Editing Treebeard (section)

== Fictional biography ==

{{further|Ents}}

Ents were created in the Elder Days to be the "Shepherds of the Trees" and protect trees from the anticipated destruction that [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]] would cause.<!--{{sfn|Tolkien|1977}}--> In ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Treebeard recounts to the hobbits [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] how the Ents were "awakened" and taught to speak by the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]]. He says that only three Ents remain from the Elder Days: himself, Leaflock and Skinbark. He recalls when he could walk through the woods of [[Middle-earth]] for days. He sings a song about roaming the woods of Middle-earth, naming regions of [[Beleriand]] which were destroyed in the war with [[Morgoth]] and now lie "beneath the waves." He says there are valleys in Fangorn forest where the Great Darkness, the period of Morgoth's rule before the arising of the Moon and Sun, never lifted, and the trees are older than he.<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/>

Treebeard is described in some detail:

{{quote|"They found they were looking at a most extraordinary face. It belonged to a large man-like, almost [[Troll (Middle-earth)|Troll]]-like, figure, at least fourteen foot high, very sturdy, with a tall head, and hardly any neck. Whether it was clad in stuff like green and grey bark, or whether that was its hide, was difficult to say. At any rate the arms, at a short distance from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but covered with a brown smooth skin. The large feet had seven toes each. The lower part of the long face was covered with a sweeping grey beard, bushy, almost twiggy at the roots, thin and mossy at the ends. But at the moment the hobbits noted little but the eyes. These deep eyes were now surveying them, slow and solemn, but very penetrating. They were brown, shot with a green light."<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/>}}

Treebeard learns that the hobbits think that [[Gandalf]] is dead, though apparently he knows otherwise.{{sfn|Lobdell|1975|p=84}} He takes them to a place called Wellinghall, where the hobbits tell him their adventures and of [[Saruman]]'s treachery.{{sfn|Lobdell|1975|p=84}} Treebeard replies that there is "something very big going on, that I can see", and comments that the hobbits "seem to be caught up in a great storm."<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/>

Treebeard muses, "I must do something, I suppose." He recalls although he told Saruman many things, Saruman never told him anything. He realizes that Saruman is plotting to be "a Power", and wonders what evil he is really doing: why has Saruman taken up with Orcs, why there are so many Orcs in his woods, and why these Orcs are able to bear sunlight. He is angered by trees being felled "to feed the fires of [[Orthanc]]".<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/> He overcomes his anger and then, thinking aloud, begins to make plans for the next day, and tells Merry and Pippin about the [[Entwives]].<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/> 

The next day, Treebeard announces that he has been busy, and they will drink and then go to the Entmoot, a gathering of Ents. He carries them there; the gathering lasts three days. It ends with all the Ents shouting, and then singing a marching song and striding to [[Isengard]] with Treebeard in the lead: "the last march of the Ents", as Treebeard calls it. [[Huorn]]s follow, marching, as they later discover, to the [[Battle of Helm's Deep]].<ref name="Treebeard" group=T/>

The Ents arrive at Isengard as Saruman's army is leaving, and they wait until it has gone. Treebeard bangs on the gates and shouts for Saruman to come forth. Saruman refuses, and the Ents attack. They reduce the outer walls to rubble and destroy much of what is inside. Treebeard gets the Ents to divert the river Isen, drowning the ruined fortress and its underground furnaces and workshops. Saruman is left in the impregnable tower, surrounded by water and watchful Ents.<ref name="Flotsam and Jetsam" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1954|loc=book 3, ch. 9 "Flotsam and Jetsam"}}</ref>

A delegation led by Gandalf arrives at Isengard and, except for Gandalf, are amazed that it has been destroyed. Treebeard promises that Saruman will remain in the tower.<ref name="The Road to Isengard" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1954|loc=book 3, ch. 8 "The Road to Isengard"}}</ref>

Treebeard is still at Isengard, now renamed the Treegarth of Orthanc, when a group led by Aragorn, King of [[Gondor]], arrives after the victory over [[Sauron]], made possible partly because the Ents had helped to destroy Saruman's forces. Treebeard admits that he had let Saruman go. Gandalf gently chastises him, saying that Saruman might have persuaded Treebeard to let him go by "the poison of his voice." Treebeard delivers the keys of Orthanc to the King, who gives the valley of Orthanc to Treebeard and his ents.<ref name="Many Partings" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1955|loc=book 6, ch. 6 "Many Partings"}}</ref>