"Cliff Notes - the hobbit & the lord of rings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

Furious that someone has dared steal a piece of his treasure, Smaug attacks the mountainside where the dwarves have their camp. Then he flies toward Lake-town, to punish the inhabitants for helping the dwarves.

The people of Lake-town run at the sight of Smaug, but one man, Bard, holds his ground. He kills the dragon with his last arrow and escapes before Smaug falls, smashing the town. Believing the dwarves are dead, an army of men, led by Bard, and an army of elves march toward the Lonely Mountain to divide the treasure. They find to their surprise that the dwarves are still alive.

Bard, because he killed the dragon, claims his rightful share of the treasure. When the dwarves refuse to surrender it, the army besieges the mountain. Bilbo tries to end the dispute by stealing the Arkenstone, the piece of treasure most valued by the leader of the dwarves. He gives the jewel to Bard, hoping it can be used to force the dwarves to negotiate. Bilbo's bravery wins him praise from all but the dwarves, who are furious with him. When more dwarves arrive from the north, they are determined to fight.

Just as war begins to break out, an army of goblins and wild wolves attack. The dwarves, elves, and men forget their differences and join together to keep from being killed. Help comes in the nick of time, and the goblins are defeated.

Bilbo finds that he's a hero, honored by men and elves and even given a share of the treasure. But he's had enough of adventure and sets off for home with Gandalf. Once there, he finds that his house and furnishings are being auctioned off, since everyone believed him dead. Finally, everything is straightened out and he's able to settle down again into his old, comfortable life. Although from then on, he's considered eccentric by his neighbors, he continues his friendship with elves and dwarves and the wizard, happily recounting his tales to any who will listen.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Long after the events in The Hobbit, Bilbo again leaves the Shire, but not before reluctantly passing on his magic ring to his heir, Frodo Baggins.

Many years later, Frodo learns from Gandalf, the wizard, that his ring is the Ring, which belonged to the evil ruler Sauron. Sauron was thought to have been destroyed ages ago. But now he has reappeared in his ancient stronghold of Mordor. His Ring was presumed lost, but Sauron has discovered that it's presently in the hands of a hobbit named Baggins, who lives in the Shire.

To protect the inhabitants of the Shire from Sauron's wrath, Frodo decides to take the Ring and leave Bag End for Rivendell with three friends--Merry, Pippin, and Sam. Gandalf was supposed to accompany them, but no word has been heard from him. On the way, the four hobbits are closely pursued by menacing Black Riders, servants of Sauron. The hobbits are unprepared for the dangers that face them, and several times they're almost killed because of their foolishness. Fortunately, they are joined by a strange, secretive man called Strider, who offers to lead them to Rivendell.

One night, Frodo is wounded in an attack by the Black Riders. His friends bring him to Rivendell, where he is cured by Elrond, the leader of the Half-elven (a race of people who are half elf and half human).

A council meets in Rivendell to decide what to do about the Ring. It's agreed the Ring must be destroyed, for the temptation to use it is too strong, and anyone who does use it will be corrupted by its power. Frodo takes on the task of bringing the Ring to Mordor and casting it into the volcano where it was forged.

Strider takes this opportunity to reveal his true name: Aragorn. He is rightful heir to the throne of Gondor, which has been ruled by stewards for many years in the absence of a king. He plans to return to Gondor, to aid in its fight against Sauron and to claim his crown.

When Frodo departs from Rivendell, he is accompanied by representatives of all the free races of Middle-earth: Gandalf the wizard, Legolas the elf, Gimli the dwarf, Aragorn and Boromir of the race of men, and Frodo's hobbit friends, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. While passing through the mines of Moria, the company is threatened by a Balrog, a terrifying creature of flame and shadow. While fighting the Balrog, Gandalf and the creature plunge into a deep abyss and are both thought killed.

The rest of the company splits up further south. Boromir has fallen under the influence of the Ring and tries to take it from Frodo. Frodo runs away and decides to travel on to Mordor alone, but his faithful servant, Sam, insists on going with him.

