The Hobbit: First Edition vs Second Edition.

[Den]

I'm so glad that Tolkien dropped "Gnomes" for the book.

Doing a bit of research shows that "gnome" was used to refer to the Noldor in the early days of the histories. The Noldor were "those with knowledge." JRRT used the word "gnome" with reference to the word gnomic (mysterious and often incomprehensible yet seemingly wise) from the ancient Greek gnomikós " thought, judgement." But then he dropped the word because, well... gnome.

And I am glad he made this change.

We would have had Gnomes instead of Noldor were it not for the writing of Renaissance author Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim who used the Latin version of the Greek word to describe "earth-dwellers," and named the little, annoying and ugly imps gnomes. Thanks, Phil. Thanks.

And now, this:

Chapter 9 Barrels Out Of Bond

"The day after the battle with the spiders Bilbo and the dwarves made one last despairing effort to find a way out before they died of hunger and thirst."

There is no difference between the first edition and the second/third edition.

IIllustrations: The Elven King's Gate by J R R Tolkien

Pen & Ink drawing, illustrating the book



Watercolour, from the Kindle edition


Additional drawings from the appendix to the Kindle edition



Compare this to the drawing of Nargothrond in Beleriand, lost beneath the Sea. (Also from the Kindle edition)

[Ithildin]

Interesting comparison between those two drawings. And yes, thanks Phil.

[Den]

Chapter 10 A Warm Welcome

"The day grew lighter and warmer as they floated along."

Once again there are no changes between the 1st edition and the 2nd/3rd edition.

Illustrations

1 - Pen and Ink drawing used in most editions


Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 306). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition


2 - Watercolour used in early imprints, but left out of most (not all) later imprints.

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 189). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition

3 - Laketown watercolour

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 192). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition

[Den]

Chapter 11 On The Doorstep

"In two days going they rowed right up the Long Lake and passed out into the River Running, and now they could all see the Lonely Mountain towering grim and tall before them."

One minor change to fix a typo

Pg 216 (Bilbo, after hearing the Dwarves want him to use the Ring to sneak through the front gate)

1st ed. "It is always poor me that has to get them out of their difficulties, at leas since the wizard left."

2nd/3rd ed. "It is always poor me that has to get them out of their difficulties, at least since the wizard left."

Illustrations by JRRT. Note the changes to the path of the River Running from the gate and past Dale.

1. The Front Gate. Pen and ink drawing used in the printed editions



2. The Front Gate. Watercolour



Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 204). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

3. - Smaug flies round the Mountain. Watercolour

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) . HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

4. The Lonely Mountain. (Ravenhill and the stairs to the ruined watch tower are more defined.)

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) . HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

5.The Lonely Mountain from the West (with "Approach to the perilous path" marked on right - ie southern - ridge)

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) . HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

6. The Back Door. (original title The Back Gate. Gate has been crossed out and "Door" written underneath) Pen & pencil

Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) . HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[Den]

Chapter 12 Inside Information

"For a long time the dwarves stood in the dark before the door and debated, until at last Thorin spoke: 'Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself a good companion on our long road, and a hobbit full of courage and resource far exceeding his size, and if I may say so possessed of good luck far exceeding the usual allowance—now is the time for him to perform the service for which he was included in our Company; now is the time for him to earn his Reward.' ”


Another chapter with no difference between the First Edition and Second/Third Edition.

And only one illustration.


Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 222). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition

I always assume that glow at the top of the pile is The Arkenstone shimmering in the dark.

The large coffer with the ladder in the foreground is inscribed with Thror and Thrain's initials "TH TH" on either side of the ladder ("thurs" in Futhark, or "thorn" in AngloSaxon). JRRT used the AngloSaxon runes in The Hobbit. Later he devised Cirith for the Dwarves. The Dwarves under the Mountain used Angerthas Erebor, a slightly "modernized" version of Angerthas Moria, and which has a different rune for "th, " and on the whole looks different from the runes of AngloSaxon England.

Balin's Tomb inscription in Angerthas Erebor (in English)

And in Angerthas Moria (in Dwarvish)


(images from Wikimedia commons)

Someone more familiar with Tengwar might be able to translate the Elvish letters on the coffer. I could have done it once upon a time, a long long time ago.

[Den]

Chapter 13 Not At Home

"In the meanwhile, the dwarves sat in darkness, and utter silence fell about them. Little they ate and little they spoke."

Just two changes in this chapter: Mithril appears, and some geography is changed. There are no illustrations associated with this chapter.

Pg246

1st ed.

With that he put on Bilbo a small coat of mail, wrought for some young elf-prince long ago. It was of silvered steel, ornamented with pearls, and with it went a belt of pearls and crystals.

2nd/3rd ed.

