[Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli are in the Fangorn Forest. Gimli tastes some liquid on a leaf, then spits it out.]

Gimli: "Orc blood!"

Aragorn: "These are strange tracks."

Gimli: "The air is so close here."

Legolas: "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory… and anger."

[Bass voices are heard from the trees. Gimli raises his axe.]

Legolas: "The trees are speaking to each other."

Aragorn: "Gimli!"

Gimli: "Huh?"

Aragorn: "Lower your axe."

Gimli: "Oh!"

Legolas: "They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

Gimli: "Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

Legolas: "Aragorn, nad no ennas!" (Something is out there!)

Aragorn: "Man cenich?" (What do you see?)

[Legolas' eyes dart to his right.]

Legolas: "The White Wizard approaches."

Aragorn: "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!"

[Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightens his hold on his axe, and Legolas fingers his arrow.]

Aragorn: "We must be quick."

[The three turn around to attack, but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard.]

Gimli: "Argh!"

[Gimli's axe and Legolas' arrow are deflected and Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes hot in his grasp.]

Wizard (Saruman's voice): "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

Aragorn: "Where are they?"

Wizard: "They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

Aragorn: "Who are you? Show yourself!"

[The light dims, revealing Gandalf, dressed in white.]

[Legolas bows before Gandalf, Gimli following him.]

Aragorn: "It cannot be!"

Legolas: "Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman."

Gandalf: "I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been."

Aragorn: "You fell!"

Gandalf: "Through fire. And water."

[Flashback: Gandalf is fighting with the Balrog.]

Gandalf: "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth."

[Gandalf holds up Glamdring, a flash of lightning strikes it and he thrusts the sword into the Balrog.]

[The Balrog falls from the peak, dead.]

Gandalf: "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside."

[Gandalf collapses.]

Gandalf: "Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time."

[Gandalf's eye becomes a realm of stars, ending in a white light.]

Gandalf: "Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth."

[Gandalf is now naked. His hair has turned white. He shudders with a deep gasp as life returns to him.]

Gandalf: "But it was not the end. I felt light in me again."

Gandalf: "I've been sent back until my task is done."

Aragorn: "Gandalf!"

Gandalf: "Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

Gimli: "Gandalf!"

Gandalf: "I am Gandalf the White."

Gandalf: "And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide."

[They walk along the forest.]

Gandalf: "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed."

Gimli: "Edoras? That is no short distance!"

Aragorn: "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."

Gandalf: "Yes, and it will not be easily cured."

Gimli: "Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested…"

[The trees rumble.]

Gimli: "I mean charming, quite charming forest."

Gandalf: "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

Aragorn: "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend."

Gandalf: "Hmm?"

Aragorn: "You still speak in riddles."

[Aragorn and Gandalf laugh.]

Gandalf: "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."

Gimli:: "Strong? Oh, that's good."

Gandalf: "So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

Gimli: "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."

[Outside the forest, Gandalf whistles piercingly.]

[An answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plain.]

Legolas: "That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell."

[The horse stops in front of Gandalf.]

Gandalf: "Shadowfax."

Gandalf: "He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers."

[They ride across the plains.]