1. That's a good question. Possibly because he never actually expected to get there at all?

2. Mmmmmm... the description of Dale?

3. I've never read it that way, though it's possible. I always thought the thrush was just keeping an eye on them

1. I would think that his recent success in rescuing the dwarves from the Wood-elves and getting them all alive to Lake-town boosted his confidence. Plus the fact that the traveling part of the journey is finally over would be another factor.

2. The grassy bay with the enchanted door and the old thrush I found very interesting.

3. It seems to me that the old thrush was there to observe and to assist whenever and in whatever way he was allowed to.

1.

Now strange to say Mr. Baggins had more [spirit] than the others. He would often borrow Thorin's map, pondering over the ruins and the message of the moon-letters...

-Bilbo had not been present when Smaug attacked. He would not have the memories that some of the dwarves* would have had of that event.

-Bilbo spends time puzzling over the map, etc., while the dwarves appear to be at a standstill.

Both of these could contribute to Bilbo having better spirits than the dwarves, although the author does say it was "strange."

*Even the dwarves too young to remember/be present would have been more connected to the actual event than Bilbo.

2. The line

a narrow path, often lost, often rediscovered

stood out. Not sure if that answers the question, though.

Quotes taken from The Hobbit

1. Why do you think Bilbo had more spirit than the others when they reach the mountain? I can think of several possible reasons. 1. The dwarves didn't have much spirit so if anything was going to get done he would have to do it. He didn't want to hang arouond there the rest of his life. 2. He was hired mostly for this part of the quest. Sitting and thinking on the doorstep was his job. 3. He loves maps and this is the part of the quest that requires the use of the map. It was a challenge to find where the map lead. 2. What did you find interesting in this chapter?That Bilbo had more spirits than the dwarves. He didn't have much spirit throughout the story and now that they are at the most dangerous part of their adventure he has more spirits than the others. Maybe their spirts had just sunk that low that his were higher. 3. Do you think the old thrush was purposefully trying to show Bilbo where to look, since he seems to listen in on the dwarves on a regular basis?I don't think so. I think he was probably just hungry. It seems unlikely that he would know where the door was. I don't think he is old enough to have been around when the dragon first came. It is possible that a story of the door was handed down.

1. I puzzled over this as well. Perhaps it is because Bilbo likes riddles and there is a mystery about this door to be figured out?

3. I think it is possible that the thrush can understand the common speech. I think it more likely that the thrushes lived on the doorstep or migrated there at a certain time of the year. Birds seem to understand how to get back to the place where they were born. I would assume that the old dwarves knew that the thrushes would be there on Durin's day and knock on the rock at that place in the mountain, and so created the door there and put the clue into the map.

1. For one thing, his part in the adventure is almost done - he simply has to be a burglar and then he can go home. For another, it's all new territory for him; unlike the Dwarves (at least some of them), he's not seeing familiar places laid waste.

2. Fili and Kili exploring with Bilbo, the trying of "fragments of broken spells" (Elvish? Dwarvish? Something else?), and that Bilbo could figure out what clue the thrush was giving. I mean, I'm still not sure how exactly he figured it out...

3. It seems entirely likely, or at least possible, based on the thrush's listening and the long history of useful birds.

1. Why do you think Bilbo had more spirit than the others when they reach the mountain?

Because he has a lot more confidence in himself now that he's been able to save the day multiple times.

3. Do you think the old thrush was purposefully trying to show Bilbo where to look, since he seems to listen in on the dwarves on a regular basis?

I do believe it was purposeful. Doesn't one of the characters remark that this is a rare sort of thrush? I'm sure it's a lot more intelligent than the average birds we have in our world.

~Riella

3. Do you think the old thrush was purposefully trying to show Bilbo where to look, since he seems to listen in on the dwarves on a regular basis?

Yes, I think so. He seems to listen and to understand - and if he is of the birds that used to know the Dwarves of old, he's probably interested in helping them as well.

So here he tries to show Bilbo where to look - and I think he helps them later, too ...