Chapter 11

The townsmen row Bilbo and the dwarves up the lake for three days. Upon disembarking, they walk through the Desolation of the Dragon, a wasteland. Thorin tells them that the area used to be green and fertile before Smaug took over. They travel on foot of the mountain for several days before they discover the entrance that Smaug uses. They decide to not use this entrance, and Bilbo asks the group to look for the other secret door.

They camp near the mountain and unexpectedly find the secret door they had been looking for, but cannot open it. They try all kinds of tools to try to open the door, but are unable to do so.

The next day, Bilbo hears a thrush cracking a snail and is suddenly reminded of Elrond’s story about the keyhole being revealed on Durin’s Day. The group then realises that it is, indeed, Durin’s Day. Finally, the keyhole is revealed to the group by the last ray of the setting sun. Thorin opens the door with the key Gandalf gave him with the map.

Bilbo proves to be cleverer than the dwarves and this and the following chapters. While the others had forgotten about Elrond’s prophecy, Bilbo remembered it. Bilbo helped the group discover the secret keyhole and the way to open it.