霍比特人：返乡之路 The Return Journey

THE RETURN JOURNEY

When Bilbo came to himself, he was literally by himself. He was lying on the flat stones of Ravenhill, and no one was near. A cloudless day, but cold, was broad above him. He was shaking, and as chilled as stone, but his head burned with fire.

“Now I wonder what has happened?” he said to himself. “At any rate I am not yet one of the fallen heroes; but I suppose there is still time enough for that!”

He sat up painfully. Looking into the valley he could see no living goblins. After a while as his head cleared a little, he thought he could see elves moving in the rocks below. He rubbed his eyes. Surely there was a camp still in the plain some distance off; and there was a coming and going about the Gate? Dwarves seemed to be busy removing the wall. But all was deadly still. There was no call and no echo of a song. Sorrow seemed to be in the air.

“Victory after all, I suppose!” he said, feeling his aching head. “Well, it seems a very gloomy business.”

Suddenly he was aware of a man climbing up and coming towards him.

“Hullo there!” he called with a shaky voice. “Hullo there! What news?”

“What voice is it that speaks among the stones?” said the man halting and peering about him not far from where Bilbo sat.

Then Bilbo remembered his ring! “Well I’m blessed!” said he. “This invisibility has its drawbacks after all. Otherwise I suppose I might have spent a warm and comfortable night in bed!”

“It’s me, Bilbo Baggins, companion of Thorin!” he cried, hurriedly taking off the ring.

“It is well that I have found you!” said the man striding forward. “You are needed and we have looked for you long. You would have been numbered among the dead, who are many, if Gandalf the wizard had not said that your voice was last heard in this place. I have been sent to look here for the last time. Are you much hurt?”

“A nasty knock on the head, I think,” said Bilbo. “But I have a helm and a hard skull. All the same I feel sick and my legs are like straws.”

“I will carry you down to the camp in the valley,” said the man, and picked him lightly up.

The man was swift and sure-footed. It was not long before Bilbo was set down before a tent in Dale; and there stood Gandalf, with his arm in a sling. Even the wizard had not escaped without a wound; and there were few unharmed in all the host.

When Gandalf saw Bilbo, he was delighted. “Baggins!” he exclaimed. “Well I never! Alive after all—I am glad! I began to wonder if even your luck would see you through! A terrible business, and it nearly was disastrous. But other news can wait. Come!” he said more gravely. “You are called for;” and leading the hobbit he took him within the tent.

“Hail! Thorin,” he said as he entered. “I have brought him.”

There indeed lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds, and his rent armour and notched axe were cast upon the floor. He looked up as Bilbo came beside him.

“Farewell, good thief,” he said. “I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate.”

Bilbo knelt on one knee filled with sorrow. “Farewell, King under the Mountain!” he said. “This is a bitter adventure, if it must end so; and not a mountain of gold can amend it. Yet I am glad that I have shared in your perils—that has been more than any Baggins deserves.”

“No!” said Thorin. “There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell!”

Then Bilbo turned away, and he went by himself, and sat alone wrapped in a blanket, and, whether you believe it or not, he wept until his eyes were red and his voice was hoarse. He was a kindly little soul. Indeed it was long before he had the heart to make a joke again. “A mercy it is,” he said at last to himself, “that I woke up when I did. I wish Thorin were living, but I am glad that we parted in kindness. You are a fool, Bilbo Baggins, and you made a great mess of that business with the stone; and there was a battle, in spite of all your efforts to buy peace and quiet, but I suppose you can hardly be blamed for that.”

All that had happened after he was stunned, Bilbo learned later; but it gave him more sorrow than joy, and he was now weary of his adventure. He was aching in his bones for the homeward journey. That, however, was a little delayed, so in the meantime I will tell something of events. The Eagles had long had suspicion of the goblins’ mustering; from their watchfulness the movements in the mountains could not be altogether hid. So they too had gathered in great numbers, under the great Eagle of the Misty Mountains; and at length smelling battle from afar they had come speeding down the gale in the nick of time. They it was who dislodged the goblins from the mountain-slopes, casting them over precipices, or driving them down shrieking and bewildered among their foes. It was not long before they had freed the Lonely Mountain, and elves and men on either side of the valley could come at last to the help of the battle below.

