7 This sentence was preceded by a fragment of another, cancelled paragraph in which Bilbo continued speaking:
‘Quite so. I thought not’ he
When Tolkien decided to include the others’ reply, it is originally ‘B’ (i.e., B[ard]) not the Elvenking who asks this question. The First Typescript changes this to the familiar
‘We have, a long time ago; but what has he got to do with us?’ asked the king.
—new typescript page 150; 1/1/66:3.
8 See Chapter I (c) for an earlier reference to the dwarf-goblin war and the battle of the mines of Moria.
9 The illegible word might be heart, but this is doubtful. This sentence was revised, then cancelled and replaced:
It was as if the moon lit water had netted all the glinting of all the frosty stars . . . > It was [as] if a globe had been filled with moonlight and hung in a net woven of the glint of all the frosty stars before them.
10 Here Bilbo echoes Thorin’s words from the beginning of this chapter; cf. page 658.
11 Written in the left margin alongside this paragraph is an additional sentence: ‘I only wish to save trouble and foolishness all round, and this seemed to me a possible way’. There is no indication of its exact placement, but it is probably intended to follow the words ‘don’t you know’. This sentence was not picked up on in the typescripts and thus does not appear in the published book.
12 Bladorthin here is more or less repeating his words to Bilbo the last time they were unexpectedly reunited (at which time the wizard’s name was of course still Bladorthin) – ‘Mr Baggins has more about him than you’d guess’; cf. page 200.
Chapter XVII
The Battle of Five Armies
As before, there is no chapter break in the original Third Phase manuscript, merely a gap of one skipped line between the first and second paragraphs on new manuscript page 20 (1/1/18:1). Later Tolkien wrote, in pencil, ‘Ch. XVI’ in this gap. That he wrote XVI rather than XVII might be inadvertence, but that would be very uncharacteristic. It seems more likely that the break between what are now chapters XIV and XV had not yet been inserted (see page 642); no such break having existed in the Third Phase ms., either as originally written or in later markings as had been the case for the starts for what are now chapters XVI (page 658), XVII (this page), or XIX (page 687).
Next day the trumpets rang early in the camp. Soon a single runner was seen hurrying along the narrow path. At a distance he stood and hailed them, asking whether Thorin would hearken [added: now] to [an embassy as new tiding had occurred, which >] another embassy since new [things >] tiding had occurred & matters were changed.
‘That will be Dain’ said Thorin when he heard. ‘They will have got wind of his coming. I thought that would soften their mood. Bid them come few in number and weaponless and I will hear.’
About mid morning the banners of the Wood and Lake were seen to be borne forth again. [Behold > As they drew >
‘Hail Thorin’ said [> cried] Bard. ‘Are you still of the same mind?’
‘[A>] My mind changes not with the rising & setting of a few suns’ said Thorin ‘And [
‘Is there nothing for which you would yield any of your gold?’
‘Nothing that you or your friends have to offer?’
‘What of the Arkenstone of Thrain’ said he and he bade open [> opened] the box and held aloft the jewel in his opened hand. The light leapt from his palm bright even in the morning.TN1
Then Thorin was stricken dumb with amazement & confusion. No one spoke for a long while.
[That stone >] At length Thorin spoke and his voice was thick with wrath. ‘That stone was my father’s and is mine’TN2 he said. ‘Why should I purchase mine own? [cancelled: Yet I knew you were thieves.]’ But wonder got the better of his anger [> him] and he added. ‘And how came you by the heirloom of my house – if there is need to ask such a question of robbers.’
‘We are not robbers’ Bard said. ‘Your own we will yield in return for our own.’
‘How came you by it’ shouted Thorin in gathering rage.
‘I gave it them!’ squeaked Bilbo, who was peeping over the wall, by now in a dreadful fright.
‘You, you’ cried Thorin turning upon him and grasping him with both hands. ‘You miserable hobbit, you you burglar’ he shouted at a loss for words, and he shook poor B. like a rabbit.TN3 ‘By the beard of DurinnTN4 I wish I had Gandalf here. But I will wring your neck first’ he said.TN5
‘Your wish is granted’ said a voice and Thorin paused. From the company a man stood forth, and cast aside his hood & cloak.TN6 ‘Here is Gandalf – and not too soon it seems! If you don’t like my burglar please don’t damage him.TN7 Put him down and listen first to what he has to say.’
‘You all seem in league’ said Thorin putting Bilbo down. ‘Never again will I have dealing with a wizard or his friends. What have you to say you descendant of rats.’
‘Dear me dear me!’ said Bilbo. ‘I am sure this is all very [unfor[tunate] >] uncomfortable: [If>] You may remember saying that I might choose my own fourteenth [added in pencil: share]. Perhaps I took it too literally though the time was when you seemed to think I was of some service. Descendant of rats indeed. Is this all the service of you and your family that I was promised, Thorin. Take it that I have disposed of my share as I wished, and let it go at that.’
