Post by Treebeard on May 25, 2006 3:56:17 GMT -5
Name: Treebeard
Race: Ents
Date of Birth: Unknown; possibly around 1050 of the Years of the Trees
Date of Death: Unknown
Residence: Wellinghall in Fangorn Forest
Parents: Not applicable; created by Yavanna
Siblings: Not applicable
Spouse: Fimbrethil
Children: None known
Height: 14 feet
Hair and eye color: Grey beard, brown eyes lit with green
Motto: "Do not be hasty."
Detailed Biography:
Treebeard was the oldest of the Ents - the great shepherds of the forests who resembled the trees they guarded. He once roamed far and wide through the woods of Middle-earth, but by the end of the Third Age he and the other Ents dwelled in Fangorn Forest, isolated from the outside world. The arrival of Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took moved Treebeard to take action in the affairs of Middle-earth, and he led the Ents to war against Saruman, who threatened Fangorn's trees.
Treebeard had a long memory and earthy wisdom. He gave slow and careful consideration to matters of importance, and his motto was "Do not be hasty." But once roused to action, Treebeard was quick and agile (though not very bendable) and he was incredibly strong.
Treebeard was about fourteen feet tall. He had big feet with seven toes each. The skin on his arms was smooth and brown, and his body was clad in a green and grey substance like bark. Treebeard had a long, bushy, grey beard that appeared to be made of twigs and moss. His eyes were brown suffused with green light, and they were deep and penetrating.
"One felt as if there was an enormous well behind them, filled up with ages of memory and long, slow, steady thinking; but their surface was sparkling with the present: like sun shimmering on the outer leaves of a vast tree, or on the ripples of a very deep lake. I don't know but it felt as if something that grew in the ground - asleep, you might say, or just feeling itself as something between root-tip and leaf-tip, between deep earth and sky had suddenly waked up, and was considering you with the same slow care that it had given to its own inside affairs for endless years."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 66-67
Gandalf described Treebeard as "the oldest living thing that still walks beneath the Sun upon this Middle-earth." (TTT, p. 102) There is some question as to what this means, since Tom Bombadil called himself "Eldest" and said that he existed before the first tree. One possible explanation is that Tom may be considered some kind of immortal spirit rather than a "living thing."
The Ents were created from the thought of Yavanna, the Vala of growing things, to protect her beloved trees. Spirits were sent by Eru to inhabit trees - or creatures that grew to resemble trees - and they became the Ents. It is not known exactly when the Ents came into being, but it may have been around the time of or shortly after the awakening of the Elves, which occurred around 1050 of the Years of the Trees. Treebeard was one of the original Ents, and thus he may have been over 11,000 years old by the end of the Third Age.
In ancient times, Treebeard walked in the great wood that covered the land west of the Misty Mountains. Fangorn Forest was then the far southeastern end of the great wood.
"Those were the broad days! Time was when I could walk and sing all day and hear no more than the echo of my own voice in the hollow hills. The woods were like the woods of Lothlorien, only thicker, stronger, younger. And the smell of the air! I used to spend a week just breathing."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 72
Treebeard also roamed in Beleriand west of the Blue Mountains, where there were a number of forests. He enjoyed visiting the willows of Tasarinan in the Spring, the elms of Ossiriand in the Summer, the beeches of Neldoreth in the Autumn, and the pines of Dorthonion in the Winter.
Evil began to spread through Middle-earth after Morgoth was released from captivity by the Valar in 1400 of the Years of the Trees. It was around this time that the Entwives moved farther eastward and crossed the Anduin. Among them was Treebeard's beloved Fimbrethil. The Ents and Entwives had already begun to grow apart - the Ents were interested in the wild woods, while the Entwives preferred tending orchards and gardens - and after the Entwives moved away, the Ents seldom saw them.
In 503 of the First Age, Ents came to the aid of Beren against the Dwarves who slew Thingol and stole the Silmaril. When some of the Dwarves tried to escape, they were driven into the woods of Ered Lindon by the Ents and were never seen again. It is not known whether Treebeard was involved in this action.
