“Bilbo’s journey”, The Art of David Thorn Wenzel.

Page 40 (95). The dwarves were cared for, healed, and honored in a grand hall. Within a week, they were fully restored to strength. King Thranduil learned of the dwarves’ presence and their quest, and he stationed spies along the borders and the path to the Mountain, doubting that the dwarves would survive the trials ahead. The Master, however, was astonished when, after fifteen days, Thorin announced that they were ready to depart. In three great boats, the rowers took them north of the lake, where horses and ponies awaited them. In two days going they towed right up the Long Lake and passed out into the River Running. At the end of the third day, some miles up the river, they drew in to the left or western bank and disembarked. They packed what they would on the ponies. None of the men of the town would stay with them even for the night so near the shadow of the Mountain. It was a weary journey, and a quiet and stealthy one. They knew that they were drawing near to the end of the journey, and that it might be a very horrible end. They were come to the desolation of the dragon, and they were come at the waning of the year. They made their first camp in the western side of the great southern spur which ended in a height called Ravenhill. Thorin sent out a scouting expedition to spy out the land to the South where the Front Gate stood.“There lies all that is left of Dale” said Balin.Ecco tutto quello che rimane di Conca,” disse Balin. “The dragon is still alive and in the halls under the mountain then – or I imagine so from the smoke” said the hobbit. None of them had much spirit left.

Page 41 (98). Bilbo often studied the map, pondering the runes and the message inscribed upon it. It was he who urged the dwarves to embark upon the perilous quest for the secret door upon the western slopes. Day by day, they divided into small groups to explore, yet their efforts bore no fruit. At length, Bilbo, together with Fili and Kili, discovered a faintly etched path upon the rock. After traversing a narrow ledge of stone, they came upon a small green glade nestled midway up the towering cliff they sought to scale. At the farthest end stood a wall of smooth, unbroken stone, devoid of joints or locks, and it was then that they understood they had at last found the door. Yet for the dwarves, it proved harder than anticipated to open this rock-bound portal sealed by ancient magic. Too eager to gain entry, and forgetting the runes upon the map, they vainly attempted to pry it open with their pickaxes. Bilbo sat upon the grassy ledge all day, staring at the gray stone, when suddenly he heard a sharp crack behind him. There on a grey stone in the center of the grass was an enormous thrush. It had caught a snail an was knocking it on the stone. Krak! Krak! Suddenly Bilbo understood. He hiled the dwarves, shouting and waving. They came in a hurry. Quickly Bilbo explained and they all fell silent. The sun sank lower, and their hopes fell. It sank into a belt of reddened cloud and disappeared. Then suddenly when their hope was lowest a red ray of the sun escaped like a finger through a rent in the cloud. A gleam of light came straight through the opening into the bay and fell on the smooth rock face. Un buco apparve improvvisamente a circa un metro dal suolo. “The key!” shouted Bilbo. “The key that went with the map!” Thorin used his key, and by pushing, the stone slab slowly began to move, gradually revealing a dark opening.

Page 42 (101). After a long silence at the dark entrance, Thorin spoke up. He delivered a pompous speech full of praise for Bilbo, lauding his luck and courage. The hobbit, growing impatient, quickly realised that Thorin wanted him to be the first to enter. Only Balin offered to accompany him for a short distance. It was evening when Bilbo ventured into the tunnel. After a while, Balin left him, and Bilbo donned the ring, moving extremely quietly. As he progressed, the heat intensified, and a reddish glow slowly became visible ahead. He began to sweat as the light grew more intense, enveloped by puffs of steam and the rumbling that echoed in his ears. With great courage, after a brief pause, he continued on. Shortly after, his head emerged into a shadowy cavern so vast that he could only sense its size. From the nearest side radiated the glow created by Smaug! To say that Bilbo’s breath was taken away is no description at all. Bilbo heard tell and sing of dragon hoards before, but the splendour, the lust, the glory of such treasure had never yet come to him. Bilbo approached the nearest heap and grabbed a two-handled cup. The dragon changed the tone of its snoring, and Bilbo fled with the cup as fast as he could. The dwarves were overjoyed to see him, but suddenly, a tremendous roar erupted from the mountain, shaking the ground beneath them. The dragon was awake, and its wrath was about to descend upon them.

