The Hobbit

him out of the fray.
    Swiftly he returned and his wrath was redoubled, so that nothing could withstand him, and no weapon seemed to bite upon him.
     He scattered the bodyguard, and pulled down Bolg himself and crushed him. Then dismay fell on the Goblins and they fled in
     all directions. But weariness left their enemies with the coming of new hope, and they pursued them closely, and prevented
     most of them from escaping where they could. They drove many of them into the Running River, and such as fled south or west
     they hunted into the marshes about the Forest River; and there the greater part of the last fugitives perished, while those
     that came hardly to the Wood-elves’ realm were there slain, or drawn in to die deep in the trackless dark of Mirkwood. Songs
     have said that three parts of the goblin warriors of the North perished on that day, and the mountains had peace for many
     a year.
    Victory had been assured before the fall of night; but the pursuit was still on foot, when Bilbo returned to the camp; and
     not many were in the valley save the more grievously wounded.
    “Where are the Eagles?” he asked Gandalf that evening, as he lay wrapped in many warm blankets.
    “Some are in the hunt,” said the wizard, “but most have gone back to their eyries. They would not stay here, and departed
     with the first light of morning. Dain has crowned their chief with gold, and sworn friendship with them forever.”
    “I am sorry. I mean, I should have liked to see them again,” said Bilbo sleepily; “perhaps I shall see them on the way home.
     I suppose I shall be going home soon?”
    “As soon as you like,” said the wizard.
    Actually it was some days before Bilbo really set out. They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Bard laid the Arkenstone
     upon his breast.
    “There let it lie till the Mountain falls!” he said. “May it bring good fortune to all his folk that dwell here after!”
    Upon his tomb the Elvenking then laid Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin in captivity. It is said in
     songs that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached, and the fortress of the dwarves could not be taken by surprise.
     There now Dain son of Nain took up his abode, and he became King under the Mountain, and in time many other dwarves gathered
     to his throne in the ancient halls. Of the twelve companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him
     with shield and body, for he was their mother’s elder brother. The others remained with Dain; for Dain dealt his treasure
     well.
    There was, of course, no longer any question of dividing the hoard in such shares as had been planned, to Balin and Dwalin,
     and Dori and Nori and Ori, and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur—or to Bilbo. Yet a fourteenth share of all the
     silver and gold, wrought and unwrought, was given up to Bard; for Dain said: “We will honour the agreement of the dead, and
     he has now the Arkenstone in his keeping.”
    Even a fourteenth share was wealth exceedingly great, greater than that of many mortal kings. From that treasure Bard sent
     much gold to the Master of Lake-town; and he rewarded his followers and friends freely. To the Elvenking he gave the emeralds
     of Girion, such jewels as he most loved, which Dain had restored to him.
    To Bilbo he said: “This treasure is as much yours as it is mine; though old agreements cannot stand, since so many have a
     claim in its winning and defence. Yet even though you were willing to lay aside all your claim, I should wish that the words
     of Thorin, of which he repented, should not prove true: that we should give you little. I would reward you most richly of
     all.”
    “Very kind of you,” said Bilbo. “But really it is a relief to me. How on earth should I have got all that treasure home without
     war and murder all along the way, I don’t know. And I don’t know what I should have done with it when I got home. I am sure
     it is better in your hands.”
    In the end he would only take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the other with gold, such as one strong pony could
     carry. “That will be quite as much as I can manage,” said he.
    At last the time came for him to say good-bye to his friends. “Farewell, Balin!” he said; “and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell
     Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur! May your beards never grow thin!” And turning towards the Mountain
     he added: