The Lord of the Rings: Flotsam and Jetsam (Part Three)

 

The Tale

Treebeard and dozen or so Ents attack that Gate and it is down in five minutes, their fingers and toes freezing onto the rock and tearing into it ‘like breadcrust’, the work of a hundred years of treeroots eating into stone done in a few minutes. Other Ents start eating into the walls.

Apparently, Saruman did not know how to deal with such an attack and did nothing at first. Pippin wonders if his wizardry was falling off of late, or even if he ever was all that to begin with, and his reputation only earned by his occupancy of Isengard. He does not, at any rate, have the ‘grit’ that Gandalf has. Aragorn replies he was once as great as he was famous: deep knowledge, subtle thought, and crafty hands, but most of all a persuasive and daunting voice, which he no doubt still has.

Well, the Ents won’t be persuaded, ever again. Saruman had never understood them and had no ready plan for their attack, as Ents all around the ring of Isengard begin burrowing holes through the surrounding wall and striding into the circle. Saruman’s folk inside begin fleeing; the Men are questioned and let go, but no Orc survives, especially from the surrounding contingent of Huorns who have remained.

Suddenly Saruman himself bolts from the gatehouse from where he had been watching his troops leave, trying to sneak back to the tower. But Quickbeam spots him and sends up the cry. The wizard barely makes it into Orthanc. But once inside, he starts some of his machinery going.

Great gouts of fire and fumes begin spraying out of the vents and shafts that litter the circle. Some of the attackers are scorched and blistered. ‘One of them, Beechbone I think he was called, a very tall handsome Ent, got caught in a spray of some liquid fire and burned like a torch: a horrible sight.’ This attack maddens the Ents.

They surround the tower of Orthanc and begin attacking it in a whirlwind of rage, breaking iron pillars and tossing them, hurling broken rocks at the tower, roaring and booming and trumpeting until the very stones start to split. They stride around the tower in a hurricane of assault, some even simply throwing themselves against the black rock of the tower. But here they are defeated. There seems to be some older power in it (it was, after all, made by the Numenoreans) and they cannot get a grip on it or make a crack in it anywhere.

Realizing his people are only hurting themselves, Treebeard raises his voice above the din and calls for a halt. There is sudden silence. In that silence they can hear the shrill laugh of Saruman; he thinks the Ents are defeated. But they become ‘cold, as grim as ice, and quiet.’ They gather around Treebeard, who softly tells them of a plan he has developed in his wise old head. Saruman has not reckoned on the ingenuity of the usually calm forest folk. They melt away in the coming dawn, leaving behind hidden sentries and Merry and Pippin, who are left to wonder what is going on. 

Bits and Bobs

No bits or bobs, just another picture of Ents enjoying themselves.