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Our Bilbo, when he started his adventures, was regarded as something of a fool. Today he earns the respected reputation that he seems to have kept for the rest of his life:

The Elvenking looked at Bilbo with a new wonder. "Bilbo Baggins!" he said. "You are more worthy to wear the armour of elf-princes than many that have looked more comely in it."

High praise indeed!--I think.

Mixed compliments aside, the Elvenking's praise for Mr. Baggins' character is in response to new traits that Bilbo exhibits in the events of this night: ingenuity, wisdom, courage, and generosity. He devises a diplomatic plan, gives Bombur the slip, makes his way to the 'enemy' camp, gives up the Arkenstone (not without some longing), with some suggestions as how it could be best utilized--and then returns to the dwarves, knowing he'll be facing the music when he has been found out.

Bilbo's language these days reflects his newfound dignity: he alternates between sounding like Gandalf and sounding like some little hobbit lawyer. At the end of today's escapade, however, after he sneaks back to the Lonely Mountain, we find what really moves Bilbo's heart, and it is not precious gems: after he drifts off to sleep, Our Author tells us that he dreams of bacon and eggs.

This day appears to be all about treasure and greed. No sooner has Smaug been slain by Bard at Laketown than the armies for both the good and the evil seek to besiege the Lonely Mountain in search of the vast treasures buried there. It is interesting that in receiving news of Bard's approach, and even being told that he is an honorable man, Thorin is having none of it, and makes all preparation to defend the Dwarf treasure.

Thorin sends word to Dáin for help, but that assistance is still far off. So the wolves and the Goblins gather, along with the armies of both Men and Elves...all to lay claim to their portion of the riches of the Lonely Mountain. This is the day they attack and Thorin is ready for them.


The sword is sharp, the spear is long,
The arrow swift, the Gate is strong;
The heart is bold that looks on gold;
The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong.

Now call we over mountains cold,
'Come back unto the caverns old'!
Here at the Gates the king awaits,
His hands are rich with gems and gold.

The king is come unto his hall
Under the Mountain dark and tall.
The Worm of Dread is slain and dead,
And ever so our foes shall fall!

The dwarves, having fortified their position ready for a confrontation, are now faced with the reality: a large company of lake-men and wood-elves are setting up camp in Dale. An advance party sent to reconnoitre the dwarves' defences is surprised to find the wall and the pool which they have constructed; when Thorin challenges them in his capacity as "King Under the Mountain" (his grandfather Thror's title), they do not respond, returning instead to their tents. Soon afterwards, Bilbo and the dwarves hear them making sweet elvish music:

"Then Bilbo longed to escape from the dark fortress and to go down and join the mirth and feasting by the fires. Some of the younger dwarves were moved in their hearts, too, and they muttered that they wished things had fallen out otherwise and that they might welcome such folk as friends; but Thorin scowled."

To squash this (entirely natural) instinct for peace and to remind the dwarves of the differences between them and their perceived enemies, Thorin retaliates by having them make music of their own. The metre and verse structure of their song matches that of the one the dwarves sang to Bilbo in Chapter One, but the words are far more forbidding. The earlier song encouraged the dwarves to set out on their quest; this one is preparing them for war. You can almost hear the beat of the military drum; the tone is defiant and proud, as though a fight has already been won.

The line "The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong" reminds us that Thorin is not simply reacting to recent events - his strong sense of injustice goes back generations to the time when Smaug first captured the gold and destroyed Dale. Whatever the claims of the Elven-King and the lake-men may be, Thorin does not appear to be in the mood to listen, and Bilbo is very apprehensive indeed that tomorrow the conflict will move beyond making music . . .

The stage is being set for the foolish battle Thorin's intransigence promises. The Elven King, whom we know from LOTR is Thranduil, father of Legolas, arrives in Laketown with his host. This stop is in fact a detour for the Elves, who had planned to march straight to the Lonely Mountain. But as Thranduil is the lord of a good and kindly people, he cannot turn his back on Laketown's need. He brings provisions and artisans for the rebuilding, and rekindles hope and purpose in the Laketowners. This is the first time in Tolkien's legendarium that we see the Elves cast in the role of saviors to Men--a part they would play many times in the history of Middle Earth.

But this is just a peaceful interlude, and soon the Elves continue their march to the mountain, with Laketown's army in tow. At the same time, Dain of the Iron Mountains receives Thorin's message from the ravens, and begins his forced march to aid his kinsman. He will find the Elves and the Laketowners already there, along with an unforseen enemy who will threaten to destroy them all.

Thanks to the foresight of Bard, who is now running Lake-town if not ruling it, the King of the Elves is stopped in his march towards the Lonely Mountain. He feels pity on hearing the prayers (interesting word to use instead of plea or request) of Bard and turns his considerable army south towards Lake-town to give them aid. Although there are not enough boats and rafts for his host, he immediately sends food and provisions by the quicker route, taking his army round by foot over treacherous lands.

This short passage, although brief in words, is long on insight into the Elvenking, Bard and the relationship between Mirkwood and Lake-town. The last time we met the Elvenking he was full of wrath because the stubborn dwarves refused to account for their journey into his lands. His rather harsh (but understandable) decision to throw them into a dungeon until they came to their senses has, up until now, cast him in the role of a rather dangerous and scary character. But here we discover that he is the 'good' leader of a 'kindly people'. He makes another swift decision, and moved by pity he shows that he is as quick to aid as he was to anger. For Bard he is the obvious person to turn to in a time of extreme trial. We know that there has been a trade relationship between the Wood-elves and Lake-town, but Bard is banking on it being something more and shows us that there is friendship and mutual support between the peoples that live close to the dragon. For the people of Lake-town, Bard's appeal and the Elvenking's decision is the difference between life and death.

Tolkien pulls no punches in relating the aftermath of the dragon's attack. This is the familiar aftermath of a disaster: shock, displacement, sickness, hunger, loss of life for the vulnerable that survive the initial trauma. How familiar it all is. And all in a story seen as a children's fairytale!