The Last Battle

C.S. Lewis
CHAPTER ONE
BY CALDRON POOL
IN the last days of Narnia far !" to the west #eyond Lantern $aste and %lose
#eside the &reat waterfall there li'ed an A"e. He was so old that no one %o!ld
re(e(#er when he had first %o(e to li'e in those "arts and he was the
%le'erest !&liest (ost wrin)led A"e yo! %an i(a&ine. He had a little ho!se
#!ilt of wood and that%hed with lea'es !" in the for) of a &reat tree and his
na(e was Shift. There were 'ery few Tal)in& Beasts or *en or Dwarfs or "eo"le
of any sort in that "art of the wood #!t Shift had one friend and nei&h#o!r
who was a don)ey %alled P!++le. At least they #oth said they were friends #!t
fro( the way thin&s went on yo! (i&ht ha'e tho!&ht P!++le was (ore li)e Shift,s
ser'ant than his friend. He did all the wor). $hen they went to&ether to the
ri'er Shift filled the #i& s)in #ottles with water #!t it was P!++le who
%arried the( #a%). $hen they wanted anythin& fro( the towns f!rther down the
ri'er it was P!++le who went down with e("ty "anniers on his #a%) and %a(e #a%)
with the "anniers f!ll and hea'y. And all the ni%est thin&s that P!++le #ro!&ht
#a%) were eaten #y Shift- for as Shift said .Yo! see P!++le I %an,t eat &rass
and thistles li)e yo! so it,s only fair I sho!ld (a)e it !" in other ways.. And
P!++le always said .Of %o!rse Shift of %o!rse. I see that.. P!++le ne'er
%o("lained #e%a!se he )new that Shift was far %le'erer than hi(self and he
tho!&ht it was 'ery )ind of Shift to #e friends with hi( at all. And if e'er
P!++le did try to ar&!e a#o!t anythin& Shift wo!ld always say .Now P!++le I
!nderstand what needs to #e done #etter than yo!. Yo! )now yo!,re not %le'er
P!++le.. And P!++le always said .No Shift. It,s /!ite tr!e. I,( not %le'er..
Then he wo!ld si&h and do whate'er Shift had said.
One (ornin& early in the year the "air of the( were o!t wal)in& alon& the shore
of Caldron Pool. Caldron Pool is the #i& "ool ri&ht !nder the %liffs at the
western end of Narnia. The &reat waterfall "o!rs down into it with a noise li)e
e'erlastin& th!nder and the Ri'er of Narnia flows o!t on the other side. The
waterfall )ee"s the Pool always dan%in& and #!##lin& and %h!rnin& ro!nd and
ro!nd as if it were on the #oil and that of %o!rse is how it &ot its na(e of
Caldron Pool. It is li'eliest in the early s"rin& when the waterfall is swollen
with all the snow that has (elted off the (o!ntains fro( !" #eyond Narnia in the
$estern $ild fro( whi%h the ri'er %o(es. And as they loo)ed at Caldron Pool
Shift s!ddenly "ointed with his dar) s)inny fin&er and said
.Loo)0 $hat,s that1.
.$hat,s what1. said P!++le.
.That yellow thin& that,s 2!st %o(e down the waterfall. Loo)0 There it is a&ain
it,s floatin&. $e (!st find o!t what it is..
.*!st we1. said P!++le.
.Of %o!rse we (!st. said Shift. .It (ay #e so(ethin& !sef!l. 3!st ho" into the
Pool li)e a &ood fellow and fish it o!t. Then we %an ha'e a "ro"er loo) at it..
.Ho" into the Pool1. said P!++le twit%hin& his lon& ears.
.$ell how are we to &et it if yo! don,t1. said the A"e.
.B!t 4 #!t. said P!++le .wo!ldn,t it #e #etter if yo! went in1 Be%a!se yo!
see it,s yo! who wants to )now what it is and I don,t (!%h. And yo!,'e &ot
hands yo! see. Yo!,re as &ood as a *an or a Dwarf when it %o(es to %at%hin&
hold of thin&s. I,'e only &ot hoofs..
.Really P!++le. said Shift .I didn,t thin) yo!,d e'er say a thin& li)e that.
I didn,t thin) it of yo! really..
.$hy what ha'e I said wron&1. said the Ass s"ea)in& in rather a h!(#le 'oi%e
for he saw that Shift was 'ery dee"ly offended. .All I (eant was 4.
.$antin& (e to &o into the water. said the A"e. .As if yo! didn,t )now
"erfe%tly well what wea) %hests A"es always ha'e and how easily they %at%h %old0
5ery well. I will &o in. I,( feelin& %old eno!&h already in this %r!el wind. B!t
I,ll &o in. I shall "ro#a#ly die. Then yo!,ll #e sorry.. And Shift,s 'oi%e
so!nded as if he was 2!st &oin& to #!rst into tears.
.Please don,t "lease don,t "lease don,t. said P!++le half #rayin& and half
tal)in&. .I ne'er (eant anythin& of the sort Shift really I didn,t. Yo! )now
how st!"id I a( and how I %an,t thin) of (ore than one thin& at a ti(e. I,d
for&otten a#o!t yo!r wea) %hest. Of %o!rse I,ll &o in. Yo! (!stn,t thin) of
doin& it yo!rself. Pro(ise (e yo! won,t Shift..
So Shift "ro(ised and P!++le went %lo""ety4%lo" on his fo!r hoofs ro!nd the
ro%)y ed&e of the Pool to find a "la%e where he %o!ld &et in. 6!ite a"art fro(
the %old it was no 2o)e &ettin& into that /!i'erin& and foa(in& water and
P!++le had to stand and shi'er for a whole (in!te #efore he (ade !" his (ind to
do it. B!t then Shift %alled o!t fro( #ehind hi( and said7 .Perha"s I,d #etter
do it after all P!++le.. And when P!++le heard that he said .No no. Yo!
"ro(ised. I,( in now. and in he went.
A &reat (ass of foa( &ot hi( in the fa%e and filled his (o!th with water and
#linded hi(. Then he went !nder alto&ether for a few se%onds and when he %a(e
!" a&ain he was in /!ite another "art of the Pool. Then the swirl %a!&ht hi( and
%arried hi( ro!nd and ro!nd and faster and faster till it too) hi( ri&ht !nder
the waterfall itself and the for%e of the water "l!n&ed hi( down dee" down so
that he tho!&ht he wo!ld ne'er #e a#le to hold his #reath till he %a(e !" a&ain.
And when he had %o(e !" and when at last he &ot so(ewhere near the thin& he was
tryin& to %at%h it sailed away fro( hi( till it too &ot !nder the fall and was
for%ed down to the #otto(. $hen it %a(e !" a&ain it was f!rther fro( hi( than
e'er. B!t at last when he was al(ost tired to death and #r!ised all o'er and
n!(# with %old he s!%%eeded in &ri""in& the thin& with his teeth. And o!t he
%a(e %arryin& it in front of hi( and &ettin& his front hoofs tan&led !" in it
for it was as #i& as a lar&e hearthr!& and it was 'ery hea'y and %old and
sli(y.
He fl!n& it down in front of Shift and stood dri""in& and shi'erin& and tryin&
to &et his #reath #a%). B!t the A"e ne'er loo)ed at hi( or as)ed hi( how he
felt. The A"e was too #!sy &oin& ro!nd and ro!nd the Thin& and s"readin& it o!t
and "attin& it and s(ellin& it. Then a wi%)ed &lea( %a(e into his eye and he
said7
.It is a lion,s s)in..
.Ee 4 a!h 4 a!h 4 oh is it1. &as"ed P!++le.
.Now I wonder . . . I wonder . . . I wonder. said Shift to hi(self for he was
thin)in& 'ery hard.
.I wonder who )illed the "oor lion. said P!++le "resently. .It o!&ht to #e
#!ried. $e (!st ha'e a f!neral..
.Oh it wasn,t a Tal)in& Lion. said Shift. .Yo! needn,t #other a#o!t that.
There are no Tal)in& Beasts !" #eyond the 8alls !" in the $estern $ild. This
s)in (!st ha'e #elon&ed to a d!(# wild lion..
This #y the way was tr!e. A H!nter a *an had )illed and s)inned this lion
so(ewhere !" in the $estern $ild se'eral (onths #efore. B!t that doesn,t %o(e
into this story.
.All the sa(e Shift. said P!++le .e'en if the s)in only #elon&ed to a d!(#
wild lion o!&htn,t we to &i'e it a de%ent #!rial1 I (ean aren,t all lions
rather 4 well rather sole(n1 Be%a!se of yo! )now $ho. Don,t yo! see1.
.Don,t yo! start &ettin& ideas into yo!r head P!++le. said Shift. .Be%a!se
yo! )now thin)in& isn,t yo!r stron& "oint. $e,ll (a)e this s)in into a fine
war( winter %oat for yo!..
.Oh I don,t thin) I,d li)e that. said the Don)ey. .It wo!ld loo) 4 I (ean the
other Beasts (i&ht thin) 4 that is to say I sho!ldn,t feel 4.
.$hat are yo! tal)in& a#o!t1. said Shift s%rat%hin& hi(self the wron& way !" as
A"es do.
.I don,t thin) it wo!ld #e res"e%tf!l to the 9reat Lion to Aslan hi(self if an
ass li)e (e went a#o!t dressed !" in a lion4s)in. said P!++le.
.Now don,t stand ar&!in& "lease. said Shift. .$hat does an ass li)e yo! )now
a#o!t thin&s of that sort1 Yo! )now yo!,re no &ood at thin)in& P!++le so why
don,t yo! let (e do yo!r thin)in& for yo!1 $hy don,t yo! treat (e as I treat
yo!1 I don,t thin) I %an do e'erythin&. I )now yo!,re #etter at so(e thin&s than
I a(. That,s why I let yo! &o into the Pool- I )new yo!,d do it #etter than (e.
B!t why %an,t I ha'e (y t!rn when it %o(es to so(ethin& I %an do and yo! %an,t1
A( I ne'er to #e allowed to do anythin&1 Do #e fair. T!rn and t!rn a#o!t..
.Oh well of %o!rse if yo! "!t it that way. said P!++le.
.I tell yo! what. said Shift. .Yo!,d #etter ta)e a &ood #ris) trot down ri'er
as far as Chi""in&ford and see if they ha'e any oran&es or #ananas..
.B!t I,( so tired Shift. "leaded P!++le.
.Yes #!t yo! are 'ery %old and wet. said the A"e. .Yo! want so(ethin& to war(
yo! !". A #ris) trot wo!ld #e 2!st the thin&. Besides it,s (ar)et day at
Chi""in&ford today.. And then of %o!rse P!++le said he wo!ld &o.
As soon as he was alone Shift went sha(#lin& alon& so(eti(es on two "aws and
so(eti(es on fo!r till he rea%hed his own tree. Then he sw!n& hi(self !" fro(
#ran%h to #ran%h %hatterin& and &rinnin& all the ti(e and went into his little
ho!se. He fo!nd needle and thread and a #i& "air of s%issors there- for he was a
%le'er A"e and the Dwarfs had ta!&ht hi( how to sew. He "!t the #all of thread
:it was 'ery thi%) st!ff (ore li)e %ord than thread; into his (o!th so that his
%hee) #!l&ed o!t as if he were s!%)in& a #i& #it of toffee. He held the needle
#etween his li"s and too) the s%issors in his left "aw. Then he %a(e down the
tree and sha(#led a%ross to the lion4s)in. He s/!atted down and &ot to wor).
He saw at on%e that the #ody of the lion4s)in wo!ld #e too lon& for P!++le and
its ne%) too short. So he %!t a &ood "ie%e o!t of the #ody and !sed it to (a)e a
lon& %ollar for P!++le,s lon& ne%). Then he %!t off the head and sewed the
%ollar in #etween the head and the sho!lders. He "!t threads on #oth sides of
the s)in so that it wo!ld tie !" !nder P!++le,s %hest and sto(a%h. E'ery now and
then a #ird wo!ld "ass o'erhead and Shift wo!ld sto" his wor) loo)in& an<io!sly
!". He did not want anyone to see what he was doin&. B!t none of the #irds he
saw were Tal)in& Birds so it didn,t (atter.
Late in the afternoon P!++le %a(e #a%). He was not trottin& #!t only "loddin&
"atiently alon& the way don)eys do.
.There weren,t any oran&es. he said .and there weren,t any #ananas. And I,(
'ery tired.. He lay down.
.Co(e and try on yo!r #ea!tif!l new lion4s)in %oat. said Shift.
.Oh #other that old s)in. said P!++le. .I,ll try it on in the (ornin&. I,( too
tired toni&ht..
.Yo! are !n)ind P!++le. said Shift. .If yo!,re tired what do yo! thin) I a(1
All day lon& while yo!,'e #een ha'in& a lo'ely refreshin& wal) down the 'alley
I,'e #een wor)in& hard to (a)e yo! a %oat. *y "aws are so tired I %an hardly
hold these s%issors. And yo! won,t say than) yo! 4and yo! won,t e'en loo) at the
%oat 4and yo! don,t %are 4 and4 and4.
.*y dear Shift. said P!++le &ettin& !" at on%e .I a( so sorry. I,'e #een
horrid. Of %o!rse I,d lo'e to try it on. And it loo)s si("ly s"lendid. Do try it
on (e at on%e. Please do..
.$ell stand still then. said the A"e. The s)in was 'ery hea'y for hi( to lift
#!t in the end with a lot of "!llin& and "!shin& and "!ffin& and #lowin& he
&ot it on to the don)ey. He tied it !nderneath P!++le,s #ody and he tied the
le&s to P!++le,s le&s and the tail to P!++le,s tail. A &ood deal of P!++le,s
&rey nose and fa%e %o!ld #e seen thro!&h the o"en (o!th of the lion,s head. No
one who had e'er seen a real lion wo!ld ha'e #een ta)en in for a (o(ent. B!t if
so(eone who had ne'er seen a lion loo)ed at P!++le in his lion4s)in he 2!st
(i&ht (ista)e hi( for a lion if he didn,t %o(e too %lose and if the li&ht was
not too &ood and if P!++le didn,t let o!t a #ray and didn,t (a)e any noise with
his hoofs.
.Yo! loo) wonderf!l wonderf!l. said the A"e. .If anyone saw yo! now they,d
thin) yo! were Aslan the 9reat Lion hi(self..
.That wo!ld #e dreadf!l. said P!++le.
.No it wo!ldn,t. said Shift. .E'eryone wo!ld do whate'er yo! told the(..
.B!t I don,t want to tell the( anythin&..
.B!t yo! thin) of the &ood we %o!ld do0. said Shift. .Yo!,d ha'e (e to ad'ise
yo! yo! )now. I,d thin) of sensi#le orders for yo! to &i'e. And e'eryone wo!ld
ha'e to o#ey !s e'en the =in& hi(self. $e wo!ld set e'erythin& ri&ht in
Narnia..
.B!t isn,t e'erythin& ri&ht already1. said P!++le.
.$hat0. %ried Shift. .E'erythin& ri&ht14when there are no oran&es or #ananas1.
.$ell yo! )now. said P!++le .there aren,t (any "eo"le 4 in fa%t I don,t
thin) there,s anyone #!t yo!rself who wants those sort of thin&s..
.There,s s!&ar too. said Shift.
.H,( yes. said the Ass. .It wo!ld #e ni%e if there was (ore s!&ar..
.$ell then that,s settled. said the A"e. .Yo! will "retend to #e Aslan and
I,ll tell yo! what to say..
.No no no. said P!++le. .Don,t say s!%h dreadf!l thin&s. It wo!ld #e wron&
Shift. I (ay#e not 'ery %le'er #!t I )now that (!%h. $hat wo!ld #e%o(e of !s if
the real Aslan t!rned !"1.
.I e<"e%t he,d #e 'ery "leased. said Shift. .Pro#a#ly he sent !s the lion4s)in
on "!r"ose so that we %o!ld set thin&s to ri&ht. Anyway he ne'er does t!rn !"
yo! )now. Not nowadays..
At that (o(ent there %a(e a &reat th!nder%la" ri&ht o'erhead and the &ro!nd
tre(#led with a s(all earth/!a)e. Both the ani(als lost their #alan%e and were
fl!n& on their fa%es.
.There0. &as"ed P!++le as soon as he had #reath to s"ea). .It,s a si&n a
warnin&. I )new we were doin& so(ethin& dreadf!lly wi%)ed. Ta)e this wret%hed
s)in off (e at on%e..
.No no. said the A"e :whose (ind wor)ed 'ery /!i%)ly;. .It,s a si&n the other
way. I was 2!st &oin& to say that if the real Aslan as yo! %all hi( (eant !s
to &o on with this he wo!ld send !s a th!nder%la" and an earth4tre(or. It was
2!st on the ti" of (y ton&!e only the si&n itself %a(e #efore I %o!ld &et the
words o!t. Yo!,'e &ot to do it now P!++le. And "lease don,t let !s ha'e any
(ore ar&!in&. Yo! )now yo! don,t !nderstand these thin&s. $hat %o!ld a don)ey
)now a#o!t si&ns1.
CHAPTER T$O
THE RASHNESS O8 THE =IN9
A#o!t three wee)s later the last of the =in&s of Narnia sat !nder the &reat oa)
whi%h &rew #eside the door of his little h!ntin& lod&e where he often stayed
for ten days or so in the "leasant s"rin& weather. It was a low that%hed
#!ildin& not far fro( the Eastern end of Lantern $aste and so(e way a#o'e the
(eetin& of the two ri'ers. He lo'ed to li'e there si("ly and at ease away fro(
the state and "o(" of Cair Para'el the royal %ity. His na(e was =in& Tirian
and he was #etween twenty and twenty4fi'e years old- his sho!lders were already
#road and stron& and his li(#s f!ll of hard (!s%le #!t his #eard was still
s%anty. He had #l!e eyes and a fearless honest fa%e.
There was no one with hi( that s"rin& (ornin& e<%e"t his dearest friend 3ewel
the >ni%orn. They lo'ed ea%h other li)e #rothers and ea%h had sa'ed the other,s
life in the wars. The lordly #east stood %lose #eside the =in&,s %hair with its
ne%) #ent ro!nd "olishin& its #l!e horn a&ainst the %rea(y whiteness of its
flan).
.I %annot set (yself to any wor) or s"ort today 3ewel. said the =in&. .I %an
thin) of nothin& #!t this wonderf!l news. Thin) yo! we shall hear any (ore of it
today1.
.They are the (ost wonderf!l tidin&s e'er heard in o!r days or o!r fathers, or
o!r &randfathers, days Sire. said 3ewel .if they are tr!e..
.How %an they %hoose #!t #e tr!e1. said the =in&. .It is (ore than a wee) a&o
that the first #irds %a(e flyin& o'er !s sayin& Aslan is here Aslan has %o(e
to Narnia a&ain. And after that it was the s/!irrels. They had not seen hi( #!t
they said it was %ertain he was in the woods. Then %a(e the Sta&. He said he had
seen hi( with his own eyes a &reat way off #y (oonli&ht in Lantern $aste.
Then %a(e that dar) *an with the #eard the (er%hant fro( Calor(en. The
Calor(enes %are nothin& for Aslan as we do- #!t the (an s"o)e of it as a thin&
#eyond do!#t. And there was the Bad&er last ni&ht- he too had seen Aslan..
.Indeed Sire. answered 3ewel .I #elie'e it all. If I see( not to it is only
that (y 2oy is too &reat to let (y #elief settle itself. It is al(ost too
#ea!tif!l to #elie'e..
.Yes. said the =in& with a &reat si&h al(ost a shi'er of deli&ht. .It is
#eyond all that I e'er ho"ed for in all (y life..
.Listen0. said 3ewel "!ttin& his head on one side and %o%)in& his ears forward.
.$hat is it1. as)ed the =in&.
.Hoofs Sire. said 3ewel. .A &allo"in& horse. A 'ery hea'y horse. It (!st #e
one of the Centa!rs. And loo) there he is..
A &reat &olden #earded Centa!r with (an,s sweat on his forehead and horse,s
sweat on his %hestn!t flan)s dashed !" to the =in& sto""ed and #owed low.
.Hail =in&. it %ried in a 'oi%e as dee" as a #!ll,s.
.Ho there0. said the =in& loo)in& o'er his sho!lder towards the door of the
h!ntin& lod&e. .A #owl of wine for the no#le Centa!r. $el%o(e Roonwit. $hen yo!
ha'e fo!nd yo!r #reath yo! shall tell !s yo!r errand..
A "a&e %a(e o!t of the ho!se %arryin& a &reat wooden #owl %!rio!sly %ar'ed and
handed it to the Centa!r. The Centa!r raised the #owl and said
.I drin) first to Aslan and tr!th Sire and se%ondly to yo!r *a2esty..
He finished the wine :eno!&h for si< stron& (en; at one dra!&ht and handed the
e("ty #owl #a%) to the "a&e.
.Now Roonwit. said the =in&. .Do yo! #rin& !s (ore news of Aslan1.
Roonwit loo)ed 'ery &ra'e frownin& a little.
.Sire. he said. .Yo! )now how lon& I ha'e li'ed and st!died the stars- for we
Centa!rs li'e lon&er than yo! *en and e'en lon&er than yo!r )ind >ni%orn.
Ne'er in all (y days ha'e I seen s!%h terri#le thin&s written in the s)ies as
there ha'e #een ni&htly sin%e this year #e&an. The stars say nothin& of the
%o(in& of Aslan nor of "ea%e nor of 2oy. I )now #y (y art that there ha'e not
#een s!%h disastro!s %on2!n%tions of the "lanets for fi'e h!ndred years. It was
already in (y (ind to %o(e and warn yo!r *a2esty that so(e &reat e'il han&s o'er
Narnia. B!t last ni&ht the r!(o!r rea%hed (e that Aslan is a#road in Narnia.
Sire do not #elie'e this tale. It %annot #e. The stars ne'er lie #!t *en and
Beasts do. If Aslan were really %o(in& to Narnia the s)y wo!ld ha'e foretold it.
If he were really %o(e all the (ost &ra%io!s stars wo!ld #e asse(#led in his
hono!r. It is all a lie..
.A lie0. said the =in& fier%ely. .$hat %reat!re in Narnia or all the world wo!ld
dare to lie on s!%h a (atter1. And witho!t )nowin& it he laid his hand on his
sword hilt.
.That I )now not Lord =in&. said the Centa!r. .B!t I )now there are liars on
earth- there are none a(on& the stars..
.I wonder. said 3ewel .whether Aslan (i&ht not %o(e tho!&h all the stars
foretold otherwise. He is not the sla'e of the stars #!t their *a)er. Is it not
said in all the old stories that He is not a ta(e lion..
.$ell said well said 3ewel. %ried the =in&. .Those are the 'ery words7 not a
ta(e lion. It %o(es in (any tales..
Roonwit had 2!st raised his hand and was leanin& forward to say so(ethin& 'ery
earnestly to the =in& when all three of the( t!rned their heads to listen to a
wailin& so!nd that was /!i%)ly drawin& nearer. The wood was so thi%) to the $est
of the( that they %o!ld not see the new%o(er yet. B!t they %o!ld soon hear the
words.
.$oe woe woe0. %alled the 'oi%e. .$oe for (y #rothers and sisters0 $oe for the
holy trees0 The woods are laid waste. The a<e is loosed a&ainst !s. $e are #ein&
felled. 9reat trees are fallin& fallin& fallin&..
$ith the last .fallin&. the s"ea)er %a(e in si&ht. She was li)e a wo(an #!t so
tall that her head was on a le'el with the Centa!r,s yet she was li)e a tree
too. It is hard to e<"lain if yo! ha'e ne'er seen a Dryad #!t /!ite !n(ista)a#le
on%e yo! ha'e 4 so(ethin& different in the %olo!r the 'oi%e and the hair. =in&
Tirian and the two Beasts )new at on%e that she was the ny("h of a #ee%h tree.
.3!sti%e Lord =in&0. she %ried. .Co(e to o!r aid. Prote%t yo!r "eo"le. They are
fellin& !s in Lantern $aste.
8orty &reat tr!n)s of (y #rothers and sisters are already on the &ro!nd..
