Quote:
Originally Posted by Faramir Jones
The only time in The Hobbit where we can say Bilbo was a real burglar was when, after escaping with the dwarves from the Elvenking's halls, he stole food and drink from a village by the Long lake. The book does not record if he ever paid compensation for that theft...  |
I think you are referring to the cold, dripping night he spent when the barrels were collected and tied into a raft? Those were Elves of Thranduil working along the Forest River while still in the forest.
BTW, here is a link to a drawing Tolkien made titled Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raftelves
There are even a few references to these later in Laketown as when Thorin declares "I speak to the Master of the men of the lake, NOT to the raft elves of the king"
At any event, Bilbo likely lumped that theft in with all the others during his stay in Thranduil's halls. And, no doubt, even the "small" present he made to the king more than covered (monetarily) the food he ate.