The Hobbit Chapter Summaries
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Chapter 1 Summary
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Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, a small, beardless creature with hairy feet who is quite sociable and loves
the comforts of home. His mother was a member of the Took family, who are considered a little
irregular because they were rumored to have intermarried with a fairy and because they love
adventure. Bilbo himself is very well off and fond of fond of food and clothes. His house is a
beautifully furnished hole in the ground.
Bilbo Baggins greets a passer-by, not recognizing him as Gandalf the wizard. Gandalf tells Bilbo that
he is looking for someone to share an adventure with, but Bilbo firmly declines the invitation even
after Gandalf reveals his identity to Bilbo and reminds him of Gandalf's longtime friendship with
the Took family. Bilbo invites him to tea the next day; Gandalf makes a strange mark on the outside
of Bilbo's front door and leaves.
The next day, Gandalf and thirteen dwarves — Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin,
Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin — visit Bilbo and make themselves at home. They demand
refreshments, and while they eat, they talk, smoke, sing, and play musical instruments.
The dwarves sing of seeking a treasure that lies buried under a mountain guarded by a dragon.
Thorin, their leader, addresses the group, including Bilbo, whom he calls a fellow conspirator,
reminding them that they are embarking the next day on a journey from which they may not
return. Bilbo, who had not planned to join the group, becomes frightened and falls into a fit. When
he comes to, he learns that Gandalf had advertised his services as a burglar — the meaning of the
secret mark on the door — hoping that the dwarves would recruit him. Bilbo agrees to go on the
journey, partly out of pride, because the dwarves are skeptical of his ability.
Gandalf takes out a map made by Thror, Thorin's grandfather, that shows where the treasure is
hidden. He points to a secret entrance marked on the map and gives Thorin the key to it. Thorin
tells the story of his ancestors, who lived in great wealth under the Mountain near Dale until Smaug
the dragon invaded Dale and took control of the treasure of the Mountain. Bilbo asks about the
business details of the adventure. They go to bed with plans for an early start the next morning.
Chapter 2 Summary
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Bilbo Baggins awakes late the next morning to find that the dwarves are gone. Gandalf appears and
shows him a note the dwarves left, agreeing to give him one-fourteenth of the profits if he
accompanies them to reclaim their treasure. Bilbo runs to meet the dwarves, forgetting his
handkerchief.
Bilbo and the dwarves set off on ponies loaded with provisions; Gandalf soon joins them. They ride
first through friendly hobbit-lands, but the journey becomes unpleasant by the end of May, as they
ride far into the uninhabited Lone-lands. Riding in the rain, Bilbo wishes he were back at home.
Gandalf disappears, and one of their loaded ponies runs away, leaving them with little food.
The hungry group is trying to make camp in the wet forest when they see a light and send Bilbo to
investigate. He finds three trolls — Bert, Tom, and William — around a fire, roasting mutton and
complaining of having no men to eat. Bilbo, trying to act like a burglar, is caught trying to pick
William's pocket. The trolls disagree about what to do with Bilbo and are fighting among
themselves when Balin enters their camp. They capture him and put him into a sack, and then do
the same to the rest of the dwarves who come looking for Bilbo. Bilbo hides in the top of a bush.
Gandalf returns and tricks the trolls into staying out past dawn and they turn to stone, because
trolls must be underground during the day. Gandalf and Bilbo free the dwarves. They find the trolls'
secret cave and help themselves to food, clothes, swords, and gold coins, and then they go to sleep.
The next morning, they load their ponies. They bury the gold for safekeeping and continue to travel
east. Gandalf tells Thorin that he had been scouting ahead when he heard in Rivendell that trolls
were in the area and he knew he was wanted back. He warns Thorin to take care.
Chapter 3 Summary
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Bilbo and the dwarves approach the Misty Mountains. The sense of danger
increases and, once again, Bilbo thinks of home. Gandalf warns them that they are
at the edge of the Wild and that they can stay with his friend Elrond in Rivendell.