But even with the Eagles they were still outnumbered. In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared—no one knew how or from where. He came alone, and in bear’s shape; and he seemed to have grown almost to giant-size in his wrath.

The roar of his voice was like drums and guns; and he tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. He fell upon their rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. The dwarves were making a stand still about their lords upon a low rounded hill. Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore 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: “Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your memory never fade!” Then the dwarves bowed low before their Gate, but words stuck in their throats. “Good-bye and good luck, wherever you fare!” said Balin at last. “If ever you visit us again, when our halls are made fair once more, then the feast shall indeed be splendid!”

“If ever you are passing my way,” said Bilbo, “don’t wait to knock! Tea is at four; but any of you are welcome at any time!”

Then he turned away.

The elf-host was on the march; and if it was sadly lessened, yet many were glad, for now the northern world would be merrier for many a long day. The dragon was dead, and the goblins overthrown, and their hearts looked forward after winter to a spring of joy.

Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elvenking, and beside them strode Beorn, once again in man’s shape, and he laughed and sang in a loud voice upon the road. So they went on until they drew near to the borders of Mirkwood, to the north of the place where the Forest River ran out. Then they halted, for the wizard and Bilbo would not enter the wood, even though the king bade them stay a while in his halls. They intended to go along the edge of the forest, and round its northern end in the waste that lay between it and the beginning of the Grey Mountains. It was a long and cheerless road, but now that the goblins were crushed, it seemed safer to them than the dreadful pathways under the trees. Moreover Beorn was going that way too.

“Farewell! O Elvenking!” said Gandalf. “Merry be the greenwood, while the world is yet young! And merry be all your folk!”

“Farewell! O Gandalf!” said the king. “May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected! The oftener you appear in my halls the better shall I be pleased!”

“I beg of you,” said Bilbo stammering and standing on one foot, “to accept this gift!” and he brought out a necklace of silver and pearls that Dain had given him at their parting.

“In what way have I earned such a gift, O hobbit?” said the king.

“Well, er, I thought, don’t you know,” said Bilbo rather confused, “that, er, some little return should be made for your, er, hospitality. I mean even a burglar has his feelings. I have drunk much of your wine and eaten much of your bread.”

“I will take your gift, O Bilbo the Magnificent!” said the king gravely. “And I name you elf-friend and blessed. May your shadow never grow less (or stealing would be too easy)! Farewell!”

Then the elves turned towards the Forest, and Bilbo started on his long road home.

He had many hardships and adventures before he got back. The Wild was still the Wild, and there were many other things in it in those days beside goblins; but he was well guided and well guarded—the wizard was with him, and Beorn for much of the way—and he was never in great danger again. Anyway by midwinter Gandalf and Bilbo had come all the way back, along both edges of the Forest, to the doors of Beorn’s house; and there for a while they both stayed. Yule-tide was warm and merry there; and men came from far and wide to feast at Beorn’s bidding. The goblins of the Misty Mountains were now few and terrified, and hidden in the deepest holes they could find; and the Wargs had vanished from the woods, so that men went abroad without fear. Beorn indeed became a great chief afterwards in those regions and ruled a wide land between the mountains and the wood; and it is said that for many generations the men of his line had the power of taking bear’s shape, and some were grim men and bad, but most were in heart like Beorn, if less in size and strength. In their day the last goblins were hunted from the Misty Mountains and a new peace came over the edge of the Wild.

It was spring, and a fair one with mild weathers and a bright sun, before Bilbo and Gandalf took their leave at last of Beorn, and though he longed for home, Bilbo left with regret, for the flowers of the gardens of Beorn were in springtime no less marvellous than in high summer.

At last they came up the long road, and reached the very pass where the goblins had captured them before. But they came to that high point at morning, and looking backward they saw a white sun shining over the outstretched lands. There behind lay Mirkwood, blue in the distance, and darkly green at the nearer edge even in the spring. There far away was the Lonely Mountain on the edge of eyesight. On its highest peak snow yet unmelted was gleaming pale.

