Bilbo Baggins sits atop one of 13 barrels hiding 13 dwarfs as they hurtle down a river towards Lake Town to escape the elves.
The dwarfs, along with Bilbo, are fished out by the humans and are sore, wet and a bit hungry.
This is the chapter of The Hobbit, being made into a two-part movie blockbuster, which will be filmed near Pelorus Bridge during 10 days in December.
But what was in those barrels before they harboured a baker's dozen of floating dwarfs? Wine, perhaps?
The elven guard caught napping by Bilbo in the dungeon where the dwarfs were held is a sign of someone who had over-indulged. He'll pay for that in the morning.
Elves do like their wine, after all – at least according to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien.
So it seems the people of Middle-earth and Marlborough share a common bond. This scene will be filmed in the bosom of New Zealand's best-known wine region.
Will production company 3 Foot 7 be looking to save some money on the $500 million budget for the two films by scouting wineries for barrels big enough to hold a dwarf?
The production company isn't saying where it will get the 13 barrels for the filming.
For the record, Tolkein's dwarfs stand 1.2 metres to 1.5m tall and are usually a bit rotund.
The standard oak barrels used for winemaking in Marlborough are usually 1m high and a little more rounded than a dwarf.
- The Marlborough Express
SIMON WONG
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