‘I will’ said Thorin grimly. ‘And I will let you go.’TN8 Then he turned and spoke over the wall. ‘I am betrayed’ he said. ‘It was rightly guessed that I could not forbear to redeem the Arkenstone the treasure of my house. For it I will render one fourteenth of the hoard in silver and gold, but that shall be for the share of this cre[ature] – hobbit, and with that reward he shall depart. [But to you I will >] I will give him to you and [> but] no friendship of mine goes with him.’TN9
‘Get down now to your friends’ he said [added in pencil: to B.] ‘or I will throw you down.’
‘What about the gold’ said Bilbo.
‘That shall follow after’ said he. [added in different ink: as can be arranged.]
‘Until it does [> then] we keep the stone’ said Bard.
‘You are not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain’ said Gandalf. ‘Still matters may change yet.’
‘They may indeed’ said Thorin – and already so strong was the bewilderment of the treasure upon him, that he was pondering whether by the help of Dain he could not recapture the Arkenstone and withhold the share of the hoard.
And so Bilbo was swung down from the wall and departed without any reward for all his trouble, except for the armour which [he >] Thorin had given him before. [Many of the hearts of the dwarves felt >] More than one of the dwarves in the[ir] hearts felt shame and pity at his going.
‘Farewell’ he cried to them. ‘We may [meet] again, as friends’
‘Be off’ cried Thorin. ‘[If you had not mail upon you. >] You have mail on you which was made by my folk and is not to be pierced with arrows. But if you do not hasten I will sting your miserable feet. So be swift.’
In the bottom margin of this page (Third Phase manuscript page 23; Marq. 1/1/18:4) is a pencilled note ‘see 23b’ and an arrow, indicating that a new paragraph numbered ‘23b’ on the verso (= Marq. 1/1/18:5) should be inserted at this point:
‘Not so hasty’ said Gandalf [> Bard] ‘[in three days >] we will give you until the day after tomorrow. At noon on that day we will return, and see if you have brought from the hoard the gold and silver that is to be set against the stone. If that is done without deceit, then we’ll depart, and the elfhost shall go back to the Forest. In the meantim
e, farewell.’TN10
With that they departed to the camp, but Thorin sent messages by RoäcTN11 telling Dain of what had passed, and bidding him come [with > warily and >] with wary speed.
That day passed, and the night. The next day [came a bitter >] the wind shifted west and it was a dark morning [> and the air was dark and gloomy]. The morning was still early when a cry was heard in the camp. Messengers ran in to tell that a host of dwarves [were marching >] had suddenly appeared round the east spur of the Mountain, and were hastening into Dale!
Dain was come. [The > At dusk he had reached the first >] He had hurried through the night and came thus suddenly upon them. His five hundred were [armed >] clad in steel-mail and wielded heavy mattocks [with >] two-handed in battle; yet each had also a short sword at his side and a round shield slung at his back. Their beards were [plaited >] forked and plaited and thrust into their belts. Their caps were of steel and their shoes were of iron,TN12 and their faces were grim.
Trumpets called men and elves to arms, and before long the dwarves could be seen from the camp coming [down >] up the valley till they halted about a mile to the East. Some [> A few] still went on their way until they drew near the camp, and there they laid down their arms [> weapons] and lifted up their hands, in sign of peace.
Bard went out to meet them and with him went Bilbo. ‘We are sent from Dain son of Nain’TN13 they said when questioned. ‘We are hastening to our kinsmen in the Mountain, since we learn that the kingdom of old is renewed. But who are ye that sit in the plain as foes before defended walls?’
By now you will know well enough the sort of things that are said at such parleyings; and I will not recount all that was said on either side.TN14
On Bard’s side the dwarves were refused passage to the Mountain until Thorin had paid for the Arkenstone; but the dwarves muttered angrily and retired. Later they moved their camp yet nearer.TN15
But when messengers were sent to the Gate they found no gold or payment; and arrows came forth as soon as they drew within shot. Returning they found all astir, as if for battle; for the dwarves of Dain had advanced almost to within hail of their camp.
‘Fools!’ said Bard ‘ – to come thus within the mountain’s arms. They do not understand war above ground! There are many of our archers [added: & spearmen hid] now in the rocks upon both their flanks. Dwarf-mail may be good, yet they will [> <?would>] soon be in [
But the Elvenking said: ‘Long will I tarry [even though the advantage slip from us, save what we have in numbers which is very > and that is sufficient >] ere I begin this war for gold. The dwarves cannot pass us unless we will, and our advantage of numbers will be sufficient [> enough] if it must come to unhappy blows.’
