Editing Bilbo Baggins (section)

===''The Hobbit''===
{{further|The Hobbit}}

The [[protagonist]] of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Bilbo Baggins, is a [[hobbit]] in comfortable middle age. He is hired as a "burglar", despite his initial objections, on the recommendation of the wizard [[Gandalf]] and [[List of The Hobbit characters#Thorin's company|13 Dwarves]] led by their king in exile, [[Thorin Oakenshield]]. The company of dwarves are on a quest to reclaim the [[Lonely Mountain]] and its treasures from the [[Dragon (Middle-earth)|dragon]] [[Smaug]].<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 1 "An Unexpected Party"}}</ref> The adventure takes Bilbo and his companions through the wilderness,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 2 "Roast Mutton"}}</ref> to the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|elves]] haven, [[Rivendell]],<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 3 "A Short Rest"}}</ref> across the [[Misty Mountains]] where, escaping from [[Orc (Middle-earth)|goblins]],<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 4 "Over Hill and Under Hill"}}</ref> he meets [[Gollum]] and acquires [[One Ring|a magic ring]].<ref group=T name="Riddles in the Dark">{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 5 "Riddles in the Dark"}}</ref> His journey continues via a lucky escape from [[Warg (Middle-earth)|wargs]], goblins, and fire,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 6 "Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire"}}</ref> to the house of [[Beorn]] the shapeshifter,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 7 "Queer Lodgings"}}</ref> through the black forest of [[Mirkwood]],<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 8 "Flies and Spiders"}}</ref> to [[Esgaroth|Lake-town]] in the middle of Long Lake,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 9 "Barrels out of Bond"}}</ref> and eventually to the Mountain itself.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 11 "On the Doorstep"}}</ref>

As burglar, Bilbo is sent down the secret passage to the dragon's lair. He steals a golden cup and takes it back to the Dwarves. Smaug awakes and instantly notices the theft and a draught of cold air from the opened passage. He flies out, nearly catches the Dwarves outside the door, and eats their ponies. Bilbo and the Dwarves hide inside the passage. Bilbo goes down to Smaug's lair again to steal some more, but the dragon is now only half-asleep. Wearing his magic ring, Bilbo is invisible, but Smaug at once smells him. Bilbo has a riddling conversation with Smaug, and notices that the dragon's armour does indeed have a gap. He escapes the dragon's flames as he runs up the passage, and tells the Dwarves about the gap in Smaug's armour. An old thrush hears what he says, and flies off to tell Bard in Lake-town.<ref group=T name="Inside Information">{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 12 "Inside Information"}}</ref>

Smaug realizes that Lake-town must have helped Bilbo, and flies off in a rage to destroy the town. The Dwarves and Bilbo hear that Smaug has been killed in the attack. The Dwarves reclaim the Lonely Mountain, and horrify Bilbo by refusing to share the dragon's treasure with the lake-men or the wood-[[Elf (Middle-earth)|elves]]. Bilbo finds the Arkenstone of Thrain, the most precious heirloom of Thorin's family, but hides it. Thorin calls his relative [[Dáin II Ironfoot|Dáin]] to bring an army of Dwarves.<ref group=T name="Gathering of the Clouds">{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 15 "The Gathering of the Clouds"}}</ref> Thorin and his dwarves fortify the entrance to the mountain hall, and are besieged by the Wood-elves and Lake-men. Bilbo tries to ransom the Arkenstone to prevent fighting, but Thorin sees his action as betrayal, and banishes Bilbo. Dain arrives, and the army of Dwarves faces off against the armies of Elves and Men. As battle is joined, a host of goblins and wargs arrive to take over the mountain, now that Smaug is dead. The armies of Elves, Men, and Dwarves, with the help of [[Eagle (Middle-earth)|Eagles]] and Beorn, defeat the goblins and wargs.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 17 "The Clouds Burst"}}</ref> Thorin is fatally wounded, but has time to make peace with Bilbo. Bilbo accepts only a little of the treasure which was his share, though it still represents great wealth for a Shire hobbit. Bilbo returns to his home in [[Shire (Middle-earth)|the Shire]] to find that several of his relatives, believing him to be dead, are trying to claim his home and possessions.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=ch. 19 "The Last Stage"}}</ref>