.$hat Lady0 8ellin& Lantern $aste1 *!rderin& the tal)in& trees1. %ried the
=in& lea"in& to his feet and drawin& his sword. .How dare they1 And who dares
it1 Now #y the *ane of Aslan4.
.A4a4a4h. &as"ed the Dryad sh!dderin& as if in "ain 4 sh!dderin& ti(e after
ti(e as if !nder re"eated #lows. Then all at on%e she fell sideways as s!ddenly
as if #oth her feet had #een %!t fro( !nder her. 8or a se%ond they saw her lyin&
dead on the &rass and then she 'anished. They )new what had ha""ened. Her tree
(iles away had #een %!t down.
8or a (o(ent the =in&,s &rief and an&er were so &reat that he %o!ld not s"ea).
Then he said7
.Co(e friends. $e (!st &o !" ri'er and find the 'illains who ha'e done this
with all the s"eed we (ay. I will lea'e not one of the( ali'e..
.Sire with a &ood will. said 3ewel.
B!t Roonwit said .Sire #e wary in yo!r 2!st wrath. There are stran&e doin&s on
foot. If there sho!ld #e re#els in ar(s f!rther !" the 'alley we three are too
few to (eet the(. If it wo!ld "lease yo! to wait while 4.
.I will not wait the tenth "art of a se%ond. said the =in&. .B!t while 3ewel
and I &o forward do yo! &allo" as hard as yo! (ay to Cair Para'el. Here is (y
rin& for yo!r to)en. 9et (e a s%ore of (en4at4ar(s all well (o!nted and a
s%ore of Tal)in& Do&s and ten Dwarfs :let the( all #e fell ar%hers; and a
Leo"ard or so and Stonefoot the 9iant. Brin& all these after !s as /!i%)ly as
(ay #e..
.$ith a &ood will Sire. said Roonwit. And at on%e he t!rned and &allo"ed
Eastward down the 'alley.
The =in& strode on at a &reat "a%e so(eti(es (!tterin& to hi(self and so(eti(es
%len%hin& his fists. 3ewel wal)ed #eside hi( sayin& nothin&- so there was no
so!nd #etween the( #!t the faint 2in&le of a ri%h &old %hain that h!n& ro!nd the
>ni%orn,s ne%) and the noise of two feet and fo!r hoofs.
They soon rea%hed the Ri'er and t!rned !" it where there was a &rassy road7 they
had the water on their left and the forest on their ri&ht. Soon after that they
%a(e to the "la%e where the &ro!nd &rew ro!&her and thi%) wood %a(e down to the
water,s ed&e. The road what there was of it now ran on the So!thern #an) and
they had to ford the Ri'er to rea%h it. It was !" to Tirian,s ar(4"its #!t
3ewel :who had fo!r le&s and was therefore steadier; )e"t on his ri&ht so as to
#rea) the for%e of the %!rrent and Tirian "!t his stron& ar( ro!nd the
>ni%orn,s stron& ne%) and they #oth &ot safely o'er. The =in& was still so an&ry
that he hardly noti%ed the %old of the water. B!t of %o!rse he dried his sword
'ery %aref!lly on the sho!lder of his %loa) whi%h was the only dry "art of hi(
as soon as they %a(e to shore.
They were now &oin& $estward with the Ri'er on their ri&ht and Lantern $aste
strai&ht ahead of the(. They had not &one (ore than a (ile when they #oth
sto""ed and #oth s"o)e at the sa(e (o(ent. The =in& said .$hat ha'e we here1.
and 3ewel said .Loo)0.
.It is a raft. said =in& Tirian.
And so it was. Half a do+en s"lendid tree4tr!n)s all newly %!t and newly lo""ed
of their #ran%hes had #een lashed to&ether to (a)e a raft and were &lidin&
swiftly down the ri'er. On the front of the raft there was a water rat with a
"ole to steer it.
.Hey0 $ater4Rat0 $hat are yo! a#o!t1. %ried the =in&.
.Ta)in& lo&s down to sell to the Calor(enes Sire. said the Rat to!%hin& his
ear as he (i&ht ha'e to!%hed his %a" if he had had one.
.Calor(enes0. th!ndered Tirian. .$hat do yo! (ean1 $ho &a'e order for these
trees to #e felled1.
The Ri'er flows so swiftly at that ti(e of the year that the raft had already
&lided "ast the =in& and 3ewel. B!t the $ater4Rat loo)ed #a%) o'er its sho!lder
and sho!ted o!t7
.The Lion,s orders Sire. Aslan hi(self.. He added so(ethin& (ore #!t they
%o!ldn,t hear it.
The =in& and the >ni%orn stared at one another and #oth loo)ed (ore fri&htened
than they had e'er #een in any #attle.
.Aslan. said the =in& at last in a 'ery low 'oi%e. .Aslan. Co!ld it #e tr!e1
Co!ld he #e fellin& the holy trees and (!rderin& the Dryads1.
.>nless the Dryads ha'e all done so(ethin& dreadf!lly wron&4. (!r(!red 3ewel.
.B!t sellin& the( to Calor(enes0. said the =in&. .Is it "ossi#le1.
.I don,t )now. said 3ewel (isera#ly. .He,s not a ta(e lion..
.$ell. said the =in& at last .we (!st &o on and ta)e the ad'ent!re that %o(es
to !s..
.It is the only thin& left for !s to do Sire. said the >ni%orn. He did not see
at the (o(ent how foolish it was for two of the( to &o on alone- nor did the
=in&. They were too an&ry to thin) %learly. B!t (!%h e'il %a(e of their rashness
in the end.
S!ddenly the =in& leaned hard on his friend,s ne%) and #owed his head.
.3ewel. he said .what lies #efore !s1 Horri#le tho!&hts arise in (y heart. If
we had died #efore today we sho!ld ha'e #een ha""y..
.Yes. said 3ewel. .$e ha'e li'ed too lon&. The worst thin& in the world has
%o(e !"on !s.. They stood li)e that for a (in!te or two and then went on.
Before lon& they %o!ld hear the ha%)4ha%)4ha%) of a<es fallin& on ti(#er tho!&h
they %o!ld see nothin& yet #e%a!se there was a rise of the &ro!nd in front of
the(. $hen they had rea%hed the to" of it they %o!ld see ri&ht into Lantern
$aste itself. And the =in&,s fa%e t!rned white when he saw it.
Ri&ht thro!&h the (iddle of that an%ient forest 4 that forest where the trees of
&old and of sil'er had on%e &rown and where a %hild fro( o!r world had on%e
"lanted the Tree of Prote%tion 4 a #road lane had already #een o"ened. It was a
hideo!s lane li)e a raw &ash in the land f!ll of (!ddy r!ts where felled trees
had #een dra&&ed down to the ri'er. There was a &reat %rowd of "eo"le at wor)
and a %ra%)in& of whi"s and horses t!&&in& and strainin& as they dra&&ed at
the lo&s. The first thin& that str!%) the =in& and the >ni%orn was that a#o!t
half the "eo"le in the %rowd were not Tal)in& Beasts #!t *en. The ne<t thin& was
that these (en were not the fair4haired (en of Narnia7 they were dar) #earded
(en fro( Calor(en that &reat and %r!el %o!ntry that lies #eyond Ar%henland
a%ross the desert to the so!th. There was no reason of %o!rse why one sho!ld
not (eet a Calor(ene or two in Narnia 4 a (er%hant or an a(#assador 4 for there
was "ea%e #etween Narnia and Calor(en in those days. B!t Tirian %o!ld not
!nderstand why there were so (any of the(7 nor why they were %!ttin& down a
Narnian forest. He &ras"ed his sword ti&hter and rolled his %loa) ro!nd his left
ar(. They %a(e /!i%)ly down a(on& the (en.
Two Calor(enes were dri'in& a horse whi%h was harnessed to a lo&. 3!st as the
=in& rea%hed the( the lo& had &ot st!%) in a #ad (!ddy "la%e.
.9et on son of sloth0 P!ll yo! la+y "i&0. %ried the Calor(enes %ra%)in& their
whi"s. The horse was already strainin& hi(self as hard as he %o!ld- his eyes
were red and he was %o'ered with foa(.
.$or) la+y #r!te. sho!ted one of the Calor(enes7 and as he s"o)e he str!%) the
horse sa'a&ely with his whi". It was then that the really dreadf!l thin&
ha""ened.
>" till now Tirian had ta)en it for &ranted that the horses whi%h the Calor(enes
were dri'in& were their own horses- d!(# witless ani(als li)e the horses of o!r
own world. And tho!&h he hated to see e'en a d!(# horse o'erdri'en he was of
%o!rse thin)in& (ore a#o!t the (!rder of the Trees. It had ne'er %rossed his
(ind that anyone wo!ld dare to harness one of the free Tal)in& Horses of Narnia
(!%h less to !se a whi" on it. B!t as that sa'a&e #low fell the horse reared !"
and said half s%rea(in&7
.8ool and tyrant0 Do yo! not see I a( doin& all I %an1.
$hen Tirian )new that the Horse was one of his own Narnians there %a(e o'er hi(
and o'er 3ewel s!%h a ra&e that they did not )now what they were doin&. The
=in&,s sword went !" the >ni%orn,s horn went down. They r!shed forward
to&ether. Ne<t (o(ent #oth the Calor(enes lay dead the one #eheaded #y Tirian,s
sword and the other &ored thro!&h the heart #y 3ewel,s horn.
CHAPTER THREE
THE APE IN ITS 9LORY
.*ASTER Horse *aster Horse. said Tirian as he hastily %!t its tra%es .how
%a(e these aliens to ensla'e yo!1 Is Narnia %on/!ered1 Has there #een a #attle1.
.No Sire. "anted the horse .Aslan is here. It is all #y his orders. He has
%o((anded 4.
.,$are dan&er =in&. said 3ewel. Tirian loo)ed !" and saw that Calor(enes
:(i<ed with a few Tal)in& Beasts; were #e&innin& to r!n towards the( fro( e'ery
dire%tion. The two dead (en had died witho!t a %ry and so it had ta)en a (o(ent
#efore the rest of the %rowd )new what had ha""ened. B!t now they did. *ost of
the( had na)ed s%i(itars in their hands.
.6!i%). On (y #a%). said 3ewel.
The =in& fl!n& hi(self astride of his old friend who t!rned and &allo"ed away.
He %han&ed dire%tion twi%e or thri%e as soon as they were o!t of si&ht of their
ene(ies %rossed a strea( and sho!ted witho!t sla%)enin& his "a%e .$hither
away Sire1 To Cair Para'el1.
.Hold hard friend. said Tirian. .Let (e off.. He slid off the >ni%orn,s #a%)
and fa%ed hi(.
.3ewel. said the =in&. .$e ha'e done a dreadf!l deed..
.$e were sorely "ro'o)ed. said 3ewel.
.B!t to lea" on the( !nawares 4 witho!t defyin& the( while they were !nar(ed 4
fa!&h0 $e are two (!rderers 3ewel. I a( dishono!red fore'er..
3ewel droo"ed his head. He too was asha(ed.
.And then. said the =in& .the Horse said it was #y Aslan,s orders. The Rat
said the sa(e. They all say Aslan is here. How if it were tr!e1.
.B!t Sire how %o!ld Aslan #e %o((andin& s!%h dreadf!l thin&s1.
.He is not a ta(e lion. said Tirian. .How sho!ld we )now what he wo!ld do1 $e
who are (!rderers. 3ewel I will &o #a%). I will &i'e !" (y sword and "!t (yself
in the hands of these Calor(enes and as) that they #rin& (e #efore Aslan. Let
hi( do 2!sti%e on (e..
.Yo! will &o to yo!r death then. said 3ewel.
.Do yo! thin) I %are if Aslan doo(s (e to death1. said the =in&. .That wo!ld #e
nothin& nothin& at all. $o!ld it not #e #etter to #e dead than to ha'e this
horri#le fear that Aslan has %o(e and is not li)e the Aslan we ha'e #elie'ed in
and lon&ed for1 It is as if the s!n rose one day and were a #la%) s!n..
.I )now. said 3ewel. .Or as if yo! dran) water and it were dry water. Yo! are
in the ri&ht Sire. This is the end of all thin&s. Let !s &o and &i'e o!rsel'es
!"..
.There is no need for #oth of !s to &o..
.If e'er we lo'ed one another let (e &o with yo! now. said the >ni%orn. .If
yo! are dead and if Aslan is not Aslan what life is left for (e1.
They t!rned and wal)ed #a%) to&ether sheddin& #itter tears.
As soon as they %a(e to the "la%e where the wor) was &oin& on the Calor(enes
raised a %ry and %a(e towards the( with their wea"ons in hand. B!t the =in& held
o!t his sword with the hilt towards the( and said7
.I who was =in& of Narnia and a( now a dishono!red )ni&ht &i'e (yself !" to the
2!sti%e of Aslan. Brin& (e #efore hi(..
.And I &i'e (yself !" too. said 3ewel.
Then the dar) (en %a(e ro!nd the( in a thi%) %rowd s(ellin& of &arli% and
onions their white eyes flashin& dreadf!lly in their #rown fa%es. They "!t a
ro"e halter ro!nd 3ewel,s ne%). They too) the =in&,s sword away and tied his
hands #ehind his #a%). One of the Calor(enes who had a hel(et instead of a
t!r#an and see(ed to #e in %o((and snat%hed the &old %ir%let off Tirian,s head
and hastily "!t it away so(ewhere a(on& his %lothes. They led the two "risoners
!"hill to a "la%e where there was a #i& %learin&. And this was what the
"risoners saw. At the %entre of the %learin& whi%h was also the hi&hest
"oint of the hill there was a little h!t li)e a sta#le with a that%hed roof.
Its door was sh!t. On the &rass in front of the door there sat an A"e. Tirian
and 3ewel who had #een e<"e%tin& to see Aslan and had heard nothin& a#o!t an
A"e yet were 'ery #ewildered when they saw it. The A"e was of %o!rse Shift
hi(self #!t he loo)ed ten ti(es !&lier than when he li'ed #y Caldron Pool for
he was now dress4 ed !". He was wearin& a s%arlet 2a%)et whi%h did not fit hi(
'ery well ha'in& #een (ade for a dwarf. He had 3ewelled sli""ers on his hind
"aws whi%h wo!ld not stay on "ro"erly #e%a!se as yo! )now the hind "aws of an
A"e are really li)e hands. He wore what see(ed to #e a "a"er %rown on his head.
There was a &reat "ile of n!ts #eside hi( and he )e"t %ra%)in& n!ts with his
2aws and s"ittin& o!t the shells. And he also )e"t on "!llin& !" the s%arlet
2a%)et to s%rat%h hi(self. A &reat n!(#er of Tal)in& Beasts stood fa%in& hi(
and nearly e'ery fa%e in that %rowd loo)ed (isera#ly worried and #ewildered.
$hen they saw who the "risoners were they all &roaned and whi("ered.
.O Lord Shift (o!th"ie%e of Aslan. said the %hief Calor(ene. .$e #rin& yo!
"risoners. By o!r s)ill and %o!ra&e and #y the "er(ission of the &reat &od Tash
we ha'e ta)en ali'e these two des"erate (!rderers..
.9i'e (e that (an,s sword. said the A"e. So they too) the =in&,s sword and
handed it with the sword4#elt and all to the (on)ey. And he h!n& it ro!nd his
own ne%)7 and it (ade hi( loo) sillier than e'er.
.$e,ll see a#o!t those two later. said the A"e s"ittin& o!t a shell in the
dire%tion of the two "risoners. .I &ot so(e other #!siness first. They %an wait.
Now listen to (e e'eryone. The first thin& I want to say is a#o!t n!ts. $here,s
that Head S/!irrel &ot to1.
.Here Sir. said a red s/!irrel %o(in& forward and (a)in& a ner'o!s little
#ow.
.Oh yo! are are yo!1. said the A"e with a nasty loo). .Now attend to (e. I want
4 I (ean Aslan wants 4 so(e (ore n!ts. These yo!,'e #ro!&ht aren,t anythin&
li)e eno!&h. Yo! (!st #rin& so(e (ore do yo! hear1 Twi%e as (any. And they,'e
&ot to #e here #y s!nset to(orrow and there (!stn,t #e any #ad ones or any
s(all ones a(on& the(..
A (!r(!r of dis(ay ran thro!&h the other s/!irrels and the Head S/!irrel
"l!%)ed !" %o!ra&e to say7
.Please wo!ld Aslan hi(self s"ea) to !s a#o!t it1 If we (i&ht #e allowed to see
hi( 4.
.$ell yo! won,t. said the A"e. .He (ay #e 'ery )ind :tho!&h it,s a lot (ore
than (ost of yo! deser'e; and %o(e o!t for a few (in!tes toni&ht. Then yo! %an
all ha'e a loo) at hi(. B!t he will not ha'e yo! all %rowdin& ro!nd hi( and
"esterin& hi( with /!estions. Anythin& yo! want to say to hi( will #e "assed on
thro!&h (e7 if I thin) it,s worth #otherin& hi( a#o!t. In the (eanti(e all yo!
s/!irrels had #etter &o and see a#o!t the n!ts. And (a)e s!re they are here #y
to(orrow e'enin& or (y word0 yo!,ll %at%h it..
The "oor s/!irrels all s%a("ered away as if a do& were after the(. This new
order was terri#le news for the(. The n!ts they had %aref!lly hoarded for the
winter had nearly all #een eaten #y now- and of the few that were left they had
already &i'en the A"e far (ore than they %o!ld s"are.
Then a dee" 'oi%e 4 it #elon&ed to a &reat t!s)ed and sha&&y Boar 4 s"o)e fro(
another "art of the %rowd.
.B!t why %an,t we see Aslan "ro"erly and tal) to hi(1. it said. .$hen he !sed to
a""ear in Narnia in the old days e'eryone %o!ld tal) to hi( fa%e to fa%e..
.Don,t yo! #elie'e it. said the A"e. .And e'en if it was tr!e ti(es ha'e
%han&ed. Aslan says he,s #een far too soft with yo! #efore do yo! see1 $ell he
isn,t &oin& to #e soft any (ore. He,s &oin& to li%) yo! into sha"e this ti(e.
He,ll tea%h yo! to thin) he,s a ta(e lion0.
A low (oanin& and whi("erin& was heard a(on& the Beasts- and after that a dead
silen%e whi%h was (ore (isera#le still.
.And now there,s another thin& yo! &ot to learn. said the A"e. .I hear so(e of
yo! are sayin& I,( an A"e. $ell I,( not. I,( a *an. If I loo) li)e an A"e
that,s #e%a!se I,( so 'ery old7 h!ndreds and h!ndreds of years old. And it,s
#e%a!se I,( so old that I,( so wise. And it,s #e%a!se I,( so wise that I,( the
only one Aslan is e'er &oin& to s"ea) to. He %an,t #e #othered tal)in& to a lot
of st!"id ani(als. He,ll tell (e what yo!,'e &ot to do and I,ll tell the rest
of yo!. And ta)e (y ad'i%e and see yo! do it in do!#le /!i%) ti(e for he
doesn,t (ean to stand any nonsense..
There was a dead silen%e e<%e"t for the noise of a 'ery yo!n& #ad&er %ryin& and
its (other tryin& to (a)e it )ee" /!iet.
.And now here,s another thin&. the A"e went on fittin& a fresh n!t into its
%hee) .I hear so(e of the horses are sayin& Let,s h!rry !" and &et this 2o# of
%artin& ti(#er o'er as /!i%)ly as we %an and then we,ll #e free a&ain. $ell
yo! %an &et that idea o!t of yo!r heads at on%e. And not only the Horses either.
E'ery#ody who %an wor) is &oin& to #e (ade to wor) in f!t!re. Aslan has it all
settled with the =in& of Calor(en 4 The Tisro% as o!r dar) fa%ed friends the
Calor(enes %all hi(. All yo! Horses and B!lls and Don)eys are to #e sent down
into Calor(en to wor) for yo!r li'in& 4 "!llin& and %arryin& the way horses and
s!%h4li)e do in other %o!ntries. And all yo! di&&in& ani(als li)e *oles and
Ra##its and Dwarfs are &oin& down to wor) in The Tisro%,s (ines. And 4.
.No no no. howled the Beasts. .It %an,t #e tr!e. Aslan wo!ld ne'er sell !s
into sla'ery to the =in& of Calor(en..
.None of that0 Hold yo!r noise0. said the A"e with a snarl. .$ho said anythin&
a#o!t sla'ery1 Yo! won,t #e sla'es. Yo!,ll #e "aid 4 'ery &ood wa&es too. That
is to say yo!r "ay will #e "aid into Aslan,s treas!ry and he will !se it all
for e'ery#ody,s &ood.. Then he &lan%ed and al(ost win)ed at the %hief
Calor(ene. The Calor(ene #owed and re"lied in the "o("o!s Calor(ene way7
.*ost sa"ient *o!th"ie%e of Aslan The Tisro% :(ay he4li'e4fore'er; is wholly of
one (ind with yo!r lordshi" in this 2!di%io!s "lan..
.There0 Yo! see0. said the A"e. .It,s all arran&ed. And all for yo!r own &ood.
$e,ll #e a#le with the (oney yo! earn to (a)e Narnia a %o!ntry worth li'in&
in. There,ll #e oran&es and #ananas "o!rin& in 4 and roads and #i& %ities and
s%hools and offi%es and whi"s and (!++les and saddles and %a&es and )ennels and
"risons 4 Oh e'erythin&..
.B!t we don,t want all those thin&s. said an old Bear. .$e want to #e free. And
we want to hear Aslan s"ea) hi(self..
.Now don,t yo! start ar&!in&. said the A"e .for it,s a thin& I won,t stand.
I,( a *an7 yo!,re only a fat st!"id old Bear. $hat do yo! )now a#o!t freedo(1
Yo! thin) freedo( (eans doin& what yo! li)e. $ell yo!,re wron&. That isn,t tr!e
freedo(. Tr!e freedo( (eans doin& what I tell yo!..
.H4n4n4h. &r!nted the Bear and s%rat%hed its head- it fo!nd this sort of thin&
hard to !nderstand.
.Please "lease. said the hi&h 'oi%e of a woolly la(# who was so yo!n& that
e'eryone was s!r"rised he dared to s"ea) at all.
.$hat is it now1. said the A"e. .Be /!i%)..
.Please. said the La(# .I %an,t !nderstand. $hat ha'e we to do with the
Calor(enes1 $e #elon& to Aslan. They #elon& to Tash. They ha'e a &od %alled
Tash. They say he has fo!r ar(s and the head of a '!lt!re. They )ill *en on his
altar. I don,t #elie'e there,s any s!%h "erson as Tash. B!t if there was how
%o!ld Aslan #e friends with hi(1.
All the ani(als %o%)ed their heads sideways and all their #ri&ht eyes flashed
towards the A"e. They )new it was the #est /!estion anyone had as)ed yet.
The A"e 2!("ed !" and s"at at the La(#.
.Ba#y0. he hissed. .Silly little #leater0 9o ho(e to yo!r (other and drin) (il).
$hat do yo! !nderstand of s!%h thin&s1 B!t the others listen. Tash is only
another na(e for Aslan. All that old idea of !s #ein& ri&ht and the Calor(enes
wron& is silly. $e )now #etter now. The Calor(enes !se different words #!t we
all (ean the sa(e thin&. Tash and Aslan are only two different na(es for yo!
)now $ho. That,s why there %an ne'er #e any /!arrel #etween the(. 9et that into
yo!r heads yo! st!"id #r!tes. Tash is Aslan7 Aslan is Tash..
Yo! )now how sad yo!r own do&,s fa%e %an loo) so(eti(es. Thin) of that and then
thin) of all the fa%es of those Tal)in& Beasts 4 all those honest h!(#le
#ewildered Birds Bears Bad&ers Ra##its *oles and *i%e 4 all far sadder than
that. E'ery tail was down e'ery whis)er droo"ed. It wo!ld ha'e #ro)en yo!r
heart with 'ery "ity to see their fa%es. There was only one who did not loo) at
all !nha""y.
It was a &in&er Cat 4 a &reat #i& To( in the "ri(e of life 4 who sat #olt
!"ri&ht with his tail %!rled ro!nd his toes in the 'ery front row of all the
Beasts. He had #een starin& hard at the A"e and the Calor(ene %a"tain all the
ti(e and had ne'er on%e #lin)ed his eyes.