“So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!” said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure. The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger. “I wish now only to be in my own armchair!” he said.

返乡之路 The Return Journey

当比尔博醒过来之后，他真的只有孤身一人。此刻，他正躺在渡鸦岭的平坦石头上，附近什么人也没有。头顶的天空万里无云，但天气却有点冷。他浑身发着抖，身子跟石头一样冷，但脑袋却火烫火烫的。

“到底发生什么事了呢?”他自言自语道，“至少我还没成为牺牲的英雄，不过估计还有时间能赶上!”

他痛苦地坐起身来朝山谷里望去，结果连一个活的半兽人也没看到。又过了一会儿，他的脑袋稍稍清醒了一点，觉得自己似乎可以看见精灵在下面的岩石间走动。他揉了揉眼睛，发现营盘依然还在一段距离之外的平原上。咦?宫殿的大门口怎么有人在出出进进?矮人们似乎正在忙碌着拆除城墙，但到处都一片死寂，没有呼喊，也没有歌声的回响，空气中似乎弥漫着忧伤。

“我想应该还是胜利了吧!”他摸着疼痛的脑袋说，“不过看来胜得也不怎么高兴啊。”

突然，他发现有个人正朝山坡上爬来，向他靠近。

“喂!”他用颤抖的声音喊道，“喂!有什么消息吗?”

“石头堆里怎么会有人的声音?”那人停下脚步，在离他不远的地方向他看来。

比尔博这才想起自己还戴着戒指呢!“天哪!我可真糊涂!”他说，“原来隐形也有不好的地方啊。不然我昨晚就能在床上暖暖和和、舒舒服服地睡觉了!”

“是我，比尔博·巴金斯，索林的伙伴!”他一边喊着，一边飞快地脱下了戒指。

“能让我找到你可真好!”那人大步走上前来，“我们找了你好久，要不是巫师甘道夫说最后听到你的声音是在这附近，我们早把你列进长长的死者名单了。我是被派来最后察看一遍的。你伤得重吗?”

“我想是头上被狠狠敲了一下，”比尔博说，“不过我有头盔，脑壳也够硬。不过，我还是觉得晕乎乎的，两腿发软。”

“我来抱你到山谷里的营地中去吧。”那人轻松地一把将他抱了起来。那人脚程很快，步子很踏实。没多久，比尔博就被送到了河谷中的一个营帐前。

甘道夫站在那里，手臂上吊着绷带。就连巫师都不能毫发无伤地逃脱，整个部队中几乎人人都挂了彩。

甘道夫看见比尔博很是高兴。“巴金斯!”他大喊道，“真没想到!总算还活着——我真是高兴!我还以为你的好运都已经用尽了呢!这真是惨烈的一仗，简直是一场灾难。不过，先不忙说这些。来吧!”他的语气变得凝重了，“有人在等你，”说着把霍比特人领进了营帐。

“嘿，索林!”他边进门边说，“我把他带来了。”

浑身是伤的索林·橡木盾就躺在他眼前，他那开裂了的盔甲和砍卷了刃的斧头都撂在地上。比尔博来到他身边，索林抬眼望着他。

“永别了，身怀绝技的小偷，”他说，“我现在即将要到先祖们的厅堂中和他们坐到一起了，一直到世界再次轮回。既然我现在要离开所有的金银，前往金银毫无价值的地方，我希望能在分别时还拥有你的友谊。对于我在大门那里对你说过的话和做过的事，我统统收回。”

比尔博满心伤悲地单膝跪下。“别了，山下之王!”他说，“如果结局必须是这样的话，那这真是一场令人心碎的冒险，即便是满山的黄金也无法弥补。但是，我很高兴能与你共赴患难——我们巴金斯家可不是人人都有这种荣耀的。”

“不!”索林说，“来自民风厚朴的西部的好孩子啊，你身上的优点比你自己知道的还多。你智勇兼备，融合得恰到好处。如果我们都能把食物和笑语欢歌看得比黄金宝藏还重，世界将会比现在快乐许多。可不管这个世界未来是喜是悲，我现在都得离开了。永别了!”

