The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Page #3

- How many, then?

- What?

Well, how many dragons have you killed?

Go on. Give us a number.

Excuse me. Please.

If we have read these signs...

...do you not think others

will have read them too?

Rumors have begun to spread.

The dragon, Smaug,

has not been seen for 60 years.

Eyes look east to the

mountain, assessing...

...wondering, weighing the risk.

Perhaps the vast wealth of our people

now lies unprotected.

Do we sit back while others claim

what is rightfully ours?

Or do we seize this chance

to take back Erebor?

You forget, the Front Gate is sealed.

There is no way into the mountain.

That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true.

How come you by this?

It was given to me by your father.

By Thrain. For safekeeping.

It is yours now.

If there is a key...

...there must be a door.

These runes speak of a hidden

passage to the Lower Halls.

There's another way in.

Well, if we can find it,

but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed.

The answer lies hidden somewhere

in this map...

...and I do not have the skill to find it.

But there are others in Middle-earth

who can.

The task I have in mind

will require a great deal of stealth...

...and no small amount of courage.

But if we are careful and clever,

I believe that it can be done.

That's why we need a burglar.

Hmm. And a good one too.

An expert, I'd imagine.

And are you?

Am I what?

He said he's an expert. Hey.

Me? No. No, no, no. I'm not a burglar.

I've never stolen a thing in my life.

Well, I'm afraid I have to agree

with Mr. Baggins.

He's hardly burglar material.

Nope.

Aye, the Wild is no place for gentle folk who

can neither fight nor fend for themselves.

He's just fine.

Enough!

If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar,

then a burglar he is.

Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet.

In fact, they can pass unseen by most,

if they choose.

And, while the dragon is accustomed

to the smell of Dwarf...

...the scent of a Hobbit

is all but unknown to him...

...which gives us a distinct advantage.

You asked me to find the 14th member of

this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins.

There's a lot more to him

than appearances suggest.

And he's got a great deal more to offer

than any of you know.

Including himself.

You must trust me on this.

Very well.

- We will do it your way.

- No, no.

- Give him the contract.

- We're in. We're off.

It's just the usual.

Summary of out-of-pocket expenses...

...time required, remuneration...

...funeral arrangements, so forth.

Funeral arrangements?

I cannot guarantee his safety.

Understood.

Nor will I be responsible for his fate.

Agreed.

"Terms:
Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding

one-fourteenth of total profit, if any."

Hmm. Seems fair.

"Present company shall not be liable

for injuries inflicted by...

...or sustained as a consequence thereof,

including, but not limited to lacerations...

...evisceration..."

Incineration?

Aye. He'll melt the flesh off your bones

in the blink of an eye.

- You all right, laddie?

- Huh? Yeah.

Feel a bit faint.

- Think furnace with wings.

- Air.

I need air.

Flash of light, searing pain, then poof.

You're nothing more than a pile of ash.

Hmm.

Nope.

Oh, very helpful, Bofur.

I'll be all right.

Just let me sit quietly for a moment.

You've been sitting

quietly for far too long.

Tell me, when did doilies

and your mother's dishes...

...become so important to you?

I remember a young Hobbit who was always

running off in search of Elves in the woods.

Who would stay out late,

come home after dark...

...trailing mud and twigs and fireflies.

A young Hobbit who would have liked

nothing better...

...than to find out what was beyond

the borders of the Shire.

The world is not in your books and maps.

It's out there.

I can't just go running off into the blue.

I am a Baggins of Bag-end.

You are also a Took.

Did you know that your

great-great-great-great-uncle Bullroarer Took...

...was so large, he could

ride a real horse?

- Yes.

- Yes, well, he could.

In the Battle of Green Fields,

he charged the Goblin ranks.

He swung his club so hard, it knocked

the Goblin king's head clean off...

...and it sailed 100 yards through the air

and went down a rabbit hole.

And thus, the battle was won.

And the game of golf invented

at the same time.

I do believe you made that up.

Well, all good stories

deserve embellishment.

You'll have a tale or two to tell

of your own when you come back.

Can you promise that I will come back?

No.

And if you do...

...you will not be the same.

That's what I thought.

Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this.

You've got the wrong Hobbit.

It appears we have lost our burglar.

Probably for the best.

The odds were always against us.

After all, what are we?

Merchants, miners...

...tinkers, toy-makers.

Heh, heh. Hardly the stuff of legend.

There are a few warriors amongst us.

Old warriors.

I would take each and every one

of these Dwarves...

...over an army from the Iron Hills.

For when I called upon them,

they answered.

Loyalty, honor...

...a willing heart.

I can ask no more than that.

You don't have to do this.

You have a choice.

You've done honorably by our people.

You have built a new life for us

in the Blue Mountains.

A life of peace and plenty.

A life that is worth more than

all the gold in Erebor.

From my grandfather to my father,

this has come to me.

They dreamt of the day when the Dwarves

of Erebor would reclaim their homeland.

There is no choice, Balin.

Not for me.

Then we are with you, laddie.

We will see it done.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep

And caverns old

We must away

'Ere break of day

To find our long-forgotten gold

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches

Blazed with light

Hello?

Yes.

Yes.

Here, Mr. Bilbo, where are you off to?

- Can't stop, I'm already late!

- Late for what?

I'm going on an adventure!

I said it. Didn't I say it?

Coming here was a waste of time.

That's true enough.

Ridiculous notion. Use a Hobbit?

A Halfling?

Whose idea was it anyway?

Wait!

Wait!

Whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa.

I signed it.

Here.

Everything appears to be in order.

Welcome, Master Baggins...

...to the company of Thorin Oakenshield.

Give him a pony.

No, no, that won't be necessary.

Thank you. I'm sure I can keep up on foot.

I've done my fair share of

walking holidays, you know?

Even got as far as Frogmorton once. Aah!

Come on, Nori. Pay up.

- One more.

- Thanks, lad.

What's that about?

Oh, they took wagers

on whether or not you'd turn up.

Most of them bet that you wouldn't.

And what did you think?

Well...

My dear fellow,

I never doubted you for a second.

It's horse hair. Having a reaction.

No, wait, wait, stop.

Stop! We have to turn around.

What on earth is the matter?

- I forgot my handkerchief.

- Here.

Use this.

Move on.

You'll have to manage

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