.E<%!se (e. said the Cat 'ery "olitely .#!t this interests (e. Does yo!r
friend fro( Calor(en say the sa(e1.
.Ass!redly. said the Calor(ene. .The enli&htened A"e 4 *an I (ean 4 is in the
ri&ht. Aslan (eans neither less nor (ore than Tash..
.Es"e%ially Aslan (eans no (ore than Tash1. s!&&ested the Cat.
.No (ore at all. said the Calor(ene loo)in& the Cat strai&ht in the fa%e.
.Is that &ood eno!&h for yo! 9in&er1. said the A"e.
.Oh %ertainly. said 9in&er %oolly. .Than) yo! 'ery (!%h. I only wanted to #e
/!ite %lear. I thin) I a( #e&innin& to !nderstand..
>" till now the =in& and 3ewel had said nothin&7 they were waitin& !ntil the A"e
sho!ld #id the( s"ea) for they tho!&ht it was no !se interr!"tin&. B!t now as
Tirian loo)ed ro!nd on the (isera#le fa%es of the Narnians and saw how they
wo!ld all #elie'e that Aslan and Tash were one and the sa(e he %o!ld #ear it no
lon&er.
.A"e. he %ried with a &reat 'oi%e .yo! lie da(na#ly. Yo! lie li)e a Calor(ene.
Yo! lie li)e an A"e..
He (eant to &o on and as) how the terri#le &od Tash who fed on the #lood of his
"eo"le %o!ld "ossi#ly #e the sa(e as the &ood Lion #y whose #lood all Narnia was
sa'ed. If he had #een allowed to s"ea) the r!le of the A"e (i&ht ha'e ended
that day- the Beasts (i&ht ha'e seen the tr!th and thrown the A"e down. B!t
#efore he %o!ld say another word two Calor(enes str!%) hi( in the (o!th with all
their for%e and a third fro( #ehind )i%)ed his feet fro( !nder hi(. And as he
fell the A"e s/!ealed in ra&e and terror.
.Ta)e hi( away. Ta)e hi( away. Ta)e hi( where he %annot hear !s nor we hear
hi(. There tie hi( to a tree. I will 4 I (ean Aslan will 4 do 2!sti%e on hi(
later..
CHAPTER 8O>R
$HAT HAPPENED THAT NI9HT
THE =in& was so di++y fro( #ein& )no%)ed down that he hardly )new what was
ha""enin& !ntil the Calor(enes !ntied his wrists and "!t his ar(s strai&ht down
#y his sides and set hi( with his #a%) a&ainst an ash tree. Then they #o!nd
ro"es ro!nd his an)les and his )nees and his waist and his %hest and left hi(
there. $hat worried hi( worst at the (o(ent 4 for it is often little thin&s that
are hardest to stand 4 was that his li" was #leedin& where they had hit hi( and
he %o!ldn,t wi"e the little tri%)le of #lood away altho!&h it ti%)led hi(.
8ro( where he was he %o!ld still see the little sta#le on the to" of the hill
and the A"e sittin& in front of it. He %o!ld 2!st hear the A"e,s 'oi%e still
&oin& on and e'ery now and then so(e answer fro( the %rowd #!t he %o!ld not
(a)e o!t the words.
.I wonder what they,'e done to 3ewel. tho!&ht the =in&.
Presently the %rowd of #easts #ro)e !" and #e&an &oin& away in different
dire%tions. So(e "assed %lose to Tirian. They loo)ed at hi( as if they were #oth
fri&htened and sorry to see hi( tied !" #!t none of the( s"o)e. Soon they had
all &one and there was silen%e in the wood. Then ho!rs and ho!rs went "ast and
Tirian #e%a(e first 'ery thirsty and then 'ery h!n&ry- and as the afternoon
dra&&ed on and t!rned into e'enin& he #e%a(e %old too. His #a%) was 'ery sore.
The s!n went down and it #e&an to #e twili&ht.
$hen it was al(ost dar) Tirian heard a li&ht "itter4"atter of feet and saw so(e
s(all %reat!res %o(in& towards hi(. The three on the left were *i%e and there
was a Ra##it in the (iddle7 on the ri&ht were two *oles. Both these were
%arryin& little #a&s on their #a%)s whi%h &a'e the( a %!rio!s loo) in the dar)
so that at first he wondered what )ind of #easts they were. Then in a (o(ent
they were all standin& !" on their hind le&s layin& their %ool "aws on his
)nees and &i'in& his )nees sn!ffly ani(al )isses. :They %o!ld rea%h his )nees
#e%a!se Narnian Tal)in& Beasts of that sort are #i&&er than the d!(# #easts of
the sa(e )ind in En&land.;
.Lord =in&0 dear Lord =in&. said their shrill 'oi%es .we are so sorry for yo!.
$e daren,t !ntie yo! #e%a!se Aslan (i&ht #e an&ry with !s. B!t we,'e #ro!&ht yo!
yo!r s!""er..
At on%e the first *o!se %li(#ed ni(#ly !" till he was "er%hed on the ro"e that
#o!nd Tirian,s %hest and was wrin)lin& his #l!nt nose in front of Tirian,s fa%e.
Then the se%ond *o!se %li(#ed !" and h!n& on 2!st #elow the first *o!se. The
other #easts stood on the &ro!nd and #e&an handin& thin&s !".
.Drin) Sire and then yo!,ll find yo! are a#le to eat. said the to"(ost *o!se
and Tirian fo!nd that a little wooden %!" was #ein& held to his li"s. It was
only the si+e of an e&& %!" so that he had hardly tasted the wine in it #efore
it was e("ty. B!t then the *o!se "assed it down and the others re4filled it and
it was "assed !" a&ain and Tirian e("tied it a se%ond ti(e. In this way they
went on till he had /!ite a &ood drin) whi%h was all the #etter for %o(in& in
little doses for that is (ore thirst4/!en%hin& than one lon& dra!&ht.
.Here is %heese Sire. said the first *o!se .#!t not 'ery (!%h for fear it
wo!ld (a)e yo! too thirsty.. And after the %heese they fed hi( with oat4%a)es
and fresh #!tter and then with so(e (ore wine.
.Now hand !" the water. said the first *o!se .and I,ll wash the =in&,s fa%e.
There is #lood on it..
Then Tirian felt so(ethin& li)e a tiny s"on&e da##in& his fa%e and it was (ost
refreshin&.
.Little friends. said Tirian .how %an I than) yo! for all this1.
.Yo! needn,t yo! needn,t. said the little 'oi%es. .$hat else %o!ld we do1 $e
don,t want any other =in&. $e,re yo!r "eo"le. If it was only the A"e and the
Calor(enes who were a&ainst yo! we wo!ld ha'e fo!&ht till we were %!t into
"ie%es #efore we,d let the( tie yo! !". $e wo!ld we wo!ld indeed. B!t we %an,t
&o a&ainst Aslan..
.Do yo! thin) it really is Aslan1. as)ed the =in&.
.Oh yes yes. said the Ra##it. .He %a(e o!t of the sta#le last ni&ht. $e all
saw hi(..
.$hat was he li)e1. said the =in&.
.Li)e a terri#le &reat Lion to #e s!re. said one of the *i%e.
.And yo! thin) it is really Aslan who is )illin& the $ood4Ny("hs and (a)in& yo!
all sla'es to the =in& of Calor(en1.
.Ah that,s #ad isn,t it1. said the se%ond *o!se. .It wo!ld ha'e #een #etter if
we,d died #efore all this #e&an. B!t there,s no do!#t a#o!t it. E'eryone says it
is Aslan,s orders. And we,'e seen hi(. $e didn,t thin) Aslan wo!ld #e li)e that.
$hy we 4 we wanted hi( to %o(e #a%) to Narnia..
.He see(s to ha'e %o(e #a%) 'ery an&ry this ti(e. said the first *o!se. .$e
(!st all ha'e done so(ethin& dreadf!lly wron& witho!t )nowin& it. He (!st #e
"!nishin& !s for so(ethin&. B!t I do thin) we (i&ht #e told what it was0.
.I s!""ose what we,re doin& now (ay #e wron&. said the Ra##it.
.I don,t %are if it is. said one of the *oles. .I,d do it a&ain..
B!t the others said .Oh h!sh. and .Do #e %aref!l. and then they all said
.$e,re sorry dear =in& #!t we (!st &o #a%) now. It wo!ld ne'er do for !s to #e
%a!&ht here..
.Lea'e (e at on%e dear Beasts. said Tirian. .I wo!ld not for all Narnia #rin&
any of yo! into dan&er..
.9oodni&ht &oodni&ht. said the Beasts r!##in& their noses a&ainst his )nees.
.$e will %o(e #a%) 4 if we %an.. Then they all "attered away and the wood see(ed
dar)er and %older and lonelier than it had #een #efore they %a(e.
The stars %a(e o!t and ti(e went slowly on 4 i(a&ine how slowly 4 while that
last =in& of Narnia stood stiff and sore and !"ri&ht a&ainst the tree in his
#onds. B!t at last so(ethin& ha""ened.
8ar away there a""eared a red li&ht. Then it disa""eared for a (o(ent and %a(e
#a%) a&ain #i&&er and stron&er. Then he %o!ld see dar) sha"es &oin& to and fro
on this side of the li&ht and %arryin& #!ndles and throwin& the( down. He )new
now what he was loo)in& at. It was a #onfire newly lit and "eo"le were
throwin& #!ndles of #r!shwood on to it. Presently it #la+ed !" and Tirian %o!ld
see that it was on the 'ery to" of the hill. He %o!ld see /!ite %learly the
sta#le #ehind it all lit !" in the red &low and a &reat %rowd of Beasts and
*en #etween the fire and hi(self. A s(all fi&!re h!n%hed !" #eside the fire
(!st #e the A"e. It was sayin& so(ethin& to the %rowd #!t he %o!ld not hear
what. Then it went and #owed three ti(es to the &ro!nd in front of the door of
the sta#le. Then it &ot !" and o"ened the door. And so(ethin& on fo!r le&s 4
so(ethin& that wal)ed rather stiffly 4 %a(e o!t of the sta#le and stood fa%in&
the %rowd.
A &reat wailin& or howlin& went !" so lo!d that Tirian %o!ld hear so(e of the
words.
.Aslan0 Aslan0 Aslan0. %ried the Beasts. .S"ea) to !s. Co(fort !s. Be an&ry with
!s no (ore..
8ro( where Tirian was he %o!ld not (a)e o!t 'ery %learly what the thin& was- #!t
he %o!ld see that it was yellow and hairy. He had ne'er seen the 9reat Lion. He
had ne'er seen a %o((on lion. He %o!ldn,t #e s!re that what he saw was not the
real Aslan. He had not e<"e%ted Aslan to loo) li)e that stiff thin& whi%h stood
and said nothin&. B!t how %o!ld one #e s!re1 8or a (o(ent horri#le tho!&hts went
thro!&h his (ind7 then he re(e(#ered the nonsense a#o!t Tash and Aslan #ein& the
sa(e and )new that the whole thin& (!st #e a %heat.
The A"e "!t his head %lose !" to the yellow thin&,s head as if he were listenin&
to so(ethin& it was whis"erin& to hi(. Then he t!rned and s"o)e to the %rowd
and the %rowd wailed a&ain. Then the yellow thin& t!rned %l!(sily ro!nd and
wal)ed 4 yo! (i&ht al(ost say waddled 4 #a%) into the sta#le and the A"e sh!t
the door #ehind it. After that the fire (!st ha'e #een "!t o!t for the li&ht
'anished /!ite s!ddenly and Tirian was on%e (ore alone with the %old and the
dar)ness.
He tho!&ht of other =in&s who had li'ed and died in Narnia in old ti(es and it
see(ed to hi( that none of the( had e'er #een so !nl!%)y as hi(self. He tho!&ht
of his &reat4&randfather,s &reat4&randfather =in& Rilian who had #een stolen
away #y a $it%h when he was only a yo!n& "rin%e and )e"t hidden for years in the
dar) %a'es #eneath the land of the Northern 9iants. B!t then it had all %o(e-
ri&ht in the end for two (ysterio!s %hildren had s!ddenly a""eared fro( the
land #eyond the world,s end and had res%!ed hi( so that he %a(e ho(e to Narnia
and had a lon& and "ros"ero!s rei&n. .It,s not li)e that with (e. said Tirian
to hi(self. Then he went f!rther #a%) and7 tho!&ht a#o!t Rilian,s father
Cas"ian the Seafarer whose wi%)ed !n%le =in& *ira+ had tried to (!rder hi( and
how Cas"ian had fled away into the woods and li'ed a(on& the Dwarfs. B!t that
story too had all %o(e ri&ht in the end7 for Cas"ian also had #een hel"ed #y
%hildren 4 only there were fo!r of the( that ti(e 4 who %a(e fro( so(ewhere
#eyond the world and fo!&ht a &reat #attle and set hi( on his father,s throne.
.B!t it was all lon& a&o. said Tirian to hi(self. .That sort of thin& doesn,t
ha""en now.. And then he re(e(#ered :for he had always #een &ood at history when
he was a #oy; how those sa(e fo!r %hildren who had hel"ed Cas"ian had #een in
Narnia o'er a tho!sand years #efore- and it was then that they had done the (ost
re(ar)a#le thin& of all. 8or then they had defeated the terri#le $hite $it%h and
ended the H!ndred Years of $inter and after that they had rei&ned :all fo!r of
the( to&ether; at Cair Para'el till they were no lon&er %hildren #!t &reat
=in&s and lo'ely 6!eens and their rei&n had #een the &olden a&e of Narnia. And
Aslan had %o(e into that story a lot. He had %o(e into all the other stories
too as Tirian now re(e(#ered. .Aslan 4 and %hildren fro( another world.
tho!&ht Tirian. .They ha'e always %o(e in when thin&s were at their worst. Oh
if only they %o!ld now..
And he %alled o!t .Aslan0 Aslan0 Aslan0 Co(e and hel" !s now..
B!t the dar)ness and the %old and the /!ietness went on 2!st the sa(e.
.Let (e #e )illed. %ried the =in&. .I as) nothin& for (yself. B!t %o(e and sa'e
all Narnia..
And still there was no %han&e in the ni&ht or the wood #!t there #e&an to #e a
)ind of %han&e inside Tirian. $itho!t )nowin& why he #e&an to feel a faint
ho"e. And he felt so(ehow stron&er. .Oh Aslan Aslan. he whis"ered. .If yo!
will not %o(e yo!rself at least send (e the hel"ers fro( #eyond the world. Or
let (e %all the(. Let (y 'oi%e %arry #eyond the world.. Then hardly )nowin&
that he was doin& it he s!ddenly %ried o!t in a &reat 'oi%e7
.Children0 Children0 8riends of Narnia0 6!i%). Co(e to (e. A%ross the worlds I
%all yo!- I Tirian =in& of Narnia Lord of Cair Para'el and E("eror of the
Lone Islands0.
And i((ediately he was "l!n&ed into a drea( :if it was a drea(; (ore 'i'id than
any he had had in his life.
He see(ed to #e standin& in a li&hted roo( where se'en "eo"le sat ro!nd a ta#le.
It loo)ed as if they had 2!st finished their (eal. Two of those "eo"le were 'ery
old an old (an with a white #eard and an old wo(an with wise (erry twin)lin&
eyes. He who sat at the ri&ht hand of the old (an was hardly f!ll &rown
%ertainly yo!n&er than Tirian hi(self #!t his fa%e had already the loo) of a
)in& and a warrior. And yo! %o!ld al(ost say the sa(e of the other yo!th who sat
at the ri&ht hand of the old wo(an. 8a%in& Tirian a%ross the ta#le sat a fair4
haired &irl yo!n&er than either of these and on either side of her a #oy and
&irl who were yo!n&er still. They were all dressed in what see(ed to Tirian the
oddest )ind of %lothes.
B!t he had no ti(e to thin) a#o!t details li)e that for instantly the yo!n&er
#oy and #oth the &irls started to their feet and one of the( &a'e a little
s%rea(. The old wo(an started and drew in her #reath shar"ly. The old (an (!st
ha'e (ade so(e s!dden (o'e(ent too for the wine &lass whi%h stood at his ri&ht
hand was swe"t off the ta#le7 Tirian %o!ld hear the tin)lin& noise as it #ro)e
on the floor.
Then Tirian reali+ed that these "eo"le %o!ld see hi(- they were starin& at hi(
as if they saw a &host. B!t he noti%ed that the )in&4li)e one who sat at the old
(an,s ri&ht ne'er (o'ed :tho!&h he t!rned "ale; e<%e"t that he %len%hed his hand
'ery ti&ht. Then he said7
.S"ea) if yo!,re not a "hanto( or a drea(. Yo! ha'e a Narnian loo) a#o!t yo!
and we are the se'en friends of Narnia..
Tirian was lon&in& to s"ea) and he tried to %ry o!t alo!d that he was Tirian of
Narnia in &reat need of hel". B!t he fo!nd :as I ha'e so(eti(es fo!nd in drea(s
too; that his 'oi%e (ade no noise at all.
The one who had already s"o)en to hi( rose to his feet. .Shadow or s"irit or
whate'er yo! are. he said fi<in& his eyes f!ll !"on Tirian. .If yo! are fro(
Narnia I %har&e yo! in the na(e of Aslan s"ea) to (e. I a( Peter the Hi&h
=in&..
The roo( #e&an to swi( #efore Tirian,s eyes. He heard the 'oi%es of those se'en
"eo"le all s"ea)in& at on%e and all &ettin& fainter e'ery se%ond and they were
sayin& thin&s li)e .Loo)0 It,s fadin&.. .It,s (eltin& away.. .It,s 'anishin&..
Ne<t (o(ent he was wide awa)e still tied to the tree %older and stiffer than
e'er. The wood was f!ll of the "ale dreary li&ht that %o(es #efore s!nrise and
he was soa)in& wet with dew- it was nearly (ornin&.
That wa)in& was a#o!t the worst (o(ent he had e'er had in his life.
CHAPTER 8I5E
HO$ HELP CA*E TO THE =IN9
B!r his (isery did not last lon&. Al(ost at on%e there %a(e a #!(" and then a
se%ond #!(" and two %hildren were standin& #efore hi(. The wood in front of hi(
had #een /!ite e("ty a se%ond #efore and he )new they had not %o(e fro( #ehind
his tree for he wo!ld ha'e heard the(. They had in fa%t si("ly a""eared fro(
nowhere. He saw at a &lan%e that they were wearin& the sa(e /!eer din&y sort of
%lothes as the "eo"le in his drea(- and he saw at a se%ond &lan%e that they
were the yo!n&est #oy and &irl o!t of that "arty of se'en.
.9osh0. said the #oy .that too) one,s #reath away0 I tho!&ht 4.
.H!rry !" and &et hi( !ntied. said the &irl. .$e %an tal) afterwards.. Then
she added t!rnin& to Tirian .I,( sorry we,'e #een so lon&. $e %a(e the (o(ent
we %o!ld..
$hile she was s"ea)in& the Boy "rod!%ed a )nife fro( his "o%)et and was /!i%)ly
%!ttin& the =in&,s #onds7 too /!i%)ly in fa%t for the =in& was so stiff and
n!(# that when the last %ord was %!t he fell forward on his hands and )nees. He
%o!ldn,t &et !" a&ain till he had #ro!&ht so(e life #a%) into his le&s #y a &ood
r!##in&.
.I say. said the &irl. .It was yo! wasn,t it who a""eared to !s that ni&ht
when we were all at s!""er1 Nearly a wee) a&o..
.A wee) fair (aid1. said Tirian. .*y drea( led (e into yo!r world s%ar%e ten
(in!tes sin%e..
.It,s the !s!al (!ddle a#o!t ti(es Pole. said the Boy.
.I re(e(#er now. said Tirian. .That too %o(es in all the old tales. The ti(e of
yo!r stran&e land is different fro( o!rs. B!t if we s"ea) of Ti(e ,tis ti(e to
#e &one fro( here7 for (y ene(ies are %lose at hand. $ill yo! %o(e with (e1.
.Of %o!rse. said the &irl. .It,s yo! we,'e %o(e to hel"..
Tirian &ot to his feet and led the( ra"idly down hill So!thward and away fro(
the sta#le. He )new where he (eant to &o #!t his first ai( was to &et to ro%)y
"la%es where they wo!ld lea'e no trail and his se%ond to %ross so(e water so
that they wo!ld lea'e no s%ent. This too) the( a#o!t an ho!r,s s%ra(#lin& and
wadin& and while that was &oin& on no#ody had any #reath to tal). B!t e'en so
Tirian )e"t on stealin& &lan%es at his %o("anions. The wonder of wal)in& #eside
the %reat!res fro( another world (ade hi( feel a little di++y7 #!t it also (ade
all the old stories see( far (ore real than they had e'er see(ed #efore . . .
anythin& (i&ht ha""en now.
.Now. said Tirian as they %a(e to the head of a little 'alley whi%h ran down
#efore the( a(on& yo!n& #ir%h trees .we are o!t of dan&er of those 'illains for
a s"a%e and (ay wal) (ore easily.. The s!n had risen dew4dro"s were twin)lin&
on e'ery #ran%h and #irds were sin&in&.
.$hat a#o!t so(e &r!#1 4 I (ean for yo! Sir we two ha'e had o!r #rea)fast.
said the Boy.
Tirian wondered 'ery (!%h what he (eant #y .&r!#. #!t when the Boy o"ened a
#!l&y sat%hel whi%h he was %arryin& and "!lled o!t a rather &reasy and s/!ashy
"a%)et he !nderstood. He was ra'eno!sly h!n&ry tho!&h he hadn,t tho!&ht a#o!t
it till that (o(ent. There were two hard4#oiled e&& sandwi%hes and two %heese
sandwi%hes and two with so(e )ind of "aste in the(. If he hadn,t #een so h!n&ry
he wo!ldn,t ha'e tho!&ht (!%h of the "aste for that is a sort of food no#ody
eats in Narnia. By the ti(e he had eaten all si< sandwi%hes they had %o(e to the
#otto( of the 'alley and there they fo!nd a (ossy %liff with a little fo!ntain
#!##lin& o!t of it. All three sto""ed and dran) and s"lashed their hot fa%es.
.And now. said the &irl as she tossed her wet hair #a%) fro( her forehead
.aren,t yo! &oin& to tell !s who yo! are and why yo! were tied !" and what it,s
all a#o!t1.
.$ith a &ood will da(sel. said Tirian. .B!t we (!st )ee" on the (ar%h.. So
while they went on wal)in& he told the( who he was and all the thin&s that had
ha""ened to hi(. .And now. he said at the end .I a( &oin& to a %ertain tower
one of three that were #!ilt in (y &randsire,s ti(e to &!ard Lantern $aste
a&ainst %ertain "erilo!s o!tlaws who dwelled there in his day. By Aslan,s &ood
will I was not ro##ed of (y )eys. In that tower we shall find stores of wea"ons
and (ail and so(e 'i%t!als also tho!&h no #etter than dry #is%!it. There also
we %an lie safe while we (a)e o!r "lans. And now "rithee tell (e who yo! two
are and all yo!r story..
.I,( E!sta%e S%r!## and this is 3ill Pole. said the Boy. .And we were here on%e
#efore a&es and a&es a&o (ore than a year a&o #y o!r ti(e and there was a
%ha" %alled Prin%e Rilian and they were )ee"in& this %ha" !nder&ro!nd and
P!ddle&l!( "!t his foot in 4.
.Ha0. %ried Tirian .are yo! then that E!sta%e and that 3ill who res%!ed =in&
Rilian fro( his lon& en%hant(ent1.
.Yes that,s !s. said 3ill. .So he,s =in& Rilian now is he1 Oh of %o!rse he
wo!ld #e. I for&ot4.
.Nay. said Tirian .I a( the se'enth in des%ent fro( hi(. He has #een dead o'er
two h!ndred years..
3ill (ade a fa%e. .>&h0. she said. .That,s the horrid "art a#o!t %o(in& #a%) to
Narnia.. B!t E!sta%e went on.
.$ell now yo! )now who we are Sire. he said. .And it was li)e this. The
Professor and A!nt Polly had &ot all !s friends of Narnia to&ether 4.
