The Hobbit Book Review: Ch 6

Bilbo barely squeaked out of the Goblin cave, with no dwarfs, no wizard, no buttons, but has gained a magic ring that has the power of invisibility.  He only stopped running to occasionally look back to see it any goblins were following him.  After a while Bilbo began to wonder if his companions had made it out okay.  “I will search every crevasse of that cave to make sure they made it out”, Bilbo thought.  But before he could march back to the Goblin entrance, he heard a familiar voice.  It was Balin, he was on look out duty.  Bilbo gave the Dwarfs and Gandalf an unexpected surprise when he step in the middle of them as he pulled off his ring.


Bilbo talked of his dangerous game of riddles with Gollum and his perilous escape of the guarded gate, but not one mention of the ring came out.  All had a new found respect for the Hobbit and his abilities.  Gandalf  urged them to carry on because soon it would be dark and the goblins would come out in the hundreds to get revenge for the Great Goblins death.   They tried to put as much distance between the mountain and themselves before the sunset.  You see goblins travel very swiftly in the dark, much swifter then dwarfs with a hobbit slowing them down.  They busted out of the tree line into a clearing, but had a eerie feeling about the place.  That feeling was confirmed with a loud howl, then another howl, and another.  They were coming from all directions, it seems the evil wolves had a meeting planned that night, in that very clearing.

The dwarfs and Gandalf went up the nearest trees as fast as they could, but they forgot poor Bilbo.  He was scrambling beneath them, to small to reach any branches.  Dori went down quickly and helped him in his tree.  Soon they were surrounded by hundreds of hungry wolfs.  Gandalf with very few options began to light pine cones on fire and launched them at the wolves.  They squalled and ran about trying to put out the flames.  The wolves meeting had been planned with the evil goblins of Misty Mountains.  At that moment goblins dressed in armor carrying spears marched into the opening.  They had a good way to bring down the unwanted guest in the trees.  They circled in Bilbo and his companions with a great fire and began to dance and sing terrifying songs toward the dwarfs.

When all hope was lost Gandalf decided to make a last stand, but before he could cast himself toward them with the fury of lightning, the great eagle swooped up and bore him away to safety.  One by one each dwarf was carried away. Bilbo almost left behind again, had to grab onto Dori’s leg before he was flown to safety.  In the company of eagles Bilbo and his friends were flown to the highest summit as guest of the noble race of birds.  This ends the journey past the Misty Mountains.

Alright folks, if you're reading along with me let me know what you think about this chapter.  I like that Bilbo is finally starting to realize he can be brave and standup in the face of danger.  He has shown great resiliency, but still misses the finer comforts of his small hobbit hole over the hill and who wouldn’t in his situation.