Beleriand was destroyed in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, which ended in Morgoth's defeat. During the Second Age, the great forest west of the Misty Mountains receded. Many trees were cut down by the Men of Numenor to build ships, and many other trees were destroyed when Sauron invaded Eriador.
Treebeard and the Ents dwelled in Fangorn Forest, a remnant of the great woods of old at the southeastern end of the Misty Mountains. There they tended the trees and protected them from outsiders. Over time, the number of Ents began to dwindle. While no Ents had died of natural causes, some had been killed and many others had become more like trees. Most significant was the fact that without the Entwives there were no new generations of Ents.
North of Fangorn Forest were the woods of Lothlorien. Treebeard once met the King of the Galadhrim of Lothlorien (possibly Amdir, father of Amroth) and they agreed that the forests of the Ents and the Elves would be separate, though they were welcome to visit one another's lands. Treebeard was also acquainted with Galadriel and Celeborn, who later became Lord and Lady of Lothlorien. But over time visits between the two forests ceased.
During the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, Sauron destroyed the gardens of the Entwives east of the Anduin, and they became known as the Brown Lands. No one knew what happened to the Entwives - whether they had been killed or enslaved or had relocated elsewhere. Treebeard went in search of Fimbrethil, but he never found her. The Ents continued to seek the Entwives over the years, but after a time they stopped venturing out of Fangorn Forest.
Although Sauron was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance, he returned around the year 1050 of the Third Age and secretly established the stronghold of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. Treebeard became concerned when a shadow fell over the forest of Mirkwood. But in 2951, it became known that Sauron had returned to Mordor, and for a time Treebeard felt that the threat was far enough away. Soon, however, it became apparent that Sauron posed a danger to all of Middle-earth, including its forests.
More immediate was the threat from the Wizard Saruman, whom Treebeard had once thought of as a friend. Saruman lived in Isengard at the southwestern edge of Fangorn. When Saruman first came to dwell there in 2759, he used to walk in Fangorn Forest and talk to Treebeard. Treebeard later realized that while Saruman had learned much from him, the Wizard had shared no information of his own.
Orcs began to destroy trees in Fangorn Forest, and at first Treebeard wondered how this was possible, but at last he realized that the Orcs were in league with Saruman. He even suspected that Saruman was cross-breeding Orcs with Men to create a new species that could withstand sunlight. Treebeard began to consider what he should do about Saruman.
On February 27, 3019, Treebeard caught a glimpse of Gandalf walking in Fangorn Forest. Treebeard was friends with Gandalf and considered him the only Wizard who really cared about trees. But on this occasion, they did not stop to speak to one another, for Gandalf was deep in thought.
Two days later, on February 29, Treebeard encountered two creatures the likes of which he had never seen before. They introduced themselves as Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took and said they were Hobbits - a race Treebeard did not recognize from the Long List of Living Creatures. The Hobbits were the first new thing that Treebeard had seen in many ages.
Treebeard took Merry and Pippin to Wellinghall - one of his ent-houses near Methedras, the Last Peak of the Misty Mountains. He gave them Ent-draughts and told them about the Entwives, and the Hobbits told Treebeard about their journey from the Shire. Treebeard asked Merry and Pippin if they had ever seen Entwives in the Shire, since it seemed like the kind of place they would like, but the Hobbits had not.
Treebeard was especially interested to learn that Merry and Pippin had been held captive by Uruk-hai from Isengard. The Hobbits' tale of the war brewing beyond the borders of Fangorn Forest caused Treebeard to consider Saruman once again, and he decided that he must stop the traitorous Wizard.
Treebeard called an Entmoot - a meeting of Ents to discuss what should be done. Besides Treebeard, only two of the original Ents in Middle-earth remained: Leaflock and Skinbark, both of whom had become withdrawn and isolated. But Treebeard hoped that some of the younger Ents would come, and during the night he spread the word.