.I )now not these na(es E!sta%e. said Tirian.
.They,re the two who %a(e into Narnia at the 'ery #e&innin& the day all the
ani(als learned to tal)..
.By the Lion,s *ane. %ried Tirian. .Those two0 The Lord Di&ory and the Lady
Polly0 8ro( the dawn of the world0 And still in yo!r "la%e1 The wonder and the
&lory of it0 B!t tell (e tell (e..
.She isn,t really o!r a!nt yo! )now. said E!sta%e. .She,s *iss Pl!((er #!t we
%all her A!nt Polly. $ell those two &ot !s all to&ether "artly 2!st for f!n so
that we %o!ld all ha'e a &ood 2aw a#o!t Narnia :for of %o!rse there,s no one
else we %an e'er tal) to a#o!t thin&s li)e that; #!t "artly #e%a!se the
Professor had a feelin& that we were so(ehow wanted o'er here. $ell then yo!
%a(e in li)e a &host or &oodness4)nows4what and nearly fri&htened the li'es o!t
of !s and 'anished witho!t sayin& a word. After that we )new for %ertain there
was so(ethin& !".
The ne<t /!estion was how to &et here. Yo! %an,t &o 2!st #y wantin& to. So we
tal)ed and tal)ed and at last the Professor said the only way wo!ld #e #y the
*a&i% Rin&s. It was #y those Rin&s that he and A!nt Polly &ot here lon& lon&
a&o when they were only )ids years #efore we yo!n&er ones were #orn. B!t the
Rin&s had all #een #!ried in the &arden of a ho!se in London :that,s o!r #i&
town Sire; and the ho!se had #een sold. So then the "ro#le( was how to &et at
the(. Yo!,ll ne'er &!ess what we did in the end0 Peter and Ed(!nd 4 that,s the
Hi&h =in& Peter the one who s"o)e to yo! 4 went !" to London to &et into the
&arden fro( the #a%) early in the (ornin& #efore "eo"le were !". They were
dressed li)e wor)(en so that if anyone did see the( it wo!ld loo) as if they,d
%o(e to do so(ethin& a#o!t the drains. I wish I,d #een with the(7 it (!st ha'e
#een &lorio!s f!n. And they (!st ha'e s!%%eeded for ne<t day Peter sent !s a
wire 4 that,s a sort of (essa&e Sire I,ll e<"lain a#o!t it so(e other ti(e 4
to say he,d &ot the Rin&s. And the day after that was the day Pole and I had to
&o #a%) to s%hool 4 we,re the only two who are still at s%hool and we,re at the
sa(e one. So Peter and Ed(!nd were to (eet !s at a "la%e on the way down to
s%hool and hand o'er the Rin&s. It had to #e !s two who were to &o to Narnia
yo! see #e%a!se the older ones %o!ldn,t %o(e a&ain. So we &ot into the train
that,s a )ind of thin& "eo"le tra'el in in o!r world7 a lot of wa&ons %hained
to&ether 4 and the Professor and A!nt Polly and L!%y %a(e with !s. $e wanted to
)ee" to&ether as lon& as we %o!ld. $ell there we were in the train. And we were
2!st &ettin& to the station where the others were to (eet !s and I was loo)in&
o!t of the window to see if I %o!ld see the( when s!ddenly there %a(e a (ost
fri&htf!l 2er) and a noise7 and there we were in Narnia and there was yo!r
*a2esty tied !" to the tree..
.So yo! ne'er !sed the Rin&s1. said Tirian.
.No. said E!sta%e. .Ne'er e'en saw the(. Aslan did it all for !s in his own way
witho!t any Rin&s..
.B!t the Hi&h =in& Peter has the(. said Tirian.
.Yes. said 3ill. .B!t we don,t thin) he %an !se the(. $hen the two other
Pe'ensies 4 =in& Ed(!nd and 6!een L!%y 4 were last here Aslan said they wo!ld
ne'er %o(e to Narnia a&ain. And he said so(ethin& of the sa(e sort to the Hi&h
=in& only lon&er a&o. Yo! (ay #e s!re he,ll %o(e li)e a shot if he,s allowed..
.9osh0. said E!sta%e. .It,s &ettin& hot in this s!n. Are we nearly there Sire1.
.Loo). said Tirian and "ointed. Not (any yards away &rey #attle(ents rose a#o'e
the tree4to"s and after a (in!te,s (ore wal)in& they %a(e o!t in an o"en &rassy
s"a%e. A strea( ran a%ross it and on the far side of the strea( stood a s/!at
s/!are tower with 'ery few and narrow windows and one hea'y4loo)in& door in the
wall that fa%ed the(.
Tirian loo)ed shar"ly this way and that to (a)e s!re that no ene(ies were in
si&ht. Then he wal)ed !" to the tower and stood still for a (o(ent fishin& !"
his #!n%h of )eys whi%h he wore inside his h!ntin&4dress on a narrow sil'er
%hain that went ro!nd his ne%). It was a ni%e #!n%h of )eys that he #ro!&ht o!t
for two were &olden and (any were ri%hly orna(ented7 yo! %o!ld see at on%e that
they were )eys (ade for o"enin& sole(n and se%ret roo(s in "ala%es or %hests
and %as)ets of sweet4s(ellin& wood that %ontained royal treas!res. B!t the )ey
whi%h he now "!t into the lo%) of the door was #i& and "lain and (ore r!dely
(ade. The lo%) was stiff and for a (o(ent Tirian #e&an to #e afraid that he
wo!ld not #e a#le to t!rn it7 #!t at last he did and the door sw!n& o"en with a
s!llen %rea).
.$el%o(e friends. said Tirian. .I fear this is the #est "ala%e that the =in& of
Narnia %an now offer to his &!ests..
Tirian was "leased to see that the two stran&ers had #een well #ro!&ht !". They
#oth said not to (ention it and that they were s!re it wo!ld #e 'ery ni%e.
As a (atter of fa%t it was not "arti%!larly ni%e. It was rather dar) and s(elled
'ery da(". There was only one roo( in it and this roo( went ri&ht !" to the
stone roof7 a wooden stair%ase in one %orner led !" to a tra" door #y whi%h yo!
%o!ld &et o!t on the #attle(ents. There were a few r!de #!n)s to slee" in and a
&reat (any lo%)ers and #!ndles. There was also a hearth whi%h loo)ed as if
no#ody had lit a fire in it for a &reat (any years.
.$e,d #etter &o o!t and &ather so(e firewood first thin& hadn,t we1. said 3ill.
.Not yet %o(rade. said Tirian. He was deter(ined that they sho!ld not #e
%a!&ht !nar(ed and #e&an sear%hin& the lo%)ers than)f!lly re(e(#erin& that he
had always #een %aref!l to ha'e these &arrison towers ins"e%ted on%e a year and
to (a)e s!re that they were sto%)ed with all thin&s needf!l. The #ow strin&s
were there in their %o'erin&s of oiled sil) the swords and s"ears were &reased
a&ainst r!st and the ar(o!r was )e"t #ri&ht in its wra""in&s. B!t there was
so(ethin& e'en #etter. .Loo) yo!0. said Tirian as he drew o!t a lon& (ail shirt
of a %!rio!s "attern and flashed it #efore the %hildren,s eyes.
.That,s f!nny4loo)in& (ail Sire. said E!sta%e.
.Aye lad. said Tirian. .No Narnian Dwarf s(ithied that. ,Tis (ail of Calor(en
o!tlandish &ear. I ha'e e'er )e"t a few s!its of it in readiness for I ne'er
)new when I or (y friends (i&ht ha'e reason to wal) !nseen in The Tisro%,s land.
And loo) on this stone #ottle. In this there is a 2!i%e whi%h when we ha'e
r!##ed it on o!r hands and fa%es will (a)e !s #rown as Calor(enes..
.Oh h!rrah0. said 3ill. .Dis&!ise0 I lo'e dis&!ises..
Tirian showed the( how to "o!r o!t a little of the 2!i%e into the "al(s of their
hands and then r!# it well o'er their fa%es and ne%)s ri&ht down to the
sho!lders and then on their hands ri&ht !" to the el#ows. He did the sa(e
hi(self.
.After this has hardened on !s. he said .we (ay wash in water and it will not
%han&e. Nothin& #!t oil and ashes will (a)e !s white Narnians a&ain. And now
sweet 3ill let !s &o see how this (ail shirt #e%o(es yo!. ,Tis so(ethin& too
lon& yet not so (!%h as I feared. Do!#tless it #elon&ed to a "a&e in the train
of one of their Tar)aans..
After the (ail shirts they "!t on Calor(ene hel(ets whi%h are little ro!nd ones
fittin& ti&ht to the head and ha'in& a s"i)e on to". Then Tirian too) lon& rolls
of so(e white st!ff o!t of the lo%)er and wo!nd the( o'er the hel(ets till they
#e%a(e t!r#ans7 #!t the little steel s"i)e still st!%) !" in the (iddle. He and
E!sta%e too) %!r'ed Calor(ene swords and little ro!nd shields. There was no
sword li&ht eno!&h for 3ill #!t he &a'e her a lon& strai&ht h!ntin& )nife
whi%h (i&ht do for a sword at a "in%h.
.Hast any s)ill with the #ow (aiden1. said Tirian.
.Nothin& worth tal)in& of. said 3ill #l!shin&. .S%r!##,s not #ad..
.Don,t yo! #elie'e her Sire. said E!sta%e. .$e,'e #oth #een "ra%tisin& ar%hery
e'er sin%e we &ot #a%) fro( Narnia last ti(e and she,s a#o!t as &ood as (e now.
Not that either of !s is (!%h..
Then Tirian &a'e 3ill a #ow and a /!i'er f!ll of arrows. The ne<t #!siness was
to li&ht a fire for inside that tower it still felt (ore li)e a %a'e than li)e
anythin& indoors and set one shi'erin&. B!t they &ot war( &atherin& wood 4 the
s!n was now at its hi&hest 4 and on%e the #la+e was roarin& !" the %hi(ney the
"la%e #e&an to loo) %heerf!l. Dinner was howe'er a d!ll (eal for the #est
they %o!ld do was to "o!nd !" so(e of the hard #is%!it whi%h they fo!nd in a
lo%)er and "o!r it into #oilin& water with salt so as to (a)e a )ind of
"orrid&e. And of %o!rse there was nothin& to drin) #!t water.
.I wish we,d #ro!&ht a "a%)et of tea. said 3ill.
.Or a tin of %o%oa. said E!sta%e.
.A fir)in or so of &ood wine in ea%h of these towers wo!ld not ha'e #een a(iss.
said Tirian.
CHAPTER SI?
A 9OOD NI9HT,S $OR=
ABO>T fo!r ho!rs later Tirian fl!n& hi(self into one of the #!n)s to snat%h a
little slee". The two %hildren were already snorin&7 he had (ade the( &o to #ed
#efore he did #e%a!se they wo!ld ha'e to #e !" (ost of the ni&ht and he )new
that at their a&e they %o!ldn,t do witho!t slee". Also he had tired the( o!t.
8irst he had &i'en 3ill so(e "ra%ti%e in ar%hery and fo!nd that tho!&h not !"
to Narnian standards she was really not too #ad. Indeed she had s!%%eeded in
shootin& a ra##it :not a Tal)in& ra##it of %o!rse7 there are lots of the
ordinary )ind a#o!t in $estern Narnia; and it was already s)inned %leaned and
han&in& !". He had fo!nd that #oth the %hildren )new all a#o!t this %hilly and
s(elly 2o#- they had learned that )ind of thin& on their &reat 2o!rney thro!&h
9iant4Land in the days of Prin%e Rilian. Then he had tried to tea%h E!sta%e how
to !se his sword and shield. E!sta%e had learned /!ite a lot a#o!t sword
fi&htin& on his earlier ad'ent!res #!t that had #een all with a strai&ht Narnian
sword. He had ne'er handled a %!r'ed Calor(ene s%i(itar and that (ade it hard
for (any of the stro)es are /!ite different and so(e of the ha#its he had
learned with the lon& sword had now to #e !nlearned a&ain. B!t Tirian fo!nd that
he had a &ood eye and was 'ery /!i%) on his feet. He was s!r"rised at the
stren&th of #oth %hildren7 in fa%t they #oth see(ed to #e already (!%h stron&er
and #i&&er and (ore &rown4!" than they had #een when he first (et the( a few
ho!rs a&o. It is one of the effe%ts whi%h Narnian air often has on 'isitors fro(
o!r world.
All three of the( a&reed that the 'ery first thin& they (!st do was to &o #a%)
to Sta#le Hill and try to res%!e 3ewel the >ni%orn. After that if they
s!%%eeded they wo!ld try to &et away Eastward and (eet the little ar(y whi%h
Roonwit the Centa!r wo!ld #e #rin&in& fro( Cair Para'el.
An e<"erien%ed warrior and h!nts(an li)e Tirian %an always wa)e !" at the ti(e
he wants. So he &a'e hi(self till nine o,%lo%) that ni&ht and then "!t all
worries o!t of his head and fell aslee" at on%e. It see(ed only a (o(ent later
when he wo)e #!t he )new #y the li&ht and the 'ery feel of thin&s that he had
ti(ed his slee" e<a%tly. He &ot !" "!t on his hel(et4and4t!r#an :he had sle"t
in his (ail shirt; and then shoo) the other two till they wo)e !". They loo)ed
to tell the tr!th 'ery &rey and dis(al as they %li(#ed o!t of their #!n)s and
there was a &ood deal of yawnin&.
.Now. said Tirian .we &o d!e North fro( here 4 #y &ood fort!ne ,tis a starry
ni&ht 4 and it will #e (!%h shorter than o!r 2o!rney this (ornin& for then we
went ro!nd4a#o!t #!t now we shall &o strai&ht. If we are %hallen&ed then do yo!
two hold yo!r "ea%e and I will do (y #est to tal) li)e a %!rst %r!el "ro!d
lord of Calor(en. If I draw (y sword then tho! E!sta%e (!st do li)ewise and
let 3ill lea" #ehind !s and stand with an arrow on the strin&. B!t if I %ry
@Ho(e, then fly for the Tower #oth of yo!. And let none try to fi&ht on 4 not
e'en one stro)e after I ha'e &i'en the retreat7 s!%h false 'alo!r has s"oiled
(any nota#le "lans in the wars. And now friends in the na(e of Aslan let !s &o
forward..
O!t they went into the %old ni&ht. All the &reat Northern stars were #!rnin&
a#o'e the tree4to"s. The North4Star of that world is %alled the S"ear4Head7 it
is #ri&hter than o!r Pole Star.
8or a ti(e they %o!ld &o strai&ht towards the S"ear4Head #!t "resently they %a(e
to a dense thi%)et so that they had to &o o!t of their %o!rse to &et ro!nd it.
And after that 4for they were still o'ershadowed #y #ran%hes 4 it was hard to
"i%) !" their #earin&s. It was 3ill who set the( ri&ht a&ain7 she had #een an
e<%ellent 9!ide in En&land. And of %o!rse she )new her Narnian stars "erfe%tly
ha'in& tra'elled so (!%h in the wild Northern Lands and %o!ld wor) o!t the
dire%tion fro( other stars e'en when the S"ear4Head was hidden. As soon as
Tirian saw that she was the #est "athfinder of the three of the( he "!t her in
front. And then he was astonished to find how silently and al(ost in'isi#ly she
&lided on #efore the(.
.By the *ane0. he whis"ered to E!sta%e. .This &irl is a wondro!s wood4(aid. If
she had Dryad,s #lood in her she %o!ld s%ar%e do it #etter..
.She,s so s(all that,s what hel"s. whis"ered E!sta%e. B!t 3ill fro( in front
said7 .S4s4s4h less noise..
All ro!nd the( the wood was 'ery /!iet. Indeed it was far too /!iet. On an
ordinary Narnia ni&ht there o!&ht to ha'e #een noises 4 an o%%asional %heery
.9oodni&ht. fro( a Hed&eho& the %ry of an Owl o'erhead "erha"s a fl!te in the
distan%e to tell of 8a!ns dan%in& or so(e thro##in& ha((erin& noises fro(
Dwarfs !nder&ro!nd. All that was silen%ed7 &loo( and fear rei&ned o'er Narnia.
After a ti(e they #e&an to &o stee"ly !"hill and the trees &rew f!rther a"art.
Tirian %o!ld di(ly (a)e o!t the well)nown hill4to" and the sta#le. 3ill was now
&oin& with (ore and (ore %a!tion7 she )e"t on (a)in& si&ns to the others with
her hand to do the sa(e. Then she sto""ed dead still and Tirian saw her
&rad!ally sin) down into the &rass and disa""ear witho!t a so!nd. A (o(ent later
she rose a&ain "!t her (o!th %lose to Tirian,s ear and said in the lowest
"ossi#le whis"er .9et down. Thee #etter.. She said thee for see not #e%a!se she
had a lis" #!t #e%a!se she )new the hissin& letter S is the "art of a whis"er
(ost li)ely to #e o'erheard. Tirian at on%e lay down al(ost as silently as
3ill #!t not /!ite for he was hea'ier and older. And on%e they were down he
saw how fro( that "osition yo! %o!ld see the ed&e of the hill shar" a&ainst the
star4strewn s)y. Two #la%) sha"es rose a&ainst it7 one was the sta#le and the
other a few feet in front of it was a Calor(ene sentry. He was )ee"in& 'ery
ill wat%h7 not wal)in& or e'en standin& #!t sittin& with his s"ear o'er his
sho!lder and his %hin on his %hest. .$ell done. said Tirian to 3ill. She had
shown hi( e<a%tly what he needed to )now.
They &ot !" and Tirian now too) the lead. 5ery slowly hardly darin& to #reathe
they (ade their way !" to a little %l!(" of trees whi%h was not (ore than forty
feet away fro( the sentinel.
.$ait here till I %o(e a&ain. he whis"ered to the other two. .If I (is%arry
fly.. Then he sa!ntered o!t #oldly in f!ll 'iew of the ene(y. The (an started
when he saw hi( and was 2!st &oin& to 2!(" to his feet7 he was afraid Tirian
(i&ht #e one of his own offi%ers and that he wo!ld &et into tro!#le for sittin&
down. B!t #efore he %o!ld &et !" Tirian had dro""ed on one )nee #eside hi(
sayin&7
.Art tho! a warrior of the Tisro%,s (ay he li'e for e'er1 It %heers (y heart to
(eet thee a(on& all these #easts and de'ils of Narnians. 9i'e (e thy hand
friend..
Before he well )new what was ha""enin& the Calor(ene sentry fo!nd his ri&ht hand
sei+ed in a (i&hty &ri". Ne<t instant so(eone was )neelin& on his le&s and a
da&&er was "ressed a&ainst his ne%).
.One noise and tho! art dead. said Tirian in his ear. .Tell (e where the
>ni%orn is and tho! shalt li'e..
.B 4 #ehind the sta#le O *y *aster. sta((ered the !nfort!nate (an.
.9ood. Rise !" and lead (e to hi(..
As the (an &ot !" the "oint of the da&&er ne'er left his ne%). It only tra'elled
ro!nd :%old and rather ti%)lish; as Tirian &ot #ehind hi( and settled it at a
%on'enient "la%e !nder his ear. Tre(#lin& he went ro!nd to the #a%) of the
sta#le.
Tho!&h it was dar) Tirian %o!ld see the white sha"e of 3ewel at on%e.
.H!sh0. he said. .No do not nei&h. Yes 3ewel it is I. How ha'e they tied
thee1.
.Ho##led #y all fo!r le&s and tied with a #ridle to a rin& in the sta#le wall.
%a(e 3ewel,s 'oi%e.
.Stand here sentry with yo!r #a%) to the wall. So. Now 3ewel7 set the "oint
of yo!r horn a&ainst this Calor(ene,s #reast..
.$ith a &ood will Sire. said 3ewel.
.If he (o'es ri'e hi( to the heart.. Then in a few se%onds Tirian %!t the
ro"es. $ith the re(ains of the( he #o!nd the sentry hand and foot. 8inally he
(ade hi( o"en his (o!th st!ffed it f!ll of &rass and tied hi( !" fro( s%al" to
%hin so that he %o!ld (a)e no noise lowered the (an into a sittin& "osition and
set hi( a&ainst the wall.
.I ha'e done thee so(e dis%o!rtesy soldier. said Tirian. .B!t s!%h was (y
need. If we (eet a&ain I (ay ha""en to do thee a #etter t!rn. Now 3ewel let !s
&o softly..
He "!t his left ar( ro!nd the #east,s ne%) and #ent and )issed its nose and #oth
had &reat 2oy. They went #a%) as /!ietly as "ossi#le to the "la%e where he had
left the %hildren. It was dar)er in there !nder the trees and he nearly ran into
E!sta%e #efore he saw hi(.
.All,s well. whis"ered Tirian. .A &ood ni&ht,s wor). Now for ho(e..
They t!rned and had &one a few "a%es when E!sta%e said .$here are yo! Pole1.
There was no answer. .Is 3ill on the other side of yo! Sire1. he as)ed.
.$hat1. said Tirian. .Is she not on the other side of yo!r.
It was a terri#le (o(ent. They dared not sho!t #!t they whis"ered her na(e in
the lo!dest whis"er they %o!ld (ana&e. There was no re"ly.
.Did she &o fro( yo! while I was away1. as)ed Tirian.
.I didn,t see or hear her &o. said E!sta%e. .B!t she %o!ld ha'e &one witho!t (y
)nowin&. She %an #e as /!iet as a %at- yo!,'e seen for yo!rself..
At that (o(ent a far off dr!( #eat was heard. 3ewel (o'ed his ears forward.
.Dwarfs. he said.
.And trea%hero!s Dwarfs ene(ies as li)ely as not. (!ttered Tirian.
.And here %o(es so(ethin& on hoofs (!%h nearer. said 3ewel.
The two h!(ans and the >ni%orn stood dead still. There were now so (any
different thin&s to worry a#o!t that they didn,t )now what to do. The noise of
hoofs %a(e steadily nearer. And then /!ite %lose to the( a 'oi%e whis"ered7
.Hallo0 Are yo! all there1.
Than) hea'en it was 3ill,s.
.$here the de'il ha'e yo! #een to1. said E!sta%e in a f!rio!s whis"er for he
had #een 'ery fri&htened.
.In the sta#le. &as"ed 3ill #!t it was the sort of &as" yo! &i'e when yo!,re
str!&&lin& with s!""ressed la!&hter.
.Oh. &rowled E!sta%e .yo! thin) it f!nny do yo!1 $ell all I %an say is 4.
.Ha'e yo! &ot 3ewel Sire1. as)ed 3ill.
.Yes. Here he is. $hat is that #east with yo!1.
.That,s hi(. said 3ill. .B!t let,s #e off ho(e #efore anyone wa)es !".. And
a&ain there %a(e little e<"losions of la!&hter.
The others o#eyed at on%e for they had already lin&ered lon& eno!&h in that
dan&ero!s "la%e and the Dwarf dr!(s see(ed to ha'e %o(e a little nearer. It was
only after they had #een wal)in& So!thward for se'eral (in!tes that E!sta%e
said7
.9ot hi(1 $hat do yo! (ean1.
.The false Aslan. said 3ill.
.$hat1. said Tirian. .$here ha'e yo! #een1 $hat ha'e yo! done1.
.$ell Sire. said 3ill. .As soon as I saw that yo!,d &ot the sentry o!t of the
way I tho!&ht hadn,t I #etter ha'e a loo) inside the sta#le and see what really
is there1 So I %rawled alon&. It was as easy as anythin& to draw the #olt.
Of %o!rse it was "it%h #la%) inside and s(elled li)e any other sta#le. Then I
str!%) a li&ht and 4 wo!ld yo! #elie'e it1 4 there was nothin& at all there #!t
this old don)ey with a #!ndle of lion4s)in tied on to his #a%). So I drew (y
)nife and told hi( he,d ha'e to %o(e alon& with (e. As a (atter of fa%t I
needn,t ha'e threatened hi( with the )nife at all. He was 'ery fed !" with the
sta#le and /!ite ready to %o(e 4 weren,t yo! P!++le dear1.
