The Hobbit
Chapter 9: Barrels out of Bond
So they stopped dead and sat down and waited--all except Bilbo, who popped on his ring and slipped quickly to one side. That is why, when the elves bound the dwarves in a long line, they never found nor counted the hobbit. (170)
The dwarves aren't warriors themselves. They do not even resist being captured. Bilbo is the smart one, quickly donning his ring. This is parallel with Gandalf's quick escape when the goblins captured the dwarves and Bilbo.
"I am like a burglar that can't get away, but must go on miserably burgling the same house day after day," he thought. "This is the dreariest and dullest part of all this wretched, tiresome, uncomfortable adventure! I wish I was back in my hobbit-hole by my own warm fireside with the lamp shining!" (173)
Tolkien constantly reminds us of the safety and comfort of home; it is one of the things which keeps Bilbo going. Fire at home does mean comfort and security.
"Gandalf spoke true, as usual. A pretty fine burglar you make, it seems, when the time comes" (178).
Thorin has come around from his original skepticism. Of course, being labeled a fine burglar is ironic since our view of burglars is that they are criminals.
There would be a different expression on the face of the chief guard next
day, even though Bilbo, before they went on, stole in and kindheartedly put the
keys back on his belt.
"That will save him some of the trouble he is in
for," said Mr. Baggins to himself. "He wasn't a bad fellow, and
quite decent to the prisoners. It will puzzle them all too. They
will think we had a very strong magic to pass through all those locked doors and
disappear. Disappear! We have got to get busy very quick, if that is
to happen!" (179)
Bilbo the burglar stole the keys, but Bilbo the kind-hearted hobbit puts them back so that the guard won't get into trouble. In the process he possess a riddle for the elves to solve (as he did with Gollum and will with Smaug). And though the rest of the dwarves do not have magic rings, Bilbo helps them to disappear also.
Bilbo suddenly discovered the weak point in his plan. Most likely you saw it some time ago and have been laughing at him; but I don't suppose you would have done half as well yourselves in his place. of course he was not in a barrel himself, nor was there anyone to pack him in, even if there had been a chance (182).
Though Bilbo is known for keen wits, this does not mean he thinks of everything. Tolkien includes quite a bit of humor or irony in his narrator's comments. Later in LOTR we discover that Bilbo himself is the narrator of There and Back Again, so the joke is on himself.
Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to lands you once did know!
Leave the halls and caverns deep.
Leave the northern mountains steep.
Where the forest wide and dim
Stoops in shadow grey and grim!
Flout beyond the world of trees
Out into the whispering breeze,
Past the rushes, past the reeds,
Past the march's waving weeds,
Through the mist that riseth white
Up from mere and pool at night!
Follow, follow, stars that leap
Up the heavens cold and steep;
Turn when dawn comes over head,
Over rapid, over sand,
South away! and South away!
Seek the sunlight and the day,
Back to pasture, back to mead,
Where the kine and oxen feed!
Back to gardens on the hills
Where the berry swells and fills
Under sunlight, under day!
South away! and South away!
Down the swift dark stream you go
Back to lands you once did know! (182-3)
The elves make their work lighter with song, which is in keeping with the way they have been portrayed in The Hobbit; they sing as naturally as most sing.
Luckily he was very light, and the barrel was a good big one and being rather leaky had now shipped a small amount of water. All the same it was like trying to ride, without bridle or stirrups, a round-bellied pony that was always thinking of rolling on the grass (184).
Again Bilbo is lucky. This description of Bilbo riding the barrel prompts his riddle to Smaug about being a Barrel-rider.
