(Oooo! this'll be a good one! Get Jon goin' anyway! [he said, grinning mischievously])

Well I suppose it could have been a Spirit of the Earth, y'know an Earth Maia spirit, akin/a bit like/similar too (but certainly not the same as) TOM BOMBADIL......(silence reigned as he awaited the onslaught...).

Mthat was kind of like to Tom as Hourns were to the Ents. Sleepy and unmindful of the tings going on around it until roused.

And I don't think it was evil as such, it just got pissed when it was roused, which is what Sauron may have known (being very earthly in origin himself (Maia of Aule and all)) and therefore exploited.

Cheers

Padster