The Entmoot began the next morning on February 30 and lasted three days. About 50 Ents gathered in Derndingle and Treebeard told them what he had learned. He sent Merry and Pippin off in the company of Quickbeam, a hasty Ent who had already made up his mind. On the afternoon of March 2, the rest of the Ents came to the decision to go to war against Saruman. Treebeard, carrying Merry and Pippin on his shoulders, led the Ents to Isengard.
"Of course, it is likely enough, my friends," he said slowly, "likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has long been growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now. It was not a hasty resolve. Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song. Aye," he sighed, "we may help the other peoples before we pass away."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 90
The Ents arrived at Isengard that night. Behind them came the Huorns - trees of great power that could move and speak and may once have been Ents themselves. Saruman was unaware of their arrival, and at midnight on March 3 he sent forth his vast army to wage war against the Men of Rohan. Many of the Huorns followed Saruman's army to Helm's Deep.
Treebeard remained with the Ents, saying, "'My business is with Isengard tonight, with rock and stone." (TTT, p. 171) He pounded on the gates and demanded that Saruman come out. Several arrows struck him, but he was not deterred. Then he and several other Ents tore down the gates and they entered the ring of Isengard. Saruman barricaded himself in the Tower of Orthanc. He attacked the Ents with steam and liquid fire, and an Ent named Beechbone was burned to death.
The Ents destroyed Saruman's machinery and the walls around Isengard, but they were unable to breach the walls of Orthanc. Treebeard called on the Ents to stop lest they hurt themselves, and then they heard Saruman laughing at them from above. The Ents became grim and determined, and Treebeard told them of a plan he had to unleash waters of the River Isen and flood Isengard.
That evening, Gandalf arrived seeking Treebeard. Treebeard told him that many Huorns were already on the way to Helm's Deep, and he sent hundreds more to join them. The Huorns played an important role in defeating Saruman's army at the Battle of Helm's Deep.
At midnight on March 4, the Ents released the waters of the Isen. The holes and tunnels were flooded, the fires were doused, and the filth was washed away.
On the morning of March 5, Grima Wormtongue came to Isengard. Gandalf had told Treebeard that Grima had betrayed King Theoden of Rohan and had sold his services to Saruman. Treebeard offered Grima the choice of remaining with him or joining Saruman in Orthanc, and Grima fled through the waters into the tower.
Later that day, Gandalf returned to Isengard with King Theoden, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Treebeard greeted Legolas of Mirkwood and welcomed him to visit Fangorn Forest, though he was a bit doubtful when Legolas proposed bringing along Gimli - a Dwarf and an axe-bearer. When Treebeard bid farewell to his newfound friends Merry and Pippin, he asked them to keep an eye out for the Entwives.
Saruman was cast out of the Order of Wizards by Gandalf, and Treebeard was left in charge of guarding him. Treebeard promised, "Until seven times the years in which he tormented us have passed, we shall not tire of watching him." (TTT, p. 192) He set up a Watchwood of trees to stand guard and a lake was formed around Orthanc to ensure that Saruman could not escape through underground tunnels.
On March 12, an army of Orcs from Dol Guldur entered the Wold of Rohan after trying unsuccessfully to invade Lothlorien. Treebeard led the Ents to fight them, slaying many and driving the rest into the Anduin. Without Treebeard's intervention, the Orcs might have prevented King Theoden from reaching Minas Tirith, or at least they would have plundered Rohan in the King's absence.
The War of the Ring ended on March 25 when the One Ring was destroyed and Sauron was utterly defeated. The Ents continued to guard Isengard for many months afterwards. They planted gardens and orchards around it which they called the Treegarth of Orthanc.
During the long months of Saruman's imprisonment, Treebeard told him many long stories which caused the Wizard to grow weary. Treebeard disliked keeping any living thing caged, and Saruman used the Ent's soft heart against him. With his powerful Voice, Saruman convinced Treebeard that he no longer posed a threat to anyone, and Treebeard released him on August 15. Saruman later went to the Shire, where he caused great damage before he was finally killed by his servant Grima.
