The Littlest Ent

[Lady Ravyn]

my brother and i are working on this as a children's story. i came up with the storyline based off of a picture he did. he's going to do some illustrations for it now that i'm done revising (i think...) when he's done, maybe i'll post them if he'll let me
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In Fangorn forest, in the land of Middle-earth, there lived a race of beings known as the Ents. The Ents were a peaceful people; a slow and steady people. They had the calmness of the forest about them, and they resembled the trees they looked after.
For that was what the Ents did. They were the tree shepherds. They had been taking care of the wood since the First Age, and knew every tree’s name and personality. The mighty oaks bowed down to them, and only the Ents could calm a weeping willow. The evergreens chuckled at their joking, and the tall beeches offered their services as the sheltering walls of their houses.
All the Ents were tall and strong, and their leafy heads brushed the clouds in the sky. All the Ents, that is, except for one. His name was Short-Leaf, and he was just an Enting. While the bigger Ents held council with eagles and elves, Short-Leaf would play in the grottos of Fangorn with the butterflies and rabbits. The others took care of the tall and majestic redwoods and maples, while Short-Leaf cared for the saplings and looked after the ferns. He had a happy enough life, and really did love his little charges, but he still longed to be big and mighty like the other Ents, and to take care of the more important trees.
One day he gathered up his courage and went to talk to Treebeard about his place in the forest. Treebeard was the oldest of the Ents, and was known throughout Fangorn to be wise and kind. Short-Leaf hoped he was in an extra-good mood today.
When he arrived at Treebeard’s home, he took a minute to appreciate the beauty of the place. It wasn’t anything as cozy as his grotto, where the trees parted just right so that the sun shone through onto a lone patch of Elanor, which was thought to grow only in the glades of Lothlorien. Treebeard’s home was much larger than Short-Leaf’s little clearing, and was truly a sight to see. After he passed through a curtain of weeping willow boughs, Short-Leaf found himself gazing into a brook and a pond off to one side. The moss on the trees glistened in the sunlight, and the whole place seemed to banish the shadow that perpetually dwelt in the wood. Treebeard stood to one side, looking out towards the southern part of the forest. He was talking with Merry and Pippin, the two Hobbits who had recently come to Fangorn.
The arrival of the hobbits had triggered a change in the wood. Things were on the move, Short-Leaf could feel it in the wind. Just a day ago, the Entmoot had been called. Short-Leaf hadn’t really paid attention, since he was considered too young to partake in the great meeting.
Finally, there was a break in the great Ent’s conversation, and he caught sight of Short-Leaf. In two strides Treebeard crossed the rather large glade and stooped down to speak to Short-Leaf.
“Hoom-hum,” Treebeard smiled down at Short-Leaf. “And what brings you here, little Enting?”
Short-Leaf gulped, cleared his throat, and stated his case. “Well, I’ve been thinking. I love caring for the saplings, and the ferns are also wondrous in their own little way. I suppose it’s a great job to have here in Fangorn, but- well- isn’t there a job that you could give one that was bigger and more important?” He looked up at Treebeard hopefully.
Hearing the Enting’s request, Treebeard began to chuckle. “Brroom-Rum-Tum; silly little Ent! You are as yet too small to take care of the big trees. They are just too mighty for you!”
Short-Leaf looked down at the moss-covered ground. “But isn’t there something important I could do?”
“Well, I’m sure we could think of something more for you to do, Treebeard replied kindly. “But right now, great things are happening. This is an evil time for Fangorn; for all of Middle-earth. The wizard, Saruman, has turned to the ways of the Dark Lord, Sauron, and has been cutting down the forest to the South. The Ents march to Isengard today to stop his madness.”
Short-Leaf looked up excitedly. “Then I will go with you, and help stop the tyranny of Saruman.” He began walking out of the clearing toward the great line of Ents that were marching past.
Treebeard put his hand on Short-Leaf’s head. “I’m sorry, little one,” he said gently. “But war is now place for an Enting. You must stay here, and care for the little things of the forest while we are away.”
The Treebeard turned and joined the great march to Isengard.
Short-Leaf sighed and began the walk back to his grotto. On the way out he stopped at the brook and looked at his reflection. “See? You can’t do anything! You’ll never be big enough to do anything important for Fangorn!” He turned and left the clearing with a small tear rolling down his barky skin, and went home to be consoled by the creatures of the wood.