Bilbo, with his sharp eyes, was able to make out a boat across the stream. Fili was able to hook it with some rope and with effort they pulled the boat over to them. Thorin devised a plan and order as to how they would cross. Bombur was informed he would be last and complained about it but Thorin would have none of it. "'You should not be so fat. As you are you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don't start grumbling against orders or something bad will happen to you'" (p. 155, The Hobbit). Just as Bombur was getting to the other side a deer jumped out of the forest and Thorin unleashed an arrow and shot it.
However, as it bounded through the Dwarves and over the stream a few unfortunate things happened. In the commotion the boat was lost downstream so there was no way to retrieve the dead deer from the other side (and they all were dreaming of venison) but worse Bombur had been knocked into the enchanted stream. "When they laid him on the bank he was already fast asleep, with one hand clutching the rope so tight that they could not it from his grasp; and fast asleep he remained in spite of all they could do" (p. 156, The Hobbit). As they tried to revive Bombur they heard what sounded like a hunt go by which startled them quite a bit but they did not see anything.
Suddenly more deer jumped by and the Dwarves wasted all their arrows trying to kill one for food. So now they were stuck with little food, a sleeping Bombur, and no arrows--a desperate lot indeed. They struggled on but with little hope; but they were much closer to the end of the path and forest than they would ever know. Another six days passed but it was slow going as they took turns carrying Bombur. They had Bilbo climb a tree to see how close they were but Bilbo found himself (although he didn't recognize it) in a dale that deceived him into thinking they were no where close to the end. That night they ate their last food.
The next morning Bombur awoke and told of a wonderful dream he had about a woodland king giving a great feast with an assortment of wonderful foods. This of course made everyone else angry to listen to him talk of such delicacies. They marched on through the day when Balin spotted what appeared to be firelight off the path in the forest. This sparked a debate of whether or not they should explore. Being without food was compelling but also where Beorn and Gandalf's warnings to never leave the path. In the end hunger won out and together the company moved forward. They saw Wood Elves dressed in green in brown eating, drinking, and singing. "The smell of the roast meats was so enchanting that, without waiting to consult one another, every one of them got up and scrambled forwards into the ring with the one idea of begging for food" (p. 163, The Hobbit).
No sooner had they stepped into the Elven firelight the fire went out and all the Elves vanished. It took them a long while to find each other in the pitch black. They settled in for the night when Dori spotted more lights. This time Bilbo was elected to go first since he wouldn't be frightening. But for a second time, as soon as Bilbo came forward, the fire vanished along with the Elves. This time Bilbo was enchanted with a sleep spell and was having the same sorts of dreams as Bombur but at least he could be woke quickly. For a third time, as they settled in, the lights appeared. "The feast that they now saw was greater and more magnificent then before; and at the head of a long line of feasters sat a woodland king with a crown of leaves upon his golden hair, very much as Bombur had described the figure in his dream" (p. 165, The Hobbit). This was Thranduil.
Now Thorin ventured in first and the same result, everything and everybody, save the Dwarves, vanished. Bilbo ran feverishly around calling out the names of the Dwarves as they cried out for each other; but it seemed to the Hobbit their cries grew fainter and now were calls for help. Bilbo was alone and miserable. He decided to wait out the night before looking for the others. He woke to find a very sticky substance on his hand and that his legs were tied together in the substance. "Then the great spider, who had been busy tying him up while he dozed, came from behind him and came at him" (p. 166, The Hobbit). Uh-oh. Bilbo had enough wits about him to grab his sword, cut himself free, and kill the spider. "Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins" (p. 167, The Hobbit). I should think so; that must have been a scary moment. Bilbo then gave his sword a name, Sting.
Bilbo set off in the direction he thought he remembered last hearing the Dwarves. He slipped on the Ring and went very quietly. He discovered more giant spiders, many more. Somehow Bilbo could understand them as they spoke with one another (a power of the Ring perhaps?) about eating the Dwarves. And to his horror Bilbo saw the Dwarves hanging upside down from the trees spun in spider webs like a fly caught in a trap. He gathered that they were still alive but that wouldn't be the case for long. And so the now brave Mr. Bilbo Baggins decided to act.
Finding some stones near him he threw them at the spiders killing a couple of them. This got their attention rather quickly. Bilbo decided he must lead the spiders away from the Dwarves and began singing out ridiculous songs to make the spiders mad; which worked. The spiders moved quickly toward his direction but could not see him while he wore the Ring. A quick side point, it's an especially good thing Gandalf sought to preoccupy the Necromancer otherwise he (Sauron) may have perceived Bilbo's use of the Ring considering both were in Mirkwood at the time. Of course, I'm not sure the exact timing of Gandalf's actions but it makes logical sense to me. On Bilbo led them, making the spiders angry, killing a few here and there with Sting.
