Summary of the Hobbit, or There and Back
JRR Tolkien
Hobbit, or There and Back
The hobbits are cheerful, but at the same time a solid little fellow. They are just like people, only half the size of us, and their legs are overgrown with hair, and they live not in houses, but in “burrows” – comfortable dwellings dug up in the earth. Their country is called Shir, people and people are settling around it, and elves are very similar to people, but noble and immortal. And in the mountains there live long-bearded gnomes, masters of stone and metal. So, our hobbit is called Bilbo Baggins; This is a wealthy middle-aged hobbit, gourmet and songwriter. One day, his friend, the kind and powerful wizard Gandalf, who extradited him as a professional thief, sends thirteen gnomes to him so that he helps the dwarves take their treasures from the fire-breathing dragon. Many years ago the dragon seized their cave city and lay there on a pile of jewelry; unknown, how to get close to it, and the road to the distant
Why did the magician send meek Bilbo on such a dangerous journey? It is believed that the hobbits are chosen by Providence to fight the Dark Kingdom – but this will open much later, and while the expedition led by Gandalf goes on the road. The dwarves and the hobbit nearly die when they meet the trolls; Gandalf saves them, turning the bandits into stone, but the next ambush in the cave of goblins is much more dangerous. Twice, thrice fierce goblins attack the company, the gnomes flee the dungeon, leaving Bilbo unconscious in the dark.
Here the real story begins, which will be continued in the trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”. Poor Bilbo comes to his senses and crawls along the tunnel on all fours, not knowing where. His hand stumbles upon a cold object – a metal ring, and he automatically puts it in his pocket. Crawls on and gropes for water. Here, on an island
The ring in his pocket lost Gollum. This is the magic Ring of power, the creation of the ruler of the Dark Kingdom, but neither Gollum nor Bilbo is aware of this. Gollum only knows that he loves “his charm” more than anything else, and that by putting it on his finger, he becomes invisible and can hunt goblins. After discovering the loss, Gollum throws himself in a rage at Bilbo, and he, running away, accidentally puts on the Ring. Becomes invisible, eludes Gollum and catches up with his company.
They move further to the mountains. The giant eagles, the wizard’s friends, save them from chasing the goblins, shortly afterwards Gandalf leaves the dwarves and Bilbo – he has his own business, and without him the company repeatedly falls into disfavor. They are almost never eaten by giant spiders, then captured by forest elves, and every time Bilbo rescues everyone: he puts on a ring and becomes invisible. Indeed, the homebody-hobbit was a find for the dwarves… Finally, after many adventures, the company rises to the mountains, to the lost possessions of the dwarves, and begins to search for the secret door leading to the dungeon. They look for a long time, unsuccessfully, until Bilbo, by instinctively, discovers an entrance.
It’s time to go inside, to scout, and the careful gnomes want Bilbo to do this, promise him a rich share of the booty – and he goes. Not for money, I think, but because of the craving for adventure in him.
… In the darkness of the dungeon the purple light glows. A huge, reddish-golden dragon crouches in a cave on piles of treasures, snores, emitting smoke from his nostrils. He sleeps, and the brave hobbit steals a huge golden cup. The delight of gnomes has no limit, but the dragon, having discovered the loss, burns out the neighborhood of their camp in a fury, kills their ponies… What should I do?
Bilbo again climbs into the cave, gets – out of a safe hiding place – talking with the dragon and cunning finds out that the diamond shell of the monster has a hole in his chest. And when he tells the gnomes about it, he hears an old wise thrush.
Meanwhile, the dragon is furious because of the intrusive harassment of the hobbit. He again climbs into the air to burn out the only human city left at the foot of the mountains. But there he is struck by a black arrow Bard, the captain of the archers, the descendant of the kings of this country: a wise thrush managed to recount the captain of Bilbo’s words.
Events on this do not stop. The dandy leader of the dwarves quarrels with Bilbo, the Bard and even Gandalf because of trivia, it almost comes to battle, but at this time the invasion of goblins and werewolves begins. People, elves and gnomes unite against them and win the battle. Bilbo finally goes home to the Shire, refusing the promised fourteenth share of the treasure of the dwarves, to transport such wealth, a whole caravan and an army would be needed to guard it. He takes two chests with gold and silver on the pony, and from now on he can live happily in perfect contentment.
And with him remains the Ring of Power.
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