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Mark！'
At the last when the feast drew to an end éomer arose and said： 'Now this is the funeral feast of
Théoden the King； but I will speak ere we go of tidings of joy； for he would not grudge that I
should do so； since he was ever a father of éowyn my sister。 Hear then all my guests； fair folk of
many realms； such as have never before been gathered in this hall！ Faramir； Steward of Gondor；
and Prince of Ithilien； asks that éowyn Lady of Rohan should be his wife； and she grants it full
willing。 Therefore they shall be trothplighted before you all。'
And Faramir and éowyn stood forth and set hand in hand； and all there drank to them and were
glad。 'Thus；' said éomer； 'is the friendship of the Mark and of Gondor bound with a new bond； and
the more do I rejoice。'
'No niggard are you； éomer；' said Aragorn； 'to give thus to Gondor the fairest thing in your
realm！'
Then éowyn looked in the eyes of Aragorn； and she said： 'Wish me joy； my liege…lord and
healer！'
And he answered： 'I have wished thee joy ever since first I saw thee。 It heals my heart to see thee
now in bliss。'
When the feast was over； those who were to go took leave of King éomer。 Aragorn and his
knights； and the people of Lórien and of Rivendell； made ready to ride； but Faramir and Imrahil
remained at Edoras； and Arwen Evenstar remained also； and she said farewell to her brethren。 None
saw her last meeting with Elrond her father； for they went up into the hills and there spoke long
together； and bitter was their parting that should endure beyond the ends of the world。
At the last before the guests set oat éomer and éowyn came to Merry； and they said： 'Farewell
now； Meriadoc of the Shire and Holdwine of the Mark！ Ride to good fortune； and ride back soon to
our wele！'
And éomer said： 'Kings of old would have laden you with gifts that a wain could not bear for
your deeds upon the fields of Mundburg； and yet you will take naught； you say； but the arms that
were given to you。 This I suffer； for indeed I have no gift that is worthy； but my sister begs you to
receive this small thing； as a memorial of Dernhelm and of the horns of the Mark at the ing of
the morning。'
Then éowyn gave to Merry an ancient horn； small but cunningly wrought all of fair silver with a
baldric of green； and wrights had engraven upon it swift horsemen riding in a line that wound about
it from the tip to the mouth； and there were set runes of great virtue。
'This is an heirloom of our house；' said éowyn。 'It was made by the Dwarves； and came from the
hoard of Scatha the Worm。 Eorl the Young brought it from the North。 He that blows it at need shall
set fear in the hearts of his enemies and joy in the hearts of his friends； and they shall hear him and
e to him。'
Then Merry took the horn； for it could not be refused； and he kissed éowyn's hand； and they
embraced him； and so they parted for that time。
Now the guests were ready； and they drank the stirrup…cup； and with great praise and friendship
they departed； and came at length to Helm's Deep； and there they rested two days。 Then Legolas
repaid his promise to Gimli and went with him to the Glittering Caves； and when they returned he
was silent； and would say only that Gimli alone could find fit words to speak of them。 'And never
before has a Dwarf claimed a victory over an Elf in a contest of words；' said he。 'Now therefore let
us go to Fangorn and set the score right！'
From Deeping…coomb they rode to Isengard； and saw how the Ents had busied themselves。 All
the stone…circle had been thrown down and removed； and the land within was made into a garden
filled with orchards and trees； and a stream ran through it； but in the midst of all there was a lake of
clear water； and out of it the Tower of Orthanc rose still； tall and impregnable； and its black rock
was mirrored in the pool。
For a while the travellers sat where once the old gates of Isengard had stood； and there were now
two tall trees like sentinels at the beginning of a green…bordered path that ran towards Orthanc； and
they looked in wonder at the work that had been done； but no living thing could they see far or near。
But presently they heard a voice calling _hoom…hom_； _hoom…hom_； and there came Treebeard
striding down the path to greet them with Quickbeam at his side。
