Anger in the Old Forest!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I would say, the reason is simple as always. Compare to Fangorn (namely huorns). And even Merry says that. The trees don't like intruders. It may have something to do with the fact that the living (walking) beings tend to kill the trees (for wood) and such. And it may be that it is more like a "stereotypical xenophobia" than a conscious choice "let's be aware of these intruders".

[skip spence]

No the trees don't care for people. Remember, once a squirrel could jump from tree to tree all the way from the south of Gondor to what was later called the Shire. The Old Forest and Fangorn are some of the last remnants of this ancient forest, ever decimated by people and their need for timber. So I can see why the trees are a bit edgy around people.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

When I read the first post I knew how I would respond, unfortunately Legate and Mr. Spence used almost the exact same wording as I would have. . .

So I would just like to add that it seems improbable that The Old Forrest should be made by the entwives or that they should dwell there.

1. As Mr. Spence pointed out The Old Forrest and Fangorn used to be 1
2. The Entwives prefered their gardens
3. If the Entwives where to leave their home (the brown lands) for The Old Forrest, then the Ents would probably have detected them.

[Morwen]

This also brings up another interesting question for me, was there a reason that Tom Bombadil dwelt so close to the forest, or was it purely by chance and not related at all the "angry forest."?

It's mentioned at the Council of Elrond that Tom is in a self imposed retirement of sorts, withdrawn into a little land whose boundaries he will not cross. If what he desired was isolation or at least not being regularly disturbed, then living between the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs is a good choice.

[Eönwë]

Well, I'm sure there must have been some huorns.

But was Old Man Willow one? that would explain a lot.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

A while back I discussed this sort of thing with some friends and some interesting theories arose. The odd thing that connects Fangorn to the Old Forest, besides the once physical connection, is the attitude of the trees. This raises the question; is this solely caused by age or are there other factors involved? During the discussion, one theory in particular struck me as interesting...

The Entwives were interested in order and, as it were, controlling the plants. I seem to recall Trebeard implying they wanted to, in a sense, bend them to their will. Given the reaction of more sentient lifeforms to similar attempts by Melkor, Sauron and so on, of rebellion and not a little anger, is it possible that the Entwive's 'ordering' of the forest caused at least some of the anger?

I would take this further. If the trees see the Entwives as 'things that go on two legs', so to speak, and the 'ordering' of their lives was seen as some sort of oppression, then other creatures who resemble them will encourage similar reactions. We know the Hobbits were fond of gardens, we know they made the hedge and cut back a lot of trees (albeit, when they attacked). If this theory bears some manner of truth, it seems likely to me that, perhaps, the trees felt that the Hobbits may have been continuing the sort of thing the Entwives were doing.

We know Sam's cousin (allegedly) saw an Ent-like creature prowling the Shire. Even if this is not an Entwife, it may well be the kind of thing that would re-open the trees' old hatreds, if it had been there since the forests 'split'.

Then we have Bombadil; always a spanner in the works. He, again, seems to be one for ordering things, in a way. He can, for whatever reason, control in song the Willow Man, the rain and the Barrow Wight. A controlling force of Bombadil's stature living so close may well be a constant annoyance to the forest (not to mention his songs ), again IF this theory is correct...

All the same, this is all speculation. What say you?

[Gwathagor]

I'm pretty sure that the Old Forest is made up of huorns rather than Entwives. First, Entwives seem too benevolent to me to be waylaying travelers. Second, Entwives don't live in forests, but gardens. Third, would Entwives really be mistaken for trees? They look even less like trees than their male counterparts, and all Onod-kind have humanoid bodies.

Old Man Willow seems to me like a black-hearted huorn, rather than an Entwife, as he is both stationary and masculine.

I'm inclined to agree with Rune and skip that the Old Forest trees are probably resentful of the intrusion of the Children of Illuvatar upon their ancient territory, whether it be hobbits or Bree-landers or whoever.

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

I'm pretty sure that the Old Forest is made up of huorns rather than Entwives.

Old Man Willow seems to me like a black-hearted huorn, rather than an Entwife, as he is both stationary and masculine.

I don't think Old Man Willow, or the other malevolent trees in the Old Forest can be classified as huorns. As far as I can remember, Huorns were like Ents, of a humanoid shape, but slowly reverting to a more vegetative state of being, becoming more like trees. But they could still be roused and move much like the Ents, even to swiftly march great distances over open land, as the Helm's deep episode demonstrates. Old Man Willow in contrast is very much a tree, albeit an ancient and cunning one with a great singing voice. I don't think he can move much, or unroot himself. And since he's the most notorious tree in the Forest, I assume the others are more or less like him, only less powerful. In fact, during the wonderfully written Old Forest chapter, the Hobbits never actually witness anything that can't be attributed to a sudden gust of wind or lively imagination. That is, of course, with the exception of the cracks that swallow people. The story of when the trees attacked the hedge is also presented very much like a legend. Maybe something like that actually happened, but it happened many generations ago and the story must have been greatly elaborated upon since then.

[Rumil]

Also remember the trees/huorns/ents of the Old Forest had a specific grudge against the hobbits.

The trees approached the hedge some years before LoTR but were cut down and burnt by the Bucklanders, thus the 'Bonfire glade' a suitable clear patch for hobbit picknicks no doubt, but to 'the trees' a scene of grisly massacre surely!

[Groin Redbeard]

Leave it to me to make a mountain out of a simple mole-hill. Thanks for all the answers, ya'll got this problem solved in no time at all.