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When stride is long； and breath is deep； and keen the mountain…air；
e back to me！ e back to me； and say my land is fair！
entwife。
When Spring is e to garth and field； and corn is in the blade；
When blossom like a shining snow is on the orchard laid；
When shower and Sun upon the Earth with fragrance fill the air；
I'll linger here； and will not e； because my land is fair。
ent。
When Summer lies upon the world； and in a noon of gold
Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold；
When woodland halls are green and cool； and wind is in the West；
e back to me！ e back to me； and say my land is best！
entwife。
When Summer warms the hanging fruit and burns the berry brown；
When straw is gold； and ear is white； and harvest es to town；
When honey spills； and apple swells； though wind be in the West；
I'll linger here beneath the Sun； because my land is best！
ent。
When Winter es； the winter wild that hill and wood shall slay；
When trees shall fall and starless night devour the sunless day；
When wind is in the deadly East； then in the bitter rain
I'll look for thee； and call to thee； I'll e to thee again！
entwife。
When Winter es； and singing ends； when darkness falls at last；
When broken is the barren bough； and light and labour past；
I'll look for thee； and wait for thee； until we meet again：
Together we will take the road beneath the bitter rain！
both。
Together we will take the road that leads into the West；
And far away will find a land where both our hearts may rest。'
Treebeard ended his song。 'That is how it goes；' he said。 'It is
Elvish； of course： lighthearted； quickworded； and soon over。 I daresay it is
fair enough。 But the Ents could say more on their side； if they had time！
But now I am going to stand up and take a little sleep。 Where will you
stand？'
'We usually lie down to sleep；' said Merry。 'We shall be all right
where we are。'
'Lie down to sleep！' said Treebeard。 'Why of course you do！ Hm； hoom： I
was forgetting： singing that song put me in mind of old times； almost
thought that I was talking to young Entings； I did。 Well； you can lie on the
bed。 I am going to stand in the rain。 Good night！'
Merry and Pippin climbed on to the bed and curled up in the soft grass
and fern。 It was fresh； and sweet…scented； and warm。 The lights died down；
and the glow of the trees faded； but outside under the arch they could see
old Treebeard standing； motionless； with his arms raised above his head。 The
bright stars peered out of the sky； and lit the falling water as it spilled
on to his fingers and head； and dripped； dripped； in hundreds of silver
drops on to his feet。 Listening to the tinkling of the drops the hobbits
fell asleep。
They woke to find a cool sun shining into the great court； and on to
the floor of the bay。 Shreds of high cloud were overhead； running on a stiff
easterly wind。 Treebeard was not to be seen； but while Merry and Pippin were
bathing in the basin by the arch； they heard him humming and singing； as he
came up the path between the trees。
'Hoo； ho！ Good morning； Merry and Pippin！' he boomed； when he saw them。
'You sleep long。 I have been many a hundred strides already today。 Now we
will have a drink； and go to Entmoot。'
He poured them out two full bowls from a stone jar； but from a
different jar。 The taste was not the same as it had been the night before：
it was earthier and richer； more sustaining and food…like； so to speak。
While the hobbits drank； sitting on the edge of the bed； and nibbling small
pieces of elf…cake （more because they felt that eating was a necessary part
of breakfast than because they felt hungry）； Treebeard stood； humming in
Entish or Elvish or some strange tongue； and looking up at the sky。
'Where is Entmoot？' Pippin ventured to ask。
'Hoo； eh？ Entmoot？' said Treebeard； turning round。 'It is not a place；
it is a gathering of Ents which does not often happen nowadays。 But I
have managed to make a fair number promise to e。 We shall meet in the
place where we have always met： Derndingle Men call it。 It is away south
from here。 We must be there before noon。'
Before long they set off。 Treebeard carried the hobbits in his arms as
on the previous day。 At the entrance to the court he turned to the right；
stepped over the stream； and strode away southwards along the feet of great
tumbled slopes where trees were scanty。 Above these the hobbits saw thickets
of birch and rowan； and beyond them dark climbing pinewoods。 Soon Treebeard
turned a little away from the hills and plunged into deep groves； where the
trees were larger； taller； and thicker than any that the hobbits had ever
seen before。 For a while they felt faintly the sense of stifling which they
had noticed when they first ventured into Fangorn； but it soon passed。
Treebeard did not talk to them。 He hummed to himself deeply and
thoughtfully； but Merry and Pippin caught no proper words： it sounded like
boom； boom； rumboom； boorar； boom； boom； dahrar boom boom； dahrar boom； and
so on with a constant change of note and rhythm。 Now and again they thought
they heard an answer； a hum or a quiver of sound； that seemed to e out of
the earth； or from boughs above their heads； or perhaps from the boles of
the trees； but Treebeard did not stop or turn his head to either side。
They had been going for a long while Pippin had tried to keep count
of the 'ent…strides' but had failed； getting lost at about three thousand
when Treebeard began to slacken his pace。 Suddenly he stopped； put the
hobbits down； and raised his curled hands to his mouth so that they made a
hollow tube； then he blew or called through them。 A great hoom； hom rang out
like a deep…throated horn in the woods； and seemed to echo from the trees。
Far off there came from several directions a similar hoom； hom； hoom that
was not an echo but an answer。
Treebeard now perched Merry and Pippin on his shoulders and strode on
again； every now and then sending out another horn…call； and each time the
answers came louder and nearer。 In this way they came at last to what looked
like an impenetrable wall of dark evergreen trees； trees of a kind that the
hobbits had never seen before： they branched out right from the roots； and
were densely clad in dark glossy leaves like thornless holly； and they bore
many stiff upright flower…spikes with large shining olive…coloured buds。
Turning to the left and skirting this huge hedge Treebeard came in a
few strides to a narrow entrance。 Through it a worn path passed and dived
suddenly down a long steep slope。 The hobbits saw that they were descending
into a great dingle； almost as round as a bowl； very wide and deep； crowned
at the rim with the high dark evergreen hedge。 It was