With that he put on Bilbo a small coat of mail, wrought for some young elf-prince long ago. It was of silver-steel, which the elves call mithril, and with it went a belt of pearls and crystals.

Pg250

1st ed.

And so they trudged among the stones on the left side of the river – to the right the rocky wall above the water was sheer and pathless - and the emptiness and desolation soon sobered even Thorin again.

2nd/3rd ed.

Under the rocky wall to the right there was no path, so on they trudged among the stones on the left side of the river, and the emptiness and desolation soon sobered even Thorin again.

[Den]

Chapter 14 Fire And Water

"Now if you wish, like the Dwarves, to hear news of Smaug, you must go back again to the evening when he smashed the door and flew off in rage, two days before."

One small change to bring the moon's phases in line with Durin's Day:

Pg256

1st ed.

The moon rose higher and higher and the wind grew loud and cold.

2nd/3rd ed.

The waxing moon rose higher and higher and the wind grew loud and cold.

No illustrations in the text. When I first read The Hobbit in 1974, the paperback had this illustration on the cover:


Unwin Books of London, 1966. Paper jacket on stiff paper with Tolkien's color pencil illustration of Smaug over Lake Town. Maps in black and white; no other illustrations. Scan from the booklet which came with the 1st edition facsimile.

Judging from the margin notes JRRT made (to himself?) and the big "Death Of Smaug" written through the middle of it, this may be a first draft of a drawing which was never completed.

[Stig]

I am here for all the pretty drawings

[Den]

I am here for all the pretty drawings

There are a few more drawings, but most are pen and ink.

[Stig]

There are a few more drawings, but most are pen and ink.

You can't draw with pen or ink?

[Den]

You can't draw with pen or ink?

I can, sort of, but I leave Middle Earth to the experts.

[Den]

Chapter 15 The Gathering Of The Clouds

"Now we will return to Bilbo and the Dwarves."

Two minor changes to the description of the gate barricade built by Thorin's company to keep the Men of Esgorath and the Wood Elves from entering Erebor to claim the treasure left by Smaug.

Pg 266

1st ed.
So now they began to labour hard in fortifying the main entrance, and in remaking the road that led from it.

2nd/3rd ed
So now they began to labour hard in fortifying the main entrance, and in making a new path that led from it.

1st ed
Approach to the Gate was now only possible, without swimming, along a narrow path close to the cliff on the right (as you looked towards the gate from the outside.)

2nd/3rd ed
Approach to the Gate was now only possible, without swimming, along a narrow ledge of the cliff, to the right as one looked outwards from the wall.

[Den]

Chapter 16 A Thief In The Night

"Now the days passed slowly and wearily. Many of the dwarves spent their time piling and ordering the treasure; and now Thorin spoke of the Arkenstone of Thrain, and bade them eagerly to look for it in every corner."


Once again there are no changes between the 1st edition and the 2nd/3rd edition. And no illustrations, either.

[Den]

Chapter 17 The Clouds Burst

"Next day the trumpets rang early in the camp."

No differences between editions.

This chapter ends with Bilbo being knocked out at the height of the Battle Of The Five Armies (plus Eagles and Beorn).

[Den]

Chapter 18 The Return Journey

"When Bilbo came to himself, he was literally by himself. He was lying on the flat stones of Ravenhill, and no one was near."

One tiny change.

Pg 296 (Gandalf telling Bilbo of events after the Battle)

1st ed.
“Some are in the hunt,” said the wizard, “but most have gone back to their eyries. They would not stay here, and departed with the first light of morning. Dain has crowned their chief with gold, and sworn friendship with them for ever.”

2nd/3rd ed.
“Some are in the hunt,” said the wizard, “but most have gone back to their eyries. They would not stay here, and departed with the first light of morning. Dain has crowned their chief with gold, and sworn friendship with them forever.”

[Den]

And Finally...

Chapter 19 The Last Stage

"It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. Again it was evening, their ponies were tired, especially the one that carried the baggage; and they all felt in need of rest."

P303 (One change. Gandalf and Elrond are discussing the removal of "the Necromancer" from Dol Guldur)

1st ed.

“Ere long now,” Gandalf was saying, “the Forest will grow somewhat more wholesome. The North is freed from that horror for many an age. Yet I wish he were banished from the world!”

2nd/3rd ed.

“Ere long now,” Gandalf was saying, “the Forest will grow somewhat more wholesome. The North will be freed from that horror for many long years, I hope. Yet I wish he were banished from the world!”

Illustrations

Pen and ink, from the printed edition


Colour version from the Kindle edition


Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (p. 305). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Bag End, Underhill


The Maps

Thror's Map


Wilderland



JRRT's original dust cover. The title, sun, and dragon were originally coloured red, but these were changed to white for printing and clarity reasons.



And this concludes the comparison between editions.