Page 43 (105). The dragon sensed the draft of air passing through the tunnel and watched suspiciously. His fury erupted when he realized the cup was missing. Filled with rage, he surged through the great passages of the palace beneath the Mountain and burst out into the open. With a tremendous roar, he flew, landing atop the mountain in a blaze of flames. Bilbo urged everyone to enter the tunnel, but Bombur and Bofur had stayed behind with the ponies and supplies. Thorin took charge. Part of the dwarves entered the tunnel while the others busied themselves retrieving their friends and provisions. They managed to save the dwarves and some supplies just as danger struck. They barely had time to huddle in the tunnel, and even then, they were singed by the dragon’s fiery breath. The dwarves remained in the tunnel until dawn, hearing the dragon pass by occasionally in search of them. When the sun rose, the immense beast returned to its lair to rest. The dwarves and Bilbo began to discuss what had transpired and what they should do next. For the moment, however, they could do nothing but stay hidden. At noon, Bilbo resolved to check on the dragon in its cave. Moving silently, with the ring on his finger, he forgot the dragon’s keen sense of smell, unaware that the beast was waiting for him with a half-closed eye. “You have nice manners for a thief and a liar,” said the dragon. “You seem familiar with my name, but I don’t remember smelling you before.” The conversation revolved around the treasure and the dwarves, with Smaug suggesting to Bilbo that he should avoid them, calling them good-for-nothings and managing, at least in part, to plant a seed of doubt in the hobbit’s heart. As the dialogue took a dangerously tense turn, Bilbo caught sight of the dragon’s weak point, a hollow in the scales on the left side of its chest, “bare as a snail outside its shell!”.

Page 44 (108). Emerging from the cave, as he spoke with the dwarves, Bilbo noticed the thrushes listening in silence. He realized he had revealed too much to the dragon, who could connect him, the dwarves, and the people of Lake-town. The task of reclaiming the treasure and slaying Smaug now seemed truly impossible. Thorin expressed a desire to recover the Arkenstone, a sparkling gem. But Bilbo only half-listened. He understood that the dragon was lurking and shouted to the dwarves to immediately close the secret door that remained open, seeking refuge inside the Mountain to prevent Smaug from finding the entrance. In a fit of rage, Smaug hurled himself at the Mountain and took to the sky in a cloud of fire toward the lake and the town upon its shores. In the meanwhile, the dwarves sat in darkness and they scarcely dared to move. At last, after days and days of waiting, as it seemed, when they were becoming choked and dazed for want of air, they could bear it no longer. “We are trapped!” they moaned. “This is the end! We shall die here!” “Come! Come! ‘While there’s life there’s hope! The only way out is down. And I think this time you had better all come with me.!” In desperation they agreed. Bilbo slipped on the ring. “Now pay attention,” whispered the hobbit, “and above all, keep silent!” Smaug was not there. Bilbo climbed up the great heap of treasure, having caught sight of a gleam that he wished to reach. Thus he found the Arkenstone, recognizing it from Thorin’s description. Bilbo picked it up, then closed his eyes and tucked it deep into his pocket. “Now I’m a burglar indeed!” he thought. “But I suppose I must tell the dwarves about it -some time. They did say I would pick and choose my own share; and I think I will choose this, if they took all the rest!” All the same he had an uncomfortable feeling that the picking and choosing had not really been meant to include this marvellous gem, and that trouble would yet come of it.

