"The gold belongs to us; we took it back of late.
"No parley shall there be with hosts before my gate-
"It matters not that you possess the Arkenstone.
"For it I give you naught; why should I buy my own?
"As for the thief who gave to you that stone sometime,
"I'll let him go at that; he is no friend of mine."
But then the goblins came to ruined Dale to fight
The Men and Elves and Dwarves before the mountain height.
When all was done the Free Folk had the victory;
But many warriors fell by blade and archery.
Whilst Thorin from his mortal wounds a-dying lay,
He pondered all that he had said and done that day.
He called his burglar to his side, "Farewell, good thief,
"In friendship I will part, though I have caused much grief;
"I linger at the door of Death, to leave the Earth;
"And now I know, beyond the grave, gold has no worth.
"The gleam of gems that drove me mad is but a lie.
"And I would now take back my wrongs before I die.
"If more of us would value food and cheer and song
"Above a hoard of gold, the love of which is wrong,"
He said, "This world would likely be a merrier place.
"Now I shall sleep beside my fathers, to await
"The world's renewal by the One Who governs Fate."