Dictated

[treeshepherd]

[Let it never be said that Treebeard was hasty.  Two weeks after his arrival in the woods near the castle, and he had finally started to consider some of the oddities of the situation.  Today the residents of the castle will be greeted with a rumbling voice musing to himself very, very slowly.]

Very odd.  Most odd.  So many peoples here who do not belong to the old lists.  Many, many long years there has been no need to change them.  Must more lines be added?  

[He trails off, mumbling to himself, and finally begins humming an old chant.]

 Learn now the lore of Living Creatures!
First name the five, the free peoples:
Eldest of all, the elf-children;
Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses;
Ent the earthborn, old as mountains;
Man the mortal, master of horses:
and hungry as hunters, the hobbit children,
the laughing folk, the little people. 

No it does not fit.  So many do not fit in there anywhere.

Comments

[mal_addict]

Too right, you're missing out the vampires.

[treeshepherd]

Vampires? I do not know that word.

[mal_addict]

Species, we're a species.

[treeshepherd]

And how do vampires feel about trees?

[mal_addict]

Not a big fan of them really, they just look like big stakes waiting to happen.

Stakes are used to kill vampires, so you know.

[treeshepherd]

Stakes?

[mal_addict]

Pieces of wood with sharpened points.

[treeshepherd]

I doubt anyone who would create something like has ever considered the trees. Men and dwarves, they have cut down so many groves. So many trees who will never sing again.

[mal_addict]

Ah. You're one of those...tree preserving types, are you?

[treeshepherd]

I am a shepherd of the trees.

[mal_addict]

...How do you...shepherd trees? I thought they didn't need it, on account of them...not moving.

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh. Oh. This is interesting and encouraging.]

You have added lines since last I heard it.

[treeshepherd]

[And he chuckles at that.]

They came to my forest, those small folk. Very merry fellows, although it seems they had been left out of all the old songs.

[inafadingcrown]

They have made their way through my forest as well. It does my heart well to hear they have not come to harm.

[treeshepherd]

They were unharmed when last I saw them.

[inafadingcrown]

If it would not trouble you, Eldest, I would ask you of your dealings with them. It has been too long since I have had word of Middle-Earth.

[treeshepherd]

I found them wandering the edges of the forest some days ago. Such strange little creatures, with little names and pleasant voices. I liked them. They remind me of something I cannot remember.

They brought news of the world. And many changes to my part of the world.

Saruman betrayed us. Curse him, root and branch. The Ents have gone to war. And Isengard has fallen.

[inafadingcrown]

Fitting, then, that he has been brought down by the fruits of his own treachery. Much remains to be done, but this is glad news indeed.

[treeshepherd]

The stench of Isengard has been purified. And Saruman will not leave his tower.

We wait now for Gandalf. Wizards should deal with wizards.

[inafadingcrown]

[A nod.]

It is well done. You have my thanks, old friend, for both the deed and for the news of it.

[treeshepherd]

[He makes a pleased sounding rumble.]

We have dwindled much, but perhaps we have aided the other peoples this much in this small way. It is something, even if it well may be our last march.

[inafadingcrown]

These days may see the last marches of many. May they all do as much good.

[pacificate]

Mastering horses holds no candle to being Hobbit children.

[treeshepherd]

Hrrrm? What's that?

[pacificate]

Gaiety. It's more valuable than mastering horses.

[treeshepherd]

Men are not so well known for that.

[pacificate]

Which of them are you?

[treeshepherd]

I am an Ent.

[pacificate]

How old are mountains?

[treeshepherd]

As old as Ents.

[pacificate]

Tautology. Clever.

[lifeandpride]

That was quite lovely.

As for the state of things here, perhaps one can simply think - a friend is a friend no matter what they are.

[treeshepherd]

It is one of the teaching songs I learned when I was young. But that was a very, very long time ago.

That's all very well to say, but it is still very odd indeed to meet so many peoples who were left out of the old lists.

[lifeandpride]

Lots of things here are odd to many, so you are not alone.

[treeshepherd]

No, I am not at that.

[totesadorkabull]

[Over the journals comes a small, very hesitant voice. Young-sounding and stumbling over what he says.]

Um, I liked your song, that is, what you were just saying. But, I don't really know, what most of those peoples are. If man, is talking about humans, I've met a couple of them, before, but not any of the others.

[treeshepherd]

[Treebeard chuckles in a deep voice.]

That may change in time, young one. Many things do. Elves are here. And now you are speaking to an Ent.

[totesadorkabull]

Then, I hope I get to meet, these elves. But, um, what is an Ent? Talking over the journals, like this, I can't see what that is.

[treeshepherd]

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

[totesadorkabull]

Um, shepherd? If you don't mind, can I ask how you shepherd trees? I've never heard of things like that, before.

[treeshepherd]

All living things need care. We ents have watched over the trees for many thousands of years.

[totesadorkabull]

I hadn't thought of it like that, really. There aren't many trees near where my hive was, because it was on a plain and near cliffs. I did commune with the animals a lot, though.

[luckyvalentine]

[normally, she wouldn't have the patience for a conversation so slow. ...but this is kind of interesting]

...Is that supposed to be a list of the different kinds of 'people?'

Then yeah, you're missing a few.

[treeshepherd]

Hrruum, it is the list of peoples. For many thousands of years there has been no need to change it.

[luckyvalentine]

And then Paradisa happened.

You should probably put them on there before somebody gets offended. They can get pretty touchy sometimes...

[treeshepherd]

This learning song may need to become very long before that is done.

[luckyvalentine]

And then, it gets even more complicated if you want to put down the ones that have been here and gone.

[treeshepherd]

[A sigh like the whispering of wind across dry branches.]

If it must be done.

[luckyvalentine]

You've got quite a project on your hands, then.

You should probably start with the crabbiest ones-- demons and vampires.