I rather enjoy these chapters in the Old Forest. It provides depth and a sense of ancient history to Middle-earth. One of the things that elevates the Lord of the Rings above other novels (imo), is the glimpses of an ancient past. The matter of Sauron and the Ring is presented to the readers as "the big important event," but in the history of Middle-earth it's a blip on the timeline, and there's a much deeper history to this world.
I like the description and imagery of the war between the forest and the hobbits long ago:
Quote:
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'They do say the trees do actually move, and can surround strangers and hem them in. In fact long ago they attacked the Hedge: they came and planted themselves right by it, and leaned over it. But the hobbits came and cut down hundreds of trees, and made a great bonfire in the Forest, and burned all the ground in a long strip east of the Hedge. After that the trees gave up the attack, but they become very unfriendly. There is still a wide bare space not far inside where the bonfire was made.'
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The imagery of trees encroaching closer to the Hedge, the hobbits border with their land and the forest's. The description of the trees "leaning over it," perceived as an attack on the Hedge. And then when hobbits come cutting and burning the trees giving up their attack. It sort of reminds me when there's a fence between two neighbor's property. One neighbor has trees planted in the yard, but then the branches start "leaning over" into the other neighbor's yards. And how arguments about cutting down trees, "your tree is invading my property" can spring up between neighbors. Although, from Merry's story, this was an attack long ago by the trees of the Old Forest and after much slashing and burning the trees cease but become filled with anger.