What is the title of the first chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

The first chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is titled “An Unexpected Party.”

The chapter begins when the wizard Gandalf visits Bilbo Baggins at his home, Bag End, on a Wednesday morning. Bilbo initially expects a quiet day, but a succession of dwarves soon arrive at his door. Their gathering is arranged by Gandalf as part of Thorin Oakenshield’s plan to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasure from the dragon Smaug.

The title refers to the unexpected arrival of the thirteen dwarves, rather than to a celebration planned by Bilbo. Their songs, stories, and discussion of the journey introduce Bilbo to the adventure that will change his life. Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937, several years before The Lord of the Rings.

Readers sometimes confuse this chapter title with “Riddles in the Dark,” the later chapter featuring Bilbo and Gollum, or with the book’s subtitle, There and Back Again.