Bilbo awakens in a dark void. He begins to feel around to get his bearings and feels a metal ring. Tolkien says, "It was a turning point in his career, but he did not know it." Bilbo finally manages to collect himselfhe still has his pipe and his Elvin swordand he goes looking for either a way out or his companions. Although Bilbo can't see in the dark, being a hobbit, he can manage to navigate underground holes. He follows the passage down, down, farther and farther into the depths of the mountain. He stumbles into an underground lake and discovers Gollum, a slimy, nasty creature. Gollum gets right up in Bilbo's face and starts talking to him, which is his habit as he has lived alone in the dark like this for.....
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