The way is difficult, but at last they come to the valley of Rivendell and are greeted
by singing elves. Bilbo loves elves, but dwarves and elves are traditional enemies,
and Bilbo's companions decline the elves' invitation to supper. The group comes to
the house of Elrond, a wise and hospitable elf. They stay for fourteen days, until
midsummer, eating, singing, and telling tales. Elrond identifies their swords as
having come from dragon plunder or the Goblin-wars and translates their runes:
Thorin's sword is named Orcrist and Gandalf's is Glamdring.
Elrond also interprets the moon-letters on Thorin's map, letters like runes that can
be seen only by the light of a moon that is the same as the one under which they
were written. The letters tell the reader to stand by a stone near a thrush and the
setting sun of Durin's Day will shine on a key-hole. Thorin, Durin's heir, explains
that Durin's Day is the first day of the dwarves' New Year.
The next day, the dwarves leave to go over the Misty Mountains and beyond
Chapter 4 Summary
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With the advice of Elrond and under the direction of Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves take the right
path that leads into the mountains. As they climb up out of the valley and the weather gets colder
and the terrain more dangerous, Bilbo thinks of the joys of summer back at home. The dwarves are
hopeful of reaching the Lonely Mountain by Durin's Day, but Gandalf is skeptical because he knows
that the land they are traveling has become evil and dangerous.
The travelers are caught in a violent thunderstorm that is the work of stone-giants. With their
ponies, the expedition seeks shelter and sleep in a cave. Bilbo dreams that a crack opens in the
back of the cave; he wakes to find that the crack is real and that the ponies have disappeared
through it and Goblins have entered. When the Goblins try to grab Gandalf, he creates a great
lightning-like flash in the cave and several Goblins fall dead. The crack closes, and Gandalf
disappears.
With whips, the Goblins drive Bilbo and the dwarves to the cavern of the Great Goblin. On the way,
they see their ponies, who will be eaten by the Goblins. The Great Goblin interrogates Thorin and
accuses the dwarves of being spies, thieves, and murderers. The Goblins discover Thorin's sword,
Orcrist or Goblin-cleaver, which they recognize as an elvish sword that killed many Goblins; they
know it as Biter. The Great Goblin is enraged and orders the dwarves sent off to their deaths.
Suddenly, the lights go off and the sword Glamdring (also called Foe-hammer or Beater), appears by
itself, and runs through the Great Goblin, killing him.
Gandalf's voice leads the dwarves and Bilbo out of the cavern. The Goblins chase after them until,
finally, Thorin and Gandalf turn and, with their swords, kill several of the Goblins. Bilbo, the
dwarves, and Gandalf then descend deeper into the Goblin tunnels. Goblins sneak up behind Dori,
who is carrying Bilbo; Dori falls and Bilbo hits his head on a rock and loses consciousness.
Chapter 5 Summary
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Bilbo regains consciousness and, finding himself alone, tries to crawl through the tunnel. He finds a
ring, which he absentmindedly pockets. He wishes he were back in his comfortable home, eating.
As a hobbit, he can orient himself quite well underground, and he continues to descend the tunnel
until he comes to a lake that he cannot cross, not knowing how to swim.
Bilbo is spotted by old Gollum, who lives alone on an island in the lake, which he navigates in a
small boat. Gollum is a small, slimy, dark creature with pale eyes, named for the sound he makes as
he swallows; he preys upon Goblins and fish. Because he lives alone, Gollum is in the habit of
speaking to himself in a kind of hissing baby-talk, calling himself "my precious." Trying to assess
Bilbo, he engages him in a game of riddles, at which Bilbo proves his equal.
Gollum decides to get the better of Bilbo by using his birthday present, a ring. When he wears it, he
is invisible and can more easily snag his prey. He goes to the hiding place where he keeps the ring,
but it is gone. Gollum correctly surmises that Bilbo has it and confronts him, asking what is in his
pocket. Bilbo, who does not understand the power of the ring, slips it on his finger as Gollum runs
to attack him. Bilbo becomes invisible, and Gollum cannot find him to attack.
