Smaug is a dragon in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
Smaug is a powerful fire-breathing dragon who occupies the Lonely Mountain after driving out the dwarves of Erebor. He guards the mountain’s treasure and is the central danger confronting Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield’s company.
Bilbo enters the mountain and speaks with Smaug, using riddling names rather than immediately revealing his identity. During their conversation, Bilbo notices a bare patch in the dragon’s armor-like underside. The information later helps Bard the Bowman defeat Smaug.
Smaug is sometimes confused with the Balrog because both are major monsters in Tolkien’s legendarium, but they are different beings. Smaug is a dragon associated with Erebor, while the Balrog encountered by the Fellowship is a demon-like servant of Morgoth in the mines of Moria.