Very little has been learned of this mysterious stranger’s history. There are varying accounts as to who and what he is.

That said, there are some things that are generally known for sure about him, at least among those that have met him. He’s merrier than most, and quite knowledgeable on matters concerning green and growing things. He knows of days where forested areas stretched across many lands in their entirety, and may sometimes share that the Old Forest and far away Fangorn are all that’s left of that greener glory. In addition to being intrigued by lore, he's also a carer of creatures and an excellent alchemist.

It's also understood that the tall green man has long been in love. Many years ago, he was fortunate enough to meet his soulmate, the fair lady Silverstream, and he married her swiftly. After many travels, they together built their own abode atop the spot on which they met, nestled in a secluded wooded area of Bree-land. The home is a monument to their enduring love, and Silverstream and Greengrove continue to be enchanted by one another to this day.

 (Artwork credit: the masterful Arlane).

However, the wider conversation surrounding this peculiar gentleman soon descends into rumour. And of those, there are many.

The menfolk of Bree-land often believe him to be a sorcerer, and it was they who coined his name among the Secondborn; Greengrove. Having witnessed his comings and goings about the Old Forest, certain natives have long accused him of bewitching that wood into the dark and foreboding place it is today. The folk of Asdo’s Camp, in particular, hold Greengrove in contempt. Some have even cast stones at him on his way to the wood. Nevertheless, Greengrove will always pass through again, in time, jovial and undaunted!

The Hobbits of Buckland only refer to Greengrove as ‘that mad old mushroom man’ or ‘old moving tree’! They believed he was a crazed stranger of no fixed abode, likely having gotten lost overlong in the Old Forest and driven mad. He was bound to stir up trouble! The Hobbits have refused him entry into Buckland, though there was some debate about that (there were hobbits that thought Greengrove had his uses on account of the mushrooms sprouting from his pointed hat!). Nevertheless, that tall green fellow has adhered to the banishment, though with some regret.

A group of Rangers of the North once said they encountered Greengrove in a goblin camp, of all places. They shared that they were outnumbered by foes in the midst of a skirmish, when suddenly, a blinding flash of light enveloped the space, accompanied by a loud bang and flashes of brilliant colour. The goblins dispersed to elsewhere, and the rangers said that their rescuer stood like a tall tree in a storm, angered and immovable. Once the danger had passed, the green man and the brave warriors shared company, and swapped tales and songs on the return to the ruined fortress of Esteldin. Content the mysterious stranger was no sorcerer, the rangers called him friend, and that was enough.

Greengrove is yet to step foot within the halls of dwarves, though he has befriended a number of those bearded fellows. Still, some dwarves reported the tall green man was peculiar with them. Something about their way curiously unnerved him, they felt. In any event, he was to have remained smiling and cordial, and the dwarves only ever referred to him by his Breeish name, not feeling inclined to grant him one of their own make.

However, after many years of friendship, the Elves of Imladris did bestow another name unto the traveller; Calentaur. In the tongue of Elves, ‘calen’ meant green, while ‘taur’ meant forest. Their dealings led to better informed guesswork, with some of the blessed believing their forest friend had something to do with the Onodrim. Those Firstborn found Calentaur reminiscent of the tree shepherds they had taught to speak in days of old. Others doubted the suggestion, given that Fangorn was the only known woodland of the Ents by the Third Age, and that it was too far away for Calentaur to share in business there regularly, given that most sightings of him took place in Eriador. Nevertheless, ent-association was the prevailing theory regarding Calentaur, and one dear Sindar friend of his even made fine art to celebrate what such a coalition might look like, delighted by the prospect of old friends perhaps coming together with the new.

(Artwork credit: the masterful Arlane). 

Alas, for then come the things that perhaps will never be known; where did Greengrove come from? The fellow himself even claims to have forgotten it all, as if knowledge of a family, a homeland, a birth name, or even his own age could simply slip his mind. Some speculate whether he ever had any of those things at all! Either way, he’s not remorseful of anything he may or may not have lost, and it’s in present matters where his heart and interests now dwell.