Хоббит
An Unexpected Party
Dragonsstealgoldandjewels,youknow,frommenandelvesanddwarves,wherevertheycanfindthem;andtheyguardtheirplunderaslongastheylive(whichispracticallyforever,unlesstheyarekilled),andneverenjoyabrassringofit. Indeedtheyhardlyknowagoodbitofworkfromabad,thoughtheyusuallyhaveagoodnotionofthecurrentmarketvalue;andtheycan’tmakeathingforthemselves,notevenmendalittleloosescaleoftheirarmour. TherewerelotsofdragonsintheNorthinthosedays,andgoldwasprobablygettingscarceupthere,withthedwarvesflyingsouthorgettingkilled,andallthegeneralwasteanddestructionthatdragonsmakegoingfrombadtoworse. Therewasamostspeciallygreedy,strongandwickedwormcalledSmaug. Onedayheflewupintotheairandcamesouth.ThefirstweheardofitwasanoiselikeahurricanecomingfromtheNorth,andthepine-treesontheMountaincreakingandcrackinginthewind. Someofthedwarveswhohappenedtobeoutside(Iwasoneluckily-afineadventurousladinthosedays,alwayswanderingabout,anditsavedmylifethatday)-well,fromagoodwayoffwesawthedragonsettleonourmountaininaspoutofflame. Thenhecamedowntheslopesandwhenhereachedthewoodstheyallwentupinfire. BythattimeallthebellswereringinginDaleandthewarriorswerearming. Thedwarvesrushedoutoftheirgreatgate;buttherewasthedragonwaitingforthem. Noneescapedthatway. TheriverrushedupinsteamandafogfellonDale,andinthefogthedragoncameonthemanddestroyedmostofthewarriors-theusualunhappystory,itwasonlytoocommoninthosedays. ThenhewentbackandcreptinthroughtheFrontGateandroutedoutallthehalls,andlanes,andtunnels,alleys,cellars,mansionsandpassages. Afterthattherewerenodwarvesleftaliveinside,andhetookalltheirwealthforhimself.
