They entered a spacious hall with a stove carved in the most conspicuous place in the middle. Although it was summer, there was still firewood burning in the stove, and black smoke curled upwards to the blackened rafters, and then slowly found an opening in the roof and slipped out.
In the middle of the hall, there is a long dining table made of logs, with several long stools surrounding it, just enough for all the dwarves to sit down.
Beorn clapped his hands, and four beautiful white ponies and several slender greyhounds walked in. Beorn spoke to them in a strange language that sounded like animal roars, and they walked out.
Soon these animals were holding white cloths with animal patterns embroidered on the edges in their mouths and carrying on their backs. Others were carrying trays, bowls, platters, table knives and wooden spoons on their broad backs. Came in.
Very magical.
The dwarves were all stunned.
Bilbo bit his nails and looked at all this with almost mythical eyes.
In particular, the dogs actually stood on their hind legs and used their front legs to take down the cutlery trays and put them on the dining table.
"I think I will never forget this day." Bilbo nodded, looking amazed.
Yes, first he was captured into an orc town, and then he picked up a magic ring. Then he had a battle of wits with a strange and pitiful creature. In the end, he finally escaped, but was killed by the Silver King again. Shocked.
Now, what does it mean to see animals being obedient and entertaining like humans?
He thought so.
"I think after the incident is over, I will write a book describing what I experienced during this period." He said: "I hope you will not refuse me to write this in the book."
Beorn immediately took a liking to the little hobbit, because he liked to listen to all kinds of stories, whether good or bad, he liked them all. I don’t resist that I have become a part of the story, and I am even a little happy.
He said, "Well, I hope I made a good impression on you in the book."
"As it should be," said Bilbo.
As a result, the relationship between the two parties has been greatly improved. Even Thorin was quite surprised by this. Because all this was caused by the hobbit he despised most.
After receiving Bilbo's affirmative reply, the big man called Beorn happily brought out honey, milk, ham, bread, cheese, etc. to entertain the guests; as for the fruits, there were limes, pomegranates and grapes; and the drinks were fragrant. Sweet mead.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Turka raised a glass of mead to pay tribute to the owner of this place.
He is now able to control his appetite. As time goes by, his eating habits and physique are getting closer to the direction of the dragon. He can now eat so much in one meal that it makes Bilbo's eyes pop out. ;
But at the same time, he can go many days without eating a grain of water and still be full of energy, as if his stomach has magic.
"It's my honor." Beorn said, his attitude towards the silver king was more respectful and he had the best attitude towards everyone, even the wizard was not as good as him. "I heard from the brown robe wizard's animal companion. I have told many stories about you, and you are destined to be a great person, very different from us country folk."
Turka smiled and said: "I have also heard many stories about you from Gandalf. I heard that you are a descendant of the ancestors. You have incredible magic and can freely transform into human and bear forms. This is almost beyond the realm of possibility." My imagination."
Then the two of them talked about magic, transformation, the voice of the dragon, and other words that Bilbo could not understand. Gradually, the wizard also joined in. They talked freely, talked and laughed, and almost forgot about the dwarves.
Although sometimes the dwarves would interrupt, they mainly talked about gold, silver, jewelry, and how to use exquisite skills to create beautiful things. But it's obvious that Beorn doesn't seem to have much interest in these things. There are no gold and silver ornaments in his hall at all, and except for knives, there are very few things made of metal.
So gradually, the dwarves became silent.
Like the hobbits, they either listened quietly to Turka's conversation, or drank mead from wooden bowls.
The dusk outside the house was getting darker, and new firewood was added to the fire in the center of the hall, which illuminated the hall brightly.
Everyone was still sitting around the fire, their faces reddened by the dancing flames. Behind them were the tall pillars of the wooden house with black tops, which looked like big trees in the woods.
I don't know if it was magic, but Bilbo thought he heard the sound of wind blowing through the branches among the rafters, and there seemed to be the hoot of an owl.
At this time, Beorn asked: "Please forgive me for asking, why are you going to the East? I know that what you said about visiting relatives is just a lie, because visiting relatives does not require a king, a wizard, or a Huo Bit people, a dozen dwarves with bows on their backs, swords on their backs, and axes and hammers on their bodies, escaped from the pursuit of the orcs; they would not be in a hurry, even losing their mounts and supplies, and hungry for a stranger like me. Please help.”
"Does this have anything to do with you?" Thorin's bad temper came back again. He was very sensitive to other people's inquiries about the Lonely Mountain Treasure, and his sensitive nerves were provoked almost every time.
"If you want my help, yes, I need to know why." Beorn said this with a force that was not inferior to that of Thorin Oakenshield.