'Wele to the Treegarth of Orthanc！' he said。 'I knew that you were ing； but I was at work
up the valley； there is much still to be done。 But you have not been idle either away in the south and
the east； I hear； and all that I hear is good； very good。' Then Treebeard praised all their deeds； of
which he seemed to have full knowledge； and at last he stopped and looked long at Gandalf。
'Well； e now！' he said。 'You have proved mightiest； and all your labours have gone well。
Where now would you be going？ And why do you e here？'
'To see how your work goes； my friend；' said Gandalf； 'and to thank you for your aid in all that
has been achieved。'
_'Hoom_； well； that is fair enough；' said Treebeard； 'for to be sure Ents have played their part。
And not only in dealing with that； _hoom_； that accursed tree…slayer that dwelt here。 For there was
a great inrush of those； _burárum_； those evileyed – blackhanded – bowlegged – flinthearted –
clawfingered – foulbellied – bloodthirsty； _morimaite – sincahonda_； _hoom_； well； since you are
hasty folk and their full name is as long as years of torment； those vermin of orcs； and they came
over the River and down from the North and all round the wood of Laurelindórenan； which they
could not get into； thanks to the Great ones who are here。' He bowed to the Lord and Lady of
Lórien。
'And these same foul creatures were more than surprised to meet us out on the Wold； for they
had not heard of us before； though that might be said also of better folk。 And not many will
remember us； for not many escaped us alive； and the River had most of those。 But it was well for
you； for if they had not met us； then the king of the grassland would not have ridden far； and if he
had there would have been no home to return to。'
'We know it well；' said Aragorn； 'and never shall it be forgotten in Minas Tirith or in Edoras。'
'_Never_ is too long a word even for me；' said Treebeard。 'Not while your kingdoms last； you
mean； but they will have to last long indeed to seem long to Ents。'
'The New Age begins；' said Gandalf； 'and in this age it may well prove that the kingdoms of Men
shall outlast you； Fangorn my friend。 But now e tell me： what of the task that I set you？ How is
Saruman？ Is he not weary of Orthanc yet？ For I do not suppose that he will think you have
improved the view from his windows。'
Treebeard gave Gandalf a long look； a most cunning look； Merry thought。 'Ah！' he said。 'I
thought you would e to that。 Weary of Orthanc？ Very weary at last； but not so weary of his
tower as he was weary of my voice。 _Hoom_！ I gave him some long tales； or at least what might be
thought long in your speech。'
'Then why did he stay to listen？ Did you go into Orthanc？' asked Gandalf。
_'Hoom_； no； not into Orthanc！' said Treebeard。 'But he came to his window and listened；
because he could not get news in any other way； and though he hated the news； he was greedy to
have it； and I saw that he heard it all。 But I added a great many things to the news that it was good
for him to think of。 He grew very weary。 He always was hasty。 That was his ruin。'
'l observe； my good Fangorn；' said Gandalf； 'that with great care you say _dwelt_； _was_；
_grew_。 What about _is_？ Is he dead？'
'No； not dead； so far as I know；' said Treebeard。 'But he is gone。 Yes； he is gone seven days。 I let
him go。 There was little left of him when he crawled out； and as for that worm…creature of his； he
was like a pale shadow。 Now do not tell me； Gandalf； that I promised to keep him safe； for I know
it。 But things have changed since then。 And I kept him until he was safe； safe from doing any more
harm。 You should know that above all I hate the caging of live things； and I will not keep even such
creatures as these caged beyond great need。 A snake without fangs may crawl where he will。'
'You may be right；' said Gandalf； 'but this snake had still one tooth left； I think。 He had the
poison of his voice； and I guess that he persuaded you； even you Treebeard； knowing the soft spot
in your heart。 Well； he is gone； and there is no more to be said。 But the Tower of Orthanc now goes
back to the King； to whom it belongs。 Though maybe he will not need it。'
'That will be seen later；' said Aragorn。 'But I will give to Ents all this valley to do with as they
