"
Mortals cannot go drinking
ent-draughts and expect no more to come of them than a pot of beer."
Words of
Gimlifrom
The Return of the King VI 4
The Field of Cormallen
The mysterious and potent waters consumed by the Ents. Though little is known about them in detail, they seem to have been made from the water of the springs of the river Entwash, but with a unique and subtle flavour reflecting the Ents' association with trees and forests. Their power of growth was most evident when they were drunk by beings other than Ents: the Ent-draughts taken by Merry and Pippin added three inches or more to their heights, making them the tallest Hobbits in the history of the Shire.
Notes
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The old word draught is derived from the verb 'draw'; that is, it might represent something drawn from a barrel, or something drunk ('drawn in') by a person. As a noun, the word was most historically used for medicinal or restorative substances. While any or all of these related meanings might apply to the Ent-draughts, Tolkien tends to use the word draught as meaning simply 'drink'. For example, even before they met Treebeard, Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took 'took many draughts' directly from the waters of Entwash (The Two Towers III 4, Treebeard).
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- Updated 16 February 2023
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