Few Words About Chiefest of Calamities

"I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, Thief in the Shadows!"

Smaug was a huge old dragon who guarded the treasure hidden in the Lonely Mountain. He was the largest representative of his species, covered with red-golden scales. He had a huge teethed mouth and nostrils from which smoke always was coming out. He could breathe fire which he had always in "storage", even while sleeping. The largest part of the dragon was his tail, very strong and agile. His wings could cause a string wind! His belly at the other hand he had long and pale, and one scale was missing over his chest. He inspired great fear and terror among other races - Bilbo was very much afraid of the stories about Smaug, and to see him in his full glory terrified him even more.

Smaug was very greedy (oh my, was he!), his only particular interest was guarding his loot of treasure and punish everyone who wanted to steal it from him. He was so assured of his own strength that didn't heal his weak spot, where the scale was missing, which eventually brough him death (I literally cried when Smaug died, when I was a kid, this was my first traumatic experience).

Smaug knew perfectly well how much gold and precious gems were hidden in his cave. He counted them regularly, so he quickly realized that the golden cup had been stolen by Bilbo. Then he became furious, and a sincere hatred for anyone who tries to even come close to gold emerged from him. Bilbo would be possibly lost in his enourmous jaw, if not vanity of Smaug, who at last found a person before whom he can boast.

Smaug didn't earn gold thanks to his hard work. He attacked the dwarven city near Lonely Mountain, where the dwarves kept their treasure. Smaug drove out and killed the townspeople, taking over the entire area along with the hideout of the jewels. He often made trips to nearby settlements and cities to plunder, destroy and terrorize them, appropriating more precious ores and thus increasing his wealth. He especially liked to raid the settlements of people he devoured without thinking, and his favorite delicacy was young women.

It was a weak spot of Smaug - he could be softened with compliments he loved to listen to. Bilbo quickly realized this and began to charm the dragon while looking at its exposed place on the chest. Smaug spoke to the Hobbit willingly, accepting his compliments and affirming his greatness. In this way, he displayed disastrous self-confidence. He was well aware how magnificent - exactly! - he is so he let Bilbo admire him. That made the hobbit save his life.

Actually, Smaug was very smart dragon. His way of speech was very flourish. He only liked being told he is pretty (doh!).

He was hit by Bard with the last arrow that hit the spot with lacking scale. He collapsed from the sky to the ground with great force, killing innocent victims one last time and sinking the city of Esgaroth.

Now, now, even if Smaug is a secondary character, and he appears only in the more or less end of the book, his spirit is with dwarves and Bilbo all the time. He first appears in Bilbo's house, after all - on the map and story dwarves told the hobbit, before they told him that he will be their burglar. Smaug is a soul of The Hobbit and he os a reason dwarves and Bilbo got into all this mess!