比尔博黯然转身离开，裹着毯子独自坐下来。不管你相不相信，比尔博就这么哭啊哭，一直哭到眼睛红肿，嗓子沙哑。他是个心地非常善良的小家伙，事实上，他从悲痛中恢复，再次和人开起玩笑来已经是许久以后的事情了。“我能够在那时醒来，”他对自己说，“也算得是老天的一种慈悲。我固然希望索林还活着，但我们能像这样捐弃前嫌，让他了无遗憾地离开，是件很值得高兴的事情。比尔博·巴金斯，你可真是个笨蛋，在宝石那件事上惹出这么大的麻烦，还弄出一场大战来，虽然你努力想要买到和平与安宁，不过我想这也不能怪在你头上。”

在他被打昏之后发生了什么事情，比尔博是后来才知道的。但这给他带来的更多是伤悲，而不是欢愉，弄得他对冒险产生了厌倦，变得归心似箭起来。不过，那还得要再过一阵子，所以我还来得及把详情跟你们讲一讲。大鹰们早就怀疑半兽人可能在暗中集结，因为山里面的那些秘密活动并不能完全躲过大鹰的监视。因此，它们也在迷雾山脉的鹰王号召下集合了大军，在终于嗅到开战的气氛后，就立刻于千钧一发之际顺风飞了过来。它们在山坡上驱赶半兽人，让他们摔下悬崖，或是追得他们嗷嗷直叫，还纳闷为什么大鹰只追他们而不追他们的敌人。不久之后，他们就收复了整个孤山，令两边山坡上的精灵和人类终于可以合力来支援下面山谷中的战斗。

不过，即使在加上了大鹰之后，他们在数量上仍处于劣势。在最后一刻，贝奥恩出现了——没有人知道他是从何而来，又是如何而来的。他孤身一人以熊的外形出现。在冲天的怒气中，他的身形俨然变得如巨人般高大魁伟。

他的怒吼如同战鼓和火铳一般惊天动地，他把所经道路上的半兽人和恶狼随手抓起丢弃，仿佛他们都只是稻草和羽毛。他从敌阵后方突然出现，像一记奔雷般炸进战团中央。矮人们依旧将他们的国王团团护住在一座小圆山丘上。这时贝奥恩冲进来，弯下腰扛起了已经被好几支长矛刺穿了的索林，将他带离了战场。

他很快就重新杀了回来，满腔怒火更胜之前，这时的他已经无人可挡，也似乎没有什么武器能伤到他了。他将半兽人王的贴身卫队冲散，将波尔格一把抓过扯成两半，接着摔成了一团肉泥。半兽人眼见主帅被杀，吓得魂飞魄散，顿作鸟兽散去。而他们的敌人则随着希望的到来，身上平添一股力量，对他们紧追不舍，没有让他们抛掉。他们将许多半兽人赶进了奔流河，而对于那些逃往南面或西面的半兽人，他们一路将他们赶进了密林河周边的沼泽地里。这批最后的穷寇大部分都死在了沼泽里，极少数命大的好不容易跑进了森林精灵们的地盘，结果不是被精灵们杀死，就是被引入幽暗而又没有路径的黑森林，全都死在了里面。据日后流传的歌谣称，来自北方三个不同地区的半兽人战士都在那一天死绝了，这一带山区由此享有了许多年的和平。

天黑之前胜负便已分明了，不过，当比尔博回到营区的时候，追剿仍在进行，留在山谷中的人并不多，大都是些受了重伤的战士。

“大鹰们到哪儿去了?”那天晚上，他盖着许多层温暖的毯子躺在床上时问甘道夫。

“有些还在狩猎，”巫师说，“不过大多数都已经回鹰巢了。它们不愿意留在这儿，天一亮就离开了。戴因献给鹰王一顶金冠，发誓世世代代与它们结为盟友。”

“真可惜!我是说，我很想再见他们一面。”比尔博倦意沉沉地说道，“说不定我在回家的路上能见到他们。我想我应该可以很快回家了吧?”