will； so long as they keep a watch upon Orthanc and see that none enter it without my leave。'
'It is locked；' said Treebeard。 'I made Saruman lock it and give me the keys。 Quickbeam has
them。'
Quickbeam bowed like a tree bending in the wind and handed to Aragorn two great black keys
of intricate shape； joined by a ring of steel。 'Now I thank you once more；' said Aragorn； 'and I bid
you farewell。 May your forest grow again in peace。 When this valley is filled there is room and to
spare west of the mountains； where once you walked long ago。'
Treebeard's face became sad。 'Forests may grow；' he said。 'Woods may spread。 But not Ents。
There are no Entings。'
'Yet maybe there is now more hope in your search；' said Aragorn。 'Lands will lie open to you
eastward that have long been closed。'
But Treebeard shook his head and said： 'It is far to go。 And there are too many Men there in
these days。 But I am forgetting my manners！ Will you stay here and rest a while？ And maybe there
are some that would be pleased to pass through Fangorn Forest and so shorten their road home？' He
looked at Celeborn and Galadriel。
But all save Legolas said that they must now take their leave and depart； either south or west。
'e； Gimli！' said Legolas。 'Now by Fangorn's leave I will visit the deep places of the Entwood
and see such trees as are nowhere else to be found in Middle…earth。 You shall e with me and
keep your word； and thus we will journey on together to our own lands in Mirkwood and beyond。'
To this Gimli agreed； though with no great delight； it seemed。
'Here then at last es the ending of the Fellowship of the Ring；' said Aragorn。 'Yet I hope that
ere long you will return to my land with the help that you promised。'
'We will e； if our own lords allow it；' said Gimli。 'Well； farewell。 my hobbits！ You should
e safe to your own homes now； and I shall not be kept awake for fear of your peril。 We will
send word when we may； and some of us may yet meet at times； but I fear that we shall not all be
gathered together ever again。'
Then Treebeard said farewell to each of them in turn； and he bowed three times slowly and with
great reverence to Celeborn and Galadriel。 'It is long； long since we met by stock or by stone； _A
vanimar_； _vanimálion nostari！_' he said。 'It is sad that we should meet only thus at the ending。 For
the world is changing： I feel it in the water； I feel it in the earth； and I smell it in the air。 I do not
think we shall meet again。'
And Celeborn said： 'I do not know； Eldest。' But Galadriel said： 'Not in Middle…earth； nor until
the lands that lie under the wave are lifted up again。 Then in the willow…meads of Tasarinan we
may meet in the Spring。 Farewell！'
Last of all Merry and Pippin said good…bye to the old Ent； and he grew gayer as he looked at
them。 'Well； my merry folk；' he said； 'will you drink another draught with me before you go？'
'Indeed we will；' they said； and he took them aside into the shade of one of the trees； and there
they saw that a great stone jar had been set。 And Treebeard filled three bowls； and they drank； and
they saw his strange eyes looking at them over the rim of his bowl。 'Take care take care！' he said。
'For you have already grown since I saw you last。' And they laughed and drained their bowls。
'Well； good…bye！' he said。 'And don't forget that if you hear any news of the Entwives in your
land； you will send word to me。' Then he waved his great hands to all the pany and went off
into the trees。
The travellers now rode with more speed； and they made their way towards the Gap of Rohan；
and Aragorn took leave of them at last close to that very place where Pippin had looked into the
Stone of Orthanc。 The Hobbits were grieved at this parting； for Aragorn had never failed them and
he had been their guide through many perils。
'I wish we could have a Stone that we could see all our friends in；' said Pippin； 'and that we
could speak to them from far away！'
'Only one now remains that you could use；' answered Aragorn for you would not wish to see
what the Stone of Minas Tirith would show you。 But the Palantír of Orthanc the King will keep； to
see what is passing in his realm； and what his servants are doing。 For do not forget； Peregrin Took；
that you are a knight of Gondor； and I do not release you from your service。 You are going now on
leave； but I may rec