The Hobbit Read-Along, Chapter Fifteen

Previous chapters: Intro | Ch1 | Ch2 | Ch3 | Ch4 | Ch5 | Ch6 | Ch7 | Ch8 | Ch9 | Ch10 | Ch11 

Ch12 | Ch13 | Ch14

Someone, a raven to be exact, bothers to tell the dwarves that the dragon is dead and that many people are marching on the mountain to claim the gold therein. Thorin asks the raven's to contact his people (dwarves that is) who are close by and ask them for assistance. The raven duly agrees.

Run, ponies, RUN!

Our questers are able to find three of their ponies who survived Smaug's attack and the ponies are still carrying enough food to last the dwarves for weeks. Thankfully they then set the wretched ponies free. Good; enough ponies have already been killed during this fools quest. 

The dwarves then set about fortifying the only remaining entrance leaving no doors and only holes to shoot through. They are preparing to hold the attackers off but as the raven pointed out, there are only 13 of them (plus one hobbit).

The marching armies see the bricked up entrance, realise that Thorin and at least some of his Co are alive and some simply give up and go home.

Gees, the Lakemen and elvish are worse than the French! At lest the French gave the impression of putting up a fight.

What would Thorin sing? I Will Survive? Kung Foo Fighting?

The remaining men and elves make camp nearby and start singing. Then the dwarves start singing. Everybody's singing. I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of some really bad X-Factor auditions.

The next day Bard comes to speak with Thorin, explaining that some of his ancestors gold is among Smaug's hoard (for he comes from Dale, which used to be at the foot of the mountain) and asking for compensation for the Lake-men, who did after all aid the dwarves and slay the dragon.

Thorin says he will not discuss it while armed men camp outside and asks, had they arrived to find the dwarves dead, how much of the gold they would have sought to give to the dwarves kin, since most of it is rightfully theirs. Good point actually. Maybe these dwarves do have a brain cell or two.

Thorin wants the elves sent away as they have no claim at all on the gold, and arms laid down before he will discuss settlement. Bard says the elves are their friends, he won't send them away nor lay down his arms before approaching the gate. An impasse ensues with the Lake-men and elves hoping to starve Thorin and Co into submission.

Good thing they have a few weeks worth of food and help on the way, right? And hang on, wasn't Galdalf on his way back like 5 chapters ago?