Treebeards Son
But why had the ent wives not returned to the ents in their distress? This was the question on the minds of the ents and the question that Rhadaghast was the most hesitant to answer. For twenty human years there had been no entings. This was hardly odd given the scarcity of the ent's visits. Because of this, there had been no dispute over who should raise the entings, as neither party was willing to live with the other. But it seems after the long drought of enting seedlings that a veritable flood of ent wives conceived in a short period of time.
The ent wives were still debating over what should be done on the matter (They had plenty of time for ent wives do not drop their seedlings for years.) when the orcs attacked. Suddenly, the ent wives realized their plight. All of Middle Earth was in danger. If they returned now, to the ents it would be seen as a permanent concession. Also, who could say anyone would be able to stand against the might of Sauron?
Thus the ent wives reached a hurried decision. The Lady Galadriel, who understood such maternal matters, would look after the entings. During this time, the ent wives would fall into a treeish sleep. One special enting would be planted in the furthest reaches of the land where the devastation of war would reach last. If men triumphed, this enting would grow into an ent and sing the song, which would awaken the ent wives. If Middle Earth failed, Galadriel would flee over the sea taking the remaining entings with the race of Lorien.
Silver Oak watched the hobbit children skip around him holding hands and singing. It could not compare with entish singing, but that was so long ago. His mother used to sing lengthy, delightful chants to him in entish before he was dropped and given over to the elves. It was a proper song, not like these rushed hobbit verses. The song called all of the ent wives by their natural name and might take weeks to sing. Silver Oak never heard his real name anymore; for Galadriel had cautioned him that he should never reveal it when he first traveled to the Shire. Not that any of these silly hobbits had the capacity to remember a name of any substantial length. Nevertheless, he loved them; especially Sam, his kind transplanter. Sometimes Sam even talked to him as though he knew that Silver Oak was no normal tree. He talked to him about oliphaunts and elves and the land of Lorien. And although he never spoke back ( The hobbits of the Shire could not have tolerated such queerness) he would occasionally caress the top of his curly graying head with a stray limb. Yes, Silver Oak loved the Shire but he knew that the time was approaching when he must leave.
But why had the ent wives not returned to the ents in their distress? This was the question on the minds of the ents and the question that Rhadaghast was the most hesitant to answer. For twenty human years there had been no entings. This was hardly odd given the scarcity of the ent's visits. Because of this, there had been no dispute over who should raise the entings, as neither party was willing to live with the other. But it seems after the long drought of enting seedlings that a veritable flood of ent wives conceived in a short period of time.
The ent wives were still debating over what should be done on the matter (They had plenty of time for ent wives do not drop their seedlings for years.) when the orcs attacked. Suddenly, the ent wives realized their plight. All of Middle Earth was in danger. If they returned now, to the ents it would be seen as a permanent concession. Also, who could say anyone would be able to stand against the might of Sauron?
Thus the ent wives reached a hurried decision. The Lady Galadriel, who understood such maternal matters, would look after the entings. During this time, the ent wives would fall into a treeish sleep. One special enting would be planted in the furthest reaches of the land where the devastation of war would reach last. If men triumphed, this enting would grow into an ent and sing the song, which would awaken the ent wives. If Middle Earth failed, Galadriel would flee over the sea taking the remaining entings with the race of Lorien.
Silver Oak watched the hobbit children skip around him holding hands and singing. It could not compare with entish singing, but that was so long ago. His mother used to sing lengthy, delightful chants to him in entish before he was dropped and given over to the elves. It was a proper song, not like these rushed hobbit verses. The song called all of the ent wives by their natural name and might take weeks to sing. Silver Oak never heard his real name anymore; for Galadriel had cautioned him that he should never reveal it when he first traveled to the Shire. Not that any of these silly hobbits had the capacity to remember a name of any substantial length. Nevertheless, he loved them; especially Sam, his kind transplanter. Sometimes Sam even talked to him as though he knew that Silver Oak was no normal tree. He talked to him about oliphaunts and elves and the land of Lorien. And although he never spoke back ( The hobbits of the Shire could not have tolerated such queerness) he would occasionally caress the top of his curly graying head with a stray limb. Yes, Silver Oak loved the Shire but he knew that the time was approaching when he must leave.