The hobbit Chapter Summaries

Chapter Three A Short Rest

Summary: Chapter 3 A Short Rest The travelers take what they need from the Trolls’ cave and bury what they cannot carry. As the company sets off the next morning, Gandalf explains that he has checked the road ahead up to the last safe stop along their way. This stop is Rivendell, a city of elves located near the foothills of the Misty Mountains. As the company approaches Rivendell, a number of elves approach them and invite them back to eat and rest. During their stay, they meet Elrond, the great chief elf, who is “as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.”

Elrond can interpret the ancient runes, or markings, found on the company’s new weapons. The swords taken from the trolls, he tells them, are renowned goblin-killers from the great wars between the elves and the goblins. Gandalf’s sword is called Glamdring, and Thorin’s is named Orcrist. Elrond can also read the Moon Runes on on Thorin’s map of the mountain. Moon letters are visible only in the light of the moon in the proper phase. They describe how to find the secret entrance on the Lonely Mountain. Though they are puzzled by the message, the group is in high spirits when they depart from Rivendell. Everyone is well rested and prepared for the road ahead.

An Important comment on the swords the group has acquired. The swords that the company steals from the trolls’ cave are a link to the tradition of heroic epic stories. Great swords that have mythic lineages and heroic names often appear in heroic epics, the most famous example being King Arthur’s legendary sword, Excalibur. The possession of a named sword is a symbol of heroism and prowess in battle. For this reason, it is significant that Bilbo’s short sword is not named yet. As we shall see, after Bilbo performs some deeds more worthy of his quest, he names his sword.  

The two messages below appear on the map. Elrond helps the travelers find the hidden runes and read them.

First, let’s discuss what you read in Chapter 6. 1. Why did the dwarves have a better opinion of Bilbo Baggins when he rejoined them after his adventures with Gollum and the goblins? 2. What detail about his adventures with Gollum did Bilbo leave out when he told the dwarves the story? 3. How did Gandalf try to get rid of the wargs and goblins? Was this a smart idea? Why or Why not? 4. Who or what saved the travelers from the wargs, goblins, and fire? How did they do this? 5. Describe the Eagles. How did the Goblins feel about the Eagles?

Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire Fleeing from the goblins, Bilbo realizes that the tunnels have taken him all the way through to the other side of the Misty Mountains. Still invisible, thanks to the ring, he stumbles upon Gandalf and the dwarves, who have just been arguing about whether they should leave without him. The dwarves want to leave hi, and Gandalf wants to go look for him. The hobbit, who can walk very quietly, slips off the ring and surprises them. The dwarves are extremely curious about how he escaped without their help and about how he just showed up without any of them hearing or seeing him. They now have a much higher opinion of Bilbo. He refrains from mentioning his discovery of the magic ring and the role it played in his escape from Gollum and the goblins. Gandalf insists that they keep moving because the goblins will surely be after them as soon as the sun sets.

Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire They make great progress (partly because they end up sliding down a rocky slope in a kind of mini avalanche). When evening comes, they hear the howling of wolves and barely have time to scurry up into the trees before the wolves descend upon them. The beasts are actually wolflike creatures called Wargs. The Wargs are allies of the goblins, and they quickly notify the goblins of the situation. Gandalf sets pine cones on fire with a magic fire and throws them at the Wargs, setting them on fire. The Wargs howl and run around spreading the fire, putting the dwarves and Gandalf and Bilbo in great danger. The goblins begin to arrive and they sing and wait for everybody hiding in the tress to be “baked and roasted.

Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire Meanwhile, the Lord of the Eagles has seen and heard the commotion from his roost high in the mountains. With a number of other eagles, he swoops down, picks up the marooned travelers, and flies them to safety. The eagles are friends of Gandalf’s and enemies of the goblins. They are happy to provide food and rest for the weary travelers, who then continue on their journey.

Chapter 7 Queer Lodgings

Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings The eagles carry the travelers to a large rock, the Carrock. Gandalf then takes them to see Beorn the skin-changer, who farms a vast property some distance away. He is called skin- changer because he can change himself from a man into a bear. Gandalf introduces himself and Bilbo to Beorn, who at first does not appear too friendly. Gandalf cleverly tells a suspenseful tale about how they killed the Great Goblin and escaped from the Goblins and Wargs, This story makes Beorn grow more sympathetic and interested in the dwarves because Beorn hates Goblins and Wargs. Beorn invites the entire company to stay for supper. He tells them stories of the very dangerous Mirkwood Forest, which they must pass through on their journey east.

Ch. 7 Continued… When Bilbo awakes the next morning, Gandalf and Beorn are both gone. Gandolf does not return until evening. The next morning Beorn returns, saying that he has confirmed the tale Gandalf told about killing the Great Goblin, and that he himself killed a Goblin and a Warg the night before. He now feels great friendship with the travelers, because the Goblins have been his enemies, too.

And… Beorn outfits the expedition for the journey through Mirkwood with well- provisioned ponies and bows and arrows. He tells them NOT to drink or bathe in the enchanted stream in Mirkwood, to send his ponies back when they get to the forest, and, above all, NOT to stray from the path. On the fourth day, they reach the edge of Mirkwood and Gandalf reminds them to send back the ponies and tells them he must leave to pursue other business. He cautions them not to leave the path.