Page 45 (111). Meanwhile, in Lake-town, they saw the dragon’s fiery glow in the distance and realized that Smaug was approaching. The flames struck them, igniting the houses, as men, women, and children fled towards the water. Roaring Smaug swept over the town. A hail of dark arrows leaped up and snapped and rattled on his scales and jewels and their shafts fell back kindled by his breath, burning and hissing into the lake. As the twanging of the bows and the shrilling of the trumpets the dragon’s wrath blade to his height, till he was blind and mad with it. No one had dared to give battle to him for many an age; nor would they have dared now, if it had not been for the grim-voiced man (Bard was his name) who ran to and fro cheering on the archers and urging the Master to order them to fight to the last arrow. Smaug swooped straight through the arrow-storm, reckless in his rage, taking no need to turn his scaly sides towards his foes, seeking only to set their town ablaze. The Master himself was turning to his great gilded boat, hoping to row away in the confusion and save himself. Soon all the town would be deserted and burned down to the surface of the lake.

Page 46 (112). But there was still a company of archers that held their ground among the burning houses. their captain was Bard, who shot till all his arrows but one were gone. “Wait! Wait!” said a thrush. “The moon is rising. Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies and turns above you!” “Arrow! Black arrow! I have saved you for last. You never failed me and always have I recovered you.” The dragon swooped once more lower than ever, and as he turned and dived down his belly glittered white with sparkling fires of gems in the moon – but not in one place. The great bow twanged, the black arrow sped straight for the hollow by the left breast. In it smote and vanished, barb, shaft and feather, so fierce in his flight. With a shriek that defeated men, fell trees and split stone, Smaug shot spouting into the air, turned over and crashed down from high in ruin. Full in the town he fell. His last throes splintered it to sparks and glades. The lake roared in. A vast steam leaped up, white in the sudden dark under the moon. There was a hiss, a gushing whirl, and then silence. And that was the end of Smaug and Esgaroth (the elvish name of Lake-town), but not of Bard

Page 47(114). Bard strode off to help, offering aid to all those in need. Everywhere he went he found talk running among the people concerning the vast treasure that was now unguarded. In the days that followed there was much sickness and great hunger. Meanwhile Bard took the lead was burdened with the weighty task of governing his people and overseeing the preparations, that all might find shelter and defense. But help came swiftly, for Bard at once had speedy messengers sent up the river to the Forest to ask the aid of the King of the Elves of the Wood, and those messengers had found a host already on the move. The Elvenking had received news from his own messengers and from the birds that loved his folk, and already knew much of what had happened. But the King, when he received the prayers from Bard, had pity; so, turning his march, which had at first been direct towards the Mountain, hastened now down the river to the Long Lake. The elves aided Bard and his people, and together they marched north toward the Mountain, seeking the dwarves and the treasure. Thus it was that, eleven days after the ruin of the city, the vanguard of their host passed over the rocky passes at the edge of the lake and arrived in the Desolate Lands.

Page 48 (117): Roac, an ancient imperial raven, revealed to the dwarves that Smaug had perished three days prior, warning them that many were heading towards the Mountain, driven by greed for plunder or vengeance. He also advised them not to trust the Governor, but rather Bard. However, peace would come at a steep price. Thorin thanked him, though his words were filled with anger. He urged the raven to send some of his kin to warn the other dwarves, especially his cousin Dain of the Iron Hills, to come to their aid. Reluctantly, the dwarves and Bilbo returned to the Mountain and set about fortifying the sole entrance and constructing a new path, while the ravens kept them informed of the latest developments. The morning was still pale when they saw a company approaching. Before long they could see that both men of the lake armed as if for war and elvish bowmen were among them. “Who are you,” shouted Thorin, “that come armed as if in war to the gates of Thorin, son of Thrain, and what do you desire?” “Hail Thorin, we rejoice that you are alive beyond our hope.I am Bard, I am by right descent the heir of Girion of Dale, and in your hoard is mingled much of the wealth of his halls and town, which of old Smaug stole. Is not that a matter of which we may speak?. Further in his last battle Smaug destroyed the dwellings of the men of Esgaroth. They aided you in your distress, and in recompense you have thus far brought ruin only, though doubtless undesigned.” Noe these words were fair and true, if proudly and grimly spoken. Yet Thorin’s heart was filled with greed, and he had no intention of sharing the treasure with anyone. His words were harsh against the armed men at his door and against the elves. After a few hours, the men returned, demanding that they be given a twelfth of the treasure, or else they would be deemed foes and besieged. Thorin responded by shooting an arrow. Most of the dwarves supported Thorin, while Bilbo disapproved of him entirely, though he kept his thoughts to himself.

