially  against  the  evil 
packs that lived under the shadow of the goblin-infested mountains, over the Edge 
of  the Wild  on  the  borders  of  the  unknown. Wolves of  that sort smell keener  than 
goblins, and do not need to see you to catch you!


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midsummer-eve  parties,  as  you  remember).  The  rest  we  all  know  -  except  that 
Gandalf knew all about  the back-door, as the goblins called the lower gate, where 
Bilbo lost his buttons. As a matter of fact it was well known to anybody who was 
acquainted with this part of the mountains; but it took a wizard to keep his head in 
the tunnels and guide them in the right direction. 
"They made  that  gate  ages  ago,"  he  said,  "partly  for  a way  of  escape,  if  they 
needed one; partly as a way out into the lands beyond, where they still come in the 
dark and do great damage. They guard  it always and no one has ever managed to 
block it up. They will guard it doubly after this," he laughed. 
All  the  others  laughed  too.  After  all  they  had  lost  a  good  deal,  but  they  had 
killed the Great Goblin and a great many others besides, and they had all escaped, 
so they might be said to have had the best of it so far.


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looking  for  new  homes,  or  are marching  to  war  (which  I  am  glad  to  say  has  not 
happened for a long while). But in those days they sometimes used to go on raids, 
especially to get food or slaves to work for them. Then they often got the Wargs to 
help  and  shared  the  plunder with  them. Sometimes  they  rode  on wolves  like men 
do  on  horses.  Now  it  seemed  that  a  great  goblin-raid  had  been  planned  for  that 
very  night.  The  Wargs  had  come  to  meet  the  goblins  and  the  goblins  were  late. 
The  reason,  no  doubt,  was  the  death  of  the  Great  Goblin,  and  all  the  excitement 
caused  by  the  dwarves  and  Bilbo  and  the  wizard,  for  whom  they  were  probably 
still hunting. 
In spite of  the dangers of  this  far  land bold men had of  late been making  their 
way  back  into  it  from  the  South,  cutting  down  trees,  and  building  themselves 
places to live in among the more pleasant woods in the valleys and along the river-


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away  from  their  feet;  soon  larger  bits  of  split  stone  went  clattering  down  and 
started  other  pieces  below  them  slithering  and  rolling;  then  lumps  of  rocks  were 
disturbed and bounded off, crashing down with a dust and a noise. Before long the 
whole  slope  above  them  and  below  them  seemed  on  the  move,  and  they  were 
sliding  away,  huddled  all  together,  in  a  fearful  confusion  of  slipping,  rattling, 
cracking slabs and stones. 
It  was  the  trees  at  the  bottom  that  saved  them.  They  slid  into  the  edge  of  a 
climbing  wood  of  pines  that  here  stood  right  up  the  mountain  slope  from  the 
deeper  darker  forests  of  the  valleys  below.  Some  caught  hold  of  the  trunks  and 
swung  themselves  into  lower  branches,  some  (like  the  little  hobbit)  got  behind  a 
tree to shelter from the onslaught of the rocks. Soon the danger was over, the slide


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####-This was dreadful talk to listen to, not only because of the brave woodmen and 
their  wives  and  children,  but  also  because  of  the  danger  which  now  threatened 
Gandalf  and his  friends. The Wargs were  angry  and puzzled  at  finding  them here 
in  their  very meeting-place. They  thought  they were  friends of  the woodmen, and 
were  come  to  spy  on  them,  and  would  take  news  of  their  plans  down  into  the 
valleys,  and  then  the  goblins  and  the wolves would  have  to  fight  a  terrible  battle 
instead  of  capturing  prisoners  and  devouring  people  waked  suddenly  from  their 
sleep. So  the Wargs  had  no  intention  of  going  away  and  letting  the  people  up  the 
trees escape, at any rate not until morning. And long before that, they said, goblin 
soldiers would be coming down  from  the mountains; and goblins can climb  trees, 
or cut them down. 
Now you can understand why Gandalf, listening to their growling and yelping,


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the bushes people were talking. 
He crept still nearer, and suddenly he saw peering between  two big boulders a 
head with a red hood on:  it was Balin doing  look-out. He could have clapped and 
shouted  for  joy,  but  he  did  not.  He  had  still  got  the  ring  on,  for  fear  of  meeting 
something unexpected and unpleasant, and he saw that Balin was looking straight 
at him without noticing him. 
"I will  give  them  all  a  surprise,"  he  thought,  as  he  crawled  into  the  bushes at 
the edge of the dell. Gandalf was arguing with the dwarves. They were discussing 
all  that  had  happened  to  them  in  the  tunnels,  and  wondering  and  debating  what 
they were  to  do  now. The  dwarves were  grumbling,  and Gandalf was  saying  that 
they could not possibly go on with their journey leaving Mr. Baggins in the hands 
of  the  goblins,  without  trying  to  find  out  if  he  was  alive  or  dead,  and  without 
trying to rescue him.


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presence of evil goblins  in  that part of  the mountains. But  their main gate used  to 
come out on a different pass, one more easy to travel by, so that they often caught 
people  benighted  near  their  gates. Evidently  people  had  given  up  going  that way, 
and  the  goblins  must  have  opened  their  new  entrance  at  the  top  of  the  pass  the 
dwarves had taken, quite recently, because it had been found quite safe up to now.


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Bilbo scramble up and stand on his back. 
Just  at  that  moment  the  wolves  trotted  howling  into  the  clearing.  All  of  a 
sudden  there  were  hundreds  of  eyes  looking  at  them.  Still  Dori  did  not  let  Bilbo 
down.  He  waited  till  he  had  clambered  off  his  shoulders  into  the  branches,  and 
then he jumped for the branches himself. Only just in time! A wolf snapped- at his 
cloak as he swung up, and nearly got him. In a minute there was a whole pack of 
them yelping all round  the  tree and  leaping up at  the  trunk, with eyes blazing and 
tongues hanging out.


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####-eastern edge of  the mountains. "I hear wolves' voices! Are  the goblins at mischief 
in the woods?" 
He swept up  into  the air, and  immediately  two of his guards  from the rocks at 
either hand  leaped up  to  follow him. They circled up  in  the sky and  looked down 
upon  the  ring  of  the Wargs,  a  tiny  spot  far  far  below.  But  eagles  have  keen  eyes 
and  can  see  small  things  at  a  great  distance.  The  lord  of  the  eagles  of  the  Misty 
Mountains had eyes  that could  look at  the  sun unblinking, and could  see a  rabbit 
moving on the ground a mile below even in the moonlight. So though he could not 
see  the  people  in  the  trees,  he  could make  out  the  commotion  among  the wolves 
and  see  the  tiny  flashes  of  fire,  and  hear  the  howling  and  yelping  come  up  faint 
from far beneath him. Also he could see the glint of the moon on goblin spears and


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killed the Great Goblin and a great many others besides, and they had all escaped, 
so they might be said to have had the best of it so far.  
But  the  wizard  called  them  to  their  senses.  "We  must  be  getting  on  at  once, 
now we  are  a  little  rested,"  he  said.  "They will  be  out  after  us  in  hundreds when 
night  comes  on;  and  already  shadows  are  lengthening.  They  can  smell  our 
footsteps  for  hours  and  hours  after  we  have  passed. We  must  be  miles  on  before 
dusk. There will be a bit of moon,  if  it keeps fine, and  that  is  lucky. Not  that  they 
mind the moon much, but it will give us a little light to steer by." 
"O yes!" he said  in answer  to more questions from  the hobbit. "You  lose  track 
of  time  inside  goblin-tunnels.  Today's  Thursday,  and  it  was  Monday  night  or 
Tuesday morning that we were captured. We have gone miles and miles, and come


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swung  themselves  into  lower  branches,  some  (like  the  little  hobbit)  got  behind  a 
tree to shelter from the onslaught of the rocks. Soon the danger was over, the slide 
had  stopped,  and  the  last  faint  crashes  could  be  heard  as  the  largest  of  the 
disturbed  stones  went  bounding  and  spinning  among  the  bracken  and  the  pine-
roots far below.  
"Well!  that  has  got  us  on  a  bit,"  said  Gandalf;  "and  even  goblins  tracking  us 
will have a job to come down here quietly."


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soldiers would be coming down  from  the mountains; and goblins can climb  trees, 
or cut them down. 
Now you can understand why Gandalf, listening to their growling and yelping, 
began  to be dreadfully afraid, wizard  though he was, and  to feel  that  they were  in 
a very bad place, and had not yet escaped at all. All  the same he was not going to 
let them have it all their own way, though he could not do very much stuck up in a 
tall  tree  with  wolves  all  round  on  the  ground  below.  He  gathered  the  huge 
pinecones  from  the  branches  of  his  tree.  Then  he  set  one  alight  with  bright  blue 
fire, and  threw  it whizzing down among  the circle of  the wolves.  It  struck one on 
the back, and  immediately his shaggy coat caught  fire, and he was  leaping  to and 
fro  yelping  horribly.  Then  another  came  and  another,  one  in  blue  flames,  one  in 
red,  another  in  green.  They  burst  on  the  ground  in  the  middle  of  the  circle  and


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way  back  into  it  from  the  South,  cutting  down  trees,  and  building  themselves 
places to live in among the more pleasant woods in the valleys and along the river-
shores. There were many of  them, and  they were brave and well-armed, and even 
the Wargs dared not attack  them  if  there were many  together, or  in  the bright day. 
But  now  they  had  planned with  the  goblins'  help  to  come  by  night  upon  some  of 
the  villages nearest  the mountains.  If  their plan had been carried out,  there would 
have been none  left  there next day;  all would have been killed  except  the  few  the 
goblins kept from the wolves and carried back as prisoners to their caves.


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####-clashed  the  shafts  against  their  shields.  Goblins  are  not  afraid  of  fire,  and  they 
soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing. 
Some got all the wolves together in a pack. Some stacked fern and brushwood 
round  the  tree-trunks.  Others  rushed  round  and  stamped  and  beat,  and  beat  and 
stamped,  until  nearly  all  the  flames were  put  out-but  they did not put out  the  fire 
nearest  to  the  trees  where  the  dwarves  were.  That  fire  they  fed  with  leaves  and 
dead  branches  and  bracken.  Soon  they  had  a  ring  of  smoke  and  flame  all  round 
the dwarves, a ring which they kept from spreading outwards; but it closed slowly 
in,  till  the  running  fire  was  licking  the  fuel  piled  under  the  trees.  Smoke  was  in 
Bilbo's  eyes,  he  could  feel  the  heat  of  the  flames;  and  through  the  reek  he  could 
see  the  goblins  dancing  round  and  round  in  a  circle  like  people  round  a


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####-in cinders lie 
beneath the sky! 
 
So dwarves shall die, 
and light the night for our delight, 
Ya hey! 
Ya-harri-heyl 
Ya hoy!


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of  time  inside  goblin-tunnels.  Today's  Thursday,  and  it  was  Monday  night  or 
Tuesday morning that we were captured. We have gone miles and miles, and come 
right down through the heart of the mountains, and are now on the other side-quite 
a short cut. But we are not at  the point  to which our pass would have brought us; 
we  are  too  far  to  the North,  and  have  some  awkward  country  ahead. And we  are 
still pretty high up. Let's get on!"


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####-Bilbo  never  forgot  that  flight,  clinging  onto Dori's  ankles. He moaned  "my  arms, 
my arms!"; but Dori groaned "my poor legs, my poor legs!" 
At  the  best  of  times  heights  made  Bilbo  giddy.  He  used  to  turn  queer  if  he 
looked over the edge of quite a little cliff; and he had never liked ladders, let alone 
trees  (never  having  had  to  escape  from wolves  before).  So  you  can  imagine  how 
his head swam now, when he  looked down between his dangling  toes and saw  the 
dark  lands opening wide underneath him,  touched here and there with the light of 
the moon on a hill-side rock or a stream in the plains. 
The  pale  peaks  of  the mountains were  coming  nearer, moonlit  spikes  of  rock 
sticking  out  of  black  shadows.  Summer  or  not,  it  seemed  very  cold.  He  shut  his 
eyes  and wondered if he could hold on any longer. Then he imagined what would


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fro  yelping  horribly.  Then  another  came  and  another,  one  in  blue  flames,  one  in 
red,  another  in  green.  They  burst  on  the  ground  in  the  middle  of  the  circle  and 
went off in coloured sparks and smoke. A specially large one hit the chief wolf on 
the  nose,  and  he  leaped  in  the  air  ten  feet,  and  then  rushed  round  and  round  the 
circle biting and snapping even at the other wolves in his anger and fright. 
The  dwarves  and  Bilbo  shouted  and  cheered.  The  rage  of  the  wolves  was 
terrible  to  see,  and  the  commotion  they  made  filled  all  the  forest.  Wolves  are  
afraid of fire at all times, but this was a most horrible and uncanny fire. If a spark 
got  in  their coats  it stuck and burned  into  them, and unless  they  rolled over quick 
they  were  soon  all  in  flames.  Very  soon  all  about  the  glade  wolves  were  rolling 
over  and over  to put out  the  sparks on  their backs, while  those  that  were burning


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####-house and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms looking for something 
that he could not find nor remember what it looked like. 
 

####-<h4>Chapter 7 </h4> <br>

Queer Lodgings


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And  with  that  Ya  hoy!  the  flames  were  under  Gandalf’s  tree.  In  a moment  it 
spread to the others. The bark caught fire, the lower branches cracked. 
Then  Gandalf  climbed  to  the  top  of  his  tree.  The  sudden  splendour  flashed 
from  his  wand  like  lightning,  as  he  got  ready  to  spring  down  from  on  high  right 
among  the spears of  the goblins. That would have been  the end of him,  though he 
would  probably  have  killed  many  of  them  as  he  came  hurtling  down  like  a 
thunderbolt. But he never leaped. 
Just at that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized him 
in his talons, and was gone. 
 
