An Unexpected Party
“One thing he did make his mind up about was not to bother to get up very early and cook everybody else’s wretched breakfast. The Tookishness was wearing off and he was not now quite so sure that he was going on any journey in the morning.” ~The Hobbit, Chapter I: An Unexpected Party, J.R.R. Tolkien
I almost couldn’t get through these last lines of Chapter One. Somehow, I related to this moment in the story more than anything else in the chapter.
As I read aloud to my family, I couldn’t help but giggle at all of the little nuances not captured in the Peter Jackson film. From the clothes Bilbo wore and his long pipe that reached almost to his woolly toes (neatly brushed) to his mannerisms and his love of food and having guests (but only when he personally invited them and knew who they were before they came visiting!) I was captivated by what seemed like a distant relative on the pages within my hands; someone whom I shared more than a few things with (minus the woolly toes and long pipe—I have only tried smoking once, and it was certainly not for me).
On Making Everyone Else’s Wretched Breakfast
In my defense, I have been a mother of hobbits for over 23 years, and I can count on one hand the times my children have made breakfast for me.
The sweetness of those few is not to be forgotten or ignored, and as my youngest two are 5 and 10, I am confident I will be able to count on two hands the times my children have made me breakfast by the time they are all grown.
All other mornings, breakfast has been on the table for everyone else and as I’m not very good at math, I’ll let you calculate that… the point is, most days I am a tired momma.
I suppose on this particular evening, I was in my feelings and related to not wanting to make anyone’s “wretched” breakfast or go on any journeys early in the morning (or any time of day for that matter) of washing laundry, doing dishes, cooking from scratch, feeding the chickens and milking the goats and whatever else the long days of this season of raising children requires of stay at home mothers.
I just wanted to sleep until the sun greeted me with warm rays on my face through my bedroom window, listen to the birds for a moment before the 5 year old questions ensued and drink the last sip of my coffee while still warm in some semblance of peace and quiet.
But alas, after 23 years, I should know better.
In all, this life I have chosen brings unexplainable joy to my soul. As a child, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a wife and mother and nurture my family—and here I am. Dreams really do come true.
On Being Chosen
Bilbo’s hesitation to go on a journey (a perilous one at that) and leave the familiar comfort of home is not lost on me.
I am currently in the midst of winds of change that seem to be blowing me in a very specific direction and although I have an idea of what this could potentially look like 5-10 years from now if I should succeed, I feel Bilbo’s trepidation as he sits and wrestles within himself whether he should actually go or not.
Gandalf showing up on an ordinary Wednesday feels very much like when the Most High whispered into my heart the next step I should take on this life journey. In my ordinary days of tending to my family and garden and farm, a new vision had been given to me. One that will impact many, and perhaps even outlive me, if done well.
As Bilbo listened to Gandalf’s praise and defense of him to the dwarves and that the mission would fail without him, I felt the weight of the Holy Spirit on me, reminding me of the whispers and winks I have been graced with throughout my life, but was too timid to answer the call… until now.
There is something about the “now” in this scene.
That if Bilbo truly had decided to refuse this journey, that “now” would never be available to him again…
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Roast Mutton
…which is why I am so grateful that Gandalf returned the next morning at just before 11 o’clock.
When it seemed that the choice had been made, that life would carry on as usual (minus the picking up of all the mess left behind by others #momlife #amiright) the wiser one enters the room and doesn’t let Bilbo argue his way out of it.
“That leaves you just ten minutes. You will have to run,” said Gandalf
“But—,” said Bilbo.
“No time for it,” said the wizard.
“But—,” said Bilbo again.
“No time for that either! Off you go!”
~The Hobbit, Chapter II: Roast Mutton, J.R.R. Tolkien
The wiser one could see the bigger picture—as wiser ones often do—and knew that if Bilbo was not among the company, the world would look entirely different than perhaps it should, should those who are given the call, go!
My girls were rolling in this chapter at the scene with the trolls! Especially the part where they were fighting amongst each other and Gandalf was toying with them in voices that they thought were each other.
I love to do different voices when I read, and seeing my children literally roll with laughter as I read the bickering made the story come alive in a whole new way.
Ah, relationships… it was funny because it is true.
I have both sympathy and admiration for Bilbo in this scene. He has just been hired as a burglar and has no clue what he’s supposed to do in this situation—an over-thinker after my own heart?—and fumbles his way through his first burglary attempt.
Poor hobbit. If he had just gone back to tell the others, they could have been spared almost suffocating in plunder pouches as the trolls argued about mince pies and jelly. But, brave hobbit as well. Stepping into new and unknown roles is quite intimidating and I honor his efforts!
I think about how unpredictable life is, as a journey. One moment you’re running through the Shire, thrilled with the anticipation of something new, the next you’re being discussed as dinner meat in a dark forest amongst smelly trolls. Such is life.