“你想什么时候走都行。”巫师说。

事实上，比尔博又过了好几天才真正出发。他和伙伴们将索林深埋在了大山中，巴德把阿肯宝钻放在他的胸口。

“愿它留在这里直到高山化为平地!”他说，“愿它为所有以后住在这里的他的同胞带来好运。”

精灵国王则将他当初抓住索林时所没收的奥克锐斯特剑置于他的墓上，据日后的歌谣说，只要有敌人靠近，它就会在黑暗中发出耀眼光芒，矮人们的堡垒再也不会遭到偷袭了。纳因之子戴因继承了他的王位，成为山下之王，许多来自各地的矮人陆续赶来，聚集到了那古老的宫殿厅堂中，成为他的臣民。在索林的十二个伙伴中，有十个活了下来。菲力和奇力用自己的身体和盾牌掩护索林，为此而付出了生命，因为索林是他们的舅舅。其他人则留了下来辅佐戴因，因为戴因对祖先宝藏的处理十分得体，令人心服。

对财宝的分配不再有什么问题了，给巴林、杜瓦林、多瑞、诺瑞、欧瑞、欧因、格罗因、比弗、波弗和邦伯的都是原来说定的份额，给比尔博的也是一样。不过，戴因还把所有黄金和白银(加工过和没加工过的)的十四分之一给了巴德。戴因说：“我们必须尊重死者答应过的事，而阿肯宝钻现在也的确由他保管了。”

即便是总数的十四分之一也是一笔超级巨大的财富，比许多人类国王的财富都巨大。巴德从这笔财富中拨出许多黄金给了长湖镇的镇长，他对自己的追随者和朋友们也慷慨封赏。戴因将吉瑞安的翡翠项链还给了巴德，巴德将其转送给了精灵国王，他最喜欢这样的珠宝了。

巴德对比尔博说：“这份财宝既可以算是你的，也可以算是我的。以前的契约没法再维持了，因为有这么多人为了赢得它、保卫它而付出了代价。不过，即使你愿意放弃所有的权利，我也不希望让索林说过的那句‘你不会分到多少的’在客观上成为事实，他自己也已经对这些话表示了悔恨。在所有人之中，我应该给予你最丰厚的奖赏。”

“真是太感谢你了。”比尔博说，“不过，什么都不拿对我来说反而轻松，我实在想不出来，要怎样才能把所有这些财宝运回家中，而不在路上遭遇战争或是谋杀。我也不知道回家之后能拿它干什么。我肯定它们还是留在你手中比较好。”

几经推辞，他最后只收下了两个小箱子，一个装满了白银，一个装满了黄金，正好是一匹健壮的小马可以承载的重量。“我能应付的也就这么多了!”他说。

最后，到了他跟朋友们道别的时间了。“再会了，巴林!”他说，“再会了，杜瓦林，还有多瑞、诺瑞、欧瑞、欧因、格罗因、比弗、波弗和邦伯!愿你们的胡子永远茂盛!”然后，他转过身面对孤山又加了一句：“永别了，索林·橡木盾!还有奇力和菲力!愿人们永远记住你们!”然后，矮人们在宫殿的大门前一起深深鞠躬，但道别的话却卡在了喉间。“再见了!无论你去到哪里，都祝你好运!”巴林最后终于开了口，“在我们修复了宫殿之后，如果哪天你再来拜访，我们一定要办一场豪华大宴席!”

“如果你们有机会到我家来，”比尔博说，“别客气，只管敲门!下午茶是四点，但你们随时来都会受到欢迎!”

