Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

---

In this episode I read you Tolkien's wonderful description of Bilbo's first encounter with Smaug the dragon and also show you Tolkien's own illustration of that scene, whilst smoking my 'dragons claw' meerschaum pipe.
If you like you can encourage me with coffee and cake, or even a dram, here: buymeacoffee.com/malcolmguite