Page 49 (119): That night Bilbo made up his mind. “I will take your turn for you” he said to Bombur.  “You are a good fellow, mister Baggins, and I will take your offer kindly. If there should be anything to note rouse me first, mind you!” “Off you go! I will wake you at midnight, and you can wake the next watchman.” As soon as Bombur had gone Bilbo put on his ring, slipped down over the wall, and was gone. He had about five hours before him. Bombur would sleep and all the others were busy with Torin. He was nearly across when he missed his footing on a round stone and fell into the cold water. “That was no fish! there is a spy about!” said a guard, “Hide your lights!” “Servant indeed! Let’s have a light, I am here if you want me!” said Bilbo after he took off his ring “I am mister Bilbo Baggins, companion of Thorin, if you want to know. I know your king well by sight, though perhaps he doesn’t know me to look at me. But Bard will remember me, and it is Bard I particularly want to see. Let me speak to your chiefs. I have only an hour or two to spare.”

Page 50 (120): “Really you know,” stava dicendo Bilbo con il suo stile più persuasivo, “things are impossible. Personally I’m tired of the whole affair. But I have an interest in this matter – a share of the profits, mind you . I am only too ready to consider all your claims carefully, and deduct what is right from the total before putting out my claim. However you don’t know Thorin Oakenshield as well as I do now. I assure you, he is quite ready to sit on a heap of gold and starve, as long as you sit here. I may tell you, Dain is now less than two days march off, and has at least five hundreds grim dwarves with him.” “Why do you tell us this? Are you betraying your friends or are you threatening us?” asked Bard harshly. “My dear Bard! I am merely trying to avoid troubles for all concerned. Now I will make you an offer. This is the Arkenstone,” said Bilbo, “the Heart of the Mountain, and it is also the heart of Thorin! He values it above a river of gold. I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining.” The Elven King looked at Bilbo in astonishment. “Bilbo Baggins!” he said, “You are more worth Bilbo Baggins!” disse. “You are more worthy to wear the armour of elf-princes than many that have looked more comely into it. But I wonder if Thorin Oakenshield will see it so.” Puzzled but cheered Bilbo hurried on. As he traversed the encampment, an old figure wrapped in a cloak rose and approached Bilbo, complimenting him on his recent actions. Bilbo felt a surge of joy at seeing Gandalf and wished to ask him many questions, but the wizard urged him to return quickly to the dwarves and not to be disheartened by what was to come, even though it would not be easy. Guided by the elves, Bilbo reached the wall, climbed up, and hid the rope. At midnight he woke up Bombur, so that he could finally go to sleep.

Page 51(123). By noon, a company of about thirty arrived at the Mountain. Among them were both Bard and the Elven King. Bard offered Thorin the Arkenstone in exchange for what was due to them and the elves. Thorin wondered who could have given them the gem, and Bilbo admitted to being the one. Thorin proposed to give Bilbo the fourteenth share of the treasure, the portion that belonged to him, in exchange for the Arkenstone, and dismissed Bilbo from his presence. The dwarves did not emerge from the cavern, for they awaited the arrival of their kin from the folk of Dain. The next day, when they arrived, they charged into battle without warning, but in the midst of it all, Gandalf intervened.“Halt! Dread has come upon you all! The goblins are upon you! Bolg of the North is coming. Behold! The bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. They ride upon wolves and wargs are in their train! Come: there is yet time for council. Let Dain come swiftly to us!” said Gandalf. So began a battle that none expected: and it was called the Battle of Five Armies, and it was very terrible. Upon one side were the Goblins and the Wild Wolves, and upon the other were Elves and Men and Dwarves. Ever since the fall of the Great Goblin of the Misty Mountains hatred of their race had passed to and fro between all their colonies and strongholds. Then they learned of the death of Smaug, and joy was in their hearts; and they hastened night after night through the mountains and came thus at last on a sudden from the North hard on the heels of Dain.