There was a howl of anger and surprise from the goblins. Loud cried the Lord 
of  the Eagles,  to whom Gandalf had now  spoken. Back  swept  the great birds  that 
were  with  him,  and  down  they  came  like  huge  black  shadows.  The  wolves 
yammered and gnashed  their  teeth;  the goblins yelled and stamped with  rage, and


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Bilbo's  eyes,  he  could  feel  the  heat  of  the  flames;  and  through  the  reek  he  could 
see  the  goblins  dancing  round  and  round  in  a  circle  like  people  round  a 
midsummer  bonfire.  Outside  the  ring  of  dancing  warriors  with  spears  and  axes 
stood the wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting. 
He could hear the goblins beginning a horrible song:


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####-"May  the  wind  under  your  wings  bear  you  where  the  sun  sails  and  the moon 
walks," answered Gandalf, who knew the correct reply.  
And so they parted. And though the lord of the eagles became in after days the 
King  of  All  Birds  and  wore  a  golden  crown,  and  his  fifteen  chieftains  golden 
collars  (made  of  the  gold  that  the  dwarves  gave  them),  Bilbo  never  saw  them 
again-except high and  far off  in  the battle of Five Armies. But as  that comes  in at 
the end of this tale we will say no more about it just now.  
There was a flat space on the top of the hill of stone and a well worn path with 
many steps leading down it to the river, across which a ford of huge flat stones led 
to  the  grass-land  beyond  the  stream.  There  was  a  little  cave  (a  wholesome  one 
with a pebbly floor) at the foot of the steps and near the end of the stony ford. Here 
the party gathered and discussed what was to be done.


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####-with  fear,  on  a wide  shelf  of  rock  on  the mountain-side. There was no path down 
on to it save by flying; and no path down off it except by jumping over a precipice. 
There  he  found  all  the  others  sitting  with  their  backs  to  the  mountain  wall.  The 
Lord of the Eagles also was there and was speaking to Gandalf. 
It  seemed  that  Bilbo  was  not  going  to  be  eaten  after  all.  The  wizard  and  the 
eagle-lord  appeared  to  know  one  another  slightly,  and  even  to  be  on  friendly 
terms. As a matter of fact Gandalf, who had often been in the mountains, had once 
rendered  a  service  to  the  eagles  and  healed  their  lord  from  an  arrow-wound. So 
you  see  'prisoners'  had  meant  'prisoners  rescued  from  the  goblins'  only,  and  not 
captives  of  the  eagles. As Bilbo  listened  to  the  talk  of Gandalf  he  realized  that  at 
last  they  were  going  to  escape  really  and  truly  from  the  dreadful  mountains.  He


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Fifteen birds in five firtrees, 
their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze! 
But, funny little birds, they had no wings! 
O what shall we do with the funny little things?  
Roast 'em alive, or stew them in a pot; 
fry them, boil them and eat them hot?  

 
Then  they  stopped  and  shouted  out:  "Fly  away  little  birds!  Fly  away  if  you 
can! Come down little birds, or you will get roasted in your nests! Sing, sing little 
birds! Why don't you sing?" 
"Go  away!  little  boys!"  shouted Gandalf  in  answer.  "It  isn't  bird-nesting time. 
Also naughty little boys that play with fire get punished." He said it to make them 
angry,  and  to  show  them  he was  not  frightened  of  them-though of course he was, 
wizard though he was. But they took no notice, and they went on singing.


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they  were  soon  all  in  flames.  Very  soon  all  about  the  glade  wolves  were  rolling 
over  and over  to put out  the  sparks on  their backs, while  those  that  were burning 
were running about howling and setting others alight, till their own friends chased 
them  away  and  they  fled  off  down  the  slopes  crying  and  yammering  and  looking 
for water.  
 
"What's  all  this  uproar  in  the  forest  tonight?"  said  the  Lord  of  the  Eagles. He 
was  sitting,  black  in  the moonlight,  on  the  top  of  a  lonely  pinnacle  of  rock  at  the


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The next morning Bilbo woke up with the early sun in his eyes. He jumped up 
to  look  at  the  time  and  to  go  and  put  his  kettle  on-and  found he was not home at 
all.  So  he  sat  down  and  wished  in  vain  for  a  wash  and  a  brush.  He  did  not  get 
either,  nor  tea  nor  toast  nor  bacon  for  his  breakfast, only cold mutton and  rabbit. 
And after that he had to get ready for a fresh start. 
This time he was allowed to climb on to an eagle's back and cling between his 
wings.  The  air  rushed  over  him  and  he  shut  his  eyes.  The  dwarves  were  crying 
farewells  and  promising  to  repay  the  lord  of  the  eagles  if  ever  they  could,  as  off 
rose  fifteen  great  birds  from  the  mountain's  side.  The  sun  was  still  close  to  the 
eastern  edge  of  things.  The morning was  cool,  and mists were  in  the  valleys  and 
hollows  and  twined  here  and  there  about  the  peaks  and  pinnacles  of  the  hills.


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and  see  the  tiny  flashes  of  fire,  and  hear  the  howling  and  yelping  come  up  faint 
from far beneath him. Also he could see the glint of the moon on goblin spears and 
helmets,  as  long  lines  of  the wicked  folk  crept  down  the  hillsides  from  their  gate 
and wound into the wood. 
Eagles are not kindly birds. Some are cowardly and cruel. But the ancient race 
of  the  northern  mountains  were  the  greatest  of  all  birds;  they  were  proud  and 
strong and noble-hearted. They did not love goblins, or fear them. When they took 
any  notice  of  them at all (which was seldom, for they did not eat such creatures ), 
they  swooped on  them and drove  them  shrieking back  to  their caves, and  stopped 
whatever  wickedness  they  were  doing.  The  goblins  hated  the  eagles  and  feared 
them, but could not reach their lofty seats, or drive them from the mountains. 
Tonight  the  Lord  of  the  Eagles  was  filled  with  curiosity  to  know  what  was


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were  with  him,  and  down  they  came  like  huge  black  shadows.  The  wolves 
yammered and gnashed  their  teeth;  the goblins yelled and stamped with  rage, and 
flung their heavy spears in the air in vain. Over them swooped the eagles; the dark 
rush of  their beating wings  smote  them  to  the  floor or drove  them  far  away;  their 
talons  tore  at  goblin  faces.  Other  birds  flew  to  the  tree-tops  and  seized  the 
dwarves, who were scrambling up now as far as ever they dared to go. 
Poor  little Bilbo was  very  nearly  left  behind  again! He  just managed  to  catch 
hold of Dori's legs, as Dori was borne off last of all; and they went together above 
the  tumult  and  the  burning,  Bilbo  swinging  in  the  air  with  his  arms  nearly 
breaking. 
Now  far below  the goblins and  the wolves were  scattering  far and wide  in  the 
woods. A few eagles were still circling and sweeping above the battle-ground. The


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sticking  out  of  black  shadows.  Summer  or  not,  it  seemed  very  cold.  He  shut  his 
eyes  and wondered if he could hold on any longer. Then he imagined what would 
happen  if he did not. He  felt  sick. The  flight  ended only  just  in  time  for him,  just 
before  his  arms  gave  way.  He  loosed  Dori's  ankles  with  a  gasp  and  fell  onto  the 
rough  platform  of  an  eagle's  eyrie.  There  he  lay  without  speaking,  and  his 
thoughts were  a mixture  of  surprise  at  being  saved  from  the  fire,  and  fear  lest  he 
fell off that narrow place into the deep shadows on either side. He was feeling very 
queer indeed in his head by this time after the dreadful adventures of the last three 
days with next to nothing to eat, and he found himself saying aloud: "Now I know 
what a piece of bacon feels like when it is suddenly picked out of the pan on a fork 
and put back on the shelf!"


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captives  of  the  eagles. As Bilbo  listened  to  the  talk  of Gandalf  he  realized  that  at 
last  they  were  going  to  escape  really  and  truly  from  the  dreadful  mountains.  He 
was  discussing  plans  with  the  Great  Eagle  for  carrying  the  dwarves  and  himself 
and Bilbo far away and setting  them down well on  their  journey across  the plains 
below.  
The Lord of  the Eagles would not  take  them anywhere near where men  lived. 
"They  would  shoot  at  us  with  their  great  bows  of yew," he  said,  "for  they would 
think  we  were  after  their  sheep.  And  at  other  times  they  would  be  right.  No!  we 
are  glad  to  cheat  the  goblins  of  their  sport,  and  glad  to  repay  our  thanks  to  you, 
but we will not risk ourselves for dwarves in the southward plains." 
"Very  well,"  said  Gandalf.  "Take  us  where  and  as  far  as  you  will!  We  are 
already deeply obliged to you. But in the meantime we are famished with hunger."


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with a pebbly floor) at the foot of the steps and near the end of the stony ford. Here 
the party gathered and discussed what was to be done. 
"I  always meant  to  see you  all  safe  (if possible) over  the mountains,"  said  the 
wizard,  "and  now  by  good management  and  good  luck  I  have  done  it.  Indeed we 
are  now  a  good  deal  further east than I ever meant to come with you, for after all 
this  is not my adventure.  I may  look  in on  it again before  it  is all over, but  in  the 
meanwhile I have some other pressing business to attend to." 
The  dwarves  groaned  and  looked  most  distressed,  and  Bilbo wept.  They  had 
begun to think Gandalf was going in come all the way and would always be there 
to  help  them  out  of  difficulties.  "I  am  not  going  to  disappear  this  very  instant," 
said  he.  "I  can  give  you  a  day  or  two more.  Probably  I  can  help  you  out of your


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####- 
After that they stopped pleading. Then they took off their clothes and bathed in 
the river, which was shallow and clear and stony at the ford. When they had dried 
in the sun, which was now strong and warm, they were refreshed, if still sore and a 
little  hungry.  Soon  they  crossed  the  ford  (carrying  the  hobbit),  and  then  began  to 
march  through  the  long  green  grass  and  down  the  lines  of  the  wide-armed oaks 
and the tall elms. 
"And  why  is  it  called  the  Carrock?"  asked  Bilbo  as  he  went  along  at  the 
wizard's side. 
"He  called  it  the  Carrock,  because  carrock  is  his  word  for  it.  He  calls  things 
like  that  carrocks,  and  this  one  is  the Carrock  because  it  is  the  only  one  near  his 
home and he knows it well." 
"Who calls it? Who knows it?" 
"The  Somebody  I  spoke  of-a  very  great  person.  You  must  all  be  very  polite


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them, but could not reach their lofty seats, or drive them from the mountains. 
Tonight  the  Lord  of  the  Eagles  was  filled  with  curiosity  to  know  what  was 
afoot;  so  he  summoned  many  other  eagles  to  him,  and  they  flew  away  from  the 
mountains,  and  slowly  circling  ever  round  and  round  they  came  down,  down, 
down towards the ring of the wolves and the meeting-place of the goblins. 
A  very  good  thing  too!  Dreadful  things  had  been  going  on  down  there.  The 
wolves  that  had  caught  fire  and  fled  into  the  forest  had  set  it  alight  in  several 
places.  It  was  high  summer,  and  on  this  eastern  side  of  the  mountains  there  had 
been little rain for some time. Yellowing bracken, fallen branches, deep-piled pine-
needles, and here and there dead trees, were soon in flames. All round the clearing 
of  the  Wargs  fire  was  leaping.  But  the  wolf-guards  did  not  leave  the  trees.


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eastern  edge  of  things.  The morning was  cool,  and mists were  in  the  valleys  and 
hollows  and  twined  here  and  there  about  the  peaks  and  pinnacles  of  the  hills. 
Bilbo opened  an  eye  to peep  and  saw  that  the birds were  already high up  and  the 
world  was  far  away,  and  the  mountains  were  falling  back  behind  them  into  the 
distance. He shut his eyes again and held on tighter.  
"Don't pinch!" said his eagle. "You need not be frightened like a rabbit, even if 
you  look  rather  like  one.  It  is  a  fair morning  with  little  wind. What  is  finer  than 
flying?" 
Bilbo  would  have  liked  to  say:  "A  warm  bath  and  late  breakfast  on  the  lawn 
afterwards;"  but  he  thought  it  better  to  say  nothing  at  all,  and  to  let  go  his  clutch 
just a tiny bit. 
After  a good while  the  eagles must have  seen  the point  they were making  for,


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days with next to nothing to eat, and he found himself saying aloud: "Now I know 
what a piece of bacon feels like when it is suddenly picked out of the pan on a fork 
and put back on the shelf!" 
"No  you  don't!"  be  heard  Dori  answering,  "because  the  bacon  knows  that  it 
will get back in the pan sooner or later; and it is to be hoped we shan't. Also eagles 
aren't forks!" 
"O  no!  Not  a  bit  like  storks-forks,  I mean,"  said Bilbo  sitting up  and  looking 
anxiously  at  the  eagle  who  was  perched  close  by.  He  wondered  what  other 
nonsense he had been  saying, and  if  the eagle would  think  it  rude. You ought not 
to  be  rude  to  an  eagle, when  you  are  only  the  size  of  a  hobbit,  and  are  up  in  his 
eyrie at night! 
The  eagle  only  sharpened  his  beak  on  a  stone  and  trimmed  his  feathers  and 
took no notice. 
Soon  another  eagle  flew  up.  "The  Lord  of  the  Eagles  bids  you  to  bring  your


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Burn, burn tree and fern! 
Shrivel and scorch! A fizzling torch 
To light the night for our delight, 
Ya hey! 
 
Bake and toast 'em, fry and roast 'em 
till beards blaze, and eyes glaze; 
till hair smells and skins crack, 
fat melts, and bones black 

####-in cinders lie 
beneath the sky! 
 
So dwarves shall die, 
and light the night for our delight, 
Ya hey! 
Ya-harri-heyl 
Ya hoy!


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"Very  well,"  said  Gandalf.  "Take  us  where  and  as  far  as  you  will!  We  are 
already deeply obliged to you. But in the meantime we are famished with hunger." 
"I am nearly dead of it," said Bilbo in a weak little voice that nobody heard. 
"That can perhaps be mended," said the Lord of the Eagles. 
Later on you might have seen a bright fire on  the shelf of rock and  the figures 
of the dwarves round it cooking and making a fine roasting smell. The eagles had 
brought  up  dry  boughs  for  fuel,  and  they  had  brought  rabbits, hares, and a  small 
sheep.  The  dwarves  managed  all  the  preparations.  Bilbo  was  too  weak  to  help, 
and  anyway  he was  not much  good  at  skinning  rabbits  or  cutting  up meat,  being 
used  to  having  it  delivered  by  the  butcher  all  ready  to  cook.  Gandalf,  too,  was 
lying  down  after  doing  his  part  in  setting  the  fire  going,  since Oin  and Gloin  had


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breaking. 
Now  far below  the goblins and  the wolves were  scattering  far and wide  in  the 
woods. A few eagles were still circling and sweeping above the battle-ground. The 
flames about  the  trees sprang suddenly up above  the highest branches. They went 
up  in  crackling  fire.  There  was  a  sudden  flurry  of  sparks  and  smoke.  Bilbo  had 
escaped only just in time! 
Soon the light of the burning was faint below, a red twinkle on the black floor; 
and  they  were  high  up  in  the  sky,  rising  all  the  time  in  strong  sweeping circles.


