The Lore of the Ent–Shepherd of the Forest

Being a lover of trees it is no surprise that I take great fondness in Ent lore.  For those of you who may not know what an Ent is…. An Ent is a race in Tolkien’s Trilogy “Lord of the Rings”.  They were the shepherds of the forest and themselves resembled  giant trees.  Although they did so in a very slow manner, they were able to travel and converse when the need or desire arose. They were an ancient race, if not one of the first.  They were first woken by the Elves it is said and slowly taught to speak and help the Elves themselves learn their language.  

 

The best known Ent is probably Tree Beard.  He of course was the keeper of Merry and Pippin for a time during the movie version of the “war of the Ring”.  Although if by chance you read the book, you will also know of Quickbeam or Bregalad as he was sometimes called.  He as a younger Ent.  Definitely not as mature as the others.  It was his job to guard over the Rowan groves.  His name “Quickbeam” is another word for Rowan or Mountain Ash.  Being younger he was not always as patient as the older Ents.  His second name “Bregalad” means hastiness, something that an Ent is not usually associated with.  It was Quickbeam who first wanted to attack Saruman and Isengard.  He had seen first hand the destruction of many of the rowan groves in which he was entrusted.

 

Although from a book thought fiction, I can not help but wonder what the trees of today must think.  It was said that as time continued, the Ents themselves began to slow and take less of a part in the world.  This decision helped them to become more “treeish”.  They did not travel as much and thus found a suitable place to stay for long periods of time.  When this was done in many cases, they would take root and remain, thus becoming more as a tree then an Ent.  Still I am sure that they kept their slow sense of observance.  Watching the world as it traveled by in time.  The acts of nature as well as man was surely part of their daily show.  I have always found that trees hold a sense of deepness to them, especially the trees that seem to have been for years and years.  What must they have seen.  What secrets they could tell.  I often go among the trees and just listen.  They hold so much inside… they have so much to tell and so few who will listen.  Like the tale of Ents it is not a task that can move quickly.  It is one of patience and  quietness.  Yet if one gives the time and a willful ear, who knows what one may hear. 

 

Blessings