Gollum is afraid that without the invisibility of the ring, he will be captured by the Goblins. He
panics and runs to escape the cave. Bilbo, who is still invisible, follows him, thereby discovering the
way out. Gollum, who can smell Bilbo, blocks his way. Bilbo thinks of killing Gollum, but decides it
would not be fair, because Bilbo is invisible and Gollum is unarmed. Bilbo escapes by an
extraordinary leap over Gollum's head and through the passageway, but he runs into the Goblins.
As they rush at him, he slips the ring on, becoming invisible, and narrowly escapes to the outside
where it is light and the Goblins cannot follow.
Chapter 6 Summary
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When Bilbo emerges, he discovers that he is on the other side of the Misty Mountains; his
wanderings inside have taken him through. He decides he must go back and look for his friends.
Still invisible, he hears Gandalf and the dwarves arguing; Gandalf is saying that they must go back
and rescue Bilbo. Bilbo slips into their midst and takes off the ring so that they see him. He tells his
tale and gains their respect, but he does not reveal the existence of the ring. They set off, because
the Goblins will be after them. They have nothing to eat, and Bilbo is hungry.
Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves slide down a stony slope, making more headway on their journey.
Night falls and they hear wild wolves, the Wargs, howling. The dwarves and Bilbo (who is helped by
Dori), climb trees to hide from them; Gandalf, who understands Warg language, listens to the
wolves talking about their plans to join the Goblins in a raid on the nearby villages. He sets the
wolves on fire with burning pinecones that he throws down from his tree, chasing them away.
The Lord of the Eagles hears the noise and brings other eagles with him to investigate. In the
meantime, the Wargs have joined the Goblins, setting fire to the forest as they run through it. The
Goblins build up the fire around the trees where Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves are hidden in an
attempt to smoke them out of their hiding places. As Gandalf's tree goes up in flames and he
prepares to jump to his death, the Lord of the Eagles swoops down and carries him away. The other
eagles seize the dwarves and Bilbo and carry them to their eyrie. The eagles cannot fly them too far
on their journey because men will shoot at them, but they give the expedition a place to rest for
the night and bring back animals for the dwarves to roast and eat.
Chapter 7 Summary
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In the morning, the eagles carry the travelers to a large rock, the Carrock. Gandalf tells Bilbo and
the dwarves that he must leave them soon. He takes them to see Beorn the skin-changer, who
farms a vast property some distance away. He is called skin-changer because he can change himself
into a bear. Gandalf introduces himself and Bilbo to Beorn, who at first does not appear too
friendly. Gandalf cleverly tells a suspenseful tale about how they killed the Great Goblin and
escaped from the Goblins and Wargs, however, and Beorn grows more sympathetic and interested
in the dwarves. Gandalf introduces them, and Beorn invites the entire company to stay for supper.
He tells them stories of the dangerous forest of Mirkwood, which they must pass through on their
journey east. As Bilbo and the dwarves go to bed, Gandalf warns them that they must not go
outside until morning. During the night, Bilbo hears growling outside and wonders whether it is
Beorn in the shape of a bear.
When Bilbo awakes the next morning, Gandalf is gone and does not return until evening. Evidence
of a great gathering of bears the night before had led Gandalf back to the woods where they had
earlier encountered the Wargs, and he implies that Beorn has gone there, too. The next morning
Beorn returns, saying that he has confirmed the tale Gandalf told about killing the Great Goblin,
and that he himself killed a Goblin and a Warg the night before. He feels great friendship with the
travelers, because the Goblins have been his enemies, too. Beorn outfits the expedition for the
journey through Mirkwood with well-provisioned ponies and bows and arrows. He tells them not to
drink or bathe in the enchanted stream in Mirkwood, to send his ponies back when they get to the
forest, and, above all, not to stray from the path. He takes them to a little known forest road, and
they begin their journey to Mirkwood.
