Treebeard and Merry and Pippin

The friendship between Treebeard, the eldest of the Ents, and the hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took is one of the most unexpected and consequential alliances formed during the War of the Ring. It begins not with a formal introduction but with a startling encounter in the depths of Fangorn Forest, where the two hobbits, having just escaped from their Orc captors, stumble upon a being they had believed to be only a legend. This meeting, born of desperation and chance, quickly blossoms into a deep and mutual affection, one that Treebeard himself acknowledges as a rare and precious thing, and which ultimately plays a pivotal role in the downfall of Saruman and the salvation of Rohan and Gondor.

The First Meeting in Fangorn

Merry and Pippin, exhausted and lost after fleeing the battle at the edge of the forest, first encounter Treebeard as they climb a rocky shelf to escape the stifling air of the woods. They are immediately struck by his extraordinary appearance: a figure at least fourteen feet high, with a long sweeping grey beard, skin like bark, and deep, penetrating eyes that seem to hold 'an enormous well' of memory. When they introduce themselves, Treebeard is initially wary, remarking that he might have trodden on them, mistaking them for Orcs, had he not heard their voices first. He is, however, charmed by their names, 'Merry' and 'Pippin', which he finds 'nice', and he is deeply curious about these 'little folk' who are not in the old lists of living creatures. The hobbits, for their part, are amazed to find that this ancient being knows of Gandalf, and they are saddened to tell him that their guide has fallen in Moria. This shared grief and Treebeard's genuine interest in their tale form the initial foundation of their trust.

A Shared Journey and a Growing Bond

Treebeard carries the hobbits to his home, Wellinghall, where he gives them a draught of Entwash that makes them feel as if their hair is growing, and he listens with immense interest to their story, though they wisely say nothing of the Ring. He is particularly fascinated by their descriptions of the Shire, and he asks them a question that reveals a deep personal longing: 'You never see any, hm, any Ents round there, do you? ... Well, not Ents, Entwives I should really say.' This question, and the tale of the lost Entwives that follows, deepens the hobbits' understanding of Treebeard's ancient sorrow. When Treebeard decides that the time has come to act against Saruman, who has been felling his trees, he declares that the hobbits will come with him, for their roads go together to Isengard. Merry and Pippin, remembering their ordeal with the Orcs, eagerly agree, and they ride on Treebeard's shoulders at the head of the marching Ents, their hearts beating with excitement as they witness the awakening of the forest.

The Destruction of Isengard and the Promise of Friendship

During the assault on Isengard, Treebeard entrusts Merry and Pippin with the task of guarding the gate and welcoming the expected visitors, a task they perform with great aplomb, even finding time to salvage supplies and pipe-weed from the wreckage. When Gandalf, Aragorn, and the others arrive, the hobbits are overjoyed to be reunited with their friends, and Treebeard is pleased to see them all. At the final parting, Treebeard reveals the depth of his affection for the two hobbits. He tells them that he has put their names into his Long List, and he recites a new verse in their honor: 'Ents the earthborn, old as mountains, / the wide-walkers, water drinking; / and hungry as hunters, the Hobbit children, / the laughing-folk, the little people, / they shall remain friends as long as leaves are renewed.' He then asks them a final, poignant favor: 'if you hear news up in your pleasant land, in the Shire, send me word! You know what I mean: word or sight of the Entwives. Come yourselves if you can!' Merry and Pippin promise to do so, and they turn away hastily, their friendship with the ancient Ent sealed by this shared quest and a promise that speaks to the deepest hope of his long life.