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to  help  them  out  of  difficulties.  "I  am  not  going  to  disappear  this  very  instant," 
said  he.  "I  can  give  you  a  day  or  two more.  Probably  I  can  help  you  out of your 
present  plight,  and  I  need  a  little  help myself. We  have  no  food,  and  no  baggage, 
and no ponies to ride; and you don't know where you are. Now I can tell you that. 
You are still some miles north of the path which we should have been following, if 
we  had  not  left  the mountain  pass  in  a  hurry.  Very  few people  live  in  these parts, 
unless  they  have  come  here  since  I was  last  down  this way, which  is  some  years 
ago.  But  there  is  somebody  that  I  know  of,  who  lives  not  far  away.  That 
Somebody made the 
steps on the great rock-the Carrock I believe he calls it. He does not come here 
often,  certainly  not  in  the  daytime,  and  it  is  no  good  waiting  for  him.  In  fact  it


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The  eagle  only  sharpened  his  beak  on  a  stone  and  trimmed  his  feathers  and 
took no notice. 
Soon  another  eagle  flew  up.  "The  Lord  of  the  Eagles  bids  you  to  bring  your 
prisoners to the Great Shelf," he cried and was off again. The other seized Dori in 
his  claws  and  flew  away  with  him  into  the  night  leaving Bilbo  all  alone. He  had 
just strength  to wonder what  the messenger had meant by  'prisoners,' and  to begin 
to  think  of  being  torn  up  for  supper  like  a  rabbit,  when  his  own  turn  came.  The 
eagle came back, seized him in his talons by the back of his coat, and swooped off. 
This  time  he  flew  only  a  short  way.  Very  soon  Bilbo  was  laid  down,  trembling


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home and he knows it well." 
"Who calls it? Who knows it?" 
"The  Somebody  I  spoke  of-a  very  great  person.  You  must  all  be  very  polite 
when  I  introduce  you.  I  shall  introduce  you  slowly,  two  by  two,  I  think;  and  you 
must  be  careful  not  to  annoy  him,  or  heaven  knows what will  happen. He can be 
appalling  when  he  is  angry,  though  he  is  kind  enough  if  humoured.  Still  I  warn 
you he gets angry easily." 
The dwarves all gathered round when they heard the wizard talking like this to 
Bilbo.  "Is  that  the  person  you  are  taking  us  to  now?"  they  asked.  "Couldn't  you 
find someone more easy-tempered? Hadn't you better explain it all a bit clearer?"-
and so on. 
"Yes  it  certainly  is!  No  I  could  not!  And  I  was  explaining  very  carefully," 
answered  the  wizard  crossly.  "If  you  must  know  more,  his  name  is  Beorn. He  is 
very strong, and he is a skin-changer."


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needles, and here and there dead trees, were soon in flames. All round the clearing 
of  the  Wargs  fire  was  leaping.  But  the  wolf-guards  did  not  leave  the  trees. 
Maddened and angry they were leaping and howling round the trunks, and cursing 
the  dwarves  in  their  horrible  language,  with  their  tongues  hanging  out,  and  their 
eyes shining as red and fierce as the flames. 
Then  suddenly  goblins  came  running  up  yelling.  They  thought  a  battle  with 
the  woodmen  was  going  on;  but  they  goon  learned  what  had  really  happened. 
Some  of  them  actually  sat  down  and  laughed.  Others  waved  their  spears  and


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just a tiny bit. 
After  a good while  the  eagles must have  seen  the point  they were making  for, 
'even  from  their  great  height,  for  they  began  to  go  down  circling  round  in  great 
spirals. They did this for a long while, and at last the hobbit opened his eyes again. 
The earth was much nearer, and below  them were  trees  that  looked  like oaks and 
elms, and wide grass lands, and a river running through it all. But cropping out of 
the ground, right in the path of the stream which looped itself about it, was a great 
rock, almost a hill of stone,  like a  last outpost of  the distant mountains, or a huge 
piece cast miles into the plain by some giant among giants. 
Quickly  now  to  the  top  of  this  rock  the  eagles  swooped  one  by  one  and  set 
down their passengers. 
"Farewell!"  they  cried,  "wherever  you  fare,  till  your  eyries  receive  you  at  the 
journey's end!" That is the polite thing to say among eagles.


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####-goblins came into the hills out of the North. I cannot say, though I fancy the last is 
the true tale. He is not the sort of person to ask questions of. 
"At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own. He lives in an oak-wood 
and has a great wooden house; and as a man he keeps cattle and horses which are 
nearly  is marvellous  as himself. They work  for him  and  talk  to him. He does not 
eat  them;  neither  does  he  hunt  or  eat  wild  animals.  He  keeps  hives  and  hives  of 
great fierce bees, and  lives most on cream and honey. As a bear he ranges far and 
wide.  I  once  saw  him  sitting all alone on the top of the Carrock at night watching 
the  moon  sinking  towards  the  Misty  Mountains,  and  I  heard  him  growl  in  the 
tongue  of  bears;  'The  day  will  come  when  they  will  perish  and  I  shall  go  back!' 
That is why I believe he once came from the mountains himself."


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used  to  having  it  delivered  by  the  butcher  all  ready  to  cook.  Gandalf,  too,  was 
lying  down  after  doing  his  part  in  setting  the  fire  going,  since Oin  and Gloin  had 
lost their tinder-boxes. (Dwarves have never taken to matches even yet.) 
So  ended  the  adventures  of  the  Misty  Mountains.  Soon  Bilbo's  stomach  was 
feeling full and  comfortable  again,  and he  felt he  could  sleep  contentedly,  though 
really  he  would  have  liked  a  loaf  and  butter  better  than  bits  of  meat  toasted  on 
sticks. He slept curled up on the hard rock more soundly than ever he had done on 
his feather-bed in his own  little hole at home. But all night he dreamed of his own


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####-They  soon  came  to  a wooden  gate,  high  and  broad,  beyond which  they could 
see  gardens  and  a  cluster  of  low  wooden  buildings,  some  thatched  and  made  of 
unshaped logs; barns, stables, sheds, and a long low wooden house. 
Inside  on  the  southward  side  of  the  great  hedge were  rows  and  rows  of  hives 
with  bell-shaped  tops made of  straw. The noise of  the giant bees  flying  to and  fro 
and crawling in and out filled all the air.  
The  wizard  and  the  hobbit  pushed  open  the  heavy  creaking  gate  and  went 
down a wide track towards the house. Some horses, very sleek and well-groomed, 
trotted up across  the grass and  looked at  them  intently with very  intelligent  faces; 
then off they galloped to the buildings. 
"They have gone to tell him of the arrival of strangers," said Gandalf. 
Soon  they  reached  a  courtyard,  three  walls  of  which  were  formed  by  the


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####-lands at all. We were crossing by the High Pass that should have brought us to the 
road  that  lies  to  the  south  of  your  country,  when  we  were  attacked  by  the  evil 
goblins-as I was about to tell you." 
"Go on telling, then!" said Beorn, who was never very polite. 
"There was a terrible storm; the stone-giants were out hurling rocks, and at the 
head  of  the  pass  we  took  refuge  in  a  cave,  the  hob  bit  and  I  and  several  of  our 
companions…" 
"Do you call two several?" 
"Well, no. As a matter of fact there were more than two." 
"Where are they? Killed, eaten, gone home?" 
"Well,  no.  They  don't  seem  all  to  have  come  when  I  whistled.  Shy,  I  expect. 
You see, we are very much afraid that we are rather a lot for you to entertain." 
"Go on, whistle again! I am in for a party, it seems, and one or two more won't 
make much difference," growled Beorn. 
Gandalf  whistled  again;  but  Nori  and  Ori  were  there  almost  before  he  had


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####-"Goblins?" said the big man less gruffly. "O ho, so you've been  having trouble 
with them have you? What did you go near them for?" 
"We  did  not  mean  to.  They  surprised  us  at  night  in  a  pass  which  we  had  to 
cross, we were coming out of the Lands over West into these countries-it is a long 
tale." 
"Then  you  had  better  come  inside  and  tell  me  some  of  it,  if  it  won't  take  all 
day,"  said  the  man  leading  the  way  through  a  dark  door  that  opened  out  of  the 
courtyard into the house. 
Following  him  they  found  themselves  in  a  wide  hall  with  a  fire-place  in  the 
middle. Though  it was summer there was a wood-fire burning and the smoke was 
rising  to  the blackened  rafters  in  search of  the way out  through  an opening  in  the 
roof. They passed  through  this dim hall,  lit only by  the  fire and  the hole above  it, 
and came  through another smaller door into a sort of veranda propped on wooden


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steps on the great rock-the Carrock I believe he calls it. He does not come here 
often,  certainly  not  in  the  daytime,  and  it  is  no  good  waiting  for  him.  In  fact  it 
would  be  very  dangerous. We  must  go  and  find  him;  and  if  all  goes  well  at  our 
meeting,  I  think I shall be off and wish you like the eagles  'farewell wherever you 
fare!' " 
They  begged  him  not  to  leave  them. They  offered  him  dragon-gold and silver 
and jewels, but he would not change his mind. 
"We  shall  see, we  shall  see!" he  said,  "and  I  think  I have earned already some 
of your dragon-gold - when you have got it."


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answered  the  wizard  crossly.  "If  you  must  know  more,  his  name  is  Beorn. He  is 
very strong, and he is a skin-changer." 
"What!  a  furrier,  a  man  that  calls  rabbits  conies,  when  he  doesn't  turn  their 
skins into squirrels?" asked Bilbo. 
"Good gracious heavens, no, no, NO, NO!" said Gandalf. "Don't be a fool Mr. 
Baggins  if you  can help  it; and  in  the name of all wonder don't mention  the word 
furrier  again  as  long  as  you  are  within  a  hundred  miles  of  his  house,  nor,  rug, 
cape,  tippet, muff, nor any other such unfortunate word! He  is a skin-changer. He 
changes  his  skin;  sometimes  he  is  a  huge  black  bear,  sometimes  he  is  a  great 
strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard. I cannot tell you much 
more,  though  that ought  to be enough. Some say  that he  is a bear descended from 
the  great  and  ancient  bears  of  the  mountains  that  lived  there  before  the  giants


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then off they galloped to the buildings. 
"They have gone to tell him of the arrival of strangers," said Gandalf. 
Soon  they  reached  a  courtyard,  three  walls  of  which  were  formed  by  the 
wooden  house  and  its  two  long wings.  In  the middle  there was  lying  a  great  oak-
trunk with many  lopped branches beside  it. Standing near was a huge man with a 
thick black beard and' hair, and great bare arms and legs with knotted muscles. He 
was clothed in a tunic of wool down to his knees, and was leaning on a large axe. 
The horses were standing by him with their noses at his shoulder.  
"Ugh!  here  they  are!"  he  said  to  the  horses.  "They  don't  look  dangerous. You 
can be off!" He laughed a great rolling laugh, put down his axe and came forward. 
"Who  are  you  and what  do  you want?"  he  asked  gruffly,  standing  in  front  of 
them and towering tall above Gandalf. 
As for Bilbo he could easily have  trotted  through his  legs without ducking his


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tongue  of  bears;  'The  day  will  come  when  they  will  perish  and  I  shall  go  back!' 
That is why I believe he once came from the mountains himself." 
 
Bilbo and the dwarves had now plenty to think about, and they asked no more 
questions. They still had a long way to walk before them. Up slope and down dale 
they  plodded.  It  grew  very  hot.  Sometimes  they  rested  under  the  trees,  and  then 
Bilbo felt so hungry that he would have eaten acorns, if any had been ripe enough 
yet to have fallen to the ground. 
It  was  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  before  they  noticed  that  great  patches  of 
flowers had begun to spring up, all the same kinds growing together as if they had 
been  planted.  Especially  there  was  clover,  waving  patches  of  cockscomb  clover, 
and  purple  clover,  and wide  stretches  of  short white  sweet  honey-smelling clover. 
There  was  a  buzzing  and  a  whirring  and  a  droning  in  the  air.  Bees  were  busy


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####-"Balin  and  Dwalin,"  they  said  not  daring  to  be  offended,  and  sat  flop  on  the 
floor looking rather surprised. 
"Now go on again!" said Beorn to the wizard. 
"Where  was  1?  O  yes—  I  was  not  grabbed.  I  killed  a  goblin  or  two  with  a 
flash—" 
"Good!" growled Beorn. "It is some good being a wizard, then." 
"—and slipped inside the crack before it closed. I followed down into the main 
hall, which was  crowded with  goblins. The Great Goblin was  there with  thirty or 
forty armed guards. I thought to myself 'even if they were not all chained together, 
what can a dozen do against so many?' " 
"A  dozen!  That's  the  first  time  I've  heard  eight  called  a  dozen.  Or  have  you 
still got some more jacks that haven't yet come out of their boxes?" 
"Well, yes, there seem to be a couple more here now – Fili and Kili, I believe," 
said Gandalf, as these two now appeared and stood smiling and bowing.


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roof. They passed  through  this dim hall,  lit only by  the  fire and  the hole above  it, 
and came  through another smaller door into a sort of veranda propped on wooden 
posts made  of  single  tree-trunks. It faced south and was still warm and filled with 
the  light  of  the westering  sun which  slanted  into  it,  and  fell  golden  on  the  garden 
full of flowers that came right up to the steps. 
Here  they  sat  on  wooden  benches  while  Gandalf  began  his  tale,  and  Bilbo 
swung his dangling  legs and  looked at  the  flowers  in  the garden, wondering what 
their names could be, as he had never seen half of them before. 
"I was coming over the mountains with a friend or two…" said the wizard. 
"Or two? I can only see one, and a little one at that," said Beorn. 
"Well  to  tell you  the  truth,  I did not  like  to bother you with a  lot of us, until  I 
found out if you were busy. I will give a call, if I may." 
"Go on, call away!"


