1. The Hobbit – Notes on

2. Previously on Hobbinatural
~Cues “Wayward Son” by Kansas~
The dwarves, weak from the spider attacks and starving from their long trek through the forest, are captured by the Wood Elves and detained in their dungeons – partly for charging at their feasts, partly for refusing to tell of their quest.
Bilbo maintains his invisibility with the ring, observes the Wood Elves, and manages to get all of the dwarves into empty wine barrels to escape via the river.

3. Page
Thirteen dwarves stuffed into barrels, straw for padding, ready to go.
Some wood elves come to wake the drunk / sleeping ones, yet all are too concerned with wine for carefully checking the barrels, and release them all into the water.

4. Page 183
The narrator reminds us that there is one small flaw in Bilbo’s plan.
What is it?
What does he do?
All the while, the wood elves sing while they work:

5. Page 183-184 Follow, follow stars that leap
Up the heavens cold and steep;
Turn when dawn comes over land,
Over rapid, over sand,
South away! And South away!
Seek the sunight and the day,
Back to pasture, back to mead,
Where the kine and oxen feed!
Back to gardens on the hills
Where the berry swells and fills
Under sunlight, under day!
Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to the lands you once did know!
Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to the lands you once did know!
Leave the halls and caverns deep,
Leave the northern mountains steep,
Where the forest wide and dim
Stoops in shadows grey and grim!
Float beyond the world of trees
Out into the whispering breeze,
Past the rushes, past the reeds,
Past the marsh’s waving weeds,
Through the mist that riseth white
Up from the mere and pool at night!

6. Page 185
And so, Bilbo rides the outside of the barrels as the dwarves ride within, hurdling down the river and making all efforts not to drown.
“I do hope I put the lids on tight enough!” – Bilbo.

7. Page 186 In time, they floated beyond the edge of Mirkwood.
Now within the realm of humans, the barrels are brought up onto shore by men with long poles, tied up, and left to be dealt with the next day.

8. Page (End of Chapter)
Bilbo remained invisible, stole food and drink from the nearby village, and made it back to the barrels…
…Just in time to see them tied together on rafts and pushed farther down the river. Bilbo hitches a ride as well, and the journey continues.

9. Page 189 (Start of Chapter)
“A Warm Welcome”
This chapter title is ironic, and possibly two-fold in meaning. See if you can find both.
As the day dawns and the woods and cliffs recede, what does Bilbo finally see?
“Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it in the least.”
Somewhat ominous, that.

10. Page 190
Here, we get a new “infodump” of what has been happening in these lands since the fall of the mountain to Smaug.
As it happens, the river was the only sound road to their destination, and Gandalf has since heard of their plight with the elves and started making his way to them.
Note the narrator blatantly tells us that, whatever it is Gandalf’s been doing, it is not a part of “this” story.

11. Page 191
Onward and onward still, the rafts come into view of Lake Town.
What is odd about the way Lake Town is built?
“Not a town of elves but of Men, who still dared to dwell under the shadow of the distant dragon mountain.”
Note how even in dangerous places, civilization thrives – much like people who still live near volcanoes, despite the danger, because their eruptions are rather rare.

12. Page 192
Apparently not only the dwarves of the mountain fell to the dragon, but the human city of Dale as well, leaving only the survivors to found Lake Town and continue trade.
At last, the barrels were brought to shore, left over night yet again, and Bilbo began to free his dwarf companions from their long confinement.

13. Page 193
“He had a famished and a savage look like a dog that has been chained and forgotten in a kennel for a week.”
Needless to say, the dwarves are, though alive, not in a very happy state.
Bilbo kicks Thorin (figuratively) into gear and together, they free the remaining dwarves.

14. Page 194
“I suppose we ought to thank our stars and Mr Baggins. I am sure he has a right to expect it, though I wish he could have arranged a more comfortable journey.”
Note again, though saved, they still manage to complain, as always.
Once freed, they decide to make for Lake Town to recuperate.

15. Page 195
Note that the men of Lake Town are allies with the Wood Elves, so…we’ll see how this goes.
When asked who he is, Thorin goes into full king-mode:
“Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror King under the Mountain…I have come back. I wish to see the Master of your town!”

16. Page 196
After some urging, the humans take them to see the master of the town.
Thorin introduces himself once again, though note that the elves are there feasting with the master, insisting that these are escaped prisoners, to be returned.
How does this put the master in a difficult position, politically?

17. Page 197
How do their loud introductions turn the political tide in their favor?
As news spreads, the people become quite excited at the return of the dwarven king, and begin singing songs in his honor.
Now, the master must either please the elves or his own people.

18. Page 197 The King beneath the mountains, The King of carven stone,
The lord of silver fountains
Shall come into his own!
His crown shall be upholden,
His harp shall be restrung,
His halls shall echo golden
To songs of yore re-sung.
The woods shall wave on mountains
And grass beneath the sun;
His wealth shall flow in fountains
And the rivers golden run.
The streams shall run in gladness,
The lakes shall shine and burn,
All sorrow fail and sadness
At the Mountain-king’s return!
Note the bolded words…what are the people expecting…from the old songs?
Predict how Thorin and company will feel about this…

19. Page 198
“Indeed such excitement had not been known in the town in the memory of the oldest grandfather. The Wood-elves themselves began to wonder greatly and even to be afraid.”
The political tide has definitely turned in their favor, thanks to Thorin’s loud and dramatic introductions.
“As for the Master he saw there was nothing else for it but to obey the general clamour, for the moment at any rate.”
How truly loyal is the Master to Thorin?

20. Page 199
With their popularity, the dwarves rested, feasted, etc, until they were strong and well again.
With all the celebration, what are the dwarves still forgetting (or willfully overlooking)? A teensy tiny detail…
“Thorin looked and walked as if his kingdom was already regained and Smaug chopped up into little pieces.”
They still have a massive, powerful dragon to kill.
Note that in Beowulf, there were similar pre-battle celebrations, yet Beowulf’s victory was far more certain.
How certain are the dwarves’ victory?
What are they lacking?

21. Page 200
While the people ride high on enthusiasm for the dwarves’ impending victory, the Elvenking has other thoughts on the matter:
“He…did not believe in dwarves fighting and killing dragons like Smaug, and he strongly suspected attempted burglary, or something like it.”
Cynical, but closer to the mark than the others.
Read for next time.