[Dictated]

[treeshepherd]

  [There is a sound halfway between the creak of ancient wood and a sigh.]

Hrooom.

The trees are young, here.  They sing to me, but they do not know much of this world.  Hoom, they remind me of groves I knew long ago.  Ah, the willows of Tasarinan in the Spring.  They were lovely when I walked among them.

Hm, but this is no time for an old Ent's memories.  Come.  Tell me what news you have of this world.

Comments

[treeshepherd]

An Ent is what I am. And that is a shepherd of the trees.

[waterproofed]

Don't trees stay in one place?

[treeshepherd]

Deep roots, some trees have. And some trees sleep and dream. But stay in one place? I wouldn't say that all trees are like that. Some of them are more awake than others, after all.

[waterproofed]

Ohhhkay. I think all the ones here are napping, though. I've never seen any of them move.

[treeshepherd]

These trees are very young. They speak as if no one has woken them before.

[He trails off in thought for a time.]

[waterproofed]

I guess no one's really thought to wake them up before?

[treeshepherd]

There has been no shepherd for them here.

[waterproofed]

Hm. [makes a mental note to ask Thalia about this singing tree stuff]

So what's your name?

[treeshepherd]

Very hasty, very hasty. You can't just go about telling anyone your name, you know. You never know who might be listening. Not your true name at any rate.

For one thing it would take a very, very long time. In my language real names tell you their story. And I am very, very old. And so my name takes a very, very long time to say.

For now you may call me Treebeard.

[waterproofed]

Oh, I think I get it. That's sorta the rule in my world, too.

It's nice to meet you, Treebeard! You can call me Percy.

[treeshepherd]

Percy. [He muses over the name.] A very quick name. Rolls off the tongue.

[waterproofed]

My full name's a bit longer but I don't like giving it out much.

[treeshepherd]

Very wise of you.