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make much difference," growled Beorn. 
Gandalf  whistled  again;  but  Nori  and  Ori  were  there  almost  before  he  had 
stopped,  for,  if  you  remember, Gandalf  had  told  them  to  come  in pairs  every  five 
minutes. 
"Hullo!"  said  Beorn.  "You  came  pretty  quick-where were  you  hiding? Come 
on my jack-in-the-boxes!" 
"Nori at your service, Ori at . . ." they began; but Beorn interrupted them. 
"Thank you! When I want your help I will ask for it. Sit down, and let's get on 
with this tale, or it will be supper-time before it is ended." 
"As soon as we were asleep," went on Gandalf, "a crack at the back of the cave 
opened;  goblins  came  out  and  grabbed  the  hobbit  and  the  dwarves  and our  troop 
of ponies—" 
"Troop  of  ponies?  What  were  you-a  travelling  circus? Or were  you  carrying 
lots of goods? Or do you always call six a troop?" 
"O  no!  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  were  more  than  six  ponies,  for  there  were


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####-underneath us  and  the  forest beginning  to blaze  in places, when  the goblins  came 
down  from  the  hills  and  discovered  us.  They  yelled  with  delight  and  sang  songs 
making fun of us. Fifteen birds in five fir-trees…" 
"Good heavens!" growled Beorn. "Don't pretend that goblins can't count. They 
can. Twelve isn't fifteen and they know it." 
"And  so  do  1.  There  were  Bifur  and  Bofur  as  well.  I  haven't  ventured  to 
introduce them before, but here they are." 
In  came  Bifur  and  Bofur.  "And  me!"  gasped  Bombur  pulling  up  behind.  He 
was  fat, and also angry at being  left  till  last. He  refused  to wait  five minutes, and 
followed immediately after the other two. 
"Well, now there are fifteen of you; and since goblins can count, I suppose that 
is  all  that  there  were  up  the  trees.  Now  perhaps  we  can  finish  this  story  without 
any more interruptions." Mr. Baggins saw then how clever Gandalf had been. The


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more,  though  that ought  to be enough. Some say  that he  is a bear descended from 
the  great  and  ancient  bears  of  the  mountains  that  lived  there  before  the  giants 
came. Others  say  that he  is  a man descended  from  the  first men who  lived before 
Smaug  or  the  other  dragons  came  into  this  part  of  the  world,  and  before  the


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them and towering tall above Gandalf. 
As for Bilbo he could easily have  trotted  through his  legs without ducking his 
head to miss the fringe of the man's brown tunic. 
"I am Gandalf," said the wizard. 
"Never  heard  of  him,"  growled  the  man,  "And  what's  this  little  fellow?"  he 
said, stooping down to frown at the hobbit with his bushy eyebrows. 
"That is Mr. Baggins, a hobbit of good family and unimpeachable reputation," 
said Gandalf. Bilbo bowed. He had no hat to take off, and was painfully conscious 
of his many missing buttons. "I am a wizard," continued Gandalf. "I have heard of 
you,  if you have not heard of me; but perhaps you have heard of my good cousin 
Radagast who lives near the Southern borders of Mirkwood?" 
"Yes;  not  a  bad  fellow  as  wizards  go,  I  believe.  I  used  to  see  him  now  and 
again,"  said  Beorn.  "Well,  now  I  know  who  you  are,  or  who  you  say  you  are. 
What do you want?"


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####-figures of animals; others bore on  their broad backs  trays with bowls and platters 
and knives and wooden spoons, which the dogs took and quickly laid on the trestle 
tables.  These  were  very  low,   low  enough  even  for  Bilbo  to  sit  at  comfortably. 
Beside  them  a  pony  pushed  two  low-seated  benches  with  wide  rush-bottoms and 
little  short  thick  legs  for Gandalf  and Thorin, while  at  the  far  end  he  put Beorn's 
big  black  chair  of  the  same  sort  (in which  he  sat with his great  legs  stuck  far out 
under the table). These were all the chairs he had in his hall, and he probably had 
them  low  like  the  tables for  the convenience of  the wonderful animals  that waited 
on him. What did  the  rest sit on? They were not  forgotten. The other ponies came 
in  rolling  round  drum-shaped  sections  of  logs,  smoothed  and  polished,  and  low 
enough  even  for Bilbo;  so  soon  they were  all  seated  at Beorn's  table,  and  the hall


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and  purple  clover,  and wide  stretches  of  short white  sweet  honey-smelling clover. 
There  was  a  buzzing  and  a  whirring  and  a  droning  in  the  air.  Bees  were  busy 
everywhere. And such bees! Bilbo had never seen anything like them. 
"If one was to sting me," he thought, "I should swell up as big again as I am!" 
They  were  bigger  than  hornets.  The  drones  were  bigger  than  your  thumb,  a 
good  deal,  and  the  bands  of  yellow  on  their  deep  black  bodies  shone  like  fiery 
gold. 
"We are getting near," said Gandalf. "We are on the edge of his bee-pastures." 
After  a  while  they  came  to  a  belt  of  tall  and  very  ancient  oaks,  and  beyond 
these to a high thorn-hedge through which you could neither see nor scramble. 
"You had better wait here," said the wizard to the dwarves; "and when I call or 
whistle  begin  to  come  after  me —  you  will  see  the  way  I  go-but  only  in  pairs,


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"Well, yes, there seem to be a couple more here now – Fili and Kili, I believe," 
said Gandalf, as these two now appeared and stood smiling and bowing. 
"That's enough!" said Beorn. "Sit down and be quiet! Now go on, Gandalf!" 
So  Gandalf  went  on  with  the  tale,  until  he  came  to  the  fight  in  the  dark,  the 
discovery  of  the  lower  gate,  and  their  horror  when  they  found  that  Mr.  Baggins 
had been mislaid. 
"We  counted  ourselves  and  found  that  there  was  no  hobbit.  There  were  only 
fourteen of us left!" 
"Fourteen!  That's  the  first  time  I've  heard  one  from  ten  leave  fourteen.  You 
mean nine, or else you haven't told me yet all the names of your party." 
"Well, of course you haven't seen Oin and Gloin yet. And, bless me! here they 
are. I hope you will forgive them for bothering you." 
"O  let  'em all come! Hurry up! Come along, you  two, and sit down! But  look


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"Well  to  tell you  the  truth,  I did not  like  to bother you with a  lot of us, until  I 
found out if you were busy. I will give a call, if I may." 
"Go on, call away!" 
So  Gandalf  gave  a  long  shrill  whistle,  and  presently  Thorin  and  Dori  came 
round the house by the garden path and stood bowing low before them. 
"One or three you meant, I see!" said Beorn. "But these aren't hobbits, they are 
dwarves!" 
"Thorin  Oakenshield,  at  your  service!  Dori  at  your  service!"  said  the  two 
dwarves bowing again. 
"I  don't  need  your  service,  thank  you,"  said  Beorn,  "but  I  expect  you  need 
mine.  I  am  not  over  fond  of  dwarves;  but  if  it  is  true  you  are  Thorin  (son  of 
Thrain, son of  Thror,  I believe), and  that your companion  is  respectable, and  that 
you  are  enemies  of  goblins  and  are  not  up  to  any  mischief  in  my  lands-what are 
you up to, by the way?"


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####-Some  of  the  verses  were  like  this,  but  there  were  many  more,  and  their  singing 
went on for a long while:


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is  all  that  there  were  up  the  trees.  Now  perhaps  we  can  finish  this  story  without 
any more interruptions." Mr. Baggins saw then how clever Gandalf had been. The 
interruptions had really made Beorn more interested in the story, and the story had 
kept  him  from  sending  the  dwarves off  at once  like  suspicious beggars. He never 
invited people into his house, if he could help it. He had very few friends and they 
lived  a  good  way  away;  and  he  never  invited  more  than  a  couple  of  these  to  his 
house at a time. Now he had got fifteen strangers sitting in his porch! 
By  the  time  the wizard had  finished his  tale  and had  told of  the  eagles'  rescue 
and of how they had all been brought to the Carrock, the sun had fallen behind the 
peaks of the Misty Mountains and the shadows were long in Beorn's garden. 
"A  very  good  tale!"  said  he.  "The  best  I  have  heard  for  a  long  while.  If  all


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lots of goods? Or do you always call six a troop?" 
"O  no!  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  were  more  than  six  ponies,  for  there  were 
more  than  six  of  us-and well,  here  are  two more!"  Just  at  that moment Balin  and 
Dwalin appeared and bowed so low that their beards swept the stone floor. The big 
man was frowning at first, but  they did  their very best  to be frightfully polite, and 
kept  on  nodding  and  bending  and  bowing  and  waving  their  hoods  before  their 
knees  (in  proper  dwarf-fashion),  till  he  stopped  frowning  and  burst  into  a 
chuckling laugh; they looked so comical. 
"Troop, was  right,"  he  said.  "A  fine  comic  one.  Come  in my merry men,  and 
what  are  your  names?  I  don't  want  your  service  just  now,  only  your  names;  and 
then sit down and stop wagging!"


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in  rolling  round  drum-shaped  sections  of  logs,  smoothed  and  polished,  and  low 
enough  even  for Bilbo;  so  soon  they were  all  seated  at Beorn's  table,  and  the hall 
had not seen such a gathering for many a year.  
There  they  had  a  supper, or  a dinner,  such  as  they had not had  since  they  left 
the Last Homely House  in  the West and  said good-bye to Elrond. The light of the 
torches  and  the  fire  flickered  about  them,  and  on  the  table  were  two  tall  red 
beeswax candles. All the time they ate, Beorn in his deep rolling voice told tales of 
the  wild  lands  on  this  side  of  the  mountains,  and  especially  of  the  dark  and 
dangerous wood,  that  lay  outstretched  far  to North  and  South  a  day's  ride  before 
them, barring their way to the East, the terrible forest of Mirkwood. 
The  dwarves  listened  and  shook  their  beards,  for  they  knew  that  they  must


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"You had better wait here," said the wizard to the dwarves; "and when I call or 
whistle  begin  to  come  after  me —  you  will  see  the  way  I  go-but  only  in  pairs, 
mind, about  five minutes between each pair of you. Bombur  is  fattest  and will do 
for two, he had better come alone and last. Come on Mr. Baggins! There is a gate 
somewhere round this way." And with that he went off along the hedge taking the 
frightened hobbit with him.


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again,"  said  Beorn.  "Well,  now  I  know  who  you  are,  or  who  you  say  you  are. 
What do you want?" 
"To  tell  you  the  truth, we  have  lost  our  luggage  and  nearly  lost  our way,  and 
are  rather  in need of help, or  at  least  advice.  I may  say we have had  rather  a bad 
time with goblins in the mountains."


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you  are  enemies  of  goblins  and  are  not  up  to  any  mischief  in  my  lands-what are 
you up to, by the way?" 
"They  are  on  their  way  to  visit  the  land  of  their  fathers,  away  east  beyond 
Mirkwood,"  put  in  Gandalf,  "and  it  is  entirely  an  accident  that  we  are  in  your


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are. I hope you will forgive them for bothering you." 
"O  let  'em all come! Hurry up! Come along, you  two, and sit down! But  look 
here, Gandalf, even now we have only got yourself and ten dwarves and the hobbit 
that was  lost. That  only makes  eleven  (plus  one mislaid) and not fourteen, unless 
wizards  count  differently  to  other  people.  But  now  please  get  on  with  the  tale." 
Beorn did not show it more than he could help, but really he had begun to get very 
interested. You  see,  in  the  old  days  he  had  known  the  very  part of  the mountains 
that  Gandalf  was  describing.  He  nodded  and  he  growled,  when  he  heard  of  the 
hobbit's  reappearance  and  of  their  scramble  down  the  stone-slide  and  of  the wolf-
ring m the woods. When Gandalf came to their climbing into trees with the wolves 
all underneath, he got up and strode about and muttered: 
"I wish I had been there! I would have given them more than fireworks!"


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####-The wind was on the withered heath, 
but in the forest stirred no leaf: 
there shadows lay by night and day,  
and dark things silent crept beneath. 
The wind came down from mountains cold, 
and like a tide it roared and rolled; 
the branches groaned, the forest moaned, 
and leaves were laid upon the mould. 
 
The wind went on from West to East ;  
all movement in the forest ceased, 
but shrill and harsh across the marsh  
its whistling voices were released. 
 
The grasses hissed, their tassels bent, 
the reeds were rattling-on it went 
o' er shaken pool under heavens cool 
where racing clouds were torn and rent. 
 
It passed the lonely Mountain bare  
and swept above the dragon's lair :  
there black and dark lay boulders stark 
and flying smoke was in the air.  
 
It left the world and took its flight 
over the wide seas of the night. 
The moon set sail upon the gale, 
and stars were fanned to leaping light.


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peaks of the Misty Mountains and the shadows were long in Beorn's garden. 
"A  very  good  tale!"  said  he.  "The  best  I  have  heard  for  a  long  while.  If  all 
beggars  could  tell  such  a  good  one,  they  might  find  me  kinder.  You  may  be 
making  it  all  up,  of  course,  but  you  deserve  a  supper  for  the  story  all  the  same. 
Let's have something to eat!" 
"Yes, please!" they all said together. "Thank you very much!" 
Inside  the  hall  it was  now  quite  dark. Beorn  clapped  his  hands,  and  in  trotted 
four  beautiful  white  ponies  and  several  large  long-bodied  grey  dogs.  Beorn  said 
something  to  them  in  a  queer  language  like  animal  noises  turned  into  talk.  They 
went  out  again  and  soon  came  back  carrying  torches  in  their mouths, which  they 
lit  at  the  fire  and  stuck  in  low brackets on  the pillars of  the hall  about  the  central 
hearth.


