the one thing (there's actually many things) that i don't understand about The Hobbit is how the people of Laketown insisted that they be given anything from Erebor immediately after the dragon died?
like, the dwarves just got there! they literally only just got inside this giant city in a mountain:
-1/4 (upper levels) destroyed from Smaug rampaging around
-they need to bury their dead
-Thorin said he would begin trade so everyone flourished
-Bard [understandably] actively voiced against Thorin
-inventory needs to be made of everything, including the dead
-food??? can they eat first? they just kicked a dragon out!
but then the people of Laketown are portrayed as victims of circumstance, instead of survivors that know how to make plenty out of nothing, when they're being greedy! how can 9 dwarves and 1 hobbit physically bring down enough coin to pay for anything, nevertheless rebuilding a whole city like Dale????
also, there are (at the time Bard comes to demand [DEMAND!!] payment) 13 dwarves and 1 hobbit inside a city to hold 1 million+ people. how can any of this happen?? it's stupid and Thorin (however afflicted with Dragon sickness) was right to give them nothing at the moment. the people of Laketown could have waited until more dwarrow came and renovations and trade agreements could be made.