The Hobbit Page #2

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So Bilbo was able to

rejoin his companions,

who had crossed the tops

of the mountains,

and they faced together the next

obstacle on their long journey,

Mirkwood Forest.

Entering Mirkwood was like

plunging into a sea of trees,

and being unable

to come up for air.

An eternal, endless forest, whose mists

were as poisonous as its vegetation.

The four travelers were

starved and exhausted,

but they pushed on,

compulsively determined

to bring themselves to the

most hideous danger of all:

Lonely Mountain, wherein

lay the killer dragon Slag.

There he lay, the vast,

red-gold dragon,

fast asleep in this immense hall that

once was the jewel mine of Dale.

Ironically Slag had dragged

these same jewels,

from the treasury of the

Golden City he destroyed,

back to the very place

of their origin.

As Bilbo looked out on this stupendous

scene of both beauty and ugliness,

his feelings too were a swirling

mixture of exhilaration and horror.

Then, out of the staggering panorama

of gems, he suddenly saw only one:

It was the Arkenstone,

the Arkenstone of Dale.

now the tiny hobbit knew exactly

how this lizard must die.

It was the bravest thing he had ever

done, certainly braver than anything

that comfort loving squire of Hobbiton

ever would have imagined he could do.

Perhaps it was only the

power the ring he wore.

Perhaps it was his growing

love for the princess Mika.

Or maybe it was only that he knew

that someone had to do it.

But he did it!

He climbed the diamond vest

of the slumbering dragon,

and he stole the Arkenstone.

Together with the others,

he fashioned

a powerful crossbow

from old mining tools.

And the Arkenstone,

the white heart of Dale,

was the arrow-head destined

for the black hart of Slag.

And so he did it,

just as Gandalf knew he would.

And the City of Golden

Bells was built again.

And Bilbo and Mika

reigned there together.

But finally they returned to that

quiet comfortable life in Hobbiton,

...until the next time Gandalf the Grey

would knock upon the round green door.

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