. . . that the entwives were indeed wiped out, but in LotR he hints that some
may have lived near the Shire. You don't hear more about them because
they were a late addition to his mythology, invented during the time he wrote
LotR. If you want to see how they were invented read the History of LotR,
showing previous drafts of the work.
Otherwise Tolkien left their fate open to speculation, although Galadirel
apparently believed she and Treebeard would meet again in Arda Remade, after
the last battle. You can read more about Arda Remade in Morgoth's Ring,
if you are into theology.
Tolkien was pretty fuzzy about the origin of the ents, too. Are they
Maiar like Melian, or quasi-Children of Iluvatar like the dwarves, or other
spirits of some kind? No one really knows.
One intriguing point about their history: after the War of Wrath the entwives
moved east of the Anduin and showed men how to farm. Yet where are the
men they taught? Just north of their lands is the spot where hobbits were
first noticed. Hobbits and entwives share a love of tilled land; could it
be that entwives showed hobbits how to farm? And perhaps followed them on
their migration? I like to believe that they did, and I think perhaps
when he was in a pleasant mood Tolkien may have as well. But as I said,
in his letters there is evidence to the
contrary.
________________________________________
"‘I think he was a silly little man,' said Councillor Tompkins. ‘Worthless, in fact; no use to Society at all.'
"‘Oh, I don't know,' said Atkins, who was nobody of importance, just a schoolmaster. ‘I am not so sure: it depends on what you mean by use .'
"‘No practical or economic use,' said Tompkins. . . .
. . .
"‘It is proving very useful indeed,' said the Second Voice. ‘As a holiday, and a refreshment. It is splendid for convalescence; and not only for that, for many it is the best introduction to the Mountains. It works wonders in some cases. I am sending more and more there. They seldom have to come back.'"
