For a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives. For dragons covet gold with a dark and fierce desire. For this city of Men was nothing to Smaug.

Old Bilbo Baggins: He was a firedrake from the North.

Young Thorin Oakenshield:Balin, sound the alarm.

The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind. The first they heard was a noise like a hurricane coming down from the North. And where sickness thrives bad things will follow. Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. Slowly the days turned sour and the watchful nights closed in. And for what? But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. How friendships between peoples can be lost. It is sad, Frodo, how old alliances can be broken. They say the Elf King refused to give them their rightful pay. The Elves say the Dwarves stole their treasure. No one knows exactly what began the rift. As the great wealth of the Dwarves grew their store of good will ran thin. Thror named it 'The King's Jewel.' He took it as a sign, a sign that his right to rule was divine. Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark. The skill of the Dwarves was unequaled fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire. Its wealth lay in the earth in precious gems hewn from rock and in great seams of gold running like rivers through stone. Built deep within the mountain itself the beauty of this fortress city was legend. Thror ruled with utter surety never doubting his house would endure for his line lay secure in the lives of his son and grandson.Īh, Frodo. Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain.

For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth: Erebor. It began long ago in a land far away to the east the like of which you will not find in the world today. I think it is time for you to know what really happened. And while I can honestly say I have told you the truth I may not have told you all of it. Older Bilbo Baggins:My dear Frodo:You asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures.

' Note: Ian Holm portraying Bilbo will be referred to as 'Older Bilbo Baggins' while Martin Freeman portraying bilbo will be referred to as just 'Bilbo' or 'Bilbo Baggins' Transcript for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

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