But he reckoned without the dwarves. The knowledge that the Arkenstone was in the hands of the besiegers burned in their minds; and they guessed the hesitation of Bard and his allies.
Suddenly without a signal they began to advance and sprang silently forward to attack. [Arrows >] Bows twanged and arrows whistled, and well-nigh battle had begun.
Suddenly a darkness came on with dreadful swiftness. A dark cloud hurried over the sky. Thunder rolled in the mountain and lightning lit its peaks. Beneath it another cloud could be seen whirling forward; but like a cloud of birds so dense that [it could >] light cd. not be seen [beneath their >] between their wings.TN16
‘Halt!’ cried Gandalf and he ran and stood suddenly [before >] between the advancing dwarves and the ranks awaiting them. ‘Halt!’ he cried and his staff blazed with a sudden flash. ‘[The dread >] Dread has come upon you all more swiftly than I guessed. The Goblins are upon you. Bolg of the North is coming, whose father you slew in Moria.TN17 Behold the bats are above his army like a sea of locustsTN18 [and the wargs & wolves of >] They ride upon wargs [> wolves] and wolves [> wargs] are in their train.’
Amazement and confusion fell upon them all; and even as [they >] he spoke the darkness grew. ‘Come’ shouted Gandalf ‘there is yet time for counsel. Let Dain son of Nain come swiftly to us.’
So began the battle in a fashion none had expected. And it was called after the Battle of Five Armies, and it was very terrible. For upon one side were the Goblins and the Wolves and upon the other were men elves and dwarves.TN19
This is how it fell out. [The Goblins
This was the plan of Gandalf and of Bard and the Elvenking and of Dain who now joined them, for the Goblins were the foes of all and at their coming all other quarrels were forgotten.TN22 Their only hope was to lure the goblins into the valley between the mountain’s arms; and themselves to man the great spurs that stuck [> struck] S. and East. Yet this would be perilous if the goblins were in sufficient numbers to overrun the mountain itself and so attack them also from above. But there was no time to devise anything else. Soon the thunder passed rolling away to the SE, but the bats cloud came [down >] flying over the mountain and whirled above them. ‘To the mountain’ said Bard ‘Let us take our places while there is time.’
On the Southern spur [were arranged the Elves >] in its lower slopes and in the rocks at its feet the Elves [took >] were set, on the Eastern were men and dwarves (since there was less
Soon they could see all the lands to the north and the M. foot black with the hurrying hosts. Ere long they swirled round
This was a terrible battle: the most dreadful of all B’s experiences & the one he hated most (& which is also to say the one he was after most proud of, & most fond of recalling).TN23 Yet actually I may say he put on his ring early in the business and vanished from sight if not from danger. A magic ring of that sort is no complete protection in a goblin charge, nor does it stop flying arrows and wild spears; but it does help in getting out of the way, and prevents your head from being chosen [by a goblin swordsman for >] for a sweep stroke by a goblin swordsman.
The Elves were the first to charge. As soon as the g. host was dense in the valley they sent into it a shower of arrows [added in pencil: set afire by magic]. And behind [added: five hundred > a thousand spearmen] they leapt down and charged the enemy. The yells were deafening, and the rocks [were] stained black with goblin blood. But just as the goblins were recovering and the elf-charge halted; there rose from across the valley a deep throated roar. With a cry [> cries] of ‘Moria’ [and] ‘Dain Dain’ the dwarves of the Iron Hills plunged in wielding great Mattocks upon the other side. And beside them came the lake men with long swords.
Panic came on the goblins and even as they turned to meet this new foe the elves charged again. Already some of the goblins were turning
back down the river to escape from the valley, and victory seemed at hand, when a cry was raised above.
The Goblins had scaled the mountain and were on the heights above the Gate and many were streaming down to attack the spurs from above. They had only stemmed the first attack. [Now the bats flew down >] Now darkness was coming early in a stormy sky, and the bats wheeled darkly over the field [&] heedless of arrows they swirled about the heads and ears of elves and men. Behind in the valley a host of wargs came running [> ravening] and with them a new host of goblins of huge size. Already [their >] Bard was fighting on the Eastern slopes and the Elves were withdrawing to stand about the king upon the
Down rushed all the dwarves of Dain heedless to his help and down came such men as Bard would spare with him; down upon the other side came elvish spearmen. Once again the goblins were stricken in the valley and they were slaughtered in heaps till Dale was dark with them; but among them lay many men, many men and dwarves, and many a fair elf that should have lived yet many an age merrily in the
But as the valley widened they made slower progress and soon the attackers were attacked, and slowly they were forced into [a ring >] a mighty ring all hemmed about with goblins and with wolves. But their friends could not succour them for they were fighting bitterly on the hillsides and slowly they were being beaten down.
The History of the Hobbit Page 82
