Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings 

Evidence of a great gathering of bears the night before had led Gandalf back to the woods where they had earlier encountered the Wargs, and he implies that Beorn has gone there, too.On the fourth day, they reach the edge of Mirkwood and Gandalf reminds them to send back the ponies and tells them he must leave to pursue other business.The next morning Beorn returns, saying that he has confirmed the tale Gandalf told about killing the Great Goblin, and that he himself killed a Goblin and a Warg the night before.Gandalf cleverly tells a suspenseful tale about how they killed the Great Goblin and escaped from the Goblins and Wargs, however, and Beorn grows more sympathetic and interested in the dwarves.He tells them not to drink or bathe in the enchanted stream in Mirkwood, to send his ponies back when they get to the forest, and, above all, not to stray from the path.