The Hobbit

the trees. Maddened and angry they
     were leaping and howling round the trunks, and cursing the dwarves in their horrible language, with their tongues hanging
     out, and their eyes shining as red and fierce as the flames.
    Then suddenly goblins came running up yelling. They thought a battle with the woodmen was going on; but they soon learned
     what had really happened. Some of them actually sat down and laughed. Others waved their spears and clashed the shafts against
     their shields. Goblins are not afraid of fire, and they soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing.
    Some got all the wolves together in a pack. Some stacked fern and brushwood round the tree-trunks. Others rushed round and
     stamped and beat, and beat and stamped, until nearly all the flames were put out—but they did not put out the fire nearest
     to the trees where the dwarves were. That fire they fed with leaves and dead branches and bracken. Soon they had a ring of
     smoke and flame all round the dwarves, a ring which they kept from spreading outwards; but it closed slowly in, till the running
     fire was licking the fuel piled under the trees. Smoke was in Bilbo’s eyes, he could feel the heat of the flames; and through the reek he could see the goblins dancing round and round in a circle like
     people round a midsummer bonfire. Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood the wolves at a respectful
     distance, watching and waiting.
    He could hear the goblins beginning a horrible song:
    Fifteen birds in five fir-trees,
    their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze!
    But, funny little birds, they had no wings!
    O what shall we do with the funny little things? Roast ’em alive, or stew them in a pot;
    fry them, boil them and eat them hot?
    Then they stopped and shouted out: “Fly away little birds! Fly away if you can! Come down little birds, or you will get roasted
     in your nests! Sing, sing little birds! Why don’t you sing?”
    “Go away! little boys!” shouted Gandalf in answer. “It isn’t bird-nesting time. Also naughty little boys that play with fire
     get punished.” He said it to make them angry, and to show them he was not frightened of them—though of course he was, wizard
     though he was. But they took no notice, and they went on singing.
    Burn, burn tree and fern!
    Shrivel and scorch! A fizzling torch
    To light the night for our delight,
        Ya hey!
    Bake and toast ’em, fry and roast ’em!
    till beards blaze, and eyes glaze;
    till hair smells and skins crack,
    fat melts, and bones black
        in cinders lie
        beneath the sky!
        So dwarves shall die,
    and light the night for our delight,
        Ya hey!
        Ya-harri-hey!
        Ya hoy!
    And with that
Ya hoy
! the flames were under Gandalf’s tree. In a moment it spread to the others. The bark caught fire, the lower branches cracked.
    Then Gandalf climbed to the top of his tree. The sudden splendour flashed from his wand like lightning, as he got ready to
     spring down from on high right among the spears of the goblins. That would have been the end of him, though he would probably
     have killed many of them as he came hurtling down like a thunderbolt. But he never leaped.
    Just at that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized him in his talons, and was gone.
    There was a howl of anger and surprise from the goblins. Loud cried the Lord of the Eagles, to whom Gandalf had now spoken.
     Back swept the great birds that were with him, and down they came like huge black shadows. The wolves yammered and gnashed
     their teeth; the goblins yelled and stamped with rage, and flung their heavy spears in the air in vain. Over them swooped the eagles; the dark rush of their beating wings smote them to the floor or drove them far away; their talons
     tore at goblin faces. Other birds flew to the tree-tops and seized the dwarves, who were scrambling up now as far as they
     ever dared to go.
    Poor little Bilbo was very nearly left behind again! He just managed to catch hold of Dori’s legs, as Dori was borne off last
     of all; and up they went together above the tumult and the burning, Bilbo swinging in the air with his arms nearly breaking.
    Now far below the goblins and the wolves were scattering far and wide in the woods. A few eagles were still circling and sweeping
     above the battleground. The flames about the trees sprang suddenly up above the highest branches. They went up in crackling
     fire. There was a sudden flurry