Page 52 (124). Bilbo put on his ring early in the business, and vanished from sight, if not from all danger. The elves were the first to charge. Their hatred for the goblins is cold and bitter. They sent against the enemies a shower of arrows, and each flickered as it fled as if with stinging fire. Behind the arrows a thousand of spearmen leapt down and charged. The rocks were stained with blood. As the goblins were recovering from the onslaught and the elf-charge was halted, there rose from across the valley a deep throated roar. With cries of “Moria!” and “Dain! Dain!” the dwarves of the Iron Hills plunged in wielding their mattocks, upon the other side; and beside them came the men of the Lake with long swords. Panic came upon the Goblins and even as they turned to meet this new attack the elves charged again with renewed numbers. Victory seemed at hand, when a cry rang out on the heights above. Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side and already many were on the slopes above the gate, and others were streaming down recklessly to attack the spurs from above. Victory now vanished from hope. They had only streamed the first onslaught of the black tide. Day drew on. The goblins gathered again in the valley. There a host of Wargs came ravening and with them came the bodyguard of Bolg. Now Bard was fighting to defend the Eastern Spur, and yet giving slowly back; and the elf-lords were at bay about their king upon the southern arm, near to the watchpost on Ravenhill.

Page 53 (125). They had forgotten Thorin! “To me! To me! Elves and men! To me! O my kinsfold!” he shouted, and his voice rang out like a horn in the valley. Once again the goblins were stricken in the valley; and they were piled in heaps till Dale was dark and hideous with their corpses. The Wargs were scattered and Thorin drove right against the bodyguards of Bolg. But he could not pierce their ranks. As the valley widened his onset grew ever slower. His flanks were unguarded. Soon the attackers were attacked, hemmed all about with goblins and wolves returning to the assault. Soon the attackers were attacked, hemmed all about with goblins and wolves returning to the assault. The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them, and drove in upon their ranks like waves upon cliffs of sand. On all this Bilbo looked with misery. “It will not be long now before the goblins will be at the gate” he thought “and we are all slaughtered or driven down and captured.” All of a sudden the clouds were torn by the wind, and a red sunset slashed the West. Seeing the sudden gleam in the gloom Bilbo looked round. he gave a great cry: he had seen a sight that made his heart leap, dark shapes small yet majestic against the distant glow. “The eagles! The eagles!” he cried. “The eagles are coming!”. “The eagles!” he cried again, but at that moment a stone hurtling from above smote heavily on Bilbo’s helmet and he fell with a crash, and knew no more.

Page 54 (128). All that happened after he was stunned Bilbo learned later. The Eagles had long had suspicion of the goblins’ mustering. So they too had gathered in great numbers; and at length smelling battle from afar they had come speeding down the gale in the nick of time. They it was who dislodged the goblins from the mountain slopes. But even with the Eagles they were outnumbered. In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared – no one knew how or from where. He came alone and in bear’s shape; and he seemed to have grown almost to giant-size in his wrath. He fell upon their rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of fray. Swiftly he returned and his wrath was redoubled, so that nothing could withstand him, and no weapon seemed to bite him. He scattered the bodyguard and pulled down Bolg himself and crushed him. Then dismay fell on the Goblins and they fled in all directions. Songs have said that three part of the goblins warriors of the North perished on that day, and the mountains had peace for many a year. “Where are the Eagles?” Bilbo asked to Gandalf that evening. “They would not stay here and departed with the first light of morning. Dain has crowned their chief with gold, and sworn friendship with them forever.” “I am sorry. I should have liked to see them again. Perhaps I shall see them on the way home. I suppose I shall be going home soon?” “As soon as you like.” Gandalf answered.