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####-"I have been picking out bear-tracks," he said at last. "There must have been a 
regular  bears'  meeting  outside  here  last  night.  I  soon  saw  that  Beorn  could  not 
have  made  them  all:  there  were  far  too many  of  them,  and  they  were  of  various 
sizes  too.  I  should  say  there  were  little  bears,  large  bears,  ordinary  bears,  and 
gigantic big bears, all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn. They came from 
almost every direction, except from the west over the river, from the Mountains. In 
that  direction  only  one  set  of  footprints  led-none  coming,  only  ones  going  away 
from here. 
I  followed  these  as  far  as  the  Carrock.  There  they  disappeared  into  the  river, 
but  the water was  too  deep  and  strong  beyond  the  rock  for me  to  cross.  It  is  easy 
enough, as you remember, to get from this bank to the Carrock by the ford, but on


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####-with his funny stories; nor did they have to wonder long where he had been or why 
he  was  so  nice  to  them,  for he  told  them himself. He had been over  the  river  and 
right  back  up  into  the  mountains-from  which  you  can  guess  that  he  could  travel 
quickly,  in bear's  shape  at  any  rate. From  the burnt wolf-glade he had soon found 
out  that  part  of  their  story  was  true;  but  he  had  found  more  than  that:  he  had 
caught a Warg and a goblin wandering in the woods. From these he had got news: 
the  goblin  patrols  were  still  hunting  with  Wargs  for  the  dwarves,  and  they  were 
fiercely  angry  because  of  the  death  of  the  Great  Goblin,  and  also  because  of  the 
burning of the chief wolf's nose and the death from the wizard's fire of many of his 
chief  servants. So much  they  told him when he  forced  them, but he guessed  there 
was  more  wickedness  than  this  afoot,  and  that  a  great  raid  of  the  whole  goblin


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all underneath, he got up and strode about and muttered: 
"I wish I had been there! I would have given them more than fireworks!" 
"Well,"  said  Gandalf  very  glad  to  see  that  his  tale  was  making  a  good 
impression,  "I  did  the  best  I  could.  There  we  were  with  the  wolves  going  mad


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them, barring their way to the East, the terrible forest of Mirkwood. 
The  dwarves  listened  and  shook  their  beards,  for  they  knew  that  they  must 
soon  venture  into  that  forest  and  that  after  the mountains  it  was  the  worst  of  the 
perils  they  had  to  pass  before  they  came  to  the  dragon's  stronghold. When  dinner 
was  over  they  began  to  tell  tales  of  their  own,  but  Beorn  seemed  to  be  growing 
drowsy  and  paid  little  heed  to  them.  They  spoke  most  of  gold  and  silver  and 
jewels  and  the making  of  things  by  smith-craft,  and Beorn did not  appear  to  care 
for  such  things:  there were no things of gold or silver in his hall, and few save the 
knives were made of metal at all. 
They  sat  long  at  the  table with  their wooden  drinking-bowls filled with mead. 
The dark night came on outside. The fires in the middle of the hall were built with


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####-There  was  a  growling  sound  outside,  and  a  noise  as  of  some  great  animal 
scuffling  at  the  door. Bilbo .wondered what it was, and whether it could be Beorn 
in enchanted shape, and if he would come in as a bear and kill them. 
He  dived  under  the  blankets  and  hid  his  head,  and  fell  asleep  again  at  last  in 
spite of his fears. 
It was full morning when he awoke. One of the dwarves had fallen over him in 
the shadows where he lay, and had rolled down with a bump from the platform on 
to  the  floor.  It was Bofur,  and he was grumbling  about  it, when Bilbo opened his 
eyes. 
"Get up lazybones," he said, "or there will be no breakfast left for you." 
Up jumped Bilbo. "Breakfast!" he cried. "Where is breakfast?" 
"Mostly  inside us,"  answered  the other dwarves who were moving  around  the 
hall; "but what is left is out on the veranda. We have been about looking for Beorn


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####-food.  The  time  is  not  yet  come  for  nuts  (though  it may  be  past  and  gone  indeed 
before  you  get  to  the  other  side),  and  nuts  are  about  all  that  grows  there  fit  for 
food;  in  there  the wild  things are dark, queer, and savage. I will provide you with 
skins  for  carrying water,  and  I will give you  some bows  and  arrows. But  I doubt 
very much whether anything you find in Mirkwood will be wholesome to eat or to 
drink. There is one stream there, I know, black and strong which crosses the path. 
That  you  should  neither  drink  of,  nor  bathe  in;  for  I  have  heard  that  it  carries 
enchantment and a great drowsiness and forgetfulness. And in the dim shadows of 
that  place  I  don't  think  you  will  shoot  anything,  wholesome  or  unwholesome, 
without straying from the path. That you MUST NOT do, for any reason. "That is 
all  the  advice  I  can  give  you.  Beyond  the  edge  of  the  forest  I  cannot  help  you


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Bilbo  began  to  nod  again.  Suddenly  up  stood  Gandalf.  "It  is  time  for  us  to 
sleep,"  be  said,  "—for us, but not I think for Beorn. In this hall we can rest sound 
and  safe,  but  I  warn  you  all  not  to  forget what  Beorn  said  before  he  left  us:  you 
must not stray outside until the sun is up, on your peril." 
Bilbo found that beds had already been laid at the side of the hall, on a sort of 
raised  platform  between  the  pillars  and  the  outer  wall.  For  him  there was  a  little 
mattress  of  straw  and  woollen  blankets.  He  snuggled  into  them  very  gladly, 
summertime though it was. The fire burned low and he fell asleep. Yet in the night 
he woke: the fire had now sunk to a few embers; the dwarves and Gandalf were all 
asleep,  to  judge  by  their  breathing;  a  splash  of  white  on  the  floor  came  from  the 
high moon, which was peering down through the smoke-hole in the roof.


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but  the water was  too  deep  and  strong  beyond  the  rock  for me  to  cross.  It  is  easy 
enough, as you remember, to get from this bank to the Carrock by the ford, but on 
the  other  side  is  a  cliff  standing  up  from  a  swirling  channel.  I  had  to  walk miles 
before  I  found  a  place  where  the  river  was  wide  and  shallow  enough  for  me  to 
wade  and  swim,  and  then  miles  back  again  to  pick  up  the  tracks  again.  By  that 
time  it  was  too  late  for  me  to  follow  them  far.  They  went  straight  off  in  the 
direction of the pine-woods on the east side of the Misty Mountains, where we had 
our  pleasant  little  party  with  the  Wargs  the  night  before  last.  And  now  I  think  I 
have  answered  your  first  question,  too,"  ended  Gandalf,  and  he  sat  a  long  while 
silent. 
Bilbo  thought  he  knew what  the wizard meant.  "What  shall we  do,"  he  cried,


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went  out  again  and  soon  came  back  carrying  torches  in  their mouths, which  they 
lit  at  the  fire  and  stuck  in  low brackets on  the pillars of  the hall  about  the  central 
hearth. 
The  dogs  could  stand  on  their  hind-legs  when  they  wished,  and  carry  things 
with  their  fore-feet.  Quickly  they  got  out  boards  and  trestles  from  the  side  walls 
and set them up near the fire. 
Then  baa-baa-baa!  was  heard,  and  in  came  some  snow-white  sheep  led  by  a 
large  coal-black  ram.  One  bore  a  white  cloth  embroidered  at  the  edges  with


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chief  servants. So much  they  told him when he  forced  them, but he guessed  there 
was  more  wickedness  than  this  afoot,  and  that  a  great  raid  of  the  whole  goblin 
army with  their wolf-allies  into  the  lands  shadowed by  the mountains might  soon 
be made  to  find  the  dwarves,  or  to  take  vengeance  on  the men  and  creatures  that 
lived there, and who they thought must be sheltering them. 
"It was  a  good  story,  that of yours," said Beorn, "but I like it still better now I 
am sure it is true. You must forgive my not taking your word. If you lived near the 
edge of Mirkwood, you would  take  the word of no one  that you did not know  as 
well  as  your  brother  or  better. As  it is, I can only say that I have hurried home as 
fast  as  I  could  to  see  that  you  were  safe,  and  to  offer  you  any  help  that  I  can.  I 
shall  think more  kindly  of  dwarves  after  this. Killed  the Great Goblin,  killed  the


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They  sat  long  at  the  table with  their wooden  drinking-bowls filled with mead. 
The dark night came on outside. The fires in the middle of the hall were built with 
fresh logs and the torches were put out, and still they sat in the light of the dancing 
flames with  the pillars of  the house standing  tall behind  them, arid dark at  the  top 
like  trees  of  the  forest.  Whether  it  was  magic  or  not,  it  seemed  to  Bilbo  that he 
heard  a  sound  like  wind  in  the  branches  stirring  in  the  rafters,  and  the  hoot  of 
owls.  Soon  he  began  to  nod  with  sleep  and  the  voices  seemed  to  grow  far  away, 
until he woke with a start. 
The great door had creaked and slammed. Beorn was gone. The dwarves were 
sitting  cross-legged  on  the  floor  round  the  fire,  and  presently  they  began  to  sing.


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####-North  of  the Carrock  the  edge  of Mirkwood  drew  closer  to  the  borders  of  the 
Great River, and though here the Mountains too drew down nearer, Beorn advised 
them to take this way; for at a place a few days' ride due north of the Carrock was 
the  gate  of  a  little-known  pathway  through  Mirkwood  that  led  almost  straight 
towards the Lonely Mountain. 
"The  goblins,"  Beorn  had  said,  "will  not  dare  to  cross  the  Great  River  for  a 
hundred  miles  north  of  the  Carrock  nor  to  come  near  my  house  –  it  is  well 
protected  at  night!–  but  I  should  ride  fast;  for  if  they  make  their  raid  soon  they 
will cross the river to the south  and scour all the edge of the forest so as to cut you 
off,  and  Wargs  run  swifter  than  ponies.  Still  you  are  safer  going  north,  even 
though you seem to be going back nearer to their strongholds; for that is what they


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"Mostly  inside us,"  answered  the other dwarves who were moving  around  the 
hall; "but what is left is out on the veranda. We have been about looking for Beorn 
ever  since  the  sun got up; but  there  is no  sign of him anywhere,  though we  found 
breakfast laid as soon as we went out." 
"Where is Gandalf?" asked Bilbo, moving off to find something to eat as quick 
as he could. 
"O!  out  and  about  somewhere,"  they  told  him.  But  he  saw  no  sign  of  the 
wizard  all  that  day  until  the  evening.  Just  before  sunset  he  walked  into  the  hall, 
where  the  hobbit  and  the  dwarves  were  having  supper,  waited  on  by  Beorn's 
wonderful  animals,  as  they  had  been  all  day.  Of  Beorn  they  had  seen  and  heard 
nothing since the night before, and they were getting puzzled. 
"Where is our host, and where have you been all day yourself?" they all cried. 
"One  question  at  a  time-and  none  till  after  supper!  I  haven't  had  a  bite  since


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without straying from the path. That you MUST NOT do, for any reason. "That is 
all  the  advice  I  can  give  you.  Beyond  the  edge  of  the  forest  I  cannot  help  you 
much;  you must  depend  on  your  luck  and  your  courage  and  the  food  I  send with 
you. At the gate of the forest I must ask you to send back my horse and my ponies. 
But I wish you all speed, and my house is open to you, if ever you come back this 
way again." 
They  thanked  him,  of  course,  with  many  bows  and  sweepings  of  their  hoods 
and with many an "at your service, O master of the wide wooden halls!" But their 
spirits  sank  at  his  grave  words,  and  they  all  felt  that  the  adventure  was  far more 
dangerous  than  they  had  thought,  while  all  the  time,  even  if  they  passed  all  the 
perils of the road, the dragon was waiting at the end. 
All that morning they were busy with preparations. Soon after midday they ate


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####-Next day they started before dawn, though their night had been short. As soon 
as it was light they could see the forest coming as it were to meet them, or waiting 
for  them  like a black and  frowning wall before  them. The  land began  to  slope up 
and  up,  and  it  seemed  to  the  hobbit  that  a  silence  began  to  draw  in  upon  them. 
Birds  began  to  sing  less.  There  were  no  more  deer;  not  even  rabbits  were  to  be 
seen. By  the  afternoon they had reached the eaves of Mirkwood, and were resting 
almost beneath  the great overhanging boughs of  its outer  trees. Their  trunks were 
huge  and  gnarled,  their  branches  twisted,  their  leaves  were  dark  and  long.  Ivy 
grew on them and trailed along the ground. 
"Well,  here  is  Mirkwood!"  said  Gandalf.  "The  greatest  of  the  forests  of  the 
Northern  world.  I  hope  you  like  the  look  of  it.  Now  you  must  send  back  these 
excellent ponies you have borrowed."


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####-Company! This  is  your  expedition  after  all. Think  of  the  treasure  at  the  end,  and 
forget the forest and the dragon, at any rate until tomorrow morning!" 
When tomorrow morning came he still said the same. 
So  now  there  was  nothing  left  to  do  but  to  fill  their  water-skins  at  a  clear 
spring they found close to the forest-gate, and unpack the ponies. They distributed 
the  packages  as  fairly  as  they  could,  though  Bilbo  thought  his  lot  was 
wearisomely heavy, and did not at all like  the idea of trudging for miles and miles 
with all that on his back. 
"Don't you worry!" said Thorin. "It will get  lighter all  too soon. Before  long  I 
expect we shall all wish our packs heavier, when the food begins to run short." 
Then  at  last  they  said  good-bye  to  their  ponies  and  turned  their  heads  for 
home.  Off  they  trotted  gaily,  seeming  very  glad  to  put  their  tails  towards  the


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fast  as  I  could  to  see  that  you  were  safe,  and  to  offer  you  any  help  that  I  can.  I 
shall  think more  kindly  of  dwarves  after  this. Killed  the Great Goblin,  killed  the 
Great Goblin!" he chuckled fiercely to himself. 
"What did you do with the goblin and the Warg?" asked Bilbo suddenly.  
"Come  and  see!"  said  Beorn,  and  they  followed  round  the  house.  A  goblin's 
head was  stuck  outside  the  gate  and  a warg-skin was nailed to a tree just beyond. 
Beorn  was  a  fierce  enemy.  But  now  he  was  their  friend,  and  Gandalf  thought  it 
wise  to  tell  him  their  whole  story  and  the  reason  of  their  journey,  so  that  they 
could get the most help he could offer.  
This is what he promised to do for them. He would provide ponies for each of 
them,  and  a  horse  for Gandalf,  for  their  journey  to  the  forest,  and  he would  lade 
them with food to last them for weeks with care, and packed so as to be as easy as


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off,  and  Wargs  run  swifter  than  ponies.  Still  you  are  safer  going  north,  even 
though you seem to be going back nearer to their strongholds; for that is what they 
will  least  expect,  and  they  will  have  the  longer  ride  to  catch  you.  Be  off  now  as 
quick as you may!" 
That  is  why  they  were  now  riding  in  silence,  galloping  wherever  the  ground 
was grassy and  smooth, with  the mountains dark on  their  left, and  in  the distance 
the line of the river with its trees drawing ever closer. The sun had only just turned 
west  when  they  started,  and  till  evening  it  lay  golden  on  the  land  about  them.  It 
was  difficult  to  think  of  pursuing  goblins  behind,  and  when  they  had  put  many 
miles between them and Beorn's house they began to talk and to sing again and to 
forget  the  dark  forest-path  that  lay  in  front.  But  in  the  evening  when  the  dusk


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have  answered  your  first  question,  too,"  ended  Gandalf,  and  he  sat  a  long  while 
silent. 
Bilbo  thought  he  knew what  the wizard meant.  "What  shall we  do,"  he  cried, 
"if  he  leads  all  the Wargs  and  the  goblins  down  here? We  shall  all  be  caught  and 
killed! I thought you said he was not 9 friend of theirs." 
"So I did. And don't be silly! You had better go to bed, your wits are sleepy." 
The hobbit felt quite crushed, and as there seemed nothing else to do he did go 
to  bed;  and  while  the  dwarves  were  still  singing  songs  he  dropped  asleep,  still 
puzzling his little head about Beorn, till he dreamed a dream of hundreds of black 
bears  dancing  slow  heavy  dances  round  and  round  in  the  moonlight  in  the 
courtyard.  Then  he  woke  up  when  everyone  else  was  asleep,  and  he  heard  the 
same  scraping,  scuffling,  snuffling,  and  growling  as  before.  Next  morning  they 
were all wakened by Beorn himself.