Gandalf came back to Isengard on August 22. With him were Legolas and Gimli, who set out to visit Fangorn Forest with Treebeard's permission. Treebeard gave Merry and Pippin one last Ent-draught and reminded them to look out for the Entwives.
Aragorn, King Elessar, told Treebeard that the Ents could now safely search for the Entwives in the east, and the King also granted the Ents leave to expand west of the Misty Mountains. But Treebeard doubted that the Ents would leave Fangorn again now that the age of Men had begun.
To Galadriel and Celeborn, whom he had not seen in many long years, Treebeard said:
"It is sad that we should meet only thus at the ending. For the world is changing: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air. I do not think we shall meet again."
The Return of the King: "Many Partings," p. 259
Galadriel replied that they would not meet again in Middle-earth, but perhaps they might when the world had changed once more and the lands that lay under the Sea rose again. Whether they would ever do so is not known.
It is not entirely clear whether Ents were immortal or simply very long-lived. It is possible that Treebeard eventually became more treeish, as others of his kind had done. In time, Treebeard and the Ents passed out of the recorded history of Men, and their ultimate fate is unknown.
Names & Titles:
Treebeard
Treebeard is a Common Speech name. Treebeard did not reveal his real name in Old Entish but said that it was very long, "growing all the time, and I've lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story." (TTT, p. 68)
Fangorn
Fangorn means "Treebeard" in Sindarin. The word fanga means "beard" and orne means "tree." (App. F of LotR, p. 409; HoME V, SPANAG & ORO)
The Ent
Treebeard was sometimes called The Ent because he was the eldest of the Ents in Middle-earth. He was also called the Old Ent. The word Ent is from the Old English meaning "giant."
Eldest
Celeborn called Treebeard Eldest because he was the oldest living thing in Middle-earth. (RotK, p. 259) It should be noted that Tom Bombadil also called himself Eldest, though it is possible that he is not counted as a "living thing" but an immortal spirit of some kind.
Master of Fangorn's Wood
Legolas called Treebeard by this title. (TTT, p. 191)
Race: Ents
Date of Birth: Unknown; possibly around 1050 of the Years of the Trees
Date of Death: Unknown
Residence: Wellinghall in Fangorn Forest
Parents: Not applicable; created by Yavanna
Siblings: Not applicable
Spouse: Fimbrethil
Children: None known
Height: 14 feet
Hair and eye color: Grey beard, brown eyes lit with green
Motto: "Do not be hasty."
Detailed Biography:
Treebeard was the oldest of the Ents - the great shepherds of the forests who resembled the trees they guarded. He once roamed far and wide through the woods of Middle-earth, but by the end of the Third Age he and the other Ents dwelled in Fangorn Forest, isolated from the outside world. The arrival of Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took moved Treebeard to take action in the affairs of Middle-earth, and he led the Ents to war against Saruman, who threatened Fangorn's trees.
Treebeard had a long memory and earthy wisdom. He gave slow and careful consideration to matters of importance, and his motto was "Do not be hasty." But once roused to action, Treebeard was quick and agile (though not very bendable) and he was incredibly strong.
Treebeard was about fourteen feet tall. He had big feet with seven toes each. The skin on his arms was smooth and brown, and his body was clad in a green and grey substance like bark. Treebeard had a long, bushy, grey beard that appeared to be made of twigs and moss. His eyes were brown suffused with green light, and they were deep and penetrating.
"One felt as if there was an enormous well behind them, filled up with ages of memory and long, slow, steady thinking; but their surface was sparkling with the present: like sun shimmering on the outer leaves of a vast tree, or on the ripples of a very deep lake. I don't know but it felt as if something that grew in the ground - asleep, you might say, or just feeling itself as something between root-tip and leaf-tip, between deep earth and sky had suddenly waked up, and was considering you with the same slow care that it had given to its own inside affairs for endless years."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 66-67
Gandalf described Treebeard as "the oldest living thing that still walks beneath the Sun upon this Middle-earth." (TTT, p. 102) There is some question as to what this means, since Tom Bombadil called himself "Eldest" and said that he existed before the first tree. One possible explanation is that Tom may be considered some kind of immortal spirit rather than a "living thing."