.9reat S%ott0. said E!sta%e. .$ell I,( 4 2i&&ered. I was 2olly an&ry with yo! a
(o(ent a&o and I still thin) it was (ean of yo! to snea) off witho!t the rest
of !s7 #!t I (!st ad(it 4 well I (ean to say 4 well it was a "erfe%tly &or&eo!s
thin& to do. If she was a #oy she,d ha'e to #e )ni&hted wo!ldn,t she Sire1.
.If she was a #oy. said Tirian .she,d #e whi""ed for diso#eyin& orders.. And
in the dar) no one %o!ld see whether he said this with a frown or a s(ile. Ne<t
(in!te there was a so!nd of ras"in& (etal.
.$hat are yo! doin& Sire1. as)ed 3ewel shar"ly.
.Drawin& (y sword to s(ite off the head of the a%%!rsed Ass. said Tirian in a
terri#le 'oi%e. .Stand %lear &irl..
.Oh don,t "lease don,t. said 3ill. .Really yo! (!stn,t. It wasn,t his fa!lt.
It was all the A"e. He didn,t )now any #etter. And he,s 'ery sorry. And he,s a
ni%e Don)ey. His na(e,s P!++le. And I,'e &ot (y ar(s ro!nd his ne%)..
.3ill. said Tirian .yo! are the #ra'est and (ost woodwise of all (y s!#2e%ts
#!t also the (ost (ala"ert and diso#edient. $ell7 let the Ass li'e. $hat ha'e
yo! to say for yo!rself Ass1.
.*e Sire1. %a(e the Don)ey,s 'oi%e. .I,( s!re I,( 'ery sorry if I,'e done
wron&. The A"e said Aslan wanted (e to dress !" li)e that. And I tho!&ht he,d
)now. I,( not %le'er li)e hi(. I only did what I was told. It wasn,t any f!n for
(e li'in& in that sta#le. I don,t e'en )now what,s #een &oin& on o!tside. He
ne'er let (e o!t e<%e"t for a (in!te or two at ni&ht. So(e days they for&ot to
&i'e (e any water too..
.Sire. said 3ewel. .Those Dwarfs are %o(in& nearer and nearer. Do we want to
(eet the(1.
Tirian tho!&ht for a (o(ent and then s!ddenly &a'e a &reat la!&h o!t lo!d. Then
he s"o)e not this ti(e in a whis"er. .By the Lion. he said .I a( &rowin& slow
witted0 *eet the(1 Certainly we will (eet the(. $e will (eet anyone now. $e ha'e
this Ass to show the(. Let the( see the thin& they ha'e feared and #owed to. $e
%an show the( the tr!th of the A"e,s 'ile "lot. His se%ret,s o!t. The tide,s
t!rned. To(orrow we shall han& that A"e on the hi&hest tree in Narnia. No (ore
whis"erin& and s)!l)in& and dis&!ises. $here are these honest Dwarfs1 $e ha'e
&ood news for the(..
$hen yo! ha'e #een whis"erin& for ho!rs the (ere so!nd of anyone tal)in& o!t
lo!d has a wonderf!lly stirrin& effe%t. The whole "arty #e&an tal)in& and
la!&hin&7 e'en P!++le lifted !" his head and &a'e a &rand Haw4hee4haw4hee4hee- a
thin& the A"e hadn,t allowed hi( to do for days. Then they set off in the
dire%tion of the dr!((in&. It &rew steadily lo!der and soon they %o!ld see
tor%hli&ht as well. They %a(e o!t on one of those ro!&h roads :we sho!ld hardly
%all the( roads at all in En&land; whi%h ran thro!&h Lantern $aste. And there
(ar%hin& st!rdily alon& were a#o!t thirty Dwarfs all with their little s"ades
and (atto%)s o'er their sho!lders. Two ar(ed Calor(enes led the %ol!(n and two
(ore #ro!&ht !" the rear.
.Stay0. th!ndered Tirian as he ste""ed o!t on the road. .Stay soldiers. $hither
do yo! lead these Narnian Dwarfs and #y whose orders1.
CHAPTER SE5EN
*AINLY ABO>T D$AR8S
THE two Calor(ene soldiers at the head of the %ol!(n seein& what they too) for
a Tar)aan or &reat lord with two ar(ed "a&es %a(e to a halt and raised their
s"ears in sal!te.
.O *y *aster. said one of the( .we lead these (ani)ins to Calor(en to wor) in
the (ines of The Tisro% (ay4he4li'e4fore'er. .
.By the &reat &od Tash they are 'ery o#edient. said Tirian. Then s!ddenly he
t!rned to the Dwarfs the(sel'es. A#o!t one in si< of the( %arried a tor%h and #y
that fli%)erin& li&ht he %o!ld see their #earded fa%es all loo)in& at hi( with
&ri( and do&&ed e<"ressions. .Has The Tisro% fo!&ht a &reat #attle Dwarfs and
%on/!ered yo!r land1. he as)ed .that th!s yo! &o "atiently to die in the salt4
"its of P!&rahan1.
The two soldiers &lared at hi( in s!r"rise #!t the Dwarfs all answered .Aslan,s
orders Aslan,s orders. He,s sold !s. $hat %an we do a&ainst hi(1.
.Tisro% indeed0. added one and s"at. .I,d li)e to see hi( try it0.
.Silen%e do&s0. said the %hief soldier.
.Loo)0. said Tirian "!llin& P!++le forward into the li&ht. .It has all #een a
lie. Aslan has not %o(e to Narnia at all. Yo! ha'e #een %heated #y the A"e. This
is the thin& he #ro!&ht o!t of the sta#le to show yo!. Loo) at it..
$hat the Dwarfs saw now that they %o!ld see it %lose was %ertainly eno!&h to
(a)e the( wonder how they had e'er #een ta)en in. The lion4s)in had &ot "retty
!ntidy already d!rin& P!++le,s i("rison(ent in the sta#le and it had #een
)no%)ed %roo)ed d!rin& his 2o!rney thro!&h the dar) wood. *ost of it was in a
#i& l!(" on one sho!lder. The head #esides #ein& "!shed sideways had so(ehow
&ot 'ery far #a%) so that anyone %o!ld now see his silly &entle don)eyish fa%e
&a+in& o!t of it. So(e &rass st!%) o!t of one %orner of his (o!th for he,d #een
doin& a little /!iet ni##lin& as they #ro!&ht hi( alon&. And he was (!tterin&
.It wasn,t (y fa!lt I,( not %le'er. I ne'er said I was..
8or one se%ond all the Dwarfs were starin& at P!++le with wide o"en (o!ths and
then one of the soldiers said shar"ly .Are yo! (ad *y *aster1 $hat are yo!
doin& to the sla'es1. and the other said .And who are yo!1. Neither of their
s"ears was at the sal!te now 4 #oth were down and ready for a%tion.
.9i'e the "assword. said the %hief soldier.
.This is (y "assword. said the =in& as he drew his sword. .The li&ht is
dawnin& the lie #ro)en. Now &!ard thee (is%reant for I a( Tirian of Narnia..
He flew !"on the %hief soldier li)e li&htnin&. E!sta%e who had drawn his sword
when he saw the =in& draw his r!shed at the other one7 his fa%e was deadly
"ale #!t I wo!ldn,t #la(e hi( for that. And he had the l!%) that #e&inners
so(eti(es do ha'e. He for&ot all that Tirian had tried to tea%h hi( that
afternoon slashed wildly :indeed I,( not s!re his eyes weren,t sh!t; and
s!ddenly fo!nd to his own &reat s!r"rise that the Calor(ene lay dead at his
feet. And tho!&h that was a &reat relief it was at the (o(ent rather
fri&htenin&. The =in&,s fi&ht lasted a se%ond or two lon&er7 then he too had
)illed his (an and sho!ted to E!sta%e .,$are the other two..
B!t the Dwarfs had settled the two re(ainin& Calor(enes. There was no ene(y
left.
.$ell str!%) E!sta%e0. %ried Tirian %la""in& hi( on the #a%). .Now Dwarfs
yo! are free. To(orrow I will lead yo! to free all Narnia. Three %heers for
Aslan0.
B!t the res!lt whi%h followed was si("ly wret%hed. There was a fee#le atte("t
fro( a few Dwarfs :a#o!t fi'e; whi%h died away all at on%e7 fro( se'eral others
there were s!l)y &rowls. *any said nothin& at all.
.Don,t they !nderstand1. said 3ill i("atiently. .$hat,s wron& with all yo!
Dwarfs1 Don,t yo! hear what the =in& says1 It,s all o'er. The A"e isn,t &oin& to
r!le Narnia any lon&er. E'eryone %an &o #a%) to ordinary life. Yo! %an ha'e f!n
a&ain. Aren,t yo! &lad1.
After a "a!se of nearly a (in!te a not4'ery4ni%e4loo)in& Dwarf with hair and
#eard as #la%) as soot said7 .And who (i&ht yo! #e *issie1.
.I,( 3ill. she said. .The sa(e 3ill who res%!ed =in& Rilian fro( the
en%hant(ent and this is E!sta%e who did it too 4 and we,'e %o(e #a%) fro(
another world after h!ndreds of years. Aslan sent !s..
The Dwarfs all loo)ed at one another with &rins- sneerin& &rins not (erry ones.
.$ell. said the Bla%) Dwarf :whose na(e was 9riffle; .I don,t )now how all yo!
%ha"s feel #!t I feel I,'e heard as (!%h a#o!t Aslan as I want to for the rest
of (y life..
.That,s ri&ht that,s ri&ht. &rowled the other Dwarfs. .It,s all a "lant all a
#loo(in& "lant..
.$hat do yo! (ean1. said Tirian. He had not #een "ale when he was fi&htin& #!t
he was "ale now. He had tho!&ht this was &oin& to #e a #ea!tif!l (o(ent #!t it
was t!rnin& o!t (ore li)e a #ad drea(.
.Yo! (!st thin) we,re #loo(in& soft in the head that yo! (!st. said 9riffle.
.$e,'e #een ta)en in on%e and now yo! e<"e%t !s to #e ta)en in a&ain the ne<t
(in!te. $e,'e no (ore !se for stories a#o!t Aslan see0 Loo) at hi(0 An old (o)e
with lon& ears0.
.By hea'en yo! (a)e (e (ad. said Tirian. .$hi%h of !s said that was Aslan1
That is the A"e,s i(itation of the real Aslan. Can,t yo! !nderstand1.
.And yo!,'e &ot a #etter i(itation I s!""ose0. said 9riffle. .No than)s. $e,'e
#een fooled on%e and we,re not &oin& to #e fooled a&ain..
.I ha'e not. said Tirian an&rily .I ser'e the real Aslan..
.$here,s he1 $ho,s he1 Show hi( to !s0. said se'eral Dwarfs.
.Do yo! thin) I )ee" hi( in (y wallet fools1. said Tirian. .$ho a( I that I
%o!ld (a)e Aslan a""ear at (y #iddin&1 He,s not a ta(e lion..
The (o(ent those words were o!t of his (o!th he reali+ed that he had (ade a
false (o'e. The Dwarfs at on%e #e&an re"eatin& .not a ta(e lion not a ta(e
lion. in a 2eerin& sin&4son&. .That,s what the other lot )e"t on tellin& !s.
said one.
.Do yo! (ean yo! don,t #elie'e in the real Aslan1. said 3ill. .B!t I,'e seen
hi(. And he has sent !s two here o!t of a different world..
.Ah. said 9riffle with a #road s(ile. .So yo! say. They,'e ta!&ht yo! yo!r
st!ff all ri&ht. Sayin& yo!r lessons ain,t yo!1.
.Ch!rl. %ried Tirian .will yo! &i'e a lady the lie to her 'ery fa%e1.
.Yo! )ee" a %i'il ton&!e in yo!r head *ister. re"lied the Dwarf. .I don,t
thin) we want any (ore =in&s 4 if yo! are Tirian whi%h yo! don,t loo) li)e hi(
4 no (ore than we want any Aslans. $e,re &oin& to loo) after o!rsel'es fro( now
on and to!%h o!r %a"s to no#ody. See1.
.That,s ri&ht. said the other Dwarfs. .$e,re on o!r own now. No (ore Aslan no
(ore =in&s no (ore silly stories a#o!t other worlds. The Dwarfs are for the
Dwarfs.. And they #e&an to fall into their "la%es and to &et ready for (ar%hin&
#a%) to where'er they had %o(e fro(.
.Little #easts0. said E!sta%e. .Aren,t yo! e'en &oin& to say than) yo! for #ein&
sa'ed fro( the salt4(ines1.
.Oh we )now all a#o!t that. said 9riffle o'er his sho!lder. .Yo! wanted to
(a)e !se of !s that,s why yo! res%!ed !s. Yo!,re "layin& so(e &a(e of yo!r own.
Co(e on yo! %ha"s..
And the Dwarfs str!%) !" the /!eer little (ar%hin& son& whi%h &oes with the
dr!(4#eat and off they tra("ed into the dar)ness.
Tirian and his friends stared after the(. Then he said the sin&le word .Co(e.
and they %ontin!ed their 2o!rney.
They were a silent "arty. P!++le felt hi(self to #e still in dis&ra%e and also
he didn,t really /!ite !nderstand what had ha""ened. 3ill #esides #ein&
dis&!sted with the Dwarfs was 'ery i("ressed with E!sta%e,s 'i%tory o'er the
Calor(ene and felt al(ost shy. As for E!sta%e his heart was still #eatin&
rather /!i%)ly. Tirian and 3ewel wal)ed sadly to&ether in the rear. The =in& had
his ar( on the >ni%orn,s sho!lder and so(eti(es the >ni%orn n!++led the =in&,s
%hee) with his soft nose. They did not try to %o(fort one another with words. It
wasn,t 'ery easy to thin) of anythin& to say that wo!ld #e %o(fortin&. Tirian
had ne'er drea(ed that one of the res!lts of an A"e,s settin& !" as a false
Aslan wo!ld #e to sto" "eo"le fro( #elie'in& in the real one. He had felt /!ite
s!re that the Dwarfs wo!ld rally to his side the (o(ent he showed the( how they
had #een de%ei'ed. And then ne<t ni&ht he wo!ld ha'e led the( to Sta#le Hill and
shown P!++le to all the %reat!res and e'eryone wo!ld ha'e t!rned a&ainst the A"e
and "erha"s after a s%!ffle with the Calor(enes the whole thin& wo!ld ha'e
#een o'er. B!t now it see(ed he %o!ld %o!nt on nothin&. How (any other
Narnians (i&ht t!rn the sa(e way as the Dwarfs1
.So(e#ody,s %o(in& after !s I thin). said P!++le s!ddenly.
They sto""ed and listened. S!re eno!&h there was a th!("4th!(" of s(all feet
#ehind the(.
.$ho &oes there0. sho!ted the =in&.
.Only (e Sire. %a(e a 'oi%e. .*e Po&&in the Dwarf. I,'e only 2!st (ana&ed to
&et away fro( the others. I,( on yo!r side Sire7 and on Aslan,s. If yo! %an "!t
a Dwarfish sword in (y fist I,d &ladly stri)e a #low on the ri&ht side #efore
all,s done..
E'eryone %rowded ro!nd hi( and wel%o(ed hi( and "raised hi( and sla""ed hi( on
the #a%). Of %o!rse one sin&le Dwarf %o!ld not (a)e a 'ery &reat differen%e #!t
it was so(ehow 'ery %heerin& to ha'e e'en one. The whole "arty #ri&htened !".
B!t 3ill and E!sta%e didn,t stay #ri&ht for 'ery lon& for they were now yawnin&
their heads off and too tired to thin) a#o!t anythin& #!t #ed.
It was at the %oldest ho!r of the ni&ht 2!st #efore dawn that they &ot #a%) to
the Tower. If there had #een a (eal ready for the( they wo!ld ha'e #een &lad
eno!&h to eat #!t the #other and delay of &ettin& one was not to #e tho!&ht of.
They dran) fro( a strea( s"lashed their fa%es with water and t!(#led into
their #!n)s e<%e"t for P!++le and 3ewel who said they,d #e (ore %o(forta#le
o!tside. This "erha"s was 2!st as well for a >ni%orn and a fat f!ll4&rown
Don)ey indoors always (a)e a roo( feel rather %rowded.
Narnian Dwarfs tho!&h less than fo!r feet hi&h are for their si+e a#o!t the
to!&hest and stron&est %reat!res there are so that Po&&in in s"ite of a hea'y
day and a late ni&ht wo)e f!lly refreshed #efore any of the others. He at on%e
too) 3ill,s #ow went o!t and shot a %o!"le of wood "i&eons. Then he sat
"l!%)in& the( on the doorste" and %hattin& to 3ewel and P!++le. P!++le loo)ed
and felt a &ood deal #etter this (ornin&. 3ewel #ein& a >ni%orn and therefore
one of the no#lest and deli%atest of #easts had #een 'ery )ind to hi( tal)in&
to hi( a#o!t thin&s of the sort they %o!ld #oth !nderstand li)e &rass and s!&ar
and the %are of one,s hoofs. $hen 3ill and E!sta%e %a(e o!t of the Tower yawnin&
and r!##in& their eyes at al(ost half "ast ten the Dwarf showed the( where they
%o!ld &ather "lenty of a Narnian weed %alled $ild 8resney whi%h loo)s rather
li)e o!r wood4sorrel #!t tastes a &ood deal ni%er when %oo)ed. :It needs a
little #!tter and "e""er to (a)e it "erfe%t #!t they hadn,t &ot these.; So that
what with one thin& and another they had the (a)in&s of a %a"ital stew for
their #rea)fast or dinner whi%he'er yo! %hoose to %all it. Tirian went a little
f!rther off into the wood with an a<e and #ro!&ht #a%) so(e #ran%hes for f!el.
$hile the (eal was %oo)in& 4 whi%h see(ed a 'ery lon& ti(e es"e%ially as it
s(elled ni%er and ni%er the nearer it %a(e to #ein& done 4 the =in& fo!nd a
%o("lete Dwarfish o!tfit for Po&&in7 (ail shirt hel(et shield sword #elt
and da&&er. Then he ins"e%ted E!sta%e,s sword and fo!nd that E!sta%e had "!t it
#a%) in the sheath all (essy fro( )illin& the Calor(ene. He was s%olded for that
and (ade to %lean and "olish it.
All this while 3ill went to and fro so(eti(es stirrin& the "ot and so(eti(es
loo)in& o!t en'io!sly at the Don)ey and the >ni%orn who were %ontentedly
&ra+in&. How (any ti(es that (ornin& she wished she %o!ld eat &rass0
B!t when the (eal %a(e e'eryone felt it had #een worth waitin& for and there
were se%ond hel"in&s all ro!nd. $hen e'eryone had eaten as (!%h as he %o!ld the
three h!(ans and the Dwarf %a(e and sat on the doorste" the fo!r4footed ones
lay down fa%in& the( the Dwarf :with "er(ission #oth fro( 3ill and fro( Tirian;
lit his "i"e and the =in& said7
.Now friend Po&&in yo! ha'e (ore news of the ene(y #eli)e than we. Tell !s
all yo! )now. And first what tale do they tell of (y es%a"e1.
.As %!nnin& a tale Sire as e'er was de'ised. said Po&&in. .It was the Cat
9in&er who told it and (ost li)ely (ade it !" too. This 9in&er Sire 4 oh
he,s a sly#oots if e'er a %at was 4 said he was wal)in& "ast the tree to whi%h
those 'illains #o!nd yo!r *a2esty. And he said :sa'in& yo!r re'eren%e; that yo!
were howlin& and swearin& and %!rsin& Aslan7 @lan&!a&e I wo!ldn,t li)e to
re"eat, were the words he !sed loo)in& e'er so "ri( and "ro"er yo! )now the way
a Cat %an when it "leases. And then says 9in&er Aslan hi(self s!ddenly
a""eared in a flash of li&htnin& and swallowed yo!r *a2esty !" at one (o!thf!l.
All the Beasts tre(#led at this story and so(e fainted ri&ht away. And of %o!rse
the A"e followed it !". There he says see what Aslan does to those who don,t
res"e%t hi(. Let that #e a warnin& to yo! all. And the "oor %reat!res wailed and
whined and said it will it will. So that in the !"shot yo!r *a2esty,s es%a"e
has not set the( thin)in& whether yo! still ha'e loyal friends to aid yo! #!t
only (ade the( (ore afraid and (ore o#edient to the A"e..
.$hat de'ilish "oli%y0. said Tirian. .This 9in&er then is %lose in the A"e,s
%o!nsels..
.It,s (ore a /!estion #y now Sire if the A"e is in his %o!nsels. re"lied the
Dwarf. .The A"e has ta)en to drin)in& yo! see. *y #elief is that the "lot is
now (ostly %arried on #y 9in&er or Rishda 4 that,s the Calor(ene %a"tain. And I
thin) so(e words that 9in&er has s%attered a(on& the Dwarfs are %hiefly to #la(e
for the s%!r'y ret!rn they (ade yo!. And I,ll tell yo! why. One of those
dreadf!l (idni&ht (eetin&s had 2!st #ro)en !" the ni&ht #efore last and I,d &one
a #it of the way ho(e when I fo!nd I,d left (y "i"e #ehind. It was a real &ood
,!n an old fa'o!rite so I went #a%) to loo) for it. B!t #efore I &ot to the
"la%e where I,d #een sittin& :it was #la%) as "it%h there; I heard a %at,s 'oi%e
say *ew and a Calor(ene 'oi%e say @here . . . s"ea) softly, so I 2!st stood as
still as if I was fro+en. And these two were 9in&er and Rishda Tar)aan as they
%all hi(. @No#le Tar)aan, said the Cat in that sil)y 'oi%e of his @I 2!st
wanted to )now e<a%tly what we #oth (eant today a#o!t Aslan (eanin& no (ore than
Tash., @Do!#tless (ost sa&a%io!s of %ats, says the other @yo! ha'e "er%ei'ed
(y (eanin&., @Yo! (ean, says 9in&er @that there,s no s!%h "erson as either..
.All who are enli&htened )now that, said the Tar)aan. @Then we %an !nderstand
one another, "!rrs the Cat. @Do yo! li)e (e &row a little weary of the A"e1,
@A st!"id &reedy #r!te, says the other @#!t we (!st !se hi( for the "resent.
Tho! and I (!st "ro'ide for all thin&s in se%ret and (a)e the A"e do o!r will.,
@And it wo!ld #e #etter wo!ldn,t it, said 9in&er @to let so(e of the (ore
enli&htened Narnians into o!r %o!nsels7 one #y one as we find the( a"t. 8or the
Beasts who really #elie'e in Aslan (ay t!rn at any (o(ent7 and will if the
A"e,s folly #etrays his se%ret. B!t those who %are neither for Tash nor Aslan
#!t ha'e only an eye to their own "rofit and s!%h reward as The Tisro% (ay &i'e
the( when Narnia is a Calor(ene "ro'in%e will #e fir(., @E<%ellent Cat, said
the Ca"tain. @B!t %hoose whi%h ones %aref!lly..,
$hile the Dwarf had #een s"ea)in& the day see(ed to ha'e %han&ed. It had #een
s!nny when they sat down. Now P!++le shi'ered. 3ewel shifted his head !neasily.
3ill loo)ed !".
.It,s %lo!din& o'er. she said.
.And it,s so %old. said P!++le.
.Cold eno!&h #y the Lion0. said Tirian #lowin& on his hands. .And fa!&h0 $hat
fo!l s(ell is this1.
.Phew0. &as"ed E!sta%e. .It,s li)e so(ethin& dead. Is there a dead #ird
so(ewhere a#o!t1 And why didn,t we noti%e it #efore1.
$ith a &reat !"hea'al 3ewel s%ra(#led to his feet and "ointed with his horn.
.Loo)0. he %ried. .Loo) at it0 Loo) loo)0.
Then all si< of the( saw- and o'er all their fa%es there %a(e an e<"ression of
!tter(ost dis(ay.
CHAPTER EI9HT
$HAT NE$S THE EA9LE BRO>9HT
IN the shadow of the trees on the far side of the %learin& so(ethin& was (o'in&.
