Book 3, Chapter 4 Summary

Merry and Pippin walk through Fangorn Forest, not sure what to do or where to go next. Therefore, they climb up onto a hill to see around them. Under the open sky, the sun is shining and Merry says that he almost liked the place.

Suddenly, a voice bellows out at them saying that that is almost a compliment. The voice belongs to Treebeard, a large tree-like being called an Ent -- a tree-herd -- and tells them, "Do not be hasty, that is my motto," (452). Examining the hobbits, Treebeard tries to place them in his list of lore but cannot, so Merry and Pippin explain to Treebeard what hobbits are. Then, in order to receive more news, Treebeard asks them about Gandalf, but Pippin tells him that Gandalf is dead. Hearing this, Treebeard is very disappointed.

Interested by the hobbits...