说罢，他转身上路。

精灵的部队正在行军，虽然人数减少许多令人心痛，但队伍中的许多人依旧欢欣鼓舞，因为，北方世界将有很长一段日子要比以前祥和许多了。恶龙死了，半兽人的割据被推翻，他们的心期盼着寒冬之后会有一个充满欢愉的春天。

甘道夫和比尔博骑在精灵国王后面，在他们身边大步走着的是恢复人形的贝奥恩，一路上他都在朗声大笑，引吭高歌。他们就这样一路走到了黑森林的北部边境，也就是密林河流出的地方。他们在那边停了下来，因为甘道夫和比尔博不愿意进入森林，尽管精灵国王邀请他们到自己的宫殿中去做客。他们准备沿着森林的边缘走，绕过它的北端，横跨灰色山脉和黑森林之间的荒原。这条路比较遥远，走起来也乏味，但既然现在半兽人已经被铲除，它似乎比树林中那些可怕的小径要更安全些。而且，贝奥恩也准备走这条路。

“再见啦!精灵国王!”甘道夫告别道，“世界还如此年轻，愿森林充满欢乐!愿你的同胞无忧无虑!”

“再会了!甘道夫!”精灵国王说，“愿你永远都可以出其不意地出现在最需要你的地方!希望你能够常常到我的宫殿来拜访!”

“我请求您，”比尔博结结巴巴，踌躇地说道，“接受这个礼物!”他拿出了一条戴因临别前送给他的白银珍珠项链。

“霍比特人啊，我究竟何德何能，可以获得这件礼物呢?”国王不解地问道。

“呃，我想，你知道吧，”比尔博颇有些语无伦次地说道，“我，这个，应该对你有些小小的回报，呃，回报你的款待。我是说，纵然是飞贼也是有感情的。我喝过你很多酒，吃了你很多面包。”

“伟大的比尔博，我收下你的礼物!”国王表情严肃地说道，“我宣布你成为精灵之友，永远受到我们的祝福。愿你的阴影永不褪色(不然偷窃对你来说简直太容易了)!再见!”

说完，精灵们就返身回森林去了，比尔博则开始了他漫长的归乡路。

在他回到家之前，还有许多困难和冒险要经历。荒原毕竟是荒原，在那个年代，带来危险的除了半兽人之外还有许多其他东西，不过好在他既有个好向导，又有个好保镖——巫师一直和他在一起，贝奥恩也陪了他大半路——因此，他再也没有遇到大的危险。反正到了冬天过去一半的时候，甘道夫和比尔博就已经沿着森林的边缘，再度来到了贝奥恩的居所。两人都在那儿又住了些日子。尤尔季节过得温馨而又快乐，四面八方的人都被贝奥恩从大老远喊来参加欢宴。迷雾山区的半兽人如今已寥寥无几，且都已成了惊弓之鸟，都躲在他们所能找到的最幽深的洞穴中。座狼也从森林里消失了，因此人们可以放开胆子自由来往。贝奥恩在稍后成为了这片地区的首领，山脉与森林之间的广阔地区都成了他的管辖范围。据说，他的许多代子孙都具有变化为熊的能力，虽然也出了几个坏人，但大多数都像贝奥恩一样心地善良、嫉恶如仇，只是力量和体形都缩减了不少。他们将迷雾山脉的半兽人全都追逐殆尽，大荒原又重新获得了和平。

第二年的春天气候温和，阳光灿烂，比尔博和甘道夫终于告别贝奥恩启程了。虽然比尔博也很想家，但他走时还是很依依不舍，因为贝奥恩花园中的鲜花开得丝毫不比夏天略逊灿烂。

最后，他们又踏上了漫漫长路，来到了以前被半兽人抓住过的那个山口。不过他们是在早晨登上那个高点的，回眸望去，只见一片耀眼的阳光照在一望无际的大地上。远方青蓝色的一片是黑森林，靠近他们的边缘即使在春天也是深绿色的。再往远处望去，在目力快要不及的地方矗立着孤山，在它的最高峰，尚未融化的积雪闪耀着淡淡的光芒。

“烈火过后是冰雪，连恶龙也会有末日的!”发出了这样一声感慨后，比尔博在心里告别了昔日的冒险。他体内属于图克家族血统的那部分已经很疲倦了，属于巴金斯家血统的那部分则渐渐占了上风。“我此刻只想坐在自家的安乐椅上!”他说。