It was &lidin& 'ery slowly Northward. At a first &lan%e yo! (i&ht ha'e (ista)en
it for s(o)e for it was &rey and yo! %o!ld see thin&s thro!&h it. B!t the
deathly s(ell was not the s(ell of s(o)e. Also this thin& )e"t its sha"e
instead of #illowin& and %!rlin& as s(o)e wo!ld ha'e done. It was ro!&hly the
sha"e of a (an #!t it had the head of a #ird- so(e #ird of "rey with a %r!el
%!r'ed #ea). It had fo!r ar(s whi%h it held hi&h a#o'e its head stret%hin& the(
o!t Northward as if it wanted to snat%h all Narnia in its &ri"- and its fin&ers
4 all twenty of the( 4 were %!r'ed li)e its #ea) and had lon& "ointed #ird4
li)e %laws instead of nails. It floated on the &rass instead of wal)in& and the
&rass see(ed to wither #eneath it.
After one loo) at it P!++le &a'e a s%rea(in& #ray and darted into the Tower. And
3ill :who was no %oward as yo! )now; hid her fa%e in her hands to sh!t o!t the
si&ht of it. The others wat%hed it for "erha"s a (in!te !ntil it strea(ed away
into the thi%)er trees on their ri&ht and disa""eared. Then the s!n %a(e o!t
a&ain and the #irds on%e (ore #e&an to sin&.
E'eryone started #reathin& "ro"erly a&ain and (o'ed. They had all #een still as
stat!es while it was in si&ht.
.$hat was it1. said E!sta%e in a whis"er.
.I ha'e seen it on%e #efore. said Tirian. .B!t that ti(e it was %ar'ed in stone
and o'erlaid with &old and had solid dia(onds for eyes. It was when I was no
older than tho! and had &one as a &!est to The Tisro%,s %o!rt in Tash#aan.
He too) (e into the &reat te("le of Tash. There I saw it %ar'ed a#o'e the
altar..
.Then that 4 that thin& 4 was Tash1. said E!sta%e.
B!t instead of answerin& hi( Tirian sli""ed his ar( #ehind 3ill,s sho!lders and
said .How is it with yo! Lady1.
.A4all ri&ht. said 3ill ta)in& her hands away fro( her "ale fa%e and tryin& to
s(ile. .I,( all ri&ht. It only (ade (e feel a little si%) for a (o(ent..
.It see(s then. said the >ni%orn .that there is a real Tash after all..
.Yes. said the Dwarf. .And this fool of an A"e who didn,t #elie'e in Tash
will &et (ore than he #ar&ained for0 He %alled for Tash7 Tash has %o(e..
.$here has it 4 he 4 the Thin& 4 &one to1. said 3ill.
.North into the heart of Narnia. said Tirian. .It has %o(e to dwell a(on& !s.
They ha'e %alled it and it has %o(e..
.Ho ho ho0. %h!%)led the Dwarf r!##in& his hairy hands to&ether. .It will #e
a s!r"rise for the A"e. Peo"le sho!ldn,t %all for de(ons !nless they really (ean
what they say..
.$ho )nows if Tash will #e 'isi#le to the A"e1. said 3ewel.
.$here has P!++le &ot to1. said E!sta%e.
They all sho!ted o!t P!++le,s na(e and 3ill went ro!nd to the other side of the
Tower to see if he had &one there.
They were /!ite tired of loo)in& for hi( when at last his lar&e &rey head "eered
%a!tio!sly o!t of the doorway and he said .Has it &one away1. And when at last
they &ot hi( to %o(e o!t he was shi'erin& the way a do& shi'ers #efore a
th!nderstor(.
.I see now. said P!++le .that I really ha'e #een a 'ery #ad don)ey. I o!&ht
ne'er to ha'e listened to Shift. I ne'er tho!&ht thin&s li)e this wo!ld #e&in to
ha""en..
.If yo!,d s"ent less ti(e sayin& yo! weren,t %le'er and (ore ti(e tryin& to #e
as %le'er as yo! %o!ld 4. #e&an E!sta%e #!t 3ill interr!"ted hi(.
.Oh lea'e "oor old P!++le alone. she said. .It was all a (ista)e- wasn,t it
P!++le dear1. And she )issed hi( on the nose.
Tho!&h rather sha)en #y what they had seen the whole "arty now sat down a&ain
and went on with their tal).
3ewel had little to tell the(. $hile he was a "risoner he had s"ent nearly all
his ti(e tied !" at the #a%) of the sta#le and had of %o!rse heard none of the
ene(ies, "lans. He had #een )i%)ed :he,d done so(e )i%)in& #a%) too; and #eaten
and threatened with death !nless he wo!ld say that he #elie'ed it was Aslan who
was #ro!&ht o!t and shown to the( #y fireli&ht e'ery ni&ht. In fa%t he was &oin&
to #e e<e%!ted this 'ery (ornin& if he had not #een res%!ed. He didn,t )now what
had ha""ened to the La(#.
The /!estion they had to de%ide was whether they wo!ld &o to Sta#le Hill a&ain
that ni&ht show P!++le to the Narnians and try to (a)e the( see how they had
#een tri%)ed or whether they sho!ld steal away Eastward to (eet the hel" whi%h
Roonwit the Centa!r was #rin&in& !" fro( Cair Para'el and ret!rn a&ainst the A"e
and his Calor(enes in for%e. Tirian wo!ld 'ery (!%h li)e to ha'e followed the
first "lan7 he hated the idea of lea'in& the A"e to #!lly his "eo"le one (o(ent
lon&er than need #e. On the other hand the way the Dwarfs had #eha'ed last
ni&ht was a warnin&. A""arently one %o!ldn,t #e s!re how "eo"le wo!ld ta)e it
e'en if he showed the( P!++le. And there were the Calor(ene soldiers to #e
re%)oned with. Po&&in tho!&ht there were a#o!t thirty of the(. Tirian felt s!re
that if the Narnians all rallied to his side he and 3ewel and the %hildren and
Po&&in :P!++le didn,t %o!nt for (!%h; wo!ld ha'e a &ood %han%e of #eatin& the(.
B!t how if half the Narnians 4 in%l!din& all the Dwarfs 4 2!st sat and loo)ed
on1 or e'en fo!&ht a&ainst hi(1 The ris) was too &reat. And there was too the
%lo!dy sha"e of Tash. $hat (i&ht it do1
And then as Po&&in "ointed o!t there was no har( in lea'in& the A"e to deal
with his own diffi%!lties for a day or two. He wo!ld ha'e no P!++le to #rin& o!t
and show now. It wasn,t easy to see what story he 4 or 9in&er %o!ld (a)e !" to
e<"lain that. If the Beasts as)ed ni&ht after ni&ht to see Aslan and no Aslan
was #ro!&ht o!t s!rely e'en the si("lest of the( wo!ld &et s!s"i%io!s.
In the end they all a&reed that the #est thin& was to &o off and try to (eet
Roonwit.
As soon as they had de%ided this it was wonderf!l how (!%h (ore %heerf!l
e'eryone #e%a(e. I don,t honestly thin) that this was #e%a!se any of the( was
afraid of a fi&ht :e<%e"t "erha"s 3ill and E!sta%e;. B!t I daresay that ea%h of
the( dee" down inside was 'ery &lad not to &o any nearer 4 or not yet 4 to
that horri#le #ird4headed thin& whi%h 'isi#le or in'isi#le was now "ro#a#ly
ha!ntin& Sta#le Hill. Anyway one always feels #etter when one has (ade !" one,s
(ind.
Tirian said they had #etter re(o'e their dis&!ises as they didn,t want to #e
(ista)en for Calor(enes and "erha"s atta%)ed #y any loyal Narnians they (i&ht
(eet. The Dwarf (ade !" a horrid4loo)in& (ess of ashes fro( the hearth and
&rease o!t of the 2ar of &rease whi%h was )e"t for r!##in& on swords and s"ear4
heads. Then they too) off their Calor(ene ar(o!r and went down to the strea(.
The nasty (i<t!re (ade a lather 2!st li)e soft soa"7 it was a "leasant ho(ely
si&ht to see Tirian and the two %hildren )neelin& #eside the water and s%r!##in&
the #a%)s of their ne%)s or "!ffin& and #lowin& as they s"lashed the lather off.
Then they went #a%) to the Tower with red shiny fa%es li)e "eo"le who ha'e
#een &i'en an e<tra &ood wash #efore a "arty. They re4ar(ed the(sel'es in tr!e
Narnian style with strai&ht swords and three4%ornered shields. .Body of (e.
said Tirian. .That is #etter. I feel a tr!e (an a&ain..
P!++le #e&&ed 'ery hard to ha'e the lion4s)in ta)en off hi(. He said it was too
hot and the way it was r!%)ed !" on his #a%) was !n%o(forta#le7 also it (ade
hi( loo) so silly. B!t they told hi( he wo!ld ha'e to wear it a #it lon&er for
they still wanted to show hi( in that &et4!" to the other Beasts e'en tho!&h
they were now &oin& to (eet Roonwit first.
$hat was left of the "i&eon4(eat and ra##it4(eat was not worth #rin&in& away #!t
they too) so(e #is%!its. Then Tirian lo%)ed the door of the Tower and that was
the end of their stay there.
It was a little after two in the afternoon when they set o!t and it was the
first really war( day of that s"rin&. The yo!n& lea'es see(ed to #e (!%h f!rther
o!t than yesterday7 the snow4dro"s were o'er #!t they saw se'eral "ri(roses.
The s!nli&ht slanted thro!&h the trees #irds san& and always :tho!&h !s!ally
o!t of si&ht; there was the noise of r!nnin& water. It was hard to thin) of
horri#le thin&s li)e Tash. The %hildren felt .This is really Narnia at last..
E'en Tirian,s heart &rew li&hter as he wal)ed ahead of the( h!((in& an old
Narnian (ar%hin& son& whi%h had the refrain7
Ho r!(#le r!(#le r!(#le R!(#le dr!( #ela#o!red.
After the =in& %a(e E!sta%e and Po&&in the Dwarf. Po&&in was tellin& E!sta%e the
na(es of all the Narnian trees #irds and "lants whi%h he didn,t )now already.
So(eti(es E!sta%e wo!ld tell hi( a#o!t En&lish ones.
After the( %a(e P!++le and after hi( 3ill and 3ewel wal)in& 'ery %lose
to&ether. 3ill had as yo! (i&ht say /!ite fallen in lo'e with the >ni%orn. She
tho!&ht4 and she wasn,t far wron& 4 that he was the shinin&est deli%atest (ost
&ra%ef!l ani(al she had e'er (et7 and he was so &entle and soft of s"ee%h that
if yo! hadn,t )nown yo! wo!ld hardly ha'e #elie'ed how fier%e and terri#le he
%o!ld #e in #attle.
.Oh this is ni%e0. said 3ill. .3!st wal)in& alon& li)e this. I wish there %o!ld
#e (ore of this sort of ad'ent!re. It,s a "ity there,s always so (!%h ha""enin&
in Narnia..
B!t the >ni%orn e<"lained to her that she was /!ite (ista)en. He said that the
Sons and Da!&hters of Ada( and E'e were #ro!&ht o!t of their own stran&e world
into Narnia only at ti(es when Narnia was stirred and !"set #!t she (!stn,t
thin) it was always li)e that. In #etween their 'isits there were h!ndreds and
tho!sands of years when "ea%ef!l =in& followed "ea%ef!l =in& till yo! %o!ld
hardly re(e(#er their na(es or %o!nt their n!(#ers and there was really hardly
anythin& to "!t into the History Boo)s. And he went on to tal) of old 6!eens and
heroes who( she had ne'er heard of. He s"o)e of Swanwhite the 6!een who had
li'ed #efore the days of the $hite $it%h and the 9reat $inter who was so
#ea!tif!l that when she loo)ed into any forest "ool the refle%tion of her fa%e
shone o!t of the water li)e a star #y ni&ht for a year and a day afterwards. He
s"o)e of *oonwood the Hare who had s!%h ears that he %o!ld sit #y Caldron Pool
!nder the th!nder of the &reat waterfall and hear what (en s"o)e in whis"ers at
Cair Para'el. He told how =in& 9ale who was ninth in des%ent fro( 8ran) the
first of all =in&s had sailed far away into the Eastern seas and deli'ered the
Lone Islanders fro( a dra&on and how in ret!rn they had &i'en hi( the Lone
Islands to #e "art of the royal lands of Narnia for e'er. He tal)ed of whole
%ent!ries in whi%h all Narnia was so ha""y that nota#le dan%es and feasts or at
(ost to!rna(ents were the only thin&s that %o!ld #e re(e(#ered and e'ery day
and wee) had #een #etter than the last. And as he went on the "i%t!re of all
those ha""y years all the tho!sands of the( "iled !" in 3ill,s (ind till it
was rather li)e loo)in& down fro( a hi&h hill on to a ri%h lo'ely "lain f!ll of
woods and waters and %ornfields whi%h s"read away and away till it &ot thin and
(isty fro( distan%e. And she said7
.Oh I do ho"e we %an soon settle the A"e and &et #a%) to those &ood ordinary
ti(es. And then I ho"e they,ll &o on for e'er and e'er and e'er. O!r world is
&oin& to ha'e an end so(e day. Perha"s this one won,t. Oh 3ewel wo!ldn,t it #e
lo'ely if Narnia 2!st went on and on 4 li)e what yo! said it has #een1.
.Nay sister. answered 3ewel .all worlds draw to an end e<%e"t Aslan,s own
%o!ntry..
.$ell at least. said 3ill .I ho"e the end of this one is (illions of (illions
of (illions of years away 4 hallo0 what are we sto""in& for1.
The =in& and E!sta%e and the Dwarf were all starin& !" at the s)y. 3ill
sh!ddered re(e(#erin& what horrors they had seen already. B!t it was nothin& of
that sort this ti(e. It was s(all and loo)ed #la%) a&ainst the #l!e.
.I dare swear. said the >ni%orn .fro( its fli&ht that it is a Tal)in& #ird..
.So thin) I. said the =in&. .B!t is it a friend or a s"y of the A"e,s1.
.To (e Sire. said the Dwarf .it has a loo) of 8ar4si&ht the Ea&le..
.O!&ht we to hide !nder the trees1. said E!sta%e.
.Nay. said Tirian .#est stand still as ro%)s. He wo!ld see !s for %ertain if
we (o'ed..
.Loo)0 He wheels he has seen !s already. said 3ewel. .He is %o(in& down in
wide %ir%les..
.Arrow on strin& Lady. said Tirian to 3ill. .B!t #y no (eans shoot till I #id
yo!. He (ay #e a friend..
If one had )nown what was &oin& to ha""en ne<t it wo!ld ha'e #een a treat to
wat%h the &ra%e and ease with whi%h the h!&e #ird &lided down. He ali&hted on a
ro%)y %ra& a few feet fro( Tirian #owed his %rested head and said in his
stran&e ea&le,s4'oi%e .Hail =in&..
.Hail 8arsi&ht. said Tirian. .And sin%e yo! %all (e =in& I (ay well #elie'e
yo! are not a follower of the A"e and his false Aslan. I a( ri&ht &lad of yo!r
%o(in&..
.Sire. said the Ea&le .when yo! ha'e heard (y news yo! will #e sorrier of (y
%o(in& than of the &reatest woe that e'er #efell yo!..
Tirian,s heart see(ed to sto" #eatin& at these words #!t he set his teeth and
said .Tell on..
.Two si&hts ha'e I seen. said 8arsi&ht. .One was Cair Para'el filled with dead
Narnians and li'in& Calor(enes7 The Tisro%,s #anner ad'an%ed !"on yo!r royal
#attle(ents7 and yo!r s!#2e%ts flyin& fro( the %ity 4 this way and that into
the woods. Cair Para'el was ta)en fro( the sea. Twenty &reat shi"s of Calor(en
"!t in there in the dar) of the ni&ht #efore last ni&ht..
No one %o!ld s"ea).
.And the other si&ht fi'e lea&!es nearer than Cair Para'el was Roonwit the
Centa!r lyin& dead with a Calor(ene arrow in his side. I was with hi( in his
last ho!r and he &a'e (e this (essa&e to yo!r *a2esty7 to re(e(#er that all
worlds draw to an end and that no#le death is a treas!re whi%h no one is too
"oor to #!y..
.So. said the =in& after a lon& silen%e .Narnia is no (ore..
CHAPTER NINE
THE 9REAT *EETIN9 ON STABLE HILL
8o" a lon& ti(e they %o!ld not s"ea) nor e'en shed a tear. Then the >ni%orn
sta("ed the &ro!nd with his hoof and shoo) his (ane and s"o)e.
.Sire. he said .there is now no need of %o!nsel. $e see that the A"e,s "lans
were laid dee"er than we drea(ed of. Do!#tless he has #een lon& in se%ret
traffi% with The Tisro% and as soon as he had fo!nd the lion4s)in he sent hi(
word to (a)e ready his na'y for the ta)in& of Cair Para'el and all Narnia.
Nothin& now re(ains for !s se'en #!t to &o #a%) to Sta#le Hill "ro%lai( the
tr!th and ta)e the ad'ent!re that Aslan sends !s. And if #y a &reat (ar'el we
defeat those thirty Calor(enes who are with the A"e then to t!rn a&ain and die
in #attle with the far &reater host of the( that will soon (ar%h fro( Cair
Para'el..
Tirian nodded. B!t he t!rned to the %hildren and said7 .Now friends it is ti(e
for yo! to &o hen%e into yo!r own world. Do!#tless yo! ha'e done all that yo!
were sent to do..
.B 4 #!t we,'e done nothin&. said 3ill who was shi'erin& not with fear e<a%tly
#!t #e%a!se e'erythin& was so horri#le.
.Nay. said the =in& .yo! loosed (e fro( the tree7 yo! &lided #efore (e li)e a
sna)e last ni&ht in the wood and too) P!++le7 and yo! E!sta%e )illed yo!r (an.
B!t yo! are too yo!n& to share in s!%h a #loody end as we others (!st (eet
toni&ht or it (ay #e three days hen%e. I entreat yo! 4 nay I %o((and yo! 4 to
ret!rn to yo!r own "la%e. I sho!ld #e "!t to sha(e if I let s!%h yo!n& warriors
fall in #attle on (y side..
.No no no. said 3ill :'ery white when she #e&an s"ea)in& and then s!ddenly
'ery red and then white a&ain.; .$e won,t I don,t %are what yo! say. $e,re
&oin& to sti%) to yo! whate'er ha""ens aren,t we E!sta%e1.
.Yes #!t there,s no need to &et so wor)ed !" a#o!t it. said E!sta%e who had
st!%) his hands in his "o%)ets :for&ettin& how 'ery odd that loo)s when yo! are
wearin& a (ail shirt;. .Be%a!se yo! see we ha'en,t any %hoi%e. $hat,s the &ood
of tal)in& a#o!t o!r &oin& #a%)0 How1 $e,'e &ot no (a&i% for doin& it0.
This was 'ery &ood sense #!t at the (o(ent 3ill hated E!sta%e for sayin& it.
He was fond of #ein& dreadf!lly (atter4of4fa%t when other "eo"le &ot e<%ited.
$hen Tirian reali+ed that the two stran&ers %o!ld not &et ho(e :!nless Aslan
s!ddenly whis)ed the( away; he ne<t wanted the( to &o a%ross the So!thern
(o!ntains into Ar%henland where they (i&ht "ossi#ly #e safe. B!t they didn,t
)now their way and there was no one to send with the(. Also as Po&&in said
on%e the Calor(enes had Narnia they wo!ld %ertainly ta)e Ar%henland in the ne<t
wee) or so7 The Tisro% had always wanted to ha'e these Northern %o!ntries for
his own. In the end E!sta%e and 3ill #e&&ed so hard that Tirian said they %o!ld
%o(e with hi( and ta)e their %han%e 4 or as he (!%h (ore sensi#ly %alled it
.the ad'ent!re that Aslan wo!ld send the(..
The =in&,s first idea was that they sho!ld not &o #a%) to Sta#le Hill 4 they
were si%) of the 'ery na(e of it #y now till after dar). B!t the Dwarf told the(
that if they arri'ed there #y dayli&ht they wo!ld "ro#a#ly find the "la%e
deserted e<%e"t "erha"s for a Calor(ene sentry. The Beasts were far too
fri&htened #y what the A"e :and 9in&er; had told the( a#o!t this new an&ry Aslan
4 or Tashlan 4 to &o near it e<%e"t when they were %alled to&ether for these
horri#le (idni&ht (eetin&s. And Calor(enes are ne'er &ood woods(en. Po&&in
tho!&ht that e'en #y dayli&ht they %o!ld easily &et ro!nd to so(ewhere #ehind
the sta#le witho!t #ein& seen. This wo!ld #e (!%h harder to do when the ni&ht
had %o(e and the A"e (i&ht #e %allin& the Beasts to&ether and all the Calor(enes
were on d!ty. And when the (eetin& did #e&in they %o!ld lea'e P!++le at the #a%)
of the sta#le %o("letely o!t of si&ht till the (o(ent at whi%h they wanted to
"rod!%e hi(. This was o#'io!sly a &ood thin&7 for their only %han%e was to &i'e
the Narnians a s!dden s!r"rise.
E'eryone a&reed and the whole "arty set off on a new line 4 North4$est 4 towards
the hated Hill. The Ea&le so(eti(es flew to and fro a#o'e the( so(eti(es he sat
"er%hed on P!++le,s #a%). No one 4 not e'en the =in& hi(self e<%e"t in so(e
&reat need 4 wo!ld drea( of ridin& on a >ni%orn.
This ti(e 3ill and E!sta%e wal)ed to&ether. They had #een feelin& 'ery #ra'e
when they were #e&&in& to #e allowed to %o(e with the others #!t now they
didn,t feel #ra'e at all.
.Pole. said E!sta%e in a whis"er. .I (ay as well tell yo! I,'e &ot the wind
!"..
.Oh yo!,re all ri&ht S%r!##. said 3ill. .Yo! %an fi&ht. B!t I 4 I,( 2!st
sha)in& if yo! want to )now the tr!th..
.Oh sha)in&,s nothin&. said E!sta%e. .I,( feelin& I,( &oin& to #e si%)..
.Don,t tal) a#o!t that for &oodness, sa)e. said 3ill.
They went on in silen%e for a (in!te or two.
.Pole. said E!sta%e "resently.
.$hat1. said she.
.$hat,ll ha""en if we &et )illed here1.
.$ell we,ll #e dead I s!""ose..
.B!t I (ean what will ha""en in o!r own world1 Shall we wa)e !" and find
o!rsel'es #a%) in that train1 Or shall we 2!st 'anish and ne'er #e heard of any
(ore1 Or shall we #e dead in En&land1.
.9osh. I ne'er tho!&ht of that..
.It,ll #e r!( for Peter and the others if they saw (e wa'in& o!t of the window
and then when the train %o(es in we,re nowhere to #e fo!nd0 Or if they fo!nd two
4 I (ean if we,re dead o'er there in En&land..
.>&h0. said 3ill. .$hat a horrid idea..
.It wo!ldn,t #e horrid for !s. said E!sta%e. .$e sho!ldn,t #e there..
.I al(ost wish 4 no I don,t tho!&h. said 3ill.
.$hat were yo! &oin& to say1.
.I was &oin& to say I wished we,d ne'er %o(e. B!t I don,t I don,t I don,t.
E'en if we are )illed. I,d rather #e )illed fi&htin& for Narnia than &row old
and st!"id at ho(e and "erha"s &o a#o!t in a #ath4%hair and then die in the end
2!st the sa(e..
.Or #e s(ashed !" #y British Railways0.
.$hy d,yo! say that1.
.$ell when that awf!l 2er) %a(e 4 the one that see(ed to throw !s into Narnia 4
I tho!&ht it was the #e&innin& of a railway a%%ident. So I was 2olly &lad to
find o!rsel'es here instead..
$hile 3ill and E!sta%e were tal)in& a#o!t this the others were dis%!ssin& their
"lans and #e%o(in& less (isera#le. That was #e%a!se they were now thin)in& of
what was to #e done this 'ery ni&ht and the tho!&ht of what had ha""ened to
Narnia 4 the tho!&ht that all her &lories and 2oys were o'er 4 was "!shed away
into the #a%) "art of their (inds. The (o(ent they sto""ed tal)in& it wo!ld %o(e
o!t and (a)e the( wret%hed a&ain7 #!t they )e"t on tal)in&. Po&&in was really
/!ite %heerf!l a#o!t the ni&ht,s wor) they had to do. He was s!re that the Boar
and the Bear and "ro#a#ly all the Do&s wo!ld %o(e o'er to their side at on%e.