The Ents were created from the thought of Yavanna, the Vala of growing things, to protect her beloved trees. Spirits were sent by Eru to inhabit trees - or creatures that grew to resemble trees - and they became the Ents. It is not known exactly when the Ents came into being, but it may have been around the time of or shortly after the awakening of the Elves, which occurred around 1050 of the Years of the Trees. Treebeard was one of the original Ents, and thus he may have been over 11,000 years old by the end of the Third Age.
In ancient times, Treebeard walked in the great wood that covered the land west of the Misty Mountains. Fangorn Forest was then the far southeastern end of the great wood.
"Those were the broad days! Time was when I could walk and sing all day and hear no more than the echo of my own voice in the hollow hills. The woods were like the woods of Lothlorien, only thicker, stronger, younger. And the smell of the air! I used to spend a week just breathing."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 72
Treebeard also roamed in Beleriand west of the Blue Mountains, where there were a number of forests. He enjoyed visiting the willows of Tasarinan in the Spring, the elms of Ossiriand in the Summer, the beeches of Neldoreth in the Autumn, and the pines of Dorthonion in the Winter.
Evil began to spread through Middle-earth after Morgoth was released from captivity by the Valar in 1400 of the Years of the Trees. It was around this time that the Entwives moved farther eastward and crossed the Anduin. Among them was Treebeard's beloved Fimbrethil. The Ents and Entwives had already begun to grow apart - the Ents were interested in the wild woods, while the Entwives preferred tending orchards and gardens - and after the Entwives moved away, the Ents seldom saw them.
In 503 of the First Age, Ents came to the aid of Beren against the Dwarves who slew Thingol and stole the Silmaril. When some of the Dwarves tried to escape, they were driven into the woods of Ered Lindon by the Ents and were never seen again. It is not known whether Treebeard was involved in this action.
Beleriand was destroyed in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, which ended in Morgoth's defeat. During the Second Age, the great forest west of the Misty Mountains receded. Many trees were cut down by the Men of Numenor to build ships, and many other trees were destroyed when Sauron invaded Eriador.
Treebeard and the Ents dwelled in Fangorn Forest, a remnant of the great woods of old at the southeastern end of the Misty Mountains. There they tended the trees and protected them from outsiders. Over time, the number of Ents began to dwindle. While no Ents had died of natural causes, some had been killed and many others had become more like trees. Most significant was the fact that without the Entwives there were no new generations of Ents.
North of Fangorn Forest were the woods of Lothlorien. Treebeard once met the King of the Galadhrim of Lothlorien (possibly Amdir, father of Amroth) and they agreed that the forests of the Ents and the Elves would be separate, though they were welcome to visit one another's lands. Treebeard was also acquainted with Galadriel and Celeborn, who later became Lord and Lady of Lothlorien. But over time visits between the two forests ceased.
During the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, Sauron destroyed the gardens of the Entwives east of the Anduin, and they became known as the Brown Lands. No one knew what happened to the Entwives - whether they had been killed or enslaved or had relocated elsewhere. Treebeard went in search of Fimbrethil, but he never found her. The Ents continued to seek the Entwives over the years, but after a time they stopped venturing out of Fangorn Forest.
Although Sauron was defeated in the War of the Last Alliance, he returned around the year 1050 of the Third Age and secretly established the stronghold of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. Treebeard became concerned when a shadow fell over the forest of Mirkwood. But in 2951, it became known that Sauron had returned to Mordor, and for a time Treebeard felt that the threat was far enough away. Soon, however, it became apparent that Sauron posed a danger to all of Middle-earth, including its forests.
More immediate was the threat from the Wizard Saruman, whom Treebeard had once thought of as a friend. Saruman lived in Isengard at the southwestern edge of Fangorn. When Saruman first came to dwell there in 2759, he used to walk in Fangorn Forest and talk to Treebeard. Treebeard later realized that while Saruman had learned much from him, the Wizard had shared no information of his own.