On the fourth day, they reach the edge of Mirkwood and Gandalf reminds them to send back the
ponies and tells them he must leave to pursue other business. He cautions them not to leave the
path
Chapter 8 Summary
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Bilbo and the dwarves begin to go through the dark and dreadful forest of Mirkwood. They come to
the enchanted stream Beorn warned about, and Bilbo sees a boat on the other side. With great
difficulty, they use iron hooks from their packs to pull the boat toward them. They have just
disembarked on the other side when they are startled by a deer leaping the stream. Thorin fires an
arrow at him, as they need the meat, and in the confusion Bombur sets the boat adrift and falls into
the stream. When they pull him out, he is asleep — enchanted by the waters of the stream. More
deer appear, and the dwarves use all their arrows trying to kill one.
Bilbo and the dwarves travel on, hungry and discouraged, through the forest of Mirkwood, carrying
the sleeping Bombur. Bilbo tries to find where the forest ends by climbing a tree to survey, but they
are in a valley and he cannot see above the tops of the surrounding trees. They eat the last of their
food that night.
The next morning, Bombur wakes up from a dream of a feast in the woods; he remembers nothing
of their journey. Bilbo and the dwarves see a twinkling light ahead of them in the forest and follow
it to find a party of feasting elves, who disappear when the dwarves approach. Thorin sends Bilbo
alone into their midst but they disappear again; Thorin himself goes, but the elves disappear a third
time. Bilbo dozes off, dreaming of dinner.
He awakes to find himself bound up by the sticky threads spun by a giant spider. With some
difficulty, he frees himself and kills the spider with his sword. He passes out from the exertion and
when he regains consciousness, he finds that he feels much braver. He names his sword Sting. He
puts on his ring, becoming invisible, and goes looking for his friends. He finds the dwarves bound as
he had been, hanging in spider webs guarded by giant spiders. Bilbo throws stones to scare spiders
off and uses his sword to free the dwarves. He reveals the secret of the ring to the dwarves and
lures the spiders into a battle, wounding and killing some and frightening others away.
In the meantime, Thorin has been captured by the Wood-elves who were feasting in the forest.
They take him to their king, who has him thrown in the dungeon.
Chapter 9 Summary
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Trying to find their way out of the forest of Mirkwood, the dwarves are captured
by armed Wood-elves; Bilbo avoids capture because he is wearing the ring.
Invisible, he follows the dwarves, who are taken by the elves across a bridge to the
cave palace of the Elvenking. The Elvenking has them thrown them into separate
prison cells. Bilbo remains invisible, hiding in the Elvenking's palace for a week or
two, until he finds the dwarves; he also finds Thorin.
Bilbo carries a message from Thorin to the dwarves not to reveal their mission to
the Elvenking. Thorin's respect for Bilbo grows. Bilbo discovers that a stream flows
under the palace out to the river beyond the cave, and that empty wine barrels
are dropped through trapdoors under the palace to float down the river to Laketown. He steals keys from the prison guard who has fallen asleep drunk and
releases the dwarves one by one. He presents them with an escape plan: If they
will hide in empty wine barrels, they will be dropped through the palace floor into
the underground stream where they may float down the river to Lake-town. They
object to the danger of the plan, but finally agree to it in desperation. Bilbo packs
the dwarves in the barrels and they are tossed through the trapdoors into the
stream below. Bilbo, still invisible, clings to one of the barrels and floats with them
to the place where the stream joins the river; there, he wades ashore. The next
morning, he sees that the barrels have been bound together as a raft and he hops
aboard as they continue to float toward Lake-town.
Chapter 10 Summary
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• As they float down the river, Bilbo sees the Lonely Mountain far off. From
the raftmen's talk, he understands that the landscape had changed a lot
since Gandalf last saw it, and that the dwarves had gotten out of
Mirkwood the only way they could. Unknown to Bilbo, Gandalf has heard
of his trouble and is on his way to help.
