[Mänwe]

Something rather amusing in support of Sardy’s point on the speed of Ents I was directed to the following quote;

“'Tolkien made various calculations of the length and speed of an Ent-stride, adjusting to what he felt the distance and length of the journey required. His final conclusion was probably that 'an Ent would take nearly nine hours to do 70,000 strides and presumably in that time would go 70,000 yards at least , probably at 4ft a stride.' This meant about 2.2 strides of 4ftper second, covering a distance of 53.3 miles, at a speed of about 6 miles per hour. (Other calculations note that at 2 strides per second, 70, 00 strides would take 9.2/3 hours, and 70,000 strides of 3 feet would be about 40 miles)…"

In another note, Tolkien writes;

"Ents are (as long as they can drink running water) almost tireless. They can go at c.12 m.p.h. - averaging say 10 hours (even 24) at a stretch. Max {imum} speed of Treebeard was 20 m.p.h. when charging.” - (Companion to LOTR by Hammond & Scull)

20m.p.h is a respectable speed for something that has lived longer than the average Grandparent! Though I confess I do not know the “notes of Tolkien” from which they have taken this. Thus this illustrates their power and usefulness especially within the highly labour intensive practice of agriculture.

And so raise a little contention with Lord Melkor’s point that they would not be cost effective. The size and obvious “power” of the Ent would surely be worth a hundred human slaves, which all require feeding in order to survive (barely) so they might continue their labour. And Ent on the other hand need no food, other than “running water”, which given in the quote above, would make them tireless.

Again making them more cost effective and efficient than human slaves who at some point no matter how much whipping will need to rest, it seems to me that the cost of a few more guards per Ent then for human would be very much worth it.


Secondly I would like to draw attention to following pencilled note Tolkien made in one of this letters;

“…and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees. (Not all were good [words illegible]) The Ents thus had mastery over stone. The males were devoted to Oromë, but the Wives to Yavanna.'” - (Letter #247)

I use this quote to suggest that the disappearance of the Ent-wives was because of their devotion to Yavanna. Like Radagast became enamoured with the birds and beasts of Middle Earth (I need not provide the quote, I am sure everyone has heard it a dozen times) they too became “as one” with nature and consequently became tree-ish.

“’Oh, no!’ said Treebeard. ’None have died from inside, as you might say. Some have fallen in the evil chances of the long years, of course, and more have gone tree-ish.” - (Treebeard, The Two Towers)

They did not pass away, but simply became trees, perhaps because of their devotion to Yavanna at an accelerated rate then the male variety. Comments?

Raynor also brings an interesting parallel which I think can be tied into the fate of the Ent-wives. The quote he uses (I include the sentence before for purposes I shall make clear);

“We believe that we may meet again in a time to come, and perhaps we shall find somewhere a land where we can live together and both be content. But it is foreboded that that will only be when we have both lost all that we now have.” - (Treebeard, The Two Towers)

All spirits from those of the living depart to the Halls of Mandos, Arwen waits for the time when her life is spent and she will find herself there, only then will she meet with Aragorn again.

I therefore propose that this is what the Ents are waiting for the loss of existence, either through destruction or their change into more tree-ish beings (perhaps the spirit does not leave), and is the “land” that they will find the Ent-wives. For were they not all spirits inhabiting tree structures? Do I stand on firm ground or is it all cock and bull nonsence?