Orcs began to destroy trees in Fangorn Forest, and at first Treebeard wondered how this was possible, but at last he realized that the Orcs were in league with Saruman. He even suspected that Saruman was cross-breeding Orcs with Men to create a new species that could withstand sunlight. Treebeard began to consider what he should do about Saruman.
On February 27, 3019, Treebeard caught a glimpse of Gandalf walking in Fangorn Forest. Treebeard was friends with Gandalf and considered him the only Wizard who really cared about trees. But on this occasion, they did not stop to speak to one another, for Gandalf was deep in thought.
Two days later, on February 29, Treebeard encountered two creatures the likes of which he had never seen before. They introduced themselves as Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took and said they were Hobbits - a race Treebeard did not recognize from the Long List of Living Creatures. The Hobbits were the first new thing that Treebeard had seen in many ages.
Treebeard took Merry and Pippin to Wellinghall - one of his ent-houses near Methedras, the Last Peak of the Misty Mountains. He gave them Ent-draughts and told them about the Entwives, and the Hobbits told Treebeard about their journey from the Shire. Treebeard asked Merry and Pippin if they had ever seen Entwives in the Shire, since it seemed like the kind of place they would like, but the Hobbits had not.
Treebeard was especially interested to learn that Merry and Pippin had been held captive by Uruk-hai from Isengard. The Hobbits' tale of the war brewing beyond the borders of Fangorn Forest caused Treebeard to consider Saruman once again, and he decided that he must stop the traitorous Wizard.
Treebeard called an Entmoot - a meeting of Ents to discuss what should be done. Besides Treebeard, only two of the original Ents in Middle-earth remained: Leaflock and Skinbark, both of whom had become withdrawn and isolated. But Treebeard hoped that some of the younger Ents would come, and during the night he spread the word.
The Entmoot began the next morning on February 30 and lasted three days. About 50 Ents gathered in Derndingle and Treebeard told them what he had learned. He sent Merry and Pippin off in the company of Quickbeam, a hasty Ent who had already made up his mind. On the afternoon of March 2, the rest of the Ents came to the decision to go to war against Saruman. Treebeard, carrying Merry and Pippin on his shoulders, led the Ents to Isengard.
"Of course, it is likely enough, my friends," he said slowly, "likely enough that we are going to our doom: the last march of the Ents. But if we stayed at home and did nothing, doom would find us anyway, sooner or later. That thought has long been growing in our hearts; and that is why we are marching now. It was not a hasty resolve. Now at least the last march of the Ents may be worth a song. Aye," he sighed, "we may help the other peoples before we pass away."
The Two Towers: "Treebeard," p. 90
The Ents arrived at Isengard that night. Behind them came the Huorns - trees of great power that could move and speak and may once have been Ents themselves. Saruman was unaware of their arrival, and at midnight on March 3 he sent forth his vast army to wage war against the Men of Rohan. Many of the Huorns followed Saruman's army to Helm's Deep.
Treebeard remained with the Ents, saying, "'My business is with Isengard tonight, with rock and stone." (TTT, p. 171) He pounded on the gates and demanded that Saruman come out. Several arrows struck him, but he was not deterred. Then he and several other Ents tore down the gates and they entered the ring of Isengard. Saruman barricaded himself in the Tower of Orthanc. He attacked the Ents with steam and liquid fire, and an Ent named Beechbone was burned to death.
The Ents destroyed Saruman's machinery and the walls around Isengard, but they were unable to breach the walls of Orthanc. Treebeard called on the Ents to stop lest they hurt themselves, and then they heard Saruman laughing at them from above. The Ents became grim and determined, and Treebeard told them of a plan he had to unleash waters of the River Isen and flood Isengard.
That evening, Gandalf arrived seeking Treebeard. Treebeard told him that many Huorns were already on the way to Helm's Deep, and he sent hundreds more to join them. The Huorns played an important role in defeating Saruman's army at the Battle of Helm's Deep.
At midnight on March 4, the Ents released the waters of the Isen. The holes and tunnels were flooded, the fires were doused, and the filth was washed away.
