The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
Adventure
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The narrator now provides information about Smaug's actions while the dwarves and Bilbo have been in the Mountain. When the people of Esgaroth see a golden light flowing from the Mountain, some at first believe that the ancient expectations about the return of the King Under the Mountain have been fulfilled. A man named Bard, however, knows that the dragon has come, and calls the town to gather up. As Smaug attacks the town, destroying much of it in flame, Bard leads archers in a return attack. Despair settles over some of the town's fleeing residents including the Master, who gets into a boat seeking to save himself but, when things are looking fine, the thrush whom Bilbo saw earlier tells Bard (who can understand the thrush's language) about the hole in Smaug's underbelly. Bard shoots an arrow directly into the hole, and the dragon falls to earth, utterly demolishing the town. The surviving population clamors to crown Bard as their new king, but the Master understandably resists this idea, pointing out that the people of the land have always chosen their leaders "from among the old and wise." When this argument fails to sway the people, the Master tells them that their troubles began only when the dwarves came among them. For the time being, Bard agrees to stay and continue serving the Master, ordering the camps and seeing that the wounded are cared for. Bard-like many of the people of Esgaroth is interested in Smaug's hoarded treasure, now apparently free for others to claim (since Bard believes that Thorin and his companions must have perished in the dragon's attack).
Bard sends messengers to the King of the Wood-elves requesting assistance. Those messengers, however, discover that the Wood-elves are already on the march, who also believes that Thorin and the rest have perished. The Wood-elves, aware of the commotion around the Lonely Mountain, believe that war has erupted, and are marching to defend their interests-"he too had not forgotten the legend of the wealth" of the ancient dwarves. But, upon hearing Bard's news of what has really happened, the King of the Wood-elves orders many of his people to go to Esgaroth to assist in relief and reconstruction efforts. Other men of arms, however, elven and mortal, make ready to march to the Lonely Mountain, in search of Smaug's hoard.
In this section of reading we discover Smaug's actions while the dwarfs and Bilbo are in the mountain.
After this section I understand better the characteristics of Smaug
I think that this section was very interesting and I am very interested what is about to happen.
My recent reading has fulfilled my expectations.
for my continued reading I expect that the dwarfs and Bilbo return their kingdom.
I am very satisfied with what I have read
Page 246
The king beneath the mountain!...His wealth is like the sun, his silver like a fountain, his rivers golden run!
This tells us that the king was very wealthy.
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