Властелин колец: Две башни
Treebeard
Whatapitytherearesofewofus!’
’Whyaretheresofewwhenyouhavelivedinthiscountrysolong?’askedPippin.’Haveagreatmanydied?’
’Oh,no!’saidTreebeard.’Nonehavediedfrominside,asyoumightsay.Somehavefallenintheevilchancesofthelongyears,ofcourse:andmorehavegrowntree-ish.Buttherewerenevermanyofusandwehavenotincreased.TherehavebeennoEntings-nochildren,youwouldsay,notforaterriblelongcountofyears.Yousee,welosttheEntwives.’
’Howverysad!’saidPippin.’Howwasitthattheyalldied?’
’Theydidnotdie!’saidTreebeard.’Ineversaiddied.Welostthem,Isaid.Welostthemandwecannotfindthem.’Hesighed.’Ithoughtmostfolkknewthat.ThereweresongsaboutthehuntoftheEntsfortheEntwivessungamongElvesandMenfromMirkwoodtoGondor.Theycannotbequiteforgotten.’
’Well,IamafraidthesongshavenotcomewestovertheMountainstotheShire,’saidMerry.’Won’tyoutellussomemore,orsingusoneofthesongs?’
’Yes,Iwillindeed,’saidTreebeard,seemingpleasedwiththerequest.’ButIcannottellitproperly,onlyinshort;andthenwemustendourtalk:tomorrowwehavecouncilstocall,andworktodo,andmaybeajourneytobegin.’
’Itisratherastrangeandsadstory,’hewentonafterapause.
