The Ent and the Ent-wife

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A sad tale told by Treebeard to the two young hobbits, Merry and Pippin. It is an Elvish poems showing the differences between the Ents and the Ent-wives. It is one of the many songs concerning the Search of the Ents.


The Ent and the Ent-wife

ENT.                When Sping unfolds the beechen leaf, and sap
                            is in the bough;
                         When light is on the wild-wood stream, and
                            wind is on th brow;
                         When stride is long, and breath is deep, and
                            keen the mountain-air,
                         Come back to me! Come back to me, and say
                            my land is fair!

ENTWIFE.      When Spring is come to garth and field, and
                            corn is in the blade;
                         When blossom like a shining snow is on the
                            orchard laid;
                         When shower and Sun upon the Earth with
                            fragrance fill the air,
                         I'll linger here, and will not come, because my
                            my land is fair!

ENT.                When Summer lies upon the world, and in a
                            noon of gold
                         Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of
                            trees unfold;
                         When woodland halls are green and cool, and
                            wind is in the West,
                         Come back to me! Come back to me, and say
                            my land is best!

ENTWIFE.      When Summer warms the hanging fruit and
                            burns the berry brown;
                         When straw is gold, and ear is white, and
                            harvest comes to town;
                         When honey spills, and apple swells, though
                            wind be in the West,
                         I'll linger here beneath the Sun, because my
                            land is best!

ENT.                When Winter comes, the winter wild that hill
                            and wood shall slay;
                         When trees shall fall and starless night devour
                            the sunless day;
                         When wind is in the deadly East, then in the
                            bitter rain
                         I'll look for thee, and call to thee; I'll come to
                            thee again!

ENTWIFE.      When Winter comes, and singing ends; when
                            darkness falls at last;
                         When broken is the barren bough, and light and
                            labour past;
                         I'll look for thee, and wait for thee, until we
                            meet again:
                         Together we will take the road beneath the bitter
                            rain!

BOTH.             Together we will take the road that leads into
                            the West,
                         And far away will find a land where both our
                            hearts may rest!