Chapter 7

In the morning, the eagles carry the travelers over the Misty Mountains and drop them off near the edge of Mirkwood forest. Gandalf informs Bilbo and the dwarves that he must leave them soon. He then introduces them to Beorn. He is called skin-changer because he can change himself into a bear. Beorn is not fond of uninvited guests, but Gandalf tells him about their adventures with the Great Goblin and Wargs to interest him. Thrilled to know about their experience, he invites the group to stay with them for supper.

The next day, Beorn goes out with the other bears and encounters goblins searching for Thorin’s party because they killed the Great Goblin. Since Beorn despised goblins too, he wanted to save the dwarves and Bilbo. He suggests that they take the elf road through Mirkwood forest to avoid the goblins. He gives them food and ponies for their journey ahead. Beorn and Gandalf warn them about the enchantments in the forest. Before leaving, Gandalf asks the group not to stray from the path.

In this chapter, we are introduced to another friendly creature, Beorn. Throughout the novel, readers encounter friendly and evil creatures, who are juxtaposed by Tolkien to represent a more holistic world. At the end of the chapter, Gandalf prepares to leave the group alone to undertake the next phase of their journey. Without his mentor around, Bilbo will have the opportunity to discover his latent courage.