The Hobbit Chapters 6-7

1. The Hobbit Chapters 6-7

2. Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire! • As Bilbo emerges from the goblin caves, he doesn’t realize exactly where he is right away. • Finally he comes to the realization that he is on the other side of the Misty Mountains. • Eventually, as he walks on, he spots Balin acting as a lookout for the dwarves. • Still wearing the ring from his encounter with Gollum, Bilbo decides to sneak up on the dwarves and surprise them. • He overhears the dwarves question Gandalf’s choice of “burglar”

3. “And here’s the Burglar!” • Bilbo emerges from behind the dwarves to reveal himself (by taking off the ring). • All of the dwarves along with Gandalf are duly impressed by his survival. • Bilbo then recounts the story of the goblin caves, his battle of wits with Gollum, and his miraculous getaway from the goblin guards. • However, the only thing that he leaves out is his acquisition of the ring. • The dwarves are enamored with tale and develop a great respect for him; they finally view Bilbo as a worthy ally. Gandalf is surprised as well, but also a bit curious.

4. “Escaping goblins to be caught by wolves!” After the joyful reunion, Gandalf forces the party onward. After walking what seems like days to Bilbo, the party arrives at a clearing in the forest when they hear the cries of wolves close behind them. Gandalf instructs the dwarves and Bilbo to hide in the trees for safety. The wolves are known as Wargs who have a special relationship with the goblins. The Wargs and goblins often work together. Finding the party at their meeting place angers the Wargs, so they circle the tree in order to keep their prey in place until their allies, the goblins, arrive.

5. “What is all this uproar in the forest tonight?” • Overhearing the commotion in the forest, the Lord of the Eagles heads toward the forest with his subjects in order to investigate the disturbance. • Gandalf, understanding the language of the Wargs, realizes that they are preparing to meet with the goblins. • As the goblins arrive, they begin to fuel the fire that Gandalf originally started, so that the trees the party is hiding in begin to burn.

6. The Great Shelf • As the trees begin to burn, Gandalf prepares to leap down and face the goblins; however, if only by chance, the Lord of the Eagles swoops in and grabs Gandalf and flies away with him. His eagles grab the others and leave the angry Wargs and goblins behind. • Bilbo, not knowing exactly what to think, fears that he would be eaten by the Eagles; however, he later learns that Gandalf had once healed the Lord of the Eagles from an arrow wound, and is on friendly terms with them, unlike the goblins. • That night on The Great Shelf (a cliff side where the eagles reside) the party feasts before going on their way the next morning.

7. Queer Lodgings • The eagles drop the treasure hunting party at the edge of Mirkwood where Gandalf leads the to Beorn’s Cabin. • Beorn is a skin-changer who often takes the shape of a bear. • Beorn has existed for a very longtime and is known as a great warrior of many generations. He is also a character whom Gandalf warns the party not to anger if they value their lives. • However, Gandalf is convinced that Beorn will give them safe passage to the edge of Mirkwood. • Beorn is Tolkien’s allusion to Beowulf!

8. “Who are you, and what do you want?” • Gandalf proposes that he and Bilbo approach Beorn first, so they do not overwhelm him with their numbers. • As he begins to tell Beorn the story of their adventure, (particularly about the goblins, which Beorn despises) more dwarves continue to arrive until everyone is present. • Beorn is so enamored by the tale that he invites them all to feast and stay at his cabin.

9. A Meeting of the Bears • After the meal, Bilbo retires for the night, but not without noticing the absence of Beorn. • Bilbo awakens in the middle of the night to a horrible growling and scratching sound. Too scared to investigate, he stays in bed and falls back to sleep. • The next morning Gandalf is also absent. • He doesn’t return until sunset, but when he does return, he tells the party about how he has been following the tracks of bears for the better part of the day in hopes of determining Beorn’s whereabouts with no luck. • However, Beorn himself returns the next morning.

10. Just Checking Up On You! • Beorn returns and explains that he went back toward the Misty Mountains in order to verify if their story was true. • He was able to capture a goblin and a Warg. Both confirmed Gandalf’s tale (after which he stuck the head of the goblin on his fence and nailed the Warg to a tree!) • He then agrees to give them bows ,arrows, skins for carrying water, horses and ponies for their journey into Mirkwood forest.

11. “That is all the advice I can give you.” • Before departing, Beorn gives his guest two important warnings about Mirkwood Forest: “There is one stream there, I know, black and strong which crosses the path. That you should neither drink of nor bathe in; for I have heard that it carries enchantment and a great drowsiness and forgetfulness” (Tolkien 132). “I don’t think that you will shoot anything wholesome, or unwholesome, without straying from the path. That you MUST NOT do for any reason” (Tolkien 132).

12. Mirkwood Forest On their way to Mirkwood Bilbo notices something (a bear) following them on their journey. Gandalf later informs him that this is Beorn, following to ensure the protection of his animals and the party’s safe passage to the forest. When they reach the forest gates, Gandalf bids them farewell, and the horses are sent back to Beorn, with Bilbo and the dwarves left to fend for themselves.