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flotsam and jetsam 749
a lord, better than Ents. There have been many lords in the
green fields in my time, and I have never learned their speech
or their names. They will be wanting man-food, and you
know all about that, I guess. So find what you think is fit for
a king to eat, if you can.’’ And that is the end of the story.
Though I should like to know who this Wormtongue is. Was
he really the king’s counsellor?’
‘He was,’ said Aragorn; ‘and also Saruman’s spy and servant
in Rohan. Fate has not been kinder to him than he
deserves. The sight of the ruin of all that he thought so strong
and magnificent must have been almost punishment enough.
But I fear that worse awaits him.’
‘Yes, I don’t suppose Treebeard sent him to Orthanc out
of kindness,’ said Merry. ‘He seemed rather grimly delighted
with the business, and was laughing to himself when he went
to get his bathe and drink. We spent a busy time after that,
searching the flotsam, and rummaging about. We found two
or three store-rooms in different places nearby, above the
flood-level. But Treebeard sent some Ents down, and they
carried off a great deal of the stuff.
‘ ‘‘We want man-food for twenty-five,’’ the Ents said, so
you can see that somebody had counted your company carefully
before you arrived. You three were evidently meant to
go with the great people. But you would not have fared any
better. We kept as good as we sent, I promise you. Better,
because we sent no drink.
‘ ‘‘What about drink?’’ I said to the Ents.
‘ ‘‘There is water of Isen,’’ they said, ‘‘and that is good
enough for Ents and Men.’’ But I hope that the Ents may
have found time to brew some of their draughts from the
mountain-springs, and we shall see Gandalf ’s beard curling
when he returns. After the Ents had gone, we felt tired, and
hungry. But we did not grumble – our labours had been well
rewarded. It was through our search for man-food that Pippin
discovered the prize of all the flotsam, those Hornblower
barrels. ‘‘Pipe-weed is better after food,’’ said Pippin; that is
how the situation arose.’