Tavola 55 (129). Actually it was some days before Bilbo really set out. They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Bard laid the Arkenstone upon his breast. “There let it lie till the mountain falls; may it bring good fortune to all his fold that dwell here after!” Upon his tomb the elvenking then laid Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin in captivity. Of the twelve companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with his shield and body. Dain became King under the Mountain, and many dwarves gathered over time around his throne. A fourteenth share of all the silver and gold was given up to Bard. From that treasure Bard sent much gold to the Master of Lake-town. To the Elvenking he gave the emeralds of Girion, and he wished to give more to Bilbo. in the end though Bilbo would only take two chests, one filled with silver, the other with gold.  Then he set off for home, bidding farewell to his dwarf friends. Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elven King, as the host of elves also turned towards their homes. Beorn joined them.

Tavola 56 (130). The elf-host was on the march; and if it was sadly lessened, yet many were glad, for the dragon was dead and the goblins overthrown, and their hearts looked forward after winter to a spring of joy. Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elven King, and beside them strode Beorn, returned to his human form. “Farewell! O Elvenking!” said Gandalf. “Farewell! O Gandalf! May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected. The more often you appear in my halls the better shall I be pleased!” “I beg you to accept this gift,” babbled Bilbo. “In what way have I earned such a gift, o hobbit?” “Well, er, I thought some little return should be made for your, er, hospitality. I have drunk much of your wine and eaten much of your bread.” “I will take your gift, o Bilbo the Magnificent!” spoke the king solemnly. “And I name you elf-friend and blessed. Farewell!” By mid-winter Gandalf and Bilbo had come all the way back to the doors of Beron’s house; and there for a while they both stayed. It was spring before Bilbo and Gandalf took their leave at last of Beorn, and at last they came up the long road, and reached the very pass where the goblins had captured them before.

Tavola 57 (131). It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the Valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. There a warm welcome was made them and there were many eager ears to hear the tale of their adventures. Gandalf it was who spoke, for Bilbo was fallen quite drowsy. It was in this way that Bilbo learned where Gandalf had been to. “Ere long now the forest will grow somewhat more wholesome. The North will be freed from that horror for many long years, I hope. Yet I wish he were banished from the world.” “It would be well indeed” replied Elrond, “but I fear that will not come about in this age of the world, or for many after.” After a week therefore Bilbo said farewell to Elrond, and given him such small gifts as he would accept he rode away with Gandalf.

Tavola 58 (133). By the end of July, the hobbit and Gandalf finally set foot in the Shire once more. Bilbo returned in the midst of an auction at his home on the Hill, after his cousins, the Sackville-Bagginses, had presumed him dead. Bilbo discovered he had lost far more than just his spoons; he had lost his reputation. Indeed, the hobbits of the neighborhood regarded him as quite peculiar, but Bilbo cared not a whit. He hung his sword above the mantel, the chainmail on a stand by the door, and mostly spent the gold and silver on gifts. He kept the greatest secret of all regarding the ring, using it primarily when unwelcome visitors arrived.

He then took to writing poetry and visiting the elves, and though few believed his tales, he lived happily and contentedly until the end of his days, which were exceptionally long.

Tavola 59 (134). one autumn evening some years afterwards bilbo was sitting in his study writing his memoirs – he thought of calling them “There and back again, a Hobbit’s holiday” when there was a ring at the door. It was Gandalf with Balin. Soon they fell to talking of their times together, and Bilbo asked how things were going in the lands of the Mountain. it seemed they were going well. Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and all the valley had become tilled and rich and the desolation was now filled with birds and blossoms and fruit and feasting in autumn. And Lake-town was refounded and was more prosperous than ever, and much wealth went up and down the Running River and there was friendship in those parts between elves and dwarves and men. The old Master had come to a bad end. Bard had given him much cold for the help of the Lake-people, but being of the kind that easily catches suce disease he fell under the dragon-sickness, and took most of the gold and fled with it, and died of starvation in the Waste, deserted by his companions. “The new master is of wiser kind and very popular” said Balin. “Then most of the prophecies of the old songs have turned out to be true, after a fashion!” answered Bilbo. “Of course!” said Gandalf, “And why would not they prove true? Surely you don’t disbelieve the psrophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, mister Baggins, and I am fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!” “Thank goodness!”, said Bilbo, laughing.

   THE END