As many others here, I've fallen in love with the dwarves' song. It just sounds so beautiful. I first became familiar with it in Finnish, and it's one of the best poem/song translations in Finnish. I remember listening to my father reading the poem aloud and how magical it sounded. I could almost hear the chilly wind on the mountains and see the dark caves. The song full of promise of distant lands and places, yet dangerous. I think that it , better than any other thing said by anyone gives the feeling of a becoming adventure.
Bilbo's behaviour in the first chapter has always amused me, I don't know why. I pity him. He being little and stupid and fearful, but trying to play an expert. I think Gandalf was a bit rude to do him so, present him as a master burglar. I can imagine him laughing to his beard and watching Bilbo struggle with his new role. Gandalf isn't cruel, but his somewhat malicious.
Quote:
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As he lay in bed he could hear Thorin humming to himself in the best bedroom next to him: Far over misty mountains cold...
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Somehow this always makes me smile. It's funny. I can imagine nervous Bilbo, trying to get sleep with wild thoughts running in his head, and Thorin in the neighbouring room humming. Maybe it's the humming dwarf that has always amused me.
I like Gandalf in this chapter. His the man here. He knows the most, he keeps the secret. He's not as serious with the journey as the dwarves are (=he doesn't have personal feelings mixed up) and he isn't as nervous as Bilbo. He controls the situation. (In fact, he's the same kind of character to the end.)