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           "

           "Iamhethatburieshisfriendsaliveanddrownsthemanddrawsthemaliveagainfromthewater.Icamefromtheendofabag,butnobagwentoverme."

           "Thesedon’tsoundsocreditable,"scoffedSmaug.

           "Iamthefriendofbearsandtheguestofeagles.IamRingwinnerandLuckwearer;andIamBarrel-rider,"wentonBilbobeginningtobepleasedwithhisriddling.

           "That’sbetter!"saidSmaug."Butdon’tletyourimaginationrunawaywithyou!"

           Thisofcourseisthewaytotalktodragons,ifyoudon’twanttorevealyourpropername(whichiswise),anddon’twanttoinfuriatethembyaflatrefusal(whichisalsoverywise).Nodragoncanresistthefascinationofriddlingtalkandofwastingtimetryingtounderstandit.TherewasalotherewhichSmaugdidnotunderstandatall(thoughIexpectyoudo,sinceyouknowallaboutBilbo’sadventurestowhichhewasreferring),buthethoughtheunderstoodenough,andhechuckledinhiswickedinside."Ithoughtsolastnight,"hesmiledtohimself."Lake-men,somenastyschemeofthosemiserabletub-tradingLake-men,orI’malizard.Ihaven’tbeendownthatwayforanageandanage;butIwillsoonalterthat!""Verywell,OBarrel-rider!"hesaidaloud."MaybeBarrelwasyourpony’sname;andmaybenot,thoughitwasfatenough.Youmaywalkunseen,butyoudidnotwalkalltheway.LetmetellyouIatesixponieslastnightandIshallcatchandeatalltheothersbeforelong.