Finally Bilbo made his way back to the Dwarves killing the one guard and cutting loose as many Dwarves as quickly as he could. Fili was freed first. Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Dori and Nori were also freed by the time the spiders returned. Bilbo had removed the Ring when freeing Fili and now the spiders could see him and they had many nasty things to say to him. But he kept them at bay with Sting and called for the Dwarves to get out of the trees before they were trapped. By now all the Dwarves were free but they were surrounded by spiders and the situation looked hopeless particularly since most of the Dwarves were not in fighting shape due to hunger, exhaustion, hanging upside down all night, and spider venom. Still they fought on, with sticks and stones and Bilbo's Elvish sword but they could not last long. Bilbo decided to act again.
He announced he would disappear (no one quite understood) slipped on the Ring and once again sought to lead the spiders away from the Dwarves. Some of the spiders (but not all this time) followed his voice again. "Then Balin, who had grasped Bilbo's plan better than the rest, led an attack. The dwarves huddled together in a knot, and sending a shower of stones they drove at the spiders on the left and burst through the ring" (p. 175, The Hobbit). They moved along at a slow clip, hoping Bilbo was not caught, turning to fight now and again as the spiders caught up. "Things were looking pretty bad again, when suddenly Bilbo reappeared, and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side" (p. 176, The Hobbit).
They made it to one of the Elf clearings from the night before and then the spiders turned back (for they feared the Elves it seemed). Resting and recovering their strength they made Bilbo recount how he had rescued them. At last Bilbo revealed his finding of a magic ring and they were interested in the tale of Gollum again. Balin was tickled pink by the tale figuring out how Bilbo had snuck past him when on watch. Their respect for Bilbo went up a great deal, magic ring and all, for they saw he was smart and brave and they knew they would all be dead if not for him. (So it looks like Gandalf knew what he was talking about after all, imagine that!) As they were ready to drift off to sleep Dwalin noticed an alarming fact: Thorin was not with them! Unfortunately there was nothing they could do at the moment and slept uncomfortably thinking about their leader.
You may remember at the third Elven fire Thorin was the one who entered first. The same sleep enchantment took him too. The next day the Wood Elves took him prisoner. I love the description of the Wood Elves Tolkien gives here, since his Middle-earth canon was only just beginning but you can see the emerging ideas that would be The Silmarillion. "They differed from the High Elves of the West, and were more dangerous and less wise. For most of them (together with their scattered relations in the hills and mountains) were descended from the ancient tribes that never went to Faerie in the West" (p. 178, The Hobbit). Faerie later known as Valinor. Overall Thranduil's folk were good people but they did not love Dwarves as Dwarven/Elven hostilities were ancient. Therefore they treated Thorin as an enemy and he was ill-pleased at their treatment given Durin's folk had never been involved in the ancient tensions.
They took Thorin to Thranduil's halls within Mirkwood but near it's borders. An underground cave with many halls and dungeons as it were. A river ran out of the caves where the Silvan (Wood) Elves lived. It appears that Thranduil had a lust for gold and silver so when Thorin was questioned as to what he was doing in the forest and menacing the Elves (three times!) the dwarf would only answer he and his companions were starving and looking for food. He did not mention their true purposes of the journey. Thranduil knew he was lying and had him thrown into the dungeons until the truth was told. But, being good folk, the Elves made sure Thorin received plenty of food and drink--his comrades were not as well fed.
"The day after the battle with the spiders Bilbo and the dwarves made one last despairing effort to find a way out before they died of hunger and thirst" (p. 182, The Hobbit). They made it to evening with no luck that is until they were suddenly surrounded by the Wood Elves with bows drawn and pointed at them. They, to their great relief, were taken prisoners by the Elves. Bilbo had enough sense to slip on the Ring as the Elves appeared so he was not taken captive. Rather he followed the Elves as they led everyone away. (Look for Legolas in the movie at this point; Thranduil's son, Prince of Mirkwood, and not a fully formed character in Tolkien's mind at the writing of The Hobbit.)
They were led to a great cavern and Bilbo hesitated to go in for he did not like the looks and he only just made it inside. He followed his friends. "In a great hall with pillars hewn out of living stone sat the Elvenking on a chair of carven wood. On his head was a crown of berries and red leaves, for autumn was come again" (p. 183, The Hobbit). Thranduil interrogated the Dwarves as he had done with Thorin though he had their shackles removed as he informed them the gates were guarded by magic and they could not get out. The Dwarves were not in a good mood, being tired, hungry, and ill-treated (so they thought) and became surly. "'What have we done, O king?' said Balin, who was the oldest left. 'Is it a crime to be lost in the forest, to be hungry and thirsty, to be trapped by spiders? Are the spiders your tame beasts or your pets, if killing them makes you angry?'" (p. 185, The Hobbit).
Now it was Thranduil's turn to be ill-pleased. He reminded the Dwarves they entered his kingdom without leave, thrice harassed his people, and roused the evil spiders. As with Thorin he ordered they be taken to individual cells until they were ready to answer his questions truthfully. We are never told in the story what Thranduil was asking but we are told he had an affinity for gold and silver. Perhaps knowing dwarves share the same affinity he had an idea they were after some treasure (Erebor even) that he should like to know about. Alas, Thranduil did not reveal that Thorin was also a prisoner (they still had no idea what happened to their leader) but Bilbo would eventually find that out.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 2941 (late summer)
Today's reading comes from: The Hobbit, pages 151-185
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