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perils of the road, the dragon was waiting at the end. 
All that morning they were busy with preparations. Soon after midday they ate 
with  Beorn  for  the  last  time,  and  after  the  meal  they  mounted  the  steeds  he  was 
lending  them, and bidding him many  farewells  they  rode off  through his gate at a 
good pace. 
As  soon as  they  left his high hedges at  the east of his  fenced lands they turned 
north  and  then  bore  to  the  north-west. By his  advice  they were no  longer making 
for  the main  forest-road to the south of his land. Had they followed the pass, their 
path  would  have  led  them  down  the  stream  from  the  mountains  that  joined  the 
great  river miles  south  of  the Carrock. At  that  point  there was  a  deep  ford which 
they might have passed,  if  they had  still had  their ponies, and beyond  that a  track 
led  to  the  skirts of  the wood and  to  the entrance of  the old  forest  road. But Beorn


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"Where is our host, and where have you been all day yourself?" they all cried. 
"One  question  at  a  time-and  none  till  after  supper!  I  haven't  had  a  bite  since 
breakfast." 
At  last  Gandalf  pushed  away  his  plate  and  jug  —  he  had  eaten  two  whole 
loaves  (with masses  of  butter  and  honey  and  clotted  cream)  and  drunk  at  least  a 
quart  of mead  and  he  took  out  his  pipe.  "I will  answer  the  second  question  first," 
he said, "-but bless me! this is a splendid place for smoke rings!" Indeed for a long 
time they could get nothing more out of him, he was so busy sending smoke-rings 
dodging  round  the  pillars  of  the  hall,  changing  them  into  all  sorts  of  different 
shapes and colours, and setting  them at  last chasing one another out of the hole in 
the roof. 
They must have  looked very queer  from outside, popping out  into  the  air one 
after another, green, blue, red, silver-grey, yellow, white; big ones, little ones; little


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Northern  world.  I  hope  you  like  the  look  of  it.  Now  you  must  send  back  these 
excellent ponies you have borrowed." 
The  dwarves  were  inclined  to  grumble  at  this,  but  the  wizard  told  them  they 
were  fools. "Beorn  is not as  far off as you seem  to  think, and you had better keep 
your promises  anyway,  for he  is  a bad  enemy. Mr. Baggins'  eyes  are  sharper  than 
yours,  if you have not seen each night after dark a great bear going along with us 
or sitting far of in the moon watching our camps. Not only to guard you and guide 
you, but to keep an eye on the ponies too. Beorn may be your friend, but he loves 
his animals as his children. You do not guess what kindness he has  shown you  in 
letting dwarves ride them so far and so fast, nor what would happen to you, if you 
tried to take them into the forest." 
"What  about  the  horse,  then?"  said  Thorin.  "You  don't  mention  sending  that 
back." 
"I don't, because I am not sending it."


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Then  at  last  they  said  good-bye  to  their  ponies  and  turned  their  heads  for 
home.  Off  they  trotted  gaily,  seeming  very  glad  to  put  their  tails  towards  the 
shadow of Mirkwood. As they went away Bilbo could have sworn that a thing like 
a bear left the shadow of the trees and shambled off quickly after them. 
Now Gandalf  too  said  farewell. Bilbo  sat on  the ground  feeling very unhappy 
and wishing he was beside the wizard on his tall horse. He had gone just inside the 
forest  after  breakfast  (a  very  poor  one),  and  it  had  seemed  as  dark  in  there  in  the 
morning  as  at  night,  and  very  secret:  "a  sort  of watching  and waiting  feeling,"  he 
said to himself. 
"Good-bye!"  said  Gandalf  to  Thorin.  "And  good-bye  to  you  all,  good-bye! 
Straight through the forest is your way now. Don't stray off the track!-if you do, it 
is  a  thousand  to one you will never  find  it  again  and never get out of Mirkwood;


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same  scraping,  scuffling,  snuffling,  and  growling  as  before.  Next  morning  they 
were all wakened by Beorn himself. 
"So here you all are still!" he said. He picked up the hobbit and laughed: "Not 
eaten  up  by  Wargs  or  goblins  or  wicked  bears  yet  I  see";  and  he  poked  Mr. 
Baggins' waistcoat most disrespectfully. "Little bunny is getting nice and fat again 
on bread and honey," he chuckled. "Come and have some more!" 
 
So  they  all  went  to  breakfast  with  him.  Beorn  was  most  jolly  for  a  change; 
indeed  he  seemed  to  be  in  a  splendidly  good  humour  and  set  them  all  laughing


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them,  and  a  horse  for Gandalf,  for  their  journey  to  the  forest,  and  he would  lade 
them with food to last them for weeks with care, and packed so as to be as easy as 
possible to carry-nuts, flour, sealed jars of dried fruits, and red earthenware pots of 
honey,  and twice-baked cakes that would keep good a long time, and on a little of 
which they could march far. The making of these was one of his secrets; but honey 
was in them, as in most of his foods, and they were good to eat, though they made 
one  thirsty. Water, he said, they would not need to carry this side of the forest, for 
there were streams and springs along  the road. "But your way  through Mirkwood 
is  dark,  dangerous  and  difficult,"  he  said.  "Water  is  not  easy  to  find  there,  nor


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miles between them and Beorn's house they began to talk and to sing again and to 
forget  the  dark  forest-path  that  lay  in  front.  But  in  the  evening  when  the  dusk 
came on and  the peaks of  the mountains glowered against  the  sunset  they made a 
camp and set a guard, and most of them slept uneasily with dreams in which there 
came  the  howl  of  hunting wolves  and  the  cries  of  goblins.  Still  the  next morning 
dawned bright and fair again. 
There  was  an  autumn-like mist  white  upon  the  ground  and  the  air  was  chill, 
but  soon  the  sun  rose  red  in  the  East  and  the  mists  vanished,  and  while  the 
shadows were still long they were off again. So they rode now for two more days, 
and all  the while  they saw nothing save grass and  flowers and birds and scattered 
trees,  and  occasionally  small  herds  of  red  deer  browsing  or  sitting  at noon  in  the


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####-sorcerer. I don't advise you to go anywhere near the places overlooked by his dark 
tower! Stick  to  the  forest-track, keep your spirits up, hope for the best, and with a 
tremendous  slice  of  luck  you  may  come  out  one  day  and  see  the  Long  Marshes 
lying  below  you,  and  beyond  them,  high  in  the East,  the Lonely Mountain where 
dear old Smaug lives, though I hope he is not expecting you." 
"Very  comforting  you  are  to  be  sure,"  growled  Thorin.  "Good-bye!  If  you 
won't come with us, you had better get off without any more talk!" 
"Good-bye  then,  and  really  good-bye!"  said  Gandalf,  and  he  turned  his  horse 
and  rode  down  into  the West.  But  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  have  the 
last word. Before he had passed quite out of hearing he turned and put his hands to 
his mouth  and  called  to  them. They  heard  his  voice  come  faintly:  "Good-bye! Be 
good, take care of yourselves-and DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!"


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the roof. 
They must have  looked very queer  from outside, popping out  into  the  air one 
after another, green, blue, red, silver-grey, yellow, white; big ones, little ones; little 
ones dodging  through big ones  and  joining  into  figure-eights, and going off like a 
flock of birds into the distance.


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they might have passed,  if  they had  still had  their ponies, and beyond  that a  track 
led  to  the  skirts of  the wood and  to  the entrance of  the old  forest  road. But Beorn 
had  warned  them  that  that  way  was  now  often  used  by  the  goblins,  while  the 
forest-road itself, he bad heard, was overgrown and disused at the eastern end and 
led  to  impassable marshes where  the paths had  long been  lost.  Its eastern opening 
had also always been far to the south of the Lonely Mountain, and would have left 
them  still  with  a  long  and  difficult  northward  march  when  they  got  to  the  other 
side.


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tried to take them into the forest." 
"What  about  the  horse,  then?"  said  Thorin.  "You  don't  mention  sending  that 
back." 
"I don't, because I am not sending it." 
"What about your promise then?" 
"I will look after that. I am not sending the horse back, I am riding it!" 
Then  they  knew  that  Gandalf  was  going  to  leave  them  at  the  very  edge  of 
Mirkwood, and they were in despair.  
But nothing they could say would change his mind. 
"Now we had this all out before, when we landed on the Carrock," he said. "It 
is no use arguing. I have, as I  told you, some pressing business away south; and I 
am already late through bothering with you people. We may meet again before all 
is  over,  and  then  again of  course we may not. That depends on your  luck  and on 
your courage and  sense; and  I am  sending Mr. Baggins with you.  I have  told you 
before  that  he  has  more  about  him  than  you  guess,  and  you  will  find  that  out


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####-is  not  true  to  say  that  they  could  see  nothing:  they  could  see  eyes. They  slept  all 
closely  huddled  together,  and  took  it  in  turns  to  watch;  and  when  it  was  Bilbo's 
turn  he  would  see  gleams  in  the  darkness  round  them,  and  sometimes  pairs  of 
yellow  or  red  or  green  eyes  would  stare  at  him  from  a  little  distance,  and  then 
slowly  fade  and  disappear  and  slowly  shine  out  again  in  another  place.  And 
sometimes  they  would  gleam  down  from  the  branches  just  above  him;  and  that 
was most terrifying. But the eyes that he liked the least were horrible pale bulbous 
sort  of  eyes.  "Insect  eyes"  he  thought,  "not  animal  eyes,  only  they  are  much  too 
big." 
Although  it was  not  yet  very  cold,  they  tried  lighting watch-fires at night, but 
they  soon  gave  that  up.  It  seemed  to  bring  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  eyes  all


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####-"Not at all far. I shouldn't think above twelve yards." 
"Twelve  yards!  I  should  have  thought  it was  thirty  at  least,  but my  eyes  don't 
see  as  well  as  they  used  a  hundred  years  ago.  Still  twelve  yards  is  as  good  as  a 
mile. We can't jump it, and we daren't try to wade or swim." 
"Can any of you throw a rope?" 
"What's the good of that? The boat is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook 
it, which I doubt." 
"I  don't  believe  it  is  tied,"  said Bilbo,  "though of  course  I  can't be  sure  in  this 
light;  but  it  looks  to me  as  if  it was  just  drawn  up  on  the  bank, which  is  low  just 
there where the path goes down into the water." 
"Dori is the strongest, but Fili is the youngest and still  has the best sight," said 
Thorin.  "Come  here  Fili,  and  see  if  you  can  see  the  boat  Mr.  Baggins  is  talking 
about." 
Fili thought he could; so when he had stared a long while to get an idea of the


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Straight through the forest is your way now. Don't stray off the track!-if you do, it 
is  a  thousand  to one you will never  find  it  again  and never get out of Mirkwood; 
and then I don't suppose I, or any one else, will ever see you again." 
"Do we really have to go through?" groaned the hobbit. 
"Yes, you do!" said the wizard, "if  you want to get to the other side. You must 
either go through or give up your quest. And I am not going to allow you to back 
out  now,  Mr.  Baggins.  I  am  ashamed  of  you  for  thinking  of  it.  You  have  got  to 
look after all these dwarves for me," he laughed. 
"No! no!" said Bilbo. "I didn't mean that. I meant, is there no way round?" 
"There is, if you care to go two hundred miles or so out of your way north, and 
twice  that  south.  But  you  wouldn't  get  a  safe  path  even  then.  There  are  no  safe 
paths  in  this part of  the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now,


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They  walked  in  single  file.  The  entrance  to  the  path  was  like  a  sort  of  arch 
leading  into  a  gloomy  tunnel made  by  two  great  trees  that  leant  together,  too  old 
and  strangled  with  ivy  and  hung  with  lichen  to  bear  more  than  a  few  blackened 
leaves. The  path  itself was  narrow and wound in and out among the trunks. Soon 
the  light  at  the  gate  was  like  a  little  bright  hole  far  behind,  and  the  quiet  was  so 
deep that their feet seemed to thump along while all the trees leaned over them and 
listened. As  theft  eyes  became  used  to  the  dimness  they  could  see  a  little way  to 
either  side  in  a  sort  of  darkened  green  glimmer.  Occasionally  a  slender  beam  of 
sun  that had  the  luck  to slip  in  through some opening  in  the  leaves far above, and 
still  more  luck  in  not  being  caught  in  the  tangled  boughs  and  matted  twigs


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and all  the while  they saw nothing save grass and  flowers and birds and scattered 
trees,  and  occasionally  small  herds  of  red  deer  browsing  or  sitting  at noon  in  the 
shade.  Sometimes  Bilbo  saw  the  horns  of  the  harts  sticking  up  out  of  the  long 
grass,  and  at  first  he  thought  they  were  the  dead  branches  of  trees.  That  third 
evening  they were so eager  to press on,  for Beorn had said  that  they should  reach 
the  forest-gate  early  on  the  fourth  day,  that  they  rode  still  forward  after  dusk  and 
into  the night beneath  the moon. As  the  light faded Bilbo  thought he saw away  to 
the  right,  or  to  the  left,  the  shadowy  form  of  a  great  bear  prowling  along  in  the 
same  direction.  But  if  he  dared  to  mention  it  to  Gandalf,  the  wizard  only  said: 
"Hush! Take no notice!"