• The barrels float to Lake-town, a town of Men that is also called Esgaroth,
located on Long Lake. Bilbo helps the dwarves out of the barrels. Thorin,
with Fili, Kili, and Bilbo, confronts the town guards and announces that he,
the King under the Mountain, has returned and wishes to be taken to their
Master. They discover the Master feasting with elves, who recognize their
former prisoners. The Master of Lake-town does not want to oppose the
elves, but the townspeople insist that Thorin be welcomed. After a couple
of weeks, the dwarves know they must go on to the Mountain and they
leave, well-provisioned. Bilbo is very unhappy about leaving Lake-town
and heading to the Lonely Mountain.
Chapter 11 Summary
• The townsmen row Bilbo and the dwarves up the lake for three
days. They disembark near the Lonely Mountain, and the
townsmen row away in fear. The travelers set out through
Desolation of the Dragon, a waste land, toward the Mountain. They
gaze out on the ruined and abandoned town of Dale. They camp
near the mountain and unexpectedly find its secret door, but
cannot open it. Over a period of days, the dwarves use all kinds of
tools to try to open the door, but have no success.
• Thorin comments that autumn is almost at an end; the next day,
Bilbo hears a thrush cracking a snail on a stone near the door and is
suddenly reminded of Elrond's story about the keyhole being
revealed on Durin's Day. Bilbo and the dwarves wait for the setting
sun to reveal the hidden keyhole, and Thorin opens the door with
the key Gandalf gave him with the map.
Chapter 12 Summary
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Thorin prevails upon Bilbo to enter the Mountain. Bilbo slips on his ring and
descends through the tunnel. He feels the heat of Smaug the dragon and hears its
snoring and, in a moment of great bravery, he determines to go on despite his fear.
He then comes upon the dragon alone, asleep on a pile of unimaginable treasure
— gold, gems, weapons, and vessels. Bilbo seizes one cup and flees to the outside
where the dwarves greet him.
Smaug awakes and discovers that a cup has been taken. Outraged, he bursts forth
from the mountain and perches on top of it. Bilbo and the dwarves run back inside
the mountain; Bombur and Bofur must be hauled up by rope from the valley
below. Smaug hunts for the thief outside on the mountain, but eventually comes
back to his lair to sleep. The dwarves turn to Bilbo for leadership. He decides to go
back down to Smaug and see if he can find his weak spot. Bilbo is invisible because
he is wearing his ring, but Smaug can smell him. They talk about the treasure-trove
and the dwarves' intent to reclaim it. All the while, Bilbo is looking for Smaug's
weak spot, which he finally spies near his left breast.
Finally, Bilbo emerges from the mountain, weakened from his experience. He is
annoyed by a thrush nearby. Bilbo and the dwarves discuss Smaug; Bilbo is fearful
that Smaug will attack Lake-town. He urges the dwarves to move to the safety of
the tunnel. There they praise Bilbo's bravery and tell tales about the treasure,
describing some of the legendary items including the Arkenstone of Thrain, a large
white jewel. Just in time, the dwarves shut the secret door, preventing Smaug from
entering. Enraged, the dragon smashes the door and heads toward Lake-town.
Chapter 13 Summary
• The dwarves are trapped in darkness, not knowing where
Smaug is. Bilbo decides to go down the tunnel once again,
and the dwarves watch as he makes his way. After he is in
the dragon's lair, Bilbo pockets the Arkenstone, making
excuses to himself for the theft. He drops his torch and yells
for help in the darkness. The dwarves come to rescue him
and when they see the hoard, they begin going through it,
putting on some of the golden armor and picking up
weapons and jewels.