And he %o!ldn,t #elie'e that all the other Dwarfs wo!ld sti%) to 9riffle. And
fi&htin& #y fireli&ht and in and o!t a(on& trees wo!ld #e an ad'anta&e to the
wea)er side. And then if they %o!ld win toni&ht need they really throw their
li'es away #y (eetin& the (ain Calor(ene ar(y a few days later1
$hy not hide in the woods or e'en !" in the $estern $aste #eyond the &reat
waterfall and li'e li)e o!tlaws1 And then they (i&ht &rad!ally &et stron&er and
stron&er for Tal)in& Beasts and Ar%henlanders wo!ld #e 2oinin& the( e'ery day.
And at last they,d %o(e o!t of hidin& and swee" the Calor(enes :who wo!ld ha'e
&ot %areless #y then; o!t of the %o!ntry and Narnia wo!ld #e re'i'ed. After all
so(ethin& 'ery li)e that had ha""ened in the ti(e of =in& *ira+0
And Tirian heard all this and tho!&ht .B!t what a#o!t Tash1. and felt in his
#ones that none of it was &oin& to ha""en. B!t he didn,t say so.
$hen they &ot nearer to Sta#le Hill of %o!rse e'eryone #e%a(e /!iet. Then the
real wood4wor) #e&an. 8ro( the (o(ent at whi%h they first saw the Hill to the
(o(ent at whi%h they all arri'ed at the #a%) of the sta#le it too) the( o'er
two ho!rs. It,s the sort of thin& one %o!ldn,t des%ri#e "ro"erly !nless one
wrote "a&es and "a&es a#o!t it. The 2o!rney fro( ea%h #it of %o'er to the ne<t
was a se"arate ad'ent!re and there were 'ery lon& waits in #etween and se'eral
false alar(s. If yo! are a &ood S%o!t or a &ood 9!ide yo! will )now already what
it (!st ha'e #een li)e. By a#o!t s!nset they were all safe in a %l!(" of holly
trees a#o!t fifteen yards #ehind the sta#le. They all (!n%hed so(e #is%!it and
lay down.
Then %a(e the worst "art the waitin&. L!%)ily for the %hildren they sle"t for a
%o!"le of ho!rs #!t of %o!rse they wo)e !" when the ni&ht &rew %old and what
was worse wo)e !" 'ery thirsty and with no %han%e of &ettin& a drin). P!++le
2!st stood shi'erin& a little with ner'o!sness and said nothin&. B!t Tirian
with his head a&ainst 3ewel,s flan) sle"t as so!ndly as if he were in his royal
#ed at Cair Para'el till the so!nd of a &on& #eatin& awo)e hi( and he sat !"
and saw that there was fireli&ht on the far side of the sta#le and )new that the
ho!r had %o(e.
.=iss (e 3ewel. he said. .8or %ertainly this is o!r last ni&ht on earth. And
if e'er I offended a&ainst yo! in any (atter &reat or s(all for&i'e (e now..
.Dear =in&. said the >ni%orn .I %o!ld al(ost wish yo! had so that I (i&ht
for&i'e it. 8arewell. $e ha'e )nown &reat 2oys to&ether. If Aslan &a'e (e (y
%hoi%e I wo!ld %hoose no other life than the life I ha'e had and no other death
than the one we &o to..
Then they wo)e !" 8arsi&ht who was aslee" with his head !nder his win& :it (ade
hi( loo) as if he had no head at all; and %re"t forward to the sta#le. They
left P!++le :not witho!t a )ind word for no one was an&ry with hi( now; 2!st
#ehind it tellin& hi( not to (o'e till so(eone %a(e to fet%h hi( and too) !"
their "osition at one end of the sta#le.
The #onfire had not #een lit for lon& and was 2!st #e&innin& to #la+e !". It was
only a few feet away fro( the( and the &reat %rowd of Narnian %reat!res were on
the other side of it so that Tirian %o!ld not at first see the( 'ery well
tho!&h of %o!rse he saw do+ens of eyes shinin& with the refle%tion of the fire
as yo!,'e seen a ra##it,s or %at,s eyes in the headli&hts of a %ar. And 2!st as
Tirian too) his "la%e the &on& sto""ed #eatin& and fro( so(ewhere on his left
three fi&!res a""eared. One was Rishda Tar)aan the Calor(ene Ca"tain. The se%ond
was the A"e. He was holdin& on to the Tar)aan,s hand with one "aw and )e"t
whi("erin& and (!tterin& .Not so fast don,t &o so fast I,( not at all well.
Oh (y "oor head0 These (idni&ht (eetin&s are &ettin& too (!%h for (e. A"es
aren,t (eant to #e !" at ni&ht7 It,s not as if I was a rat or a #at 4 oh (y "oor
head.. On the other side of the A"e wal)in& 'ery soft and stately with his
tail strai&ht !" in the air %a(e 9in&er the Cat. They were headin& for the
#onfire and were so %lose to Tirian that they wo!ld ha'e seen hi( at on%e if
they had loo)ed in the ri&ht dire%tion. 8ort!nately they did not. B!t Tirian
heard Rishda say to 9in&er in a low 'oi%e7
.Now Cat to thy "ost. See tho! "lay thy "art well..
.*iaow (iaow. Co!nt on (e0. said 9in&er. Then he ste""ed away #eyond the
#onfire and sat down in the front row of the asse(#led Beasts7 in the a!dien%e
as yo! (i&ht say.
8or really as it ha""ened the whole thin& was rather li)e a theatre. The %rowd
of Narnians were li)e the "eo"le in the seats- the little &rassy "la%e 2!st in
front of the sta#le where the #onfire #!rned and the A"e and the Ca"tain stood
to tal) to the %rowd was li)e the sta&e- the sta#le itself was li)e the s%enery
at the #a%) of the sta&e- and Tirian and his friends were li)e "eo"le "eerin&
ro!nd fro( #ehind the s%enery. It was a s"lendid "osition. If any of the(
ste""ed forward into the f!ll fireli&ht all eyes wo!ld #e fi<ed on hi( at on%e7
on the other hand so lon& as they stood still in the shadow of the end4wall of
the sta#le it was a h!ndred to one a&ainst their #ein& noti%ed.
Rishda Tar)aan dra&&ed the A"e !" %lose to the fire. The "air of the( t!rned to
fa%e the %rowd and this of %o!rse (eant that their #a%)s were towards Tirian
and his friends.
.Now *on)ey. said Rishda Tar)aan in a low 'oi%e. .Say the words that wiser
heads ha'e "!t into thy (o!th. And hold !" thy head.. As he s"o)e he &a'e the
A"e a little "rod or )i%) fro( #ehind with the "oint of his toe.
.Do lea'e (e alone. (!ttered Shift. B!t he sat !" strai&hter and #e&an in a
lo!der 'oi%e 4 .Now listen all of yo!. A terri#le thin& has ha""ened. A wi%)ed
thin&. The wi%)edest thin& that e'er was done in Narnia. And Aslan 4.
.Tashlan fool. whis"ered Rishda Tar)aan.
.Tashlan I (ean of %o!rse. said the A"e .is 'ery an&ry a#o!t it..
There was a terri#le silen%e while the Beasts waited to hear what new tro!#le
was in store for the(. The little "arty #y the end4wall of the sta#le also held
their #reath. $hat on earth was %o(in& now1
.Yes. said the A"e. .At this 'ery (o(ent when the Terri#le One hi(self is
a(on& !s 4 there in the sta#le 2!st #ehind (e 4 one wi%)ed Beast has %hosen to
do what yo!,d thin) no one wo!ld dare to do e'en if He were a tho!sand (iles
away. It has dressed itself !" in a lion4s)in and is wanderin& a#o!t in these
'ery woods "retendin& to #e Aslan..
3ill wondered for a (o(ent if the A"e had &one (ad. $as he &oin& to tell the
whole tr!th1 A roar of horror and ra&e went !" fro( the Beasts. .9rrr0. %a(e the
&rowls. .$ho is he1 $here is he1 3!st let (e &et (y teeth into hi(0.
.It was seen last ni&ht. s%rea(ed the A"e .#!t it &ot away. It,s a Don)ey0 A
%o((on (isera#le Ass0 If any of yo! see that Ass 4.
.9rrr0. &rowled the Beasts. .$e will we will. He,d #etter )ee" o!t of o!r way..
3ill loo)ed at the =in&7 his (o!th was o"en and his fa%e was f!ll of horror. And
then she !nderstood the de'ilish %!nnin& of the ene(ies, "lan. By (i<in& a
little tr!th with it they had (ade their lie far stron&er. $hat was the &ood
now of tellin& the Beasts that an ass had #een dressed !" as a lion to de%ei'e
the(1 The A"e wo!ld only say .That,s 2!st what I,'e said.. $hat was the &ood of
showin& the( P!++le in his lion4s)in1 They wo!ld only tear hi( in "ie%es.
.That,s ta)en the wind o!t of o!r sails. whis"ered E!sta%e. .The &ro!nd is
ta)en fro( !nder o!r feet. said Tirian. .C!rsed %!rsed %le'erness0. said
Po&&in. .I,ll #e sworn that this new lie is of 9in&er,s (a)in&..
CHAPTER TEN
$HO $ILL 9O INTO THE STABLE1
3ILL felt so(ethin& ti%)lin& her ear. It was 3ewel the >ni%orn whis"erin& to
her with the wide whis"er of a horse,s (o!th. As soon as she heard what he was
sayin& she nodded and ti"4toed #a%) to where P!++le was standin&. 6!i%)ly and
/!ietly she %!t the last %ords that #o!nd the lion4s)in to hi(. It wo!ldn,t do
for hi( to #e %a!&ht with that on after what the A"e had said0 She wo!ld li)e
to ha'e hidden the s)in so(ewhere 'ery far away #!t it was too hea'y. The #est
she %o!ld do was to )i%) it in a(on& the thi%)est #!shes. Then she (ade si&ns to
P!++le to follow her and they #oth 2oined the others.
The A"e was s"ea)in& a&ain.
.And after a horrid thin& li)e that Aslan 4 Tashlan 4 is an&rier than e'er. He
says he,s #een a &reat deal too &ood to yo! %o(in& o!t e'ery ni&ht to #e loo)ed
at see0 $ell he,s not %o(in& o!t any (ore..
Howls and (ewin&s and s/!eals and &r!nts were the Ani(als, answer to this #!t
s!ddenly a /!ite different 'oi%e #ro)e in with a lo!d la!&h.
.Har) what the (on)ey says. it sho!ted. .$e )now why he isn,t &oin& to #rin&
his "re%io!s Aslan o!t. I,ll tell yo! why7 #e%a!se he hasn,t &ot hi(. He ne'er
had anythin& e<%e"t an old don)ey with a lion4s)in on its #a%). Now he,s lost
that and he doesn,t )now what to do..
Tirian %o!ld not see the fa%es on the other side of the fire 'ery well #!t he
&!essed this was 9riffle the Chief Dwarf. And he was /!ite %ertain of it when a
se%ond later all the Dwarfs, 'oi%es 2oined in sin&in&7 .Don,t )now what to do0
Don,t )now what to do0 Don,t )now what to do4o4o0.
.Silen%e0. th!ndered Rishda Tar)aan. .Silen%e %hildren of (!d0 Listen to (e
yo! other Narnians lest I &i'e %o((and to (y warriors to fall !"on yo! with the
ed&e of the sword. The Lord Shift has already told yo! of that wi%)ed Ass. Do
yo! thin) #e%a!se of hi( that there is no real Tashlan in the sta#le0 Do yo!1
Beware #eware..
.No no. sho!ted (ost of the %rowd. B!t the Dwarfs said .That,s ri&ht Dar)ie
yo!,'e &ot it. Co(e on *on)ey show !s what,s in the sta#le seein& is
#elie'in&..
$hen ne<t there was a (o(ent,s /!iet the A"e said7 .Yo! Dwarfs thin) yo!,re 'ery
%le'er don,t yo!1 B!t not so fast. I ne'er said yo! %o!ldn,t see Tashlan.
Anyone who li)es %an see hi(..
The whole asse(#ly #e%a(e silent. Then after nearly a (in!te the Bear #e&an in
a slow "!++led 'oi%e7
.I don,t /!ite !nderstand all this. it &r!(#led .I tho!&ht yo! said 4.
.Yo! tho!&ht0. re"eated the A"e. .As if anyone %o!ld %all what &oes on in yo!r
head thin)in&. Listen yo! others. Anyone %an see Tashlan. B!t he,s not %o(in&
o!t. Yo! ha'e to &o in and see hi(..
.Oh than) yo! than) yo! than) yo!. said do+ens of 'oi%es. .That,s what we
wanted0 $e %an &o in and see hi( fa%e to fa%e. And now he,ll #e )ind and it will
all #e as it !sed to #e.. And the Birds %hattered and the Do&s #ar)ed
e<%itedly. Then s!ddenly there was a &reat stirrin& and a noise of %reat!res
risin& to their feet and in a se%ond the whole lot of the( wo!ld ha'e #een
r!shin& forward and tryin& to %rowd into the sta#le door all to&ether. B!t the
A"e sho!ted7
.9et #a%)0 6!iet0 Not so fast..
The Beasts sto""ed (any of the( with one "aw in the with tails wa&&in& and all
of the( with heads on one side.
.I tho!&ht yo! said. #e&an the Bear #!t Shift interr!"ted.
.Anyone %an &o in. he said. .B!t one at a ti(e. $ho,ll &o first1 He didn,t say
he was feelin& 'ery )ind. He,s #een li%)in& his li"s a lot sin%e he swallowed !"
the wi%)ed =in& the other ni&ht. He,s #een &rowlin& a &ood deal this (ornin&. I
wo!ldn,t (!%h li)e to &o into that sta#le (yself toni&ht. B!t 2!st as yo!
"lease. $ho,d li)e to &o in first1 Don,t #la(e (e if he swallows yo! whole or
#lasts yo! into a %inder with the (ere terror of his eyes. That,s yo!r affair.
Now then0 $ho,s first1 $hat a#o!t one of yo! Dwarfs1.
.Dilly dilly %o(e and #e )illed0. sneered 9riffle. .How do we )now what yo!,'e
&ot in there1.
.Ho4ho0. %ried the A"e. .So yo!,re #e&innin& to thin) there,s so(ethin& there
eh1 $ell all yo! Beasts were (a)in& noise eno!&h a (in!te a&o. $hat,s str!%)
yo! all d!(#1 $ho,s &oin& in first1.
B!t the Beasts all stood loo)in& at one another and #e&an #a%)in& away fro( the
sta#le. 5ery few tails were wa&&in& now. The A"e waddled to and fro 2eerin& at
the(. .Ho4ho4ho0. he %h!%)led. .I tho!&ht yo! were all so ea&er to see Tashlan
fa%e to fa%e0 Chan&ed yo!r (ind eh1.
Tirian #ent his head to hear so(ethin& that 3ill was tryin& to whis"er in his
ear. .$hat do yo! thin) is really inside the sta#le1. she said. .$ho )nows1.
said Tirian. .Two Calor(enes with drawn swords as li)ely as not one on ea%h
side of the door.. .Yo! don,t thin). said 3ill .it (i&ht #e . . . yo! )now . .
. that horrid thin& we saw1. .Tash hi(self1. whis"ered Tirian. .There,s no
)nowin&. B!t %o!ra&e %hild7 we are all #etween the "aws of the tr!e Aslan..
Then a (ost s!r"risin& thin& ha""ened. 9in&er the Cat said in a %ool %lear
'oi%e not at all as if he was e<%ited .I,ll &o in if yo! li)e..
E'ery %reat!re t!rned and fi<ed its eyes on the Cat. .*ar) their s!#tleties
Sire. said Po&&in to the =in&. .This %!rsed %at is in the "lot in the 'ery
%entre of it. $hate'er is in the sta#le will not h!rt hi( I,ll #e #o!nd. Then
9in&er will %o(e o!t a&ain and say that he has seen so(e wonder..
B!t Tirian had no ti(e to answer hi(. The A"e was %allin& the Cat to %o(e
forward. .Ho4ho0. said the A"e. .So yo! a "ert P!ss wo!ld loo) !"on hi( fa%e
to fa%e. Co(e on then0 I,ll o"en the door for yo!. Don,t #la(e (e if he s%ares
the whis)ers off yo!r fa%e. That,s yo!r affair..
And the Cat &ot !" and %a(e o!t of its "la%e in the %rowd wal)in& "ri(ly and
daintily with its tail in the air not one hair on its slee) %oat o!t of "la%e.
It %a(e on till it had "assed the fire and was so %lose that Tirian fro( where
he stood with his sho!lder a&ainst the end4wall of the sta#le %o!ld loo) ri&ht
into its fa%e. Its #i& &reen eyes ne'er #lin)ed. :.Cool as a %!%!(#er. (!ttered
E!sta%e. .It )nows it has nothin& to fear..; The A"e %h!%)lin& and (a)in&
fa%es sh!ttled a%ross #eside the Cat7 "!t !" his "aw7 drew the #olt and o"ened
the door. Tirian tho!&ht he %o!ld hear the Cat "!rrin& as it wal)ed into the
dar) doorway.
.Aii4aii4ao!wee0 4. The (ost horri#le %aterwa!l yo! e'er heard (ade e'eryone
2!(". Yo! ha'e #een wa)ened yo!rself #y %ats /!arrellin& or (a)in& lo'e on the
roof in the (iddle of the ni&ht7 yo! )now the so!nd.
This was worse. The A"e was )no%)ed head o'er heels #y 9in&er %o(in& #a%) o!t of
the sta#le at to" s"eed. If yo! had not )nown he was a %at yo! (i&ht ha'e
tho!&ht he was a &in&er4%olo!red strea) of li&htnin&. He shot a%ross the o"en
&rass #a%) into the %rowd. No one wants to (eet a %at in that state. Yo! %o!ld
see ani(als &ettin& o!t of his way to left and ri&ht. He dashed !" a tree
whis)ed aro!nd and h!n& head downwards. His tail was #ristled o!t till it was
nearly as thi%) as his whole #ody7 his eyes were li)e sa!%ers of &reen fire7
alon& his #a%) e'ery sin&le hair stood on end.
.I,d &i'e (y #eard. whis"ered Po&&in .to )now whether that #r!te is only
a%tin& or whether it has really fo!nd so(ethin& in there that fri&htened it0.
.Pea%e friend. said Tirian for the Ca"tain and the A"e were also whis"erin&
and he wanted to hear what they said. He did not s!%%eed e<%e"t that he heard
the A"e on%e (ore whi("erin& .*y head (y head. #!t he &ot the idea that those
two were al(ost as "!++led #y the %at,s #eha'io!r as hi(self.
.Now 9in&er. said the Ca"tain. .Eno!&h of that noise. Tell the( what tho! hast
seen..
.Aii 4 Aii 4 Aaow 4 Awah. s%rea(ed the Cat.
.Art tho! not %alled a Tal)in& Beast1. said the Ca"tain. .Then hold thy de'ilish
noise and tal)..
$hat followed was rather horri#le. Tirian felt /!ite %ertain :and so did the
others; that the Cat was tryin& to say so(ethin&7 #!t nothin& %a(e o!t of his
(o!th e<%e"t the ordinary !&ly %at4noises yo! (i&ht hear fro( any an&ry or
fri&htened old To( in a #a%)yard in En&land. And the lon&er he %aterwa!led the
less li)e a Tal)in& Beast he loo)ed. >neasy whi("erin&s and little shar" s/!eals
#ro)e o!t fro( a(on& the other Ani(als.
.Loo) loo)0. said the 'oi%e of the Bear. .It %an,t tal). It has for&otten how
to tal)0 It has &one #a%) to #ein& a d!(# #east. Loo) at its fa%e.. E'eryone saw
that it was tr!e. And then the &reatest terror of all fell !"on those Narnians.
8or e'ery one of the( had #een ta!&ht 4 when it was only a %hi%) or a "!""y or a
%!# 4 how Aslan at the #e&innin& of the world had t!rned the #easts of Narnia
into Tal)in& Beasts and warned the( that if they weren,t &ood they (i&ht one day
#e t!rned #a%) a&ain and #e li)e the "oor witless ani(als one (eets in other
%o!ntries. .And now it is %o(in& !"on !s. they (oaned.
.*er%y0 *er%y0. wailed the Beasts. .S"are !s Lord Shift stand #etween !s and
Aslan yo! (!st always &o in and s"ea) to hi( for !s. $e daren,t we daren,t..
9in&er disa""eared f!rther !" into the tree. No one e'er saw hi( a&ain.
Tirian stood with his hand on his sword4hilt and his head #owed. He was da+ed
with the horrors of that ni&ht. So(eti(es he tho!&ht it wo!ld #e #est to draw
his sword at on%e and r!sh !"on the Calor(enes7 then ne<t (o(ent he tho!&ht it
wo!ld #e #etter to wait and see what new t!rn affairs (i&ht ta)e. And now a new
t!rn %a(e.
.*y 8ather. %a(e a %lear rin&in& 'oi%e fro( the left of the %rowd. Tirian )new
at on%e that it was one of the Calor(enes s"ea)in& for in The Tisro%,s ar(y the
%o((on soldiers %all the offi%ers .*y *aster. #!t the offi%ers %all their senior
offi%ers .*y 8ather.. 3ill and E!sta%e didn,t )now this #!t after loo)in& this
way and that they saw the s"ea)er for of %o!rse "eo"le at the sides of the
%rowd were easier to see than "eo"le in the (iddle where the &lare of the fire
(ade all #eyond it loo) rather #la%). He was yo!n& and tall and slender and
e'en rather #ea!tif!l in the dar) ha!&hty Calor(ene way.
.*y 8ather. he said to the Ca"tain .I also desire to &o in..
.Pea%e E(eth. said the Ca"tain .$ho %alled thee to %o!nsel1 Does it #e%o(e a
#oy to s"ea)1.
.*y 8ather. said E(eth. .Tr!ly I a( yo!n&er than tho! yet I also a( of the
#lood of the Tar)aans e'en as tho! art and I also a( the ser'ant of Tash.
Therefore . . ..
.Silen%e. said Rishda Tar)aan. .A( not I thy Ca"tain1 Tho! hast nothin& to do
with this sta#le. It is for the Narnians..
.Nay (y 8ather. answered E(eth. .Tho! hast said that their Aslan and o!r Tash
are all one. And if that is the tr!th then Tash hi(self is in yonder. And how
then sayest tho! that I ha'e nothin& to do with hi(1 8or &ladly wo!ld I die a
tho!sand deaths if I (i&ht loo) on%e on the fa%e of Tash..
.Tho! art a fool and !nderstandest nothin&. said Rishda Tar)aan. .These #e hi&h
(atters..
E(eth,s fa%e &rew sterner. .Is it then not tr!e that Tash and Aslan are all
one1. he as)ed. .Has the A"e lied to !s1.
.Of %o!rse they,re all one. said the A"e.
.Swear it A"e. said E(eth.
.Oh dear0. whi("ered Shift .I wish yo!,d all sto" #otherin& (e. *y head does
a%he. Yes yes I swear it..
.Then (y 8ather. said E(eth .I a( !tterly deter(ined to &o in..
.8ool. #e&an Rishda Tar)aan #!t at on%e the Dwarfs #e&an sho!tin&7 .Co(e
alon& Dar)ie. $hy don,t yo! let hi( in1 $hy do yo! let Narnians in and )ee"
yo!r own "eo"le o!t1 $hat ha'e yo! &ot in there that yo! don,t want yo!r own (en
to (eet1.
Tirian and his friends %o!ld only see the #a%) of Rishda Tar)aan so they ne'er
)new what his fa%e loo)ed li)e as he shr!&&ed his sho!lders and said .Bear
witness all that I a( &!iltless of this yo!n& fool,s #lood. 9et thee in rash
#oy and (a)e haste..