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####-"Who'll cross first?" asked Bilbo. 
"I  shall,"  said Thorin,  "and  you will come with me, and Fili and Balin. That's 
as  many  as  the  boat  will  hold  at  a  time.  After  that  Kili  and  Oin  and  Gloin  and 
Don; next On and Nori, Bifur and Bofur; and last Dwalin and Bombur." 
"I'm  always  last  and  I  don't  like  it,"  said  Bombur.  "It's  somebody  else's  turn 
today." 
"You  should  not  be  so  fat. As  you  are,  you must  be with  the  last  and  lightest 
boatload.  Don't  start  grumbling  against  orders,  or  something  bad  will  happen  to 
you." 
"There  aren't  any  oars.  How  are  you  going  to  push  the  boat  back  to  the  far 
bank?" asked the hobbit. 
"Give me  another  length  of  rope  and  another  hook,"  said  Fili,  and when  they 
had got  it  ready, he cast  into  the darkness ahead and as high as he could  throw  it. 
Since  it did not  fall down again,  they saw  that  it must have stuck in the branches.


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your courage and  sense; and  I am  sending Mr. Baggins with you.  I have  told you 
before  that  he  has  more  about  him  than  you  guess,  and  you  will  find  that  out 
before  long.  So  cheer  up  Bilbo  and  don't  look  so  glum.  Cheer  up  Thorin  and


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his mouth  and  called  to  them. They  heard  his  voice  come  faintly:  "Good-bye! Be 
good, take care of yourselves-and DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!" 
Then he galloped away and was soon lost to sight. "O good-bye and go away!" 
grunted  the  dwarves,  all  the  more  angry  because  they  were  really  filled  with 
dismay at losing him. Now began the most dangerous part of all the journey.  
They  each  shouldered  the  heavy  pack  and  the  water-skin  which  was  their 
share, and turned from the light that lay on the lands outside and plunged into the 
forest.


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big." 
Although  it was  not  yet  very  cold,  they  tried  lighting watch-fires at night, but 
they  soon  gave  that  up.  It  seemed  to  bring  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  eyes  all 
round  them,  though  the  creatures,  whatever  they  were,  were  careful  never  to  let 
their bodies show in the little flicker of the flames. Worse still it brought thousands 
of  dark-grey  and  black  moths,  some  nearly  as  big  as  your  hand,  flapping  and 
whirring  round their ears. They could not stand that, nor the huge bats, black as a 
top-hat,  either;  so  they  gave  up  fires  and  sat  at  night  and  dozed  in  the  enormous 
uncanny darkness. 
All  this  went  on  for  what  seemed  to  the  hobbit  ages  upon  ages;  and  he  was 
always  hungry,  for  they were extremely careful with  their provisions. Even  so, as 
days  followed  days,  and  still  the  forest  seemed  just  the  same,  they  began  to  get


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twice  that  south.  But  you  wouldn't  get  a  safe  path  even  then.  There  are  no  safe 
paths  in  this part of  the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, 
and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go. Before you could get round Mirkwood 
in  the  North  you  would  be  right  among  the  slopes  of  the  Grey  Mountains,  and 
they  are  simply  stiff  with  goblins,  hobgoblins,  and  rest  of  the  worst  description. 
Before  you  could  get  round  it  in  the  South,  you  would  get  into  the  land  of  the 
Necromancer;  and  even  you.  Bilbo, won't  need me  to  tell  you  tales  of  that  black


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####-They  could  still  see  his  hood  above  the  water  when  they  ran  to  the  bank. 
Quickly  they  flung  a  rope with  a  hook towards him. His hand caught it, and they 
pulled  him  to  the  shore.  He  was  drenched  from  hair  to  boots,  of  course,  but  that 
was  not  the  worst.  When  they  laid  him  on  the  bank  he  was  already  fast  asleep, 
with one hand clutching the rope so tight that they could not get it from his grasp; 
and  fast asleep he  remained  in  spite of all  they could do. They were  still  standing 
over him,  cursing  their  ill  luck,  and Bombur's  clumsiness,  and  lamenting  the  loss 
of  the  boat  which  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  go  back  and  look  for  the  hart, 
when  they became  aware of  the dim blowing of horns  in  the wood  and  the  sound 
as  of  dogs  baying  far  off.  Then  they  all  fell  silent;  and  as  they  sat  it  seemed  they


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Thorin.  "Come  here  Fili,  and  see  if  you  can  see  the  boat  Mr.  Baggins  is  talking 
about." 
Fili thought he could; so when he had stared a long while to get an idea of the 
direction,  the  others  brought  him  a  rope.  They  had  several with  them, and on  the 
end  of  the  longest  they  fastened  one  of  the  large  iron  hooks  they  had  used  for 
catching  their packs  to  the  straps  about  their  shoulders. Fili  took  this  in his hand, 
balanced it for a moment, and then flung it across the stream. 
Splash  it  fell  in  the  water!  "Not  far  enough!"  said  Bilbo  who  was  peering 
forward.  "A  couple  of  feet  and  you  would  have  dropped  it  on  to  the  boat.  Try 
again.  I don't  suppose  the magic  is  strong  enough  to hurt you,  if you  just  touch  a 
bit of wet rope." 
Fili  picked  up  the  hook when  he  had  drawn  it  back,  rather  doubtfully  all  the 
same. This time he threw it with greater strength.


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sun  that had  the  luck  to slip  in  through some opening  in  the  leaves far above, and 
still  more  luck  in  not  being  caught  in  the  tangled  boughs  and  matted  twigs 
beneath,  stabbed  down  thin  and  bright  before  them.  But  this  was  seldom,  and  it 
soon ceased altogether.  
There were  black  squirrels  in  the wood. As  Bilbo's  sharp  inquisitive  eyes  got 
used  to  seeing  things  he  could  catch  glimpses  of  them whisking  off  the  path  and 
scuttling  behind  tree-trunks.  There  were  queer  noises  too,  grunts,  scufflings,  and 
hurryings  in  the undergrowth, and among  the  leaves  that  lay piled endlessly  thick 
in  places  on  the  forest-floor;  but  what  made  the  noises  he  could  not  see.  The 
nastiest  things  they  saw  were  the  cobwebs:  dark  dense  cobwebs  with  threads 
extraordinarily  thick,  often  stretched  from  tree  to  tree,  or  tangled  in  the  lower


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####-nothing  left  to  eat  or  to  drink. Nothing wholesome  could  they  see  growing  in  the 
woods, only funguses and herbs with pale leaves and unpleasant smell. 
About four days from the enchanted stream they  came to a part where most of 
the trees were beeches. They were at first inclined to be cheered by the change, for 
here  there  was  no  undergrowth  and  the  shadow  was  not  so  deep.  There  was  a 
greenish light about them, and in places they could see some distance to either side 
of  the  path.  Yet  the  light  only  showed  them  endless  lines  of  straight  grey  trunks 
like the pillars of some huge twilight hall. There was a breath of air and a noise of 
wind,  but  it  had  a  sad  sound.  A  few  leaves  came  rustling  down  to  remind  them 
that  outside  autumn was  coming  on.  Their  feet  ruffled  among  the  dead  leaves  of 
countless other  autumns  that drifted over  the banks of  the path  from  the deep  red 
carpets of the forest.


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had got  it  ready, he cast  into  the darkness ahead and as high as he could  throw  it. 
Since  it did not  fall down again,  they saw  that  it must have stuck in the branches. 
"Get  in now," said Fili, "and one of you haul on  the rope  that  is stuck  in a  tree on 
the other  side. One of  the others must keep hold of  the hook we used  at  first,  and 
when we  are  safe  on  the  other  side  he  can  hook  it  on,  and  you  can draw  the boat 
back." 
In  this  way  they  were  all  soon  on  the  far  bank  safe  across  the  enchanted 
stream.  Dwalin  had  just  scrambled  out  with  the  coiled  rope  on  his  arm,  and 
Bombur  (still  grumbling)  was  getting  ready  to  follow,  when  something  bad  did 
happen. There was a  flying  sound of hooves on  the path ahead. Out of  the gloom 
came suddenly  the shape of a  flying deer.  It charged  into  the dwarves and bowled 
them  over,  then  gathered  itself  for  a  leap.  High  it  sprang  and  cleared  the  water


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####-the dwarves shouting up at him from far below, but he could not answer, only hold 
on  and  blink.  The  sun  was  shining  brilliantly,  and  it  was  a  long  while  before  he 
could  bear  it. When  he  could,  he  saw  all  round  him  a  sea  of  dark  green,  ruffled 
here  and  there  by the breeze; and there were everywhere hundreds of butterflies. I 
expect  they were a kind of  'purple emperor,' a butterfly  that  loves  the  tops of oak-
woods,  but  these  were  not  purple  at  all,  they  were  a  dark  dark  velvety  black 
without any markings to be seen. 
He  looked  at  the  'black  emperors'  for  a  long  time,  and  enjoyed  the  feel  of  the 
breeze in his hair and on his face; but at length the cries of the dwarves, who were 
now  simply  stamping  with  impatience  down  below,  reminded  him  of  his  real 
business.  It  was  no  good.  Gaze  as much  as  he might,  he  could  see  no  end  to  the


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when  they became  aware of  the dim blowing of horns  in  the wood  and  the  sound 
as  of  dogs  baying  far  off.  Then  they  all  fell  silent;  and  as  they  sat  it  seemed  they 
could hear  the noise of a great hunt going by  to  the north of  the path, though they 
saw no sign of it. There they sat for a long while and did not dare to make a move. 
Bombur  slept  on with  a  smile  on  his  fat  face,  as  if  he  no  longer  cared  for  all  the 
troubles that vexed them. 
Suddenly  on  the  path  ahead  appeared  some  white  deer,  a  hind  and  fawns  as 
snowy  white  as  the  hart  had  been  dark.  They  glimmered  in  the  shadows.  Before 
Thorin  could  cry  out  three  of  the  dwarves  had  leaped  to  their  feet  and  loosed  off 
arrows  from  their  bows.  None  seemed  to  find  their  mark.  The  deer  turned  and 
vanished  in  the  trees  as  silently  as  they  had  come,  and  in  vain  the  dwarves  shot 
their arrows after them.


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nastiest  things  they  saw  were  the  cobwebs:  dark  dense  cobwebs  with  threads 
extraordinarily  thick,  often  stretched  from  tree  to  tree,  or  tangled  in  the  lower 
branches  on  either  side  of  them.  There  were  none  stretched  across  the  path,  but 
whether because some magic kept it clear, or for what other reason they could not 
guess. 
It was not long before they grew to hate the forest as heartily as they had hated 
the tunnels of the goblins, and it seemed to offer even less hope of any ending. But 
they had to go on and on, long after they were sick for a sight of the sun and of the 
sky, and  longed for  the feel of wind on  their faces. There was no movement of air 
down under the forest-roof, and it was everlastingly still and dark and stuffy. Even 
the dwarves felt it, who were used to tunnelling, and lived at times for long whiles 
without the light of the sun; but the hobbit, who liked holes to make a house in but


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always  hungry,  for  they were extremely careful with  their provisions. Even  so, as 
days  followed  days,  and  still  the  forest  seemed  just  the  same,  they  began  to  get 
anxious. The  food would not  last  for  ever:  it was  in  fact  already beginning  to get 
low. They tried shooting at the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they 
managed  to  bring  one  down  on  the  path.  But  when  they  roasted  it,  it  proved 
horrible to taste, and they shot no more squirrels. 
They  were  thirsty  too,  for  they  had  none  too  much  water,  and  in  all  the  time 
they  had  seen  neither  spring  nor  stream.  This  was  their  state  when  one  day  they 
found their path blocked by a running water. It flowed fast and strong but not very 
wide right across  the way, and  it was black, or  looked  it  in  the gloom. It was well 
that  Beorn  had  warned  them  against  it,  or  they  would  have  drunk  from  it,


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countless other  autumns  that drifted over  the banks of  the path  from  the deep  red 
carpets of the forest. 
Still Bombur  slept  and  they grew very weary. At  times  they heard disquieting 
laughter.  Sometimes  there  was  singing  in  the  distance  too.  The  laughter  was  the 
laughter of fair voices not of goblins, and the singing was beautiful, but it sounded 
eerie and  strange, and  they were not comforted,  rather  they hurried on  from  those 
parts with what strength they had left. 
Two  days  later  they  found  their  path  going  downwards  and  before  long  they 
were in a valley filled almost entirely with a mighty growth of oaks. 
"Is there no end to this accursed forest?" said Thorin. 
"Somebody must climb a tree and see if he can get his head above the roof and 
have  a  look  round.  The  only  way  is  to  choose  the  tallest  tree  that  overhangs  the 
path." 
Of course "somebody" meant Bilbo. They chose him because  to be of any use


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came suddenly  the shape of a  flying deer.  It charged  into  the dwarves and bowled 
them  over,  then  gathered  itself  for  a  leap.  High  it  sprang  and  cleared  the  water 
with  a  mighty  jump.  But  it  did  not  reach  the  other  side  in  safety. Thorin was  the 
only  one  who  had  kept  his  feet  and  his  wits.  As  soon  as  they  had  landed  he  had 
bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any hidden guardian of the boat appeared. 
Now he  sent  a  swift  and  sure  shot  into the leaping beast. As it reached the further 
bank  it  stumbled.  The  shadows  swallowed  it  up,  but  they  heard  the  sound  of 
hooves quickly falter and then go still. 
Before  they  could  shout  in  praise  of  the  shot,  however,  a  dreadful  wail  from 
Bilbo  put  all  thoughts  of  venison  out  of  their  minds.  "Bombur  has  fallen  in! 
Bombur is drowning!" he cried. It was only too true. Bombur had only one foot on


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bit of wet rope." 
Fili  picked  up  the  hook when  he  had  drawn  it  back,  rather  doubtfully  all  the 
same. This time he threw it with greater strength. 
"Steady!" said Bilbo, "you have thrown it right into the wood on the other side 
now.  Draw  it  back  gently."  Fili  hauled  the  rope  back  slowly,  and  after  a  while 
Bilbo said: 
"Carefully! It is lying on the boat; let's hope the hook will catch." 
It  did.  The  rope went  taut,  and  Fili  pulled  in  vain. Kili  came  to  his  help,  and 
then  Oin  and  Gloin.  They  tugged  and  tugged,  and  suddenly  they  all  fell  over  on 
their backs. Bilbo was on  the  lockout, however, caught  the rope, and with a piece 
of  stick  fended  off  the  little  black  boat  as  it  came  rushing  across  the  stream. 
"Help!"  he  shouted,  and Balin was  just  in  time  to  seize  the  boat  before  it  floated 
off down the current.


