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and booms there welled voices singing high and strong。
We e； we e with roll of drum： ta…runda runda runda rom！
The Ents were ing： ever nearer and louder rose their song：
We e； we e with horn and drum： ta…ryna ryna ryna rom！
Bregalad picked up the hobbits and strode from his house。
Before long they saw the marching line approaching： the Ents were
swinging along with great strides down the slope towards them。 Treebeard was
at their head； and some fifty followers were behind him； two abreast；
keeping step with their feet and beating time with their hands upon their
flanks。 As they drew near the flash and flicker of their eyes could be seen。
'Hoom； hom！ Here we e with a boom； here we e at last！' called
Treebeard when he caught sight of Bregalad and the hobbits。 'e； join the
Moot！ We are off。 We are off to Isengard！'
'To Isengard！' the Ents cried in many voices。
'To Isengard！'
To Isengard！ Though Isengard be ringed and barred with doors of stone；
Though Isengard be strong and hard； as cold as stone and bare as bone；
We go； we go； we go to war； to hew the stone and break the door；
For bole and bough are burning now； the furnace roars we go to war！
To land of gloom with tramp of doom； with roll of drum； we e； we
e；
To Isengard with doom we e！
With doom we e； with doom we e！
So they sang as they marched southwards。
Bregalad； his eyes shining； swung into the line beside Treebeard。 The
old Ent now took the hobbits back； and set them on his shoulders again； and
so they rode proudly at the head of the sin ng pany with beating hearts
and heads held high。 Though they ad expected something to happen eventually；
they were amazed at the change that had e over the Ents。 It seemed now as
sudden as the bursting of a flood that had long been held back by a dike。
'The Ents made up their minds rather quickly； after all； didn't they？'
Pippin ventured to say after some time； when for a moment the singing
paused； and only the beating of hands and feet was heard。
'Quickly？' said Treebeard。 'Hoom！ Yes； indeed。 Quicker than I expected。
Indeed I have not seen them roused like this for many an age。 We Ents do not
like being roused； and we never are roused unless it is clear to us that our
trees and our lives are in great danger。 That has not happened in this
Forest since the wars of Sauron and the Men of the Sea。 It is the orc…work；
the wanton hewing rbrum without even the bad excuse of feeding the
fires； that has so angered us； and the treachery of a neighbour； who should
have helped us。 Wizards ought to know better： they do know better。 There is
no curse in Elvish； Entish； or the tongues of Men bad enough for such
treachery。 Down with Saruman！'
'Will you really break the doors of Isengard？' asked Merry。
'Ho； hm； well； we could； you know！ You do not know； perhaps。 how strong
we are。 Maybe you have heard of Trolls？ They are mighty strong。 But Trolls
are only counterfeits。 made by the Enemy in the Great Darkness； in mockery
of Ents； as Orcs were of Elves。 We are stronger than Trolls。 We are made of
the bones of the earth。 We can split stone like the roots of trees； only
quicker； far quicker； if our minds are roused！ If we are not hewn down； or
destroyed by fire or blast of sorcery； we could split Isengard into
splinters and crack its walls into rubble。'
'But Saruman will try to stop you。 won't he？'
'Hm； ah； yes； that is so。 I have not forgotten it。 Indeed I have
thought long about it。 But。 you see； many of the Ents are younger than I am。
by many lives of trees。 They are all roused now。 and their mind is all on
one thing： breaking Isengard。 But they will start thinking again before
long； they will cool down a little。 when we take our evening drink。 What a
thirst we shall have！ But let them march now and sing！ We have a long way to
go； and there is time ahead for thought。 It is something to have started。'
Treebeard marched on； singing with the others for a while。 But after a
time his voice died to a murmur and fell silent again。 Pippin could see that
his old brow was wrinkled and knotted。 At last he looked up； and Pippin
could see a sad look in his eyes； sad but not unhappy。 There was a light in
them； as if the green flame had sunk deeper into the dark wells of his
thought。
'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。 Still； I should have liked to see the songs e true
about the Entwives。 I should dearly have liked to see Fimbrethil again。 But
there； my friends； songs like trees bear fruit only in their own time and
their own way： and sometimes they are withered untimely。'
The Ents went striding on at a great pace。 They had descended into a
long fold of the land that fell away southward； now they began to climb up；
and up； on to the high western ridge。 The woods fell away and they came to
scattered groups of birch； and then to bare slopes where only a few gaunt
pine…trees grew。 The sun sank behind the dark hill…back in front。 Grey dusk
fell。
Pippin looked behind。 The number of the Ents had grown or what was
happening？ Where the dim bare slopes that they had crossed should lie； he
thought he saw groves of trees。 But they were moving！ Could it be that the
trees of Fangorn were awake； and the forest was rising； marching over the
hills to war？ He rubbed his eyes wondering if sleep and shadow had deceived
him； but the great grey shapes moved steadily onward。 There was a noise like
wind in many branches。 The Ents were drawing near the crest of the ridge
now； and all song had ceased。 Night fell； and there was silence： nothing was
to be heard save a faint quiver of the earth beneath the feet of the Ents；
and a rustle； the shade of a whisper as of many drifting leaves。 At last
they stood upon the summit； and looked down into a dark pit： the great cleft
at the end of the mountains： Nan Curunnr； the Valley of Saruman。
'Night lies over Isengard；' said Treebeard。
Chapter 5。 The White Rider
'My very bones are chilled；' said Gimli； flapping his arms and stamping
his feet。 Day had e at last。 At dawn the panions had made such
breakfast as they could； now in the growing light they were getting ready to
search the ground again for signs of the hobbits。
'And do not forget that old man！' said Gimli。 'I should be happier if I
could see the print of a boot。'
'Why would that make you happy？' said Legolas。
'Because an old man with feet that le