Fatherly Advice

[Alcuin]

In the beginning of The Hobbit, Tolkien tells us that

Bilbo … looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father…

at least until the night of the Unexpected Party. The next mention of his father comes in the second chapter, after Dwalin gives Bilbo one of his cloaks, which is overlarge for the little hobbit, and made him “look[] rather comic.”

What his father Bungo would have thought of him, I daren’t think.

On three occasions Bilbo quotes his father Bungo, but only toward the end of the story, and only after Bilbo’s status in Thorin & Co is well established. These three occasions fall close together. There are four quotes, though: one of them is cited twice, in different but similar context.

The first time is at the beginning of Chapter 12, “Inside Information”. Thorin has just unlocked the secret door and begun a long-winded speech directing Bilbo to go investigate the interior of the Mountain. Bilbo cuts him off, reminding the Dwarves that he’s already gotten them out of two serious straits, the spiders and the Elvenking’s palace. Then he says,

But ‘third time pays for all’ as my father used to say…

The second occasion is in the same chapter after Smaug has discovered the missing cup and thrown a dragonish temper tantrum, smashing the side of the Mountain but failing to discover or block the secret door. The Dwarves and Bilbo are hiding in the tunnel. Bilbo courageously offers to go investigate a second time.

‘Every worm has his weak spot,’ as my father used to say, though I am sure it was not from personal experience.

The third occurrence comes in the next chapter after Smaug has smashed the secret door, trapping the Dwarves and Bilbo inside the tunnel, then flown off to destroy Lake-town and meet his timely end. No one in Thorin & Co knows the dragon is dead, of course; and they are deathly afraid he is watching for them at the bottom of the shaft. After a long time, Bilbo determines that their only choice is to re-enter the dragon’s lair to discover something of its movements.

‘While there’s life there’s hope!’ as my father used to say, and ‘Third time pays for all.’

This instance he uses two quotes from his father; “Third time pays for all,” appears a second time, but in different context.

Here are some ideas to chew on.

1. Why does Bilbo suddenly begin to quote his father to the Dwarves?
   
2. What is the significance of quoting “Third time pays for all” twice? or is there none?
   
3. No doubt Bungo would have disapproved of Bilbo’s leaving Bag End in such company and under such circumstances. But how would he see his son at this point in the story?
   
4. Remember that after his return,

   [Bilbo] was no longer quite respectable. He was in fact held by all the hobbits of the neighbourhood to be ‘queer’ – except by his nephews and nieces on the Took side, but even they were not encouraged in their friendship by their elders.

   Does that change your opinion of how Bungo might have viewed Bilbo’s actions after his adventure? or does it even matter?
   
5. What do you suppose Bilbo’s mother, Belladonna, or her father the Old Took would have thought? (Old Took was on especially good terms with Gandalf. Bilbo knew him; a generation or two later, his descendents Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Fatty Bolger were still discussing the Old Took’s imprint on the family.)
   
6. Throughout The Hobbit, Thorin is particularly concerned about the actions and honor of his father and grandfather. How do Bilbo’s affection and honor for his father differ from Thorin’s?

[Valandil]

This is an interesting aspect of JRRT's presentation of Bilbo Baggins! I suppose it's to make him more believable, or "human" in some ways. And it certainly fits with his character.

I tend to think The Old Took would have been pretty amused - unlike others in the Shire.