Then the dragonborn, who had been thinking about the skin-changer's magic, raised his head, looked at the wizard, and said: "We went to the Lonely Mountain to help the dwarves regain their homeland. The hobbits are our snitches. Sir, he will be responsible for checking whether old Smaug is still alive. Maybe you have also heard that the omen happened, the birds flew back to the Lonely Mountain again, and people spread the rumor that the evil dragon has not been seen for more than sixty years. It’s dead, maybe it’s dead, maybe it’s gone! We are the adventure team that went to check it out.”
"But we encountered orcs in the mountains." The wizard also said: "Our horses and supplies are all lost, and we are also hungry. We can only come to you for help! We must rush to the Lonely Mountain before Turin Day. Yes, that’s it, nothing more!”
Although Thorin was not happy that the plan for this operation was exposed to the master here, since the silver king and the wizard both chose to believe in this big man, the dwarf king had nothing to say.
He groaned and stared at Beorn for a long time, and finally closed his mouth.
"So I finally understand why the orcs are chasing you." Beorn said: "And the enemies of the orcs are my friends. They enjoy tormenting me and my people. It seems to be fun..."
Bilbo, who had been listening to the conversation between the Silver King and the wizard and Beorn with great interest, immediately became energetic. He interrupted the master rudely and asked: "Are there any other skin-changers?"
Beorn was really friendly to this little hobbit. His expression softened and his eyes showed a trace of sadness. He said: "There used to be many, but now I am the only one left."
Bilbo shut his mouth for a moment.
Maybe my question was a stupid idea, he thought.
The hobbit looked apologetic.
"So I am willing to help you." Beorn stared at Thorin and showed his kindness: "Just because although I don't like dwarves, I hate orcs even more!"
The dwarves all showed joy.
Thorin was stunned for a moment, and his expression softened. He nodded to Beorn in conciliation.
Turka and Gandalf looked at each other, with a smile on their lips.
"So, what help do you all need?" Beorn said. "You are welcome if I can help you. Food? Horses to carry you? Or a warm and comfortable bed?"
"All needed!"
So said the dwarves and Bilbo.
They had been exhausted for a long time. Now that they had eaten and drank enough, they suddenly felt sleepy. They just wished they had a soft bed covered with straw or quilts for them to lie down and rest.
"Then that's it." Beorn nodded and ended the reception.
He whistled.
As a result, his animals came in again. Like servants, the animals began to clear the table and so on, leaving Bilbo and others stunned.
Beorn brought the dwarves to the guest room of the longhouse and arranged everyone comfortably and neatly, as if they were back in the elven home of Rivendell.
Maybe it was the comfortable beds, or maybe they were full of food and wine, the dwarves started singing again before going to bed. Some of the lyrics are probably like this:
The wind is blowing over the wasteland,
But in the forest the leaves are not yet disturbed:
There are shadows and longing all day long,
Dark things crawl in the shadows.
The wind blows down from the cold mountains,
Roaring and rolling like the tide;
The branches groan, the forest wails,
Leaves were blown off into the mounds of slush.
The wind blows from west to east,
All movement in the forest ceased,
The wind whistled shrilly across the marsh,
There were only whistling sounds between heaven and earth.
The grass hissed, the grass stalks bent,
The weeds rustled and trembled - the wind continued to gallop,
Passing over trembling icy lakes, tearing apart fleeing clouds.
It crosses the lonely mountains,
Sweep the dragon's lair:
It's dark and dark there,
All naked boulders,
The air is filled with smoke.
It leaves the world and continues to fly
Across the wide ocean of night.
The moonlight sails in the wind,
The stars are surrounding and emitting dazzling light.
Bilbo probably only remembered so much, but while he was still waiting to hear more, a heavy sleepiness came over him, and he fell asleep in a daze. Before closing his eyes, his fingers kept holding the ring in his pocket.
Turka and Gandalf, on the other hand, had been whispering to Beorn in the hall, almost all night long.
In the end, Turka was sadly determined.
The transformation of the skin-changer is the same as the miracle of the elves, the magic of the wizard, the fire breathing of the dragon, and the resistance of the dwarf. They are all a certain racial talent and are difficult to learn.
At least Beorn said he had never seen anyone of other races learn the skills of skin-changing.
"What a shame."
A look of regret flashed in the silver-white king's golden vertical pupils: "I was still thinking that if I could learn it, maybe I could become a dragon?"
These words almost stunned both Gandalf and Beorn.
"That scene is definitely worth looking forward to."
They say so.
His expression was full of awe and a hint of weirdness.
