The Lonely Mountain

The Back Door

The company scales the mountain in the place where the door is described. As the sun sets, the keyhole reveals itself in the mountainside. The dwarves all look to Bilbo: this is why he is here.

Smaug the Great and Terrible

Bilbo enters the mountain and puts on his ring. As he follows the tunnels deeper into the mountain, he stumbles across the massive treasure room. The giant dragon sleeps in his massive treasure trove. He awakens when he smells Bilbo, since he knows well the smell of dwarf, but has never met a hobbit before.

Smaug asks Bilbo who he is, and how he got in. Bilbo says that he has only heard stories about Smaug and had to see for himself if the legends were true. Bilbo describes himself to Smaug as "Barrel-rider," "Luckwearer," "Web-cutter," "Stinging Fly," "Ring-winner," and "Clue-finder." He flatters Smaug and manages to escape, stealing a golden cup to show the dwarves that he had made it inside.

Cowardly Smaug

After Bilbo has gone, Smaug smells Thorin Oakenshield, and knows that the dwarves have come to reclaim their homeland. In terror, Smaug flees his treasure hole and runs back to his home in the north.