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####-He woke  up  suddenly  and  sat  up  scratching  his  head. He  could  not make  out 
where  he  was  at  all,  nor  why  he  felt  so  hungry;  for  he  had  forgotten  everything 
that  had  happened  since  they  started  their  journey  that  May  morning  long  ago. 
The  last  thing  that  he  remembered  was  the  party  at  the  hobbit's  house,  and  they 
had  great  difficulty  in  making  him  believe  their  tale  of  all  the  many  adventures 
they had had since. 
When he heard that there was nothing to eat, he sat down and wept, for he felt 
very  weak  and  wobbly  in  the  legs.  "Why  ever  did  I  wake  up!"  he  cried.  "I  was 
having such beautiful dreams. I dreamed I was walking in a forest rather like this 
one,  only  lit with  torches  on  the  trees  and  lamps  swinging  from  the  branches  and 
fires  burning  on  the  ground;  and  there  was  a  great  feast  going  on,  going  on  for


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vanished  in  the  trees  as  silently  as  they  had  come,  and  in  vain  the  dwarves  shot 
their arrows after them. 
"Stop!  stop!"  shouted  Thorin;  but  it  was  too  late,  the  excited  dwarves  had 
wasted  their  last  arrows,  and  now  the  bows  that  Beorn  had  given  them  were 
useless. 
They  were  a  gloomy  party  that  night,  and  the  gloom  gathered  still  deeper  on 
them in the following days. They had crossed the enchanted stream; but beyond it 
the  path  seemed  to  straggle  on  just  as  before,  and  in  the  forest  they  could  see  no 
change.  Yet  if  they  had  known  more  about  it  and  considered  the  meaning  of  the 
hunt  and  the  white  deer  that  had  appeared  upon  their  path,  they  would  have 
known  that  they  were  at  last  drawing  towards  the  eastern  edge,  and  would  soon 
have  come,  if  they  could  have  kept  up  their  courage  and  their  hope,  to  thinner 
trees and places where the sunlight came again.


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wide right across  the way, and  it was black, or  looked  it  in  the gloom. It was well 
that  Beorn  had  warned  them  against  it,  or  they  would  have  drunk  from  it, 
whatever  its  colour,  and  filled  some  of  their  emptied  skins  at  its  bank. As  it was 
they only thought of how to cross it without wetting themselves in its water. There 
had  been  a  bridge  of  wood  across,  but  it  had  rotted  and  fallen  leaving  only  the 
broken posts near the bank. 
Bilbo kneeling on the brink and peering forward cried: "There is a boat against 
the far bank! Now why couldn't it have been this side!" 
"How far away do you think it is?" asked Thorin, for by now they knew Bilbo 
had the sharpest eyes among them.


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Bilbo  put  all  thoughts  of  venison  out  of  their  minds.  "Bombur  has  fallen  in! 
Bombur is drowning!" he cried. It was only too true. Bombur had only one foot on 
the land when the hart bore down on him, and sprang over him. He had stumbled, 
thrusting the boat away from the bank, and then toppled back into the dark water, 
his  hands  slipping  off  the  slimy  roots  at  the  edge,  while  the  boat  span  slowly  off 
and disappeared.


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now  simply  stamping  with  impatience  down  below,  reminded  him  of  his  real 
business.  It  was  no  good.  Gaze  as much  as  he might,  he  could  see  no  end  to  the 
trees  and  the  leaves  in  any  direction.  His  heart,  that  had  been  lightened  by  the 
sight of the sun and the feel of the wind, sank back into his toes: there was no food 
to go back to down below.  
Actually, as I have told you, they were not far off the edge of the forest; and if 
Bilbo had had the sense to see it, the tree that he had climbed, though it was tall in 
itself, was standing near  the bottom of a wide valley, so  that  from  its  top  the  trees 
seemed  to  swell  up  all  round  like  the  edges  of  a  great  bowl,  and  he  could  not 
expect  to  see  how  far  the  forest  lasted.  Still  he  did  not  see  this,  and  he  climbed 
down  full  of  despair.  He  got  to  the  bottom  again  at  last  scratched,  hot,  and


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have  a  look  round.  The  only  way  is  to  choose  the  tallest  tree  that  overhangs  the 
path." 
Of course "somebody" meant Bilbo. They chose him because  to be of any use 
the  climber  must  get  his  head  above  the  topmost  leaves,  and  so  he must  be  light 
enough for the highest and slenderest branches to bear him. Poor Mr. Baggins had 
never had much practice in climbing trees, but they hoisted him up into the lowest 
branches of an enormous oak that grew right out into the path, and up he had to go 
as best he could. He pushed his way through the tangled twigs with many a slap in 
the eye; he was greened and grimed from the old bark of the greater boughs; more 
than  once  he  slipped  and  caught  himself  just  in  time; and at  last, after a dreadful 
struggle  in  a  difficult  place  where  there  seemed  to  be  no  convenient  branches  at 
all, he got near the top. All the time he was wondering whether there were spiders


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the dwarves felt it, who were used to tunnelling, and lived at times for long whiles 
without the light of the sun; but the hobbit, who liked holes to make a house in but 
not to spend summer days in, felt he was being slowly suffocated. 
The nights were the worst. It then became pitch-dark – not what you call pitch-
dark,  but  really  pitch;  so  black  that  you  really  could  see  nothing.  Bilbo  tried 
flapping his hand in front of his nose, but he could not see it at all. Well, perhaps it


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"Help!"  he  shouted,  and Balin was  just  in  time  to  seize  the  boat  before  it  floated 
off down the current. 
"It  was  tied  after  all,"  said  he,  looking  at  the  snapped  painter  that  was  still 
dangling  from  it.  "That  was  a  good  pull,  my  lads;  and  a  good  job  that  our  rope 
was the stronger."


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have  come,  if  they  could  have  kept  up  their  courage  and  their  hope,  to  thinner 
trees and places where the sunlight came again. 
But  they  did  not  know  this,  and  they  were  burdened  with  the  heavy  body  of 
Bombur,  which  they  had  to  carry  along  with  them  as  best  they  could,  taking  the 
wearisome  task  in  turns  of  four  each while  the  others  shared  their  packs.  If  these 
had not become all too light in the last few days, they would never have managed 
it;  but  a  slumbering  and  smiling  Bombur  was  a  poor  exchange  for  packs  filled 
with  food  however  heavy.  In  a  few  days  a  time  came when  there was  practically


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one,  only  lit with  torches  on  the  trees  and  lamps  swinging  from  the  branches  and 
fires  burning  on  the  ground;  and  there  was  a  great  feast  going  on,  going  on  for 
ever.  A  woodland  king  was  there  with  a  crown  of  leaves,  and  there  was  a merry 
singing, and I could not count or describe the things there were to eat and drink." 
"You need not try," said Thorin. "In fact if you can't talk about something else, 
you  had  better  be  silent.  We  are  quite  annoyed  enough  with  you  as  it  is.  If  you 
hadn't waked up, we should have left you to your idiotic dreams in the forest; you 
are no joke to carry even after weeks of short commons." 
There  was  nothing  now  to  be  done  but  to  tighten  the  belts  round  their  empty 
stomachs,  and  hoist  their  empty  sacks  and  packs,  and  trudge  along  the  track 
without any great hope of ever getting to the end before they lay down and died of


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expect  to  see  how  far  the  forest  lasted.  Still  he  did  not  see  this,  and  he  climbed 
down  full  of  despair.  He  got  to  the  bottom  again  at  last  scratched,  hot,  and 
miserable,  and  he  could  not  see  anything  in  the  gloom  below  when  he  got  there. 
His report soon made the others as miserable as he was. 
"The forest goes on for ever and ever and ever in all directions! Whatever shall 
we do? And what  is  the use of sending a hobbit!"  they cried, as if it was his fault. 
They did not care tuppence about the butterflies, and were only made more angry 
when he told them of the beautiful breeze, which they were too heavy to climb up 
and feel. 
 
That  night  they  ate  their  very  last  scraps  and  crumbs  of  food;  and  next 
morning  when  they  woke  the  first  thing  they  noticed  was  that  they  were  still 
gnawingly  hungry,  and  the  next  thing  was  that  it  was  raining  and  that  here  and


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####-"It  looks  as  if  my  dreams  were  coming  true,"  gasped  Bombur  puffing  up 
behind. He wanted to rush straight off into the wood after the lights. But the others 
remembered  only  too  well  the  warnings  of  the  wizard  and  of  Beorn.  "A  feast 
would be no good, if we never got back alive from it," said Thorin. 
"But  without  a  feast  we  shan't  remain  alive  much  longer  anyway,"  said 
Bombur, and Bilbo heartily agreed with him. They argued about it backwards and 
forwards for a long while, until they agreed at length to send out a couple of spies, 
to  creep  near  the  lights  and  find  out  more  about  them.  But  then  they  could  not 
agree  on  who  was  to  be  sent:  no  one  seemed  anxious  to  run  the  chance  of  being 
lost  and  never  finding  his  friends  again.  In  the  end,  in  spite  of  warnings,  hunger 
decided  them,  because  Bombur  kept  on  describing  all  the  good  things  that  were


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####-Up they all jumped. There, sure enough, not far away were scores of twinkling 
lights, and  they heard  the voices and  the  laughter quite plainly. They crept slowly 
towards  them,  in  a  single  line,  each  touching  the  back  of  the  one  in  front. When 
they  got  near Thorin  said:  "No  rushing  forward  this  time! No  one  is  to  stir  from 
hiding till I say. I shall send Mr. Baggins alone first to talk to them. They won't be 
frightened  of  him-('What  about me  of  them?'  thought  Bilbo)-and any way  I hope 
they won't do anything nasty to him." 
When  they  got  to  the  edge  of  the  circle  of  lights  they  pushed  Bilbo  suddenly 
from behind. Before he had  time  to  slip on his  ring, he  stumbled  forward  into  the 
full blaze of the fire and torches. It was no good. Out went all the lights again and 
complete darkness fell. If  it had been difficult collecting  themselves before,  it was


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####-hand  and  across  the  fires,  and  some  were  harping  and many  were  singing.  Their 
gloaming  hair  was  twined  with  flowers;  green  and  white  gems  glinted  on  their 
collars and their belts; and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth. Loud 
and clear and fair were those songs, and out stepped Thorin into their midst. 
Dead  silence  fell  in  the middle of  a word. Out went  all  light. The  fires  leaped 
up  in  black  smokes.  Ashes  and  cinders  were  in  the  eyes  of  the  dwarves,  and  the 
wood  was  filled  again  with  their  clamour  and  their  cries.  Bilbo  found  himself 
running round and round (as he thought) and calling and calling: "Dori, Nori, Ori, 
Oin, Gloin, Fili, Kili, Bombur, Bifur, Bofur, Dwalin, Balin, Thorin Oakenshield," 
while people he could not see or  feel were doing  the same all  round him  (with an 
occasional "Bilbo!" thrown in). But the cries of the others got steadily further and


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####-"Aye, they'll make fine eating, when they've hung a bit," said another.  
"Don't  hang  'em  too  long,"  said  a  third.  "They're  not  as  fat  as  they might  be. 
Been feeding none too well of late, I should guess." 
"Kill'em, I say," hissed a fourth; "kill 'em now and hang 'em dead for a while." 
"They're dead now, I'll warrant," said the first. 
"That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just coming round again, I 
should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I'll show you." 
With that one of the fat spiders ran along a rope, till it came to a dozen bundles 
hanging  in  a  row  from  a  high  branch.  Bilbo  was  horrified,  now  that  he  noticed 
them for the first time dangling in the shadows, to see a dwarvish foot sticking out 
of  the bottoms of some of  the bundles, or here and  there  the  tip of a nose, or a bit 
of beard or of a hood. 
To the fattest of these bundles the spider went--"It is poor old Bombur, I'll bet,"


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struggle  in  a  difficult  place  where  there  seemed  to  be  no  convenient  branches  at 
all, he got near the top. All the time he was wondering whether there were spiders 
in the tree, and how he was going to get down again (except by falling). 
In  the  end  he  poked  his  head  above  the  roof  of  leaves,  and  then  he  found 
spiders  all  right.  But  they  were  only  small  ones  of  ordinary  size,  and  they  were 
after  the  butterflies.  Bilbo's  eyes  were  nearly  blinded  by  the  light.  He  could  hear


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morning  when  they  woke  the  first  thing  they  noticed  was  that  they  were  still 
gnawingly  hungry,  and  the  next  thing  was  that  it  was  raining  and  that  here  and 
there  the  drip  of  it  was  dropping  heavily  on  the  forest  floor.  That  only  reminded 
them  that  they  were  also  parchingly  thirsty,  without  doing  anything  to  relieve 
them: you cannot quench a terrible thirst by standing under giant oaks and waiting 
for  a  chance  drip  to  fall  on  your  tongue.  The  only  scrap  of  comfort  there  was, 
came unexpectedly from Bombur.


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####-killed it with another stroke; and then he fell down and remembered nothing more 
for a long while. 
There was  the usual dim grey  light of  the  forest-day about him when he came 
to  his  senses.  The  spider  lay  dead  beside  him,  and  his  sword-blade  was  stained 
black.  Somehow  the  killing  of  the  giant  spider,  all  alone  by  himself  in  the  dark 
without  the  help  of  the  wizard  or  the  dwarves  or  of  anyone  else,  made  a  great 
difference  to Mr. Baggins. He  felt a different person, and much  fiercer and bolder 
in  spite  of  an  empty  stomach,  as  he wiped  his  sword  on  the  grass  and  put  it  back 
into its sheath. 
"I will give you a name," he said to it, "and I shall call you Sting." 
After  that he  set out  to  explore. The  forest was grim  and  silent, but obviously 
he  had  first  of  all  to  look  for  his  friends,  who  were  not  likely  to  be  very  far  off,