On the morning of March 5, Grima Wormtongue came to Isengard. Gandalf had told Treebeard that Grima had betrayed King Theoden of Rohan and had sold his services to Saruman. Treebeard offered Grima the choice of remaining with him or joining Saruman in Orthanc, and Grima fled through the waters into the tower.
Later that day, Gandalf returned to Isengard with King Theoden, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Treebeard greeted Legolas of Mirkwood and welcomed him to visit Fangorn Forest, though he was a bit doubtful when Legolas proposed bringing along Gimli - a Dwarf and an axe-bearer. When Treebeard bid farewell to his newfound friends Merry and Pippin, he asked them to keep an eye out for the Entwives.
Saruman was cast out of the Order of Wizards by Gandalf, and Treebeard was left in charge of guarding him. Treebeard promised, "Until seven times the years in which he tormented us have passed, we shall not tire of watching him." (TTT, p. 192) He set up a Watchwood of trees to stand guard and a lake was formed around Orthanc to ensure that Saruman could not escape through underground tunnels.
On March 12, an army of Orcs from Dol Guldur entered the Wold of Rohan after trying unsuccessfully to invade Lothlorien. Treebeard led the Ents to fight them, slaying many and driving the rest into the Anduin. Without Treebeard's intervention, the Orcs might have prevented King Theoden from reaching Minas Tirith, or at least they would have plundered Rohan in the King's absence.
The War of the Ring ended on March 25 when the One Ring was destroyed and Sauron was utterly defeated. The Ents continued to guard Isengard for many months afterwards. They planted gardens and orchards around it which they called the Treegarth of Orthanc.
During the long months of Saruman's imprisonment, Treebeard told him many long stories which caused the Wizard to grow weary. Treebeard disliked keeping any living thing caged, and Saruman used the Ent's soft heart against him. With his powerful Voice, Saruman convinced Treebeard that he no longer posed a threat to anyone, and Treebeard released him on August 15. Saruman later went to the Shire, where he caused great damage before he was finally killed by his servant Grima.
Gandalf came back to Isengard on August 22. With him were Legolas and Gimli, who set out to visit Fangorn Forest with Treebeard's permission. Treebeard gave Merry and Pippin one last Ent-draught and reminded them to look out for the Entwives.
Aragorn, King Elessar, told Treebeard that the Ents could now safely search for the Entwives in the east, and the King also granted the Ents leave to expand west of the Misty Mountains. But Treebeard doubted that the Ents would leave Fangorn again now that the age of Men had begun.
To Galadriel and Celeborn, whom he had not seen in many long years, Treebeard said:
"It is sad that we should meet only thus at the ending. For the world is changing: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air. I do not think we shall meet again."
The Return of the King: "Many Partings," p. 259
Galadriel replied that they would not meet again in Middle-earth, but perhaps they might when the world had changed once more and the lands that lay under the Sea rose again. Whether they would ever do so is not known.
It is not entirely clear whether Ents were immortal or simply very long-lived. It is possible that Treebeard eventually became more treeish, as others of his kind had done. In time, Treebeard and the Ents passed out of the recorded history of Men, and their ultimate fate is unknown.
Names & Titles:
Treebeard
Treebeard is a Common Speech name. Treebeard did not reveal his real name in Old Entish but said that it was very long, "growing all the time, and I've lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story." (TTT, p. 68)
Fangorn
Fangorn means "Treebeard" in Sindarin. The word fanga means "beard" and orne means "tree." (App. F of LotR, p. 409; HoME V, SPANAG & ORO)
The Ent
Treebeard was sometimes called The Ent because he was the eldest of the Ents in Middle-earth. He was also called the Old Ent. The word Ent is from the Old English meaning "giant."
Eldest
Celeborn called Treebeard Eldest because he was the oldest living thing in Middle-earth. (RotK, p. 259) It should be noted that Tom Bombadil also called himself Eldest, though it is possible that he is not counted as a "living thing" but an immortal spirit of some kind.
Master of Fangorn's Wood
Legolas called Treebeard by this title. (TTT, p. 191)
