The Chapters

In which the race of Hobbits is introduced and Bilbo Baggins receives a visit from the wizard Gandalf, who is looking for someone to share an adventure. Bilbo expresses his disinterest.

The next day twelve Dwarves show up at Bilbo's smail, followed by Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield, the exiled King of Erebor. After eating, they discuss possibility of defeating Smaug to take back the Lonely Mountain and the treasure within.

Gandalf produces the key to the hidden door and a map of Erebor to help the dwarves gain access to the mountain. He also presents Bilbo as the company's burglar and the 14th member of the company despite his protests. While Bilbo is interested, he ultimately refuses and the company goes to bed.

Bilbo wakes up late to discover that the Dwarves are gone, however Gandalf has stayed behind with a letter. Bilbo changes his mind and runs after the company to join them at the Green Dragon Inn. Bilbo proves to be a poor traveler, and spends the first day complaining; this is complicated by the fact that Bilbo left without packing.

The next day the weather turns foul and Gandalf goes missing. While searching for a place to rest one of the company’s ponies runs away, they manage to catch it but lose many of their supplies in the river.

Cold and wet, the company spots a fire in the distance and tasks Bilbo with sneaking to investigate it. It turns out to be the campfire of three Trolls who capture him when he tries to steal a purse. After he accidentally reveals that he is not alone the trolls wait for the others to arrive and capture them one by one.

Gandalf returns and tricks the trolls into an argument that distracts them until the sun rises, turning them into stone. The company then uses the key that Bilbo has found to open the trolls’ lair where they find stolen treasure, including two beautiful jeweled swords, and a dagger that is the perfect size to be a short-sword for a hobbit.

The Company arrives at the Last Homely House in Rivendell, where Lord Elrond greets them. He invites them to supper which Bilbo accepts; however, the dwarves refuse due to their longstanding enmity with the elves.

They stay in Rivendell for fourteen days, until the moon is right for reading the moon-runes on Thror’s map. During their stay they rest up, tell tales, and eat well. Elrond tells Gandalf and Thorin the history of the swords found in the trolls' cave: Orcrist (Goblin-cleaver) and Glamdring (Foe-hammer) are legendary elvish swords from the lost kingdom of Gondolin. Bilbo’s weapon is of no note.

Elrond translates the message in the map as: "Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Durin's day is rare event when the sun and the moon are in the sky together on first day of the Dwarves' new year.

The next day, the Company leaves Rivendell and head towards the Misty Mountains.

The company leaves Rivendell and resumes their journey through the Misty Mountains. The weather has turned ill, and Gandalf fears they will not make Erebor by Durin’s Day as the land they must travel has been over-run with dark forces.

The travelers are trapped on the mountainside when a violent thunderstorm begins. The company searches for shelter; however, they swiftly find themselves endangered by battling Stone-giants. After some narrow escapes they find a cave and settle in to wait for the storm to end.

Bilbo dreams that a crack opens up in the back of the cave, only to wake and find that it is true. Gandalf battles the Goblins who have entered the cave through the crack and disappears and the company is captured and brought before the Great Goblin King. The King accuses the company of being thieves, spies, and murders, and upon recognizing Glamdring orders the company’s execution.

Gandalf arrives, the lights go out, and the Goblin King is killed. The company follows Gandalf’s voice through the dark, going deeper into the tunnels to escape the goblin army. Dori, who is carrying Bilbo, is attacked from behind causing them to fall. Bilbo hits his head on a rock, losing consciousness, and the dwarves continue on to freedom, accidentally leaving him behind in the Goblin tunnels.