Before I make my point about Ents, it occurred to me that maybe you could add certain dates
before the First Age (i.e. before VY 850/1) -
1) the creation of the Two Trees (VY 1/1)
2) the creation of the Dwarves by Aule, and other still applicable events (
https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Year_of_the_Trees_1000 )
As to the Ents - Elves were clearly in contact with the Ents at some point; when exactly? Who knows. But it seems that they inspired Ents towards language.
There's this quote from
Letter 131:
Quote:
|
Even some whole inventions like the remarkable Ents, oldest of living rational creatures, Shepherds of the Trees, are omitted.
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However, given the numerous developments in the legendarium since that letter (c. 1951), I can hardly take that letter as the 'latest'.
Especially given these three quotes in conjunction:
1)
Quote:
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The fëar of the Elves and Men (and Dwarves via Aulë, Ents via Yavanna) were intrusions into Eä from outside. As the Valar were sent into Eä.
|
- NoME, 'Primal Impulse', Text A, p. 290; indicating that Ents are some kind of equivalent to the Dwarves
+
2)
Quote:
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Durin I, eldest of the Fathers, 'awoke' far back in the First Age (it is supposed, soon after the awakening of Men)...
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- PoME, 'Last Writings', p. 383
+
3)
Quote:
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Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! First name the four, 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
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- LOTR one-volume edition, 'Book Three', 'Treebeard', p. 464
How do you make sense of this mess?