Thank goodness for wizards. And sunrise.
A Short Rest
A short rest, indeed.
Around two weeks seems no time at all at the Last Homely House East of the Sea.
“His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley.” ~The Hobbit, Chapter III: A Short Rest, J.R.R. Tolkien
I should have liked to stay there forever, especially if Peter Jackson’s vision of the House of Elrond was accurate. Even if I couldn’t stay forever, I would take all the inspiration back to my hobbit hole and incorporate as much elvish finery and whimsy I could muster. I remember watching the movies and deciding that when I bought land and built a house, it was going to look like Rivendell.
The providence leaves me in awe once again, as the moon-runes appear for them when they are in the presence of the one who can read them.
Any other week that they would have arrived, the message would not have been revealed. Everything happens for a reason. Always.
This short chapter of a short rest ends with a sweet goodbye, and it is now my new wish to be sent off from the house of a friend amid songs of farewell and good speed, with my heart ready for more adventure.
Over Hill and Under Hill
This is where the adventure, in my opinion, becomes an adventure. The excitement and fear and wonder of witnessing stones come alive and throw other stones at each other—what a sight! and a fright!
I would have been shaking from my curly head down to my woolly toes!
On Bilbo’s Prophetic Dream
As someone with a gift for the prophetic, and wild and vivid dreams in sleep and in waking, this scene that was not rendered in the Peter Jackson films intrigued me.
I have so many questions…
Was Bilbo always a dreamer like this? Was this his first prophetic dream? Who sent him the dream; friend or foe? Does he have more prophetic dreams that come to pass later on?
I feel like this detail is very important somehow, and I’m eager to read on to see if it’s developed further, or if this is just something Tolkien wrote in because of the evil spiritual atmosphere that existed inside the cave they took shelter from the thunder battle in.
I relate to having certain kinds of dreams based on where I am, and in accordance with the spiritual atmosphere that exists in different places. I can hardly stay at Airbnbs anymore because of this… but I digress.
Goblins seem to be quite nasty creatures, bent on making evil wherever they go. Sounds like another enemy’s minions I know… I thought of Proverbs 4:16 when I read this chapter about the goblins: “For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.”
When the Great Goblin revealed that he knew who Thorin Oakenshield was, it reminded me of 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
The enemy knows us better than we know ourselves and I was reminded to stay watchful and stay alert (and in the Word) to be able to fight with the Sword of Truth (Glamdring and Orcrist absolutely remind me of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit to fight and overcome evil).
As Bilbo fell off of Dori’s back and into the darkness, it reminded me that even the above sentiments of knowing that evil is lurking, staying aware and ready and using God’s Word to overcome don’t exempt us from the realities of the dark world we live in.
But even in darkness, there is purpose; even when we fall, there is providence!
Riddles in the Dark
Miserable, wicked Gollum.
I couldn’t read this chapter aloud, as Gollum is my daughters’ most hated and feared character and voice of all time. I started to, but when the tears began to flow, I decided to skip this chapter with them.
I did read the riddles, though, and now we all have some new material in our pocketses for the next time visitors come visiting.
Providence again!
Had Bilbo’s hand not landed just so, he wouldn’t have felt the ring. If he wouldn’t have felt the ring, he wouldn’t have put it in his pocket. If it wasn’t in his pocket it wouldn’t have slipped on his finger, if it wasn’t on his finger, he wouldn’t have escaped murderous Gollum and then later the slightly more murderous goblins just before he slipped through the door to the outside.
The adrenaline was palpable as I ran through the tunnels with Bilbo, ducking and turning and stubbing toes on sharp rocks as he followed the enemy straight to the way out. Holding my breath as he squeezed through the small opening of the door, leaving his brass buttons behind on the floor of the dark lair.
To be hated forever by someone who had these kinds of plans for me would be of little consequence, but I would have been as relieved as Bilbo was to get as far away from such a vile creature as possible—and pray that I never saw them again… or goblins… or darkness…
I have enjoyed reading these chapters as someone who was introduced to Tolkien’s works through the Peter Jackson films.
So many little gems that were changed or left out of the movie have altered the way I will look at this story forever. Even with these differences, though, I am thankful to Tolkien for shaping the story into what it is, and thankful to Peter Jackson for bringing this story to life.
It’s a treasure I am grateful to have found, and I look forward to picking up more gems to add to my collection as I go!
Until Our Next Meeting
This upcoming week will be chapters 6-10 and I cannot wait to dive in and share my wanderings and ponderings with you next weekend (April 11th/12th)!
Please leave me a comment below on your thoughts on these chapters, insights I may have missed or anything you’d like to share as you walk this journey with me.
I am so very thankful you are with me, here at the beginning of all things!
Blessings,
Allison
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