• In an attempt to get out of the Mountain, Bilbo and the
dwarves follow the Running River to light and find
themselves at the Front Gate, overlooking Dale. Afraid of
Smaug, they move on and take shelter in a rock room near
the mountain
Chapter 14 Summary
• The story flashes back to the point two days before, when Smaug smashed
in the door of the Mountain in a range. The men of Lake-town saw the
flashes produced by Smaug's destruction and at first thought it was the
King under the Mountain and his gold. Alerted, they were therefore
prepared for something and foiled the dragon's first attempts to attack
Lake-town. But Smaug continued to assault the town and eventually set
fire to it, destroying everything. Those who survived tried to escape by
getting into the water. One of the archers defending the town, Bard, a
descendant of Girion, holds out against Smaug with his arrows. Taking
advice from a thrush, he shoots Smaug in his soft spot — the place near
his left breast that Bilbo had spied some time before. Victorious, Bard is
declared king but the Master of Lake-town objects and reminds his people
of the problem of the dwarves. Birds carry the news of the death of
Smaug. The Elvenking comes to the aid of Lake-town and marches north to
the Mountain, eleven days after the devastation caused by Smaug.
Chapter 15 Summary
• The thrush that had attracted Bilbo's attention outside the secret
door to the Lonely Mountain is revealed to be Roäc son of Carc. He
tells Bilbo and the dwarves that Smaug is dead and that they should
not trust the Master of Lake-town, but Bard. Thorin, assuming his
ancestral role as King under the Mountain, sends the thrush for
Dain in the Iron Hills.
• Thorin wants to go back to the Mountain. The dwarves work to
fortify the mountain against the Elvenking; as they work, the ravens
bring them news. The elves pitch camp and make merry; the
dwarves then make merry, as well. Bard approaches to parley with
Thorin. He refuses as long as Bard's men ally with elves. Bard's men
leave and then his banner-bearers return with a demand for part of
the hoard if they come to the aid of the dwarves. Thorin refuses
and tells them to consider themselves under siege.
Chapter 16 Summary
• Thorin looks for the Arkenstone, the most
valuable object in the hoard. A raven brings the
news that Dain is coming with five hundred
dwarves.
• Bilbo takes the Arkenstone and goes to Bombur,
who is on guard during the night, and volunteers
to take his watch for him. When Bombur agrees,
he puts on his ring of invisibility and goes to the
elves. He asks to be taken to Bard, and gives Bard
the Arkenstone to use in negotiating peace with
Thorin. As Bilbo leaves camp, Gandalf reappears
Chapter 17 Summary
• Bard comes to Thorin and produces the Arkenstone. Bilbo
explains how it has come into his possession, which
enrages Thorin. Gandalf then appears. Thorin promises
Bard to redeem the stone with one-fourteenth of the
hoard. Bard goes out to meet Dain, approaching with his
five hundred dwarves, and refuses to allow him to pass.
• Elvenking wants a reconciliation, but the dwarves strike.
Gandalf warns of the Wargs and Goblins that may attack.
The Battle of Five Armies takes place: the Goblins and wild
wolves (Wargs) oppose the elves, men, and dwarves. The
eagles who earlier saved Bilbo and the dwarves from the
Wargs approach. Bilbo is struck with a stone and passes
out.
Chapter 18 Summary
• Bilbo regains consciousness and is carried to
Thorin, who is dying after having been wounded
in the battle. He finds that the eagles have routed
the Goblins from the Mountain and that Beorn,
too, has come to their aid. Thorin is buried with
the Arkenstone and Orcrist; Kili and Fili, who also
died in battle, are buried, too.
• One-fourteenth of the hoard is given to Bard and
some is given to Bilbo. Bilbo leaves with Gandalf,
Elvenking, and Beorn and spends yuletide with
Beorn, staying with him till spring.
Chapter 19 Summary
• On May 1, Bilbo returns to Elrond and then
goes on to his house, which is being sold at
auction, because he is presumed dead.
• The story ends with Bilbo settled once again in
his hobbit-hole, more comfortable than ever
before and yet thinking back on his great
adventure