Far over the misty mountains cold

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Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold is a poem found within the chapter "An Unexpected Party" of The Hobbit.

History

While at Bag End after the unexpected party, Thorin and Company brought out their instruments and began to sing. This is said to be "like a fragment of their song, if it can be like their song without music." Their powerful singing roused the "Tookish" side of Bilbo, and for a moment a desire to explore and adventure came upon him, although the thought of plundering dragons quickly restored his less adventurous "Baggins" nature.

Text

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.

For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.

On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.

Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.

The pines were roaring on the height,
The winds were moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale
And men looked up with faces pale;
Then dragon’s ire more fierce than fire
Laid low their towers and houses frail.

The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall, to dying fall
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!


Later that night, while Bilbo lay in bed trying to fall asleep, he could still hear Thorin humming in the next room over:

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold.


Portrayal in adaptations

1977: The Hobbit (1977 film):

Parts of the song are sung by the dwarves of Thorin's company as they meet with Bilbo for the first time, accompanied by Gandalf. They sing it again at Bag End, before Bilbo decides to join them on their quest. The song is reprised after the death of Smaug and the dwarves preparations for the defence of Erebor.

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

A modified version of the song is sung by Richard Armitage and the dwarves during the Unexpected Party at Bag End. Neil Finn also sings a variation of the song entitled "Song of the Lonely Mountain" in the ending credits of the film.

External links

See also