Meanwhile, the others are attacked by orcs, an evil race created by Sauron. (Goblins and orcs are the same thing--Tolkien changed the name in The Lord of the Rings.) Merry and Pippin are captured, and Boromir dies defending the hobbits. After giving Boromir a hero's funeral, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli follow the trail of the orcs, hoping to rescue their friends. Instead, they find Gandalf, who has survived his fight with the Balrog and has emerged with renewed power. Gandalf tells the others that Merry and Pippin are safe: they escaped the orcs and are now with the Ents of Fangorn Forest. The Ents, who are shepherds of the trees, have been roused by the hobbits' story to attack Saruman, an evil wizard in league with Sauron.

Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli enlist the men of Rohan, whose country is threatened by Saruman's growing power, to join the fight against the wizard. With the help of the Ents, Saruman is overthrown.

Frodo and Sam, meanwhile, begin their long journey toward Mordor. They are followed by Gollum, the miserable creature who owned the Ring before Bilbo found it. Frodo and Sam capture him and make him promise to help them. Gollum guides them to a secret passage into Mordor. But in doing so, he also treacherously leads them into a trap. The secret passage he takes them through is the lair of a giant spider named Shelob, who he hopes will kill them so he can recover the Ring.

Shelob attacks Frodo, paralyzing him with her sting. Thinking that Frodo is dead, Sam charges the spider and succeeds in driving her off. Then he takes the Ring, intending to carry on the quest. Before he can leave, however, some orcs find Frodo's body and carry it into their fortress. Sam overhears them say that Frodo isn't dead, but only poisoned. Then the gates of the tower close behind the orcs, and Sam finds himself locked out.

Meanwhile, the others fight desperately to save Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, from Sauron's army. Against great odds, they win. Aragorn proves his claim to kingship by his great healing power: it is said that the hands of a king are the hands of a healer. But he doesn't yet claim the throne. First he leads what remains of the army to the gates of Mordor. Against Sauron's might they seem pitifully weak. Their only hope is to distract Sauron while Frodo and Sam travel through Mordor and destroy the Ring. If Frodo succeeds, Sauron will fall. If Frodo fails, they will all die or be enslaved.

Inside Mordor, Sam has managed to rescue Frodo from Sauron's orcs. The two hobbits creep through the desolate landscape of Mordor. Frodo grows so weak from resisting the power of the Ring that he can barely crawl, and Sam carries him for a while. When they at last reach the Crack of Doom where the Ring is to be destroyed, Frodo's will snaps, and he claims the Ring as his own. But Gollum appears and fights him for the Ring, biting it off Frodo's hand. Still gloating, Gollum falls into the flames and is destroyed along with the Ring. With the Ring destroyed, Sauron is vanquished forever. Frodo and Sam are rescued from the ruins of Mordor by eagles, and together with Aragorn's army, they return to Minas Tirith in triumph.

There is much feasting and rejoicing as Aragorn is declared king and marries Arwen, the daughter of Elrond. The hobbits have all become heroes. But now they are ready to go home, and they head for the Shire. When they get back, however, they find that things have changed. Saruman has gained control, along with his ruffians, and is bullying the hobbits and destroying the beautiful countryside of the Shire. But Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have learned much from their adventures and quickly set things right.

All seems well, until Frodo falls sick. He has been wounded too many times--by the Black Rider's knife, by the Ring, and by Gollum. It is ironical that even though he saved the Shire, he cannot enjoy it anymore. One autumn day he sets sail with Bilbo and Gandalf across the sea to the Blessed Realm, where he may at last find peace.


The following are major characters in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: BILBO BAGGINS

Bilbo is the small, timid hero of The Hobbit. It has been pointed out by some readers that in his thoughts and actions he is representative of modern man. Thus, adults are able to identify with him and not feel so out of place in Tolkien's heroic world of wizards and dwarves. Bilbo is also, fittingly, a character that children can readily identify with, since The Hobbit was written as a children's story and today is considered by many to be a classic in that genre.