Upon reading the second half of the first chapter, I'm struck by the dark and dreamlike quality of conspiracy that pervades Bag End. The dwarves that have gathered there are plotting revenge, of course, against the dragon - "We mean... to bring our curses home to Smaug," says Thorin, in his fascinating way with words. Yet this conspiracy is also a plot of restoration, an attempt to reestablish the prosperous Kingdom under the Mountain, a conspiracy of hearth and memory and - perhaps - even justice. Even so, they are challenging an enemy that is not only powerful, but virtually immortal - dragons live "practically for ever." It's a daunting prospect, to say the least.
The whole idea of Mr. Baggins being a burglar is, of course, a running joke in the chapter, but there is something curious and poetic about stealing something that already belongs to you, as with the dwarves and their "enchanted gold." And to complete such a theft, they will use a key that unlocks a mountain (essentially). As with hobbits, little things can be paths to great ones. And Gandalf reminds us that myths and legends may well be real enough, if one travels far enough to find them.
Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art
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