Ents are a species of beings in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world Middle-earth who closely resemble trees. They are similar to the talking trees in folklore around the world. Their name is derived from the Old English word for giant. Ents share some of the strengths and weaknesses of trees. Their skin is extraordinarily tough, and very much like wood; they can erode stone extremely rapidly, in the manner of tree roots, but they are vulnerable to fire and chopping blows from axes. Ents are an extremely patient and cautious race, with a sense of time more suited to trees than to short-lived mortals. Ents are tall and very strong, capable of tearing apart rock and stone (though they use their full strength only when they are roused). Tolkien describes them as tossing great slabs of stone about, and ripping down the walls of Isengard like bread-crust