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Timeline Event

Dwarves explore the Great Hall of Thráin

Event Type: General

Age: 3rd Age - The Stewards

Date: November 3, 2941

Description:

An event in the Quest of Erebor; see that entry for an overview:
[The] talk turned to the great hoard itself and to the things that Thorin and Balin remembered. They wondered if they were still lying there unharmed....

The Hobbit, Ch 12, Inside Information

Faintly the dwarves heard [Bilbo's] small cries, though the only word they could catch was 'help!'

'Now what on earth ... has happened?' said Thorin. 'Certainly not the dragon, or he would not go on squeaking.'

They waited a moment or two, and still there were no dragon-noises, no sound ... but Bilbo's distant voice. 'Come, one of you, get another light or two!' Thorin ordered. 'It seems we have got to go and help our burglar.' ...

Gloin lit several more torches, and then they all crept out..., and went along the wall as hurriedly as they could. It was not long before they met Bilbo himself coming back towards them. ...

'Only a bat and a dropped torch, nothing worse!' he said.... Though they were much relieved, they were inclined to be grumpy at being frightened for nothing; but what they would have said, if he had told them ... about the Arkenstone, I don't know. The mere fleeting glimpses of treasure which they had caught as they went along had rekindled all the fire of their dwarvish hearts; and when the heart of a dwarf, even the most respectable, is wakened by gold and by jewels, he grows suddenly bold, and he may become fierce.

The dwarves indeed no longer needed any urging. All were now eager to explore the hall while they had the chance, and willing to believe that, for the present, Smaug was away from home. Each now gripped a lighted torch; and as they gazed [around], they forgot fear and even caution. They ... cried out to one another, as they lifted old treasures from the mound or from the wall and held them in the light caressing and fingering them. Fili and Kili were almost in merry mood, and finding still hanging there many golden harps strung with silver they took them and struck them; and being magical ... they were still in tune. The dark hall was filled with a melody that had long been silent. But most of the dwarves were more practical; they gathered gems and stuffed their pockets, and let what they could not carry fall back through their fingers with a sigh. Thorin was not least among these; but always he searched ... for something which he could not find. It was the Arkenstone but he spoke of it yet to no one.

Now the dwarves took down mail and weapons from the walls, and armed themselves. ...

'Mr. Baggins!' [Thorin] cried. 'Here is the first payment of your reward!' ...

With that he put on Bilbo a small coat of mail ...

'I feel magnificent,' [Bilbo] thought; 'but I expect I look rather absurd.' ...

All the same Mr. Baggins kept his head more clear of the bewitchment of the hoard than the dwarves did. Long before the dwarves were tired of examining the treasures he became weary of it and sat down on the floor; and he began to wonder nervously what the end of it all would be. ...

'Thorin!' he cried aloud. 'What next? We are armed, but what good has any armour ever been before against Smaug the Dreadful? This treasure is not yet won back. We are not looking for gold yet, but for a way of escape; and we have tempted luck too long!'

'You speak the truth!' answered Thorin, recovering his wits. 'Let us go!' ... Then he hailed the others, and ... holding their torches above their heads they passed through the gaping doors, not without many a backward glance of longing.

The Hobbit, Ch 12, Not At Home

Notes
The year is canon, but the date is estimated, to match the date of the event Bilbo explores the Great Hall of Thráin.

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 4Jul06

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