The Arkenstone and the Choices of Mr. Bilbo

We get a chapter in The Lord of the Rings about 'The Choices of Master Samwise' and a similar title might be applied to all of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Bilbo's deliberations are many and momentous, and here we get a sparkling instance, frozen in time, in which he is about to reveal one of his pivotal decisions.

The hobbit is thin and journey-hardened. His hair is long and hangs dripping across his brow and shoulders from his fall into the river. He is clad in mithril and carrying Sting. He is not quite the same person who set out from The Hill in April.

A few seconds after the scene shown here in which Bilbo brings forth the Arkenstone, pilfered from the mountain hoard, Thranduil will rise to his elegant, glimmering feet and Bilbo will hand the treasure over to grim, brave Bard the Bowman. But in this precise moment, the hobbit is having to wrestle with regret at the thought of letting the splendid object go.

He must decide to really do it, just as he will one day have to actively give up the Ring. I have come to feel that there is a long thread running through Bilbo's habit of open-handedness towards his eventual freedom from enthrallment. His choices are big choices, impacting the fate of Middle-earth, down to the welfare of even the small thrush whom you can see I have perched on the camp throne the elves have woven for their king. To me, the thrush and Bilbo have become linked in my mind with the hand of Eru at work in the world. Help comes unexpected, and often from small beings and acts. Fate and free will, greed and grace; these are some of Arda Marred's largest themes, yet they fit into hands of a hobbit. They belong to us all.

As Eärendil watches from his starry heights above the troublesome Lonely Mountain, Bilbo chooses brilliantly, and he will enjoy an immediate reward in just a minute or two. Look into the tents and you will spot Gandalf appreciating the music of an elven harper. The Wandering Wizard and the original hobbit will be happily reunited in this camp, after a long and trying separation and much adventure on both sides.

"I name you Elf-friend" - Miriam Ellis

I spent time with the maps and Tolkien's authoritative illustrations for this picture in order to reach a conclusion about the relationship of the camp to the mountain and the water. This was a little more complicated than it might sound, but rewarding.

It was a pleasure painting Bard for the first time, whom I honor, and I continue to be very fond of depicting the imperfect but perfectly fascinating king of the wood-elves, who will receive a mighty gift of his own from Bilbo on their shared Road home. It was, frankly, thrilling to try to capture Professor Tolkien's glorious description of the Arkenstone, like a moon netted over with stars and emitting rainbow sparks in all directions. Little wonder that the dwarves prized this possession.

But Professor Tolkien shows us that peace and fellowship are far greater treasures even than this radiant gem, if we can meet those moments of choice with the wisdom of Bilbo Baggins. I hope that's something you will enjoy thinking about as you watch this video short and imagine yourself a wide-eyed witness to this moment of great surprise!