Once the Misty Mountains have been tackled, the setting continues on to Beorn’shouse, who Gandalf states, “ . . . lives in an oak-wood and has a great wooden house . . . ”Tolkien 115). The area around Beorn’s home is decorated with beautiful flowers covered byfriendly bees. Horses and cattle are just a few of the animals that walk in his spacious yard. Upon reaching the gate to enter Beorn’s yard there is gardens and a cluster of wooden buildings. The buildings range from “ . . . barns, stables, sheds, and a long low wooden house.” (Tolkien117). The last building is Beorn’s house, which is mainly one wide hall with a veranda on itssouthern side. Then the setting changes coarse once again and heads toward Mirkwood. Notmany people know of Mirkwood, but those who do know that, “ . . . Mirkwood is dark,dangerous, and difficult.” (Tolkien 131). The only way to ensure survival through the forest is tostay on the path. Mirkwood is very dark and gloomy. Almost no light passes through the thickmass of trees that make up the forest. Here, at night all the inhabitants come to life. The main path through Mirkwood is a basic dirt path and is the only place in the woods free of the terrible giant spiders and other frightening inhabitants of the forest. Once out of Mirkwood forest and up a river, there is a town called Esgaroth. This town is located on a body of water called Long Lake. Long Lake is one of the longest lakes in its region and is used to import and export goods to and from Esgaroth. The town of Esgaroth is not only built on the land beside the lake, but isalso built out over the lake. Tolkien says, “It was not built on the shore, though there were a few huts and buildings there, but right out on the surface of the lake . . . ” (190). The lake is protected from the current of the river that flows into the lake “ . . . by a promontory of rock whi...