Then 2!st as 9in&er had done E(eth %a(e wal)in& forward into the o"en stri" of
&rass #etween the #onfire and the sta#le. His eyes were shinin& his fa%e 'ery
sole(n his hand was on his sword4hilt and he %arried his head hi&h. 3ill felt
li)e %ryin& when she loo)ed at his fa%e. And 3ewel whis"ered in the =in&,s ear
.By the Lion,s *ane I al(ost lo'e this yo!n& warrior Calor(ene tho!&h he #e.
He is worthy of a #etter &od than Tash..
.I do wish we )new what is really inside there. said E!sta%e.
E(eth o"ened the door and went in into the #la%) (o!th of the sta#le. He %losed
the door #ehind hi(. Only a few (o(ents "assed 4 #!t it see(ed lon&er #efore the
door o"ened a&ain. A fi&!re in Calor(ene ar(o!r reeled o!t fell on its #a%)
and lay still7 the door %losed #ehind it. The Ca"tain lea"ed towards it and #ent
down to stare at its fa%e. He &a'e a start of s!r"rise. Then he re%o'ered
hi(self and t!rned to the %rowd %ryin& o!t7
.The rash #oy has had his will. He has loo)ed on Tash and is dead. Ta)e warnin&
all of yo!..
.$e will we will. said the "oor Beasts. B!t Tirian and his friends stared at
the dead Calor(ene and then at one another. 8or they #ein& so %lose %o!ld see
what the %rowd #ein& f!rther off and #eyond the fire %o!ld not see7 this dead
(an was not E(eth. He was /!ite different7 an older (an thi%)er and not so
tall with a #i& #eard.
.Ho4ho4ho. %h!%)led the A"e. .Any (ore1 Anyone else want to &o in1 $ell as
yo!,re all shy I,ll %hoose the ne<t. Yo! yo! Boar0 On yo! %o(e. Dri'e hi( !"
Calor(enes. He shall see Tashlan fa%e to fa%e..
.O4o4("h. &r!nted the Boar risin& hea'ily to his feet. .Co(e on then. Try (y
t!s)s..
$hen Tirian saw that #ra'e Beast &ettin& ready to fi&ht for its life 4 and
Calor(ene soldiers #e&innin& to %lose in on it with their drawn s%i(itars 4 and
no one &oin& to its hel" 4 so(ethin& see(ed to #!rst inside hi(. He no lon&er
%ared if this was the #est (o(ent to interfere or not.
.Swords o!t. he whis"ered to the others. .Arrow on strin&. 8ollow..
Ne<t (o(ent the astonished Narnians saw se'en fi&!res lea" forth in front of the
sta#le fo!r of the( in shinin& (ail. The =in&,s sword flashed in the fireli&ht
as he wa'ed it a#o'e his head and %ried in a &reat 'oi%e7
.Here stand I Tirian of Narnia in Aslan,s na(e to "ro'e with (y #ody that
Tash is a fo!l fiend the A"e a (anifold traitor and these Calor(enes worthy of
death. To (y side all tr!e Narnians. $o!ld yo! wait till yo!r new (asters ha'e
)illed yo! all one #y one1.
CHAPTER ELE5EN
THE PACE 6>IC=ENS
6>IC= as li&htnin& Rishda Tar)aan lea"ed #a%) o!t of rea%h of the =in&,s sword.
He was no %oward and wo!ld ha'e fo!&ht sin&le4handed a&ainst Tirian and the
Dwarf if need were. B!t he %o!ld not ta)e on the Ea&le and the >ni%orn as well.
He )new how Ea&les %an fly into yo!r fa%e and "e%) at yo!r eyes and #lind yo!
with their win&s. And he had heard fro( his father :who had (et Narnians in
#attle; that no (an e<%e"t with arrows or a lon& s"ear %an (at%h a >ni%orn
for it rears on its hind le&s as it falls !"on yo! and then yo! ha'e its hoofs
and its horn and its teeth to deal with all at on%e. So he r!shed into the %rowd
and stood %allin& o!t7
.To (e to (e warriors of The Tisro% (ay4he4li'efore'er. To (e all loyal
Narnians lest the wrath of Tashlan fall !"on yo!0.
$hile this was ha""enin& two other thin&s ha""ened as well. The A"e had not
reali+ed his dan&er as /!i%)ly as the Tar)aan. 8or a se%ond or so he re(ained
s/!attin& #eside the fire starin& at the new%o(ers. Then Tirian r!shed !"on the
wret%hed %reat!re "i%)ed it !" #y the s%r!ff of the ne%) and dashed #a%) to
the sta#le sho!tin& .O"en the door0. Po&&in o"ened it. .9o and drin) yo!r own
(edi%ine Shift0. said Tirian and h!rled the A"e thro!&h into the dar)ness. B!t
as the Dwarf #an&ed the door sh!t a&ain a #lindin& &reenish4#l!e li&ht shone
o!t fro( the inside of the sta#le the earth shoo) and there was a stran&e
noise 4 a %l!%)in& and s%rea(in& as if it was the hoarse 'oi%e of so(e (onstro!s
#ird. The Beasts (oaned and howled and %alled o!t .Tashlan0 Hide !s fro( hi(0.
and (any fell down and (any hid their fa%es in their win&s or "aws. No one
e<%e"t 8arsi&ht the Ea&le who has the #est eyes of all li'in& thin&s noti%ed
the fa%e of Rishda Tar)aan at that (o(ent. And fro( what 8arsi&ht saw there he
)new at on%e that Rishda was 2!st as s!r"rised and nearly fri&htened as
e'eryone else. .There &oes one. tho!&ht 8arsi&ht .who has %alled on &ods he
does not #elie'e in. How will it #e with hi( if they ha'e really %o(e1.
The third thin& 4 whi%h also ha""ened at the sa(e (o(ent 4 was the only really
#ea!tif!l thin& that ni&ht. E'ery sin&le Tal)in& Do& in the whole (eetin& :there
were fifteen of the(; %a(e #o!ndin& and #ar)in& 2oyo!sly to the =in&,s side.
They were (ostly &reat #i& do&s with thi%) sho!lders and hea'y 2aws. Their
%o(in& was li)e the #rea)in& of a &reat wa'e on the sea#ea%h7 it nearly )no%)ed
yo! down. 8or tho!&h they were Tal)in& Do&s they were 2!st as do&&y as they
%o!ld #e7 and they all stood !" and "!t their front "aws on the sho!lders of the
h!(ans and li%)ed their fa%es all sayin& at on%e7 .$el%o(e0 $el%o(e0 $e,ll
hel" we,ll hel" hel" hel". Show !s how to hel" show !s how how. How4how4
how1.
It was so lo'ely that it (ade yo! want to %ry. This at last was the sort of
thin& they had #een ho"in& for. And when a (o(ent later se'eral little ani(als
:(i%e and (oles and a s/!irrel or so; %a(e "atterin& !" s/!ealin& with 2oy and
sayin& .See see. $e,re here. and when after that the Bear and the Boar %a(e
too E!sta%e #e&an to feel that "erha"s after all e'erythin& (i&ht #e &oin& to
%o(e ri&ht. B!t Tirian &a+ed ro!nd and saw how 'ery few of the ani(als had
(o'ed.
.To (e0 to (e0. he %alled. .Ha'e yo! all t!rned %owards sin%e I was yo!r =in&1.
.$e daren,t. whi("ered do+ens of 'oi%es. .Tashlan wo!ld #e an&ry. Shield !s
fro( Tashlan..
.$here are all the Tal)in& Horses1. said Tirian to the Boar.
.$e,'e seen we,'e seen. s/!ealed the *i%e. .The A"e has (ade the( wor).
They,re all tied 4 down at the #otto( of the hill..
.Then all yo! little ones. said Tirian .yo! ni##lers and &nawers and
n!t%ra%)ers away with yo! as fast as yo! %an s%a("er and see if the Horses are
on o!r side. And if they are &et yo!r teeth into the ro"es and &naw till the
Horses are free and #rin& the( hither..
.$ith a &ood will Sire. %a(e the s(all 'oi%es and with a whis) of tails those
shar"4eyed and shar"4toothed fol) were off. Tirian s(iled for (ere lo'e as he
saw the( &o. B!t it was already ti(e to #e thin)in& of other thin&s. Rishda
Tar)aan was &i'in& his orders.
.8orward. he said. .Ta)e all of the( ali'e if yo! %an and h!rl the( into the
sta#le or dri'e the( into it. $hen they are all in we will "!t fire to it and
(a)e the( an offerin& to the &reat &od Tash..
.Ha0. said 8arsi&ht to hi(self. .So that is how he ho"es to win Tash,s "ardon
for his !n#elief..
The ene(y line 4 a#o!t half of Rishda,s for%e 4 was now (o'in& forward and
Tirian had #arely ti(e to &i'e his orders.
.O!t on the left 3ill and try to shoot all yo! (ay #efore they rea%h !s. Boar
and Bear ne<t to her. Po&&in on (y left E!sta%e on (y ri&ht. Hold the ri&ht
win& 3ewel. Stand #y hi( P!++le and !se yo!r hoofs. Ho'er and stri)e
8arsi&ht. Yo! Do&s 2!st #ehind !s. 9o in a(on& the( after the sword4"lay has
#e&!n. Aslan to o!r aid0.
E!sta%e stood with his heart #eatin& terri#ly ho"in& and ho"in& that he wo!ld
#e #ra'e. He had ne'er seen anythin& :tho!&h he had seen #oth a dra&on and a
seaser"ent; that (ade his #lood r!n so %old as that line of dar)4fa%ed #ri&ht4
eyed (en. There were fifteen Calor(enes a Tal)in& B!ll of Narnia Slin)ey the
8o< and $ra&&le the Satyr. Then he heard twan&4and4+i"" on his left and one
Calor(ene fell7 then twan&4and+i"" a&ain and the Satyr was down. .Oh well done
da!&hter0. %a(e Tirian,s 'oi%e- and then the ene(y were !"on the(.
E!sta%e %o!ld ne'er re(e(#er what ha""ened in the ne<t two (in!tes. It was all
li)e a drea( :the sort yo! ha'e when yo!r te("erat!re is o'er ABB; !ntil he
heard Rishda Tar)aan,s 'oi%e %allin& o!t fro( the distan%e7
.Retire. Ba%) hither and re4for(..
Then E!sta%e %a(e to his senses and saw the Calor(enes s%a("erin& #a%) to their
friends. B!t not all of the(. Two lay dead "ier%ed #y 3ewel,s horn one #y
Tirian,s sword. The 8o< lay dead at his own feet and he wondered if it was he
who had )illed it. The B!ll also was down shot thro!&h the eye #y an arrow fro(
3ill and &ashed in his side #y the Boar,s t!s). B!t o!r side had its losses too.
Three do&s were )illed and a fo!rth was ho##lin& #ehind the line on three le&s
and whi("erin&. The Bear lay on the &ro!nd (o'in& fee#ly. Then it (!(#led in
its throaty 'oi%e #ewildered to the last .I 4 I don,t !nderstand. laid its
#i& head down on the &rass as /!ietly as a %hild &oin& to slee" and ne'er (o'ed
a&ain.
In fa%t the first atta%) had failed. E!sta%e didn,t see( a#le to #e &lad a#o!t
it7 he was so terri#ly thirsty and his ar( a%hed so.
As the defeated Calor(enes went #a%) to their %o((ander the Dwarfs #e&an
2eerin& at the(.
.Had eno!&h Dar)ies1. they yelled. .Don,t yo! li)e it1 $hy doesn,t yo!r &reat
Tar)aan &o and fi&ht hi(self instead of sendin& yo! to #e )illed1 Poor Dar)ies0.
.Dwarfs. %ried Tirian. .Co(e here and !se yo!r swords not yo!r ton&!es. There
is still ti(e. Dwarfs of Narnia0 Yo! %an fi&ht well I )now. Co(e #a%) to yo!r
alle&ian%e..
.Yah0. sneered the Dwarfs. .Not li)ely. Yo!,re 2!st as #i& h!(#!&s as the other
lot. $e don,t want any =in&s. The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs. Boo0.
Then the Dr!( #e&an7 not a Dwarf dr!( this ti(e #!t a #i& #!ll,s hide Calor(ene
dr!(. The %hildren fro( the 'ery first hated the so!nd. Boo( 4 #oo( 4 #a4#a4#oo(
it went. B!t they wo!ld ha'e hated it far worse if they had )nown what it (eant.
Tirian did. It (eant that there were other Calor(ene troo"s so(ewhere near and
that Rishda Tar)aan was %allin& the( to his aid. Tirian and 3ewel loo)ed at one
another sadly. They had 2!st #e&!n to ho"e that they (i&ht win that ni&ht7 #!t
it wo!ld #e all o'er with the( if new ene(ies a""eared.
Tirian &a+ed des"airin&ly ro!nd. Se'eral Narnians were standin& with the
Calor(enes whether thro!&h trea%hery or in honest fear of .Tashlan.. Others
were sittin& still starin& not li)ely to 2oin either side. B!t there were
fewer ani(als now7 the %rowd was (!%h s(aller. Clearly se'eral of the( had 2!st
%re"t /!ietly away d!rin& the fi&htin&.
Boo( 4 #oo( 4 #a4#a4#oo( went the horri#le dr!(. Then another so!nd #e&an to (i<
with it. .Listen0. said 3ewel7 and then .Loo)0. said 8arsi&ht. A (o(ent later
there was no do!#t what it was. $ith a th!nder of hoofs with tossin& heads
widened nostrils and wa'in& (anes o'er a s%ore of Tal)in& Horses of Narnia
%a(e %har&in& !" the hill. The &nawers and ni##lers had done their wor).
Po&&in the Dwarf and the %hildren o"ened their (o!ths to %heer #!t that %heer
ne'er %a(e. S!ddenly the air was f!ll of the so!nd of twan&in& #ow4strin&s and
hissin& arrows. It was the Dwarfs who were shootin& and 4 for a (o(ent 3ill
%o!ld hardly #elie'e her eyes 4 they were shootin& the Horses. Dwarfs are deadly
ar%hers. Horse after Horse rolled o'er. Not one of those no#le Beasts e'er
rea%hed the =in&.
.Little Swine. shrie)ed E!sta%e dan%in& in his ra&e. .Dirty filthy
trea%hero!s little #r!tes.. E'en 3ewel said .Shall I r!n after those Dwarfs
Sire and s"it ten of the( on (y horn at ea%h "l!n&e1. B!t Tirian with his fa%e
as stern as stone said .Stand fast 3ewel. If yo! (!st wee" sweetheart :this
was to 3ill; t!rn yo!r fa%e aside and see yo! wet not yo!r #ow4strin&. And
"ea%e E!sta%e. Do not s%old li)e a )it%hen4&irl. No warrior s%olds. Co!rteo!s
words or else hard )no%)s are his only lan&!a&e..
B!t the Dwarfs 2eered #a%) at E!sta%e. .That was a s!r"rise for yo! little #oy
eh1 Tho!&ht we were on yo!r side did yo!1 No fear. $e don,t want any Tal)in&
Horses. $e don,t want yo! to win any (ore than the other &an&. Yo! %an,t ta)e !s
in. The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs..
Rishda Tar)aan was still tal)in& to his (en do!#tless (a)in& arran&e(ents for
the ne<t atta%) and "ro#a#ly wishin& he had sent his whole for%e into the first.
The dr!( #oo(ed on. Then to their horror Tirian and his friends heard far
fainter as if fro( a lon& way off an answerin& dr!(. Another #ody of Calor(enes
had heard Rishda,s si&nal and were %o(in& to s!""ort hi(. Yo! wo!ld not ha'e
)nown fro( Tirian,s fa%e that he had now &i'en !" all ho"e.
.Listen. he whis"ered in a (atter4of4fa%t 'oi%e .we (!st atta%) now #efore
yonder (is%reants are stren&thened #y their friends..
.Bethin) yo! Sire. said Po&&in .that here we ha'e the &ood wooden wall of the
sta#le at o!r #a%)s. If we ad'an%e shall we not #e en%ir%led and &et sword4
"oints #etween o!r sho!lders1.
.I wo!ld say as yo! do Dwarf. said Tirian. .$ere it not their 'ery "lan to
for%e !s into the sta#le1 The f!rther we are fro( its deadly door the #etter..
.The =in& is ri&ht. said 8arsi&ht. .Away fro( this a%%!rsed sta#le and
whate'er &o#lin li'es inside it at all %osts..
.Yes do let,s. said E!sta%e. .I,( %o(in& to hate the 'ery si&ht of it..
.9ood. said Tirian. .Now loo) yonder to o!r left. Yo! see a &reat ro%) that
&lea(s white li)e (ar#le in the fireli&ht. 8irst we will fall !"on those
Calor(enes. Yo! (aiden shall (o'e o!t on o!r left and shoot as fast as e'er
yo! (ay into their ran)s7 and yo! Ea&le fly at their fa%es fro( the ri&ht.
*eanwhile we others will #e %har&in& the(. $hen we are so %lose 3ill that yo!
%an no lon&er shoot at the( for fear of stri)in& !s &o #a%) to the white ro%)
and wait. Yo! others )ee" yo!r ears wide e'en in the fi&htin&. $e (!st "!t the(
to fli&ht in a few (in!tes or else not at all for we are fewer than they. As
soon as I %all Ba%) then r!sh to 2oin 3ill at the white ro%) where we shall
ha'e "rote%tion #ehind !s and %an #reathe awhile. Now #e off 3ill..
8eelin& terri#ly alone 3ill ran o!t a#o!t twenty feet "!t her ri&ht le& #a%)
and her left le& forward and set an arrow to her strin&. She wished her hands
were not sha)in& so. .,That,s a rotten shot0. she said as her first arrow s"ed
towards the ene(y and flew o'er their heads. B!t she had another on the strin&
ne<t (o(ent7 she )new that s"eed was what (attered. She saw so(ethin& #i& and
#la%) dartin& into the fa%es of the Calor(enes. ,that was 8arsi&ht. 8irst one
(an and then another dro""ed his sword and "!t !" #oth his hands to defend his
eyes. Then one of her own arrows hit a (an and another hit a Narnian wolf who
had it see(ed 2oined the ene(y. B!t she had #een shootin& only for a few
se%onds when she had to sto". $ith a flash of swords and of the Boar,s t!s)s and
3ewel,s horn and with dee" #ayin& fro( the do&s Tirian and his "arty were
r!shin& on their ene(ies li)e (en in a h!ndred yards, ra%e. 3ill was astonished
to see how !n"re"ared the Calor(enes see(ed to #e. She did not reali+e that this
was the res!lt of her wor) and the Ea&le,s. 5ery few troo"s %an )ee" on loo)in&
steadily to the front if they are &ettin& arrows in their fa%es fro( one side
and #ein& "e%)ed #y an ea&le on the other.
.Oh well done. $ell done0. sho!ted 3ill. The =in&,s "arty were %!ttin& their way
ri&ht into the ene(y. The >ni%orn was tossin& (en as yo!,d toss hay on a for).
E'en E!sta%e see(ed to 3ill :who after all didn,t )now 'ery (!%h a#o!t
swords(anshi"; to #e fi&htin& #rilliantly. The Do&s were at the Calor(enes,
throats. It was &oin& to wor)0 It was 'i%tory at last 4 $ith a horri#le %old
sho%) 3ill noti%ed a stran&e thin&. Tho!&h Calor(enes were fallin& at ea%h
Narnian sword4stro)e they ne'er see(ed to &et any fewer. In fa%t there were
a%t!ally (ore of the( now than when the fi&ht #e&an. There were (ore e'ery
se%ond. They were r!nnin& !" fro( e'ery side. They were new Calor(enes. These
new ones had s"ears. There was s!%h a %rowd of the( that she %o!ld hardly see
her own friends. Then she heard Tirian,s 'oi%e %ryin&7
.Ba%)0 To the ro%)0.
The ene(y had #een reinfor%ed. The dr!( had done its wor).
CHAPTER T$EL5E
THRO>9H THE STABLE DOOR
3ILL o!&ht to ha'e #een #a%) at the white ro%) already #!t she had /!ite
for&otten that "art of her orders in the e<%ite(ent of wat%hin& the fi&ht. Now
she re(e(#ered. She t!rned at on%e and ran to it and arri'ed there #arely a
se%ond #efore the others. It th!s ha""ened that all of the( for a (o(ent had
their #a%)s to the ene(y. They all wheeled ro!nd the (o(ent they had rea%hed it.
A terri#le si&ht (et their eyes.
A Calor(ene was r!nnin& towards the sta#le door %arryin& so(ethin& that )i%)ed
and str!&&led. As he %a(e #etween the( and the fire they %o!ld see %learly #oth
the sha"e of the (an and the sha"e of what he %arried. It was E!sta%e.
Tirian and the >ni%orn r!shed o!t to res%!e hi(. B!t the Calor(ene was now far
nearer to the door then they. Before they had %o'ered half the distan%e he had
fl!n& E!sta%e in and sh!t the door on hi(. Half a do+en (ore Calor(enes had r!n
!" #ehind hi(. They for(ed a line on the o"en s"a%e #efore the sta#le. There was
no &ettin& at it now.
E'en then 3ill re(e(#ered to )ee" her fa%e t!rned aside well away fro( her #ow.
.E'en if I %an,t sto" #l!##in& I won,t &et (y strin& wet. she said.
.,$are arrows. said Po&&in s!ddenly.
E'eryone d!%)ed and "!lled his hel(et well o'er his
nose. The Do&s %ro!%hed #ehind. B!t tho!&h a few arrows %a(e their way it soon
#e%a(e %lear that they were not #ein& shot at. 9riffle and his Dwarfs were at
their ar%hery a&ain. This ti(e they were %oolly shootin& at the Calor(enes.
.=ee" it !" #oys0. %a(e 9riffle,s 'oi%e. .All to&ether. Caref!lly. $e don,t
want Dar)ies any (ore than we want *on)eys 4 or Lions 4 or =in&s. The Dwarfs are
for the Dwarfs..
$hate'er else yo! (ay say a#o!t Dwarfs no one %an say they aren,t #ra'e. They
%o!ld easily ha'e &ot away to so(e safe "la%e. They "referred to stay and )ill
as (any of #oth sides as they %o!ld e<%e"t when #oth sides were )ind eno!&h to
sa'e the( tro!#le #y )illin& one another. They wanted Narnia for their own.
$hat "erha"s they had not ta)en into a%%o!nt was that the Calor(enes were (ail4
%lad and the Horses had had no "rote%tion. Also the Calor(enes had a leader.
Rishda Tar)aan,s 'oi%e %ried o!t7
.Thirty of yo! )ee" wat%h on those fools #y the white ro%). The rest after (e
that we (ay tea%h these sons of earth a lesson..
Tirian and his friends still "antin& fro( their fi&ht and than)f!l for a few
(in!tes, rest stood and loo)ed on while the Tar)aan led his (en a&ainst the
Dwarfs. It was a stran&e s%ene #y now. The fire had s!n) lower7 the li&ht it
&a'e was now less and of a dar)er red. As far as one %o!ld see the whole "la%e
of asse(#ly was now e("ty e<%e"t for the Dwarf and the Calor(enes. In that li&ht
one %o!ldn,t (a)e o!t (!%h of what was ha""enin&. It so!nded as if the Dwarfs
were "!ttin& !" a &ood fi&ht. Tirian %o!ld hear 9riffle !sin& dreadf!l lan&!a&e
and e'ery now and then the Tar)aan %allin& .Ta)e all yo! %an ali'e0 Ta)e the(
ali'e0.
$hate'er that fi&ht (ay ha'e #een li)e it did not last lon&. The noise of it
died away. Then 3ill saw the Tar)aan %o(in& #a%) to the sta#le7 ele'en (en
followed hi( dra&&in& ele'en #o!nd Dwarfs. :$hether the others had all #een
)illed or whether so(e of the( had &ot away was ne'er )nown.;
.Throw the( into the shrine of Tash. said Rishda Tar)aan.
And when the ele'en Dwarfs one after the other had #een fl!n& or )i%)ed into
that dar) doorway and the door had #een sh!t a&ain he #owed low to the sta#le
and said7
.These also are for thy #!rnt offerin& Lord Tash..
And all the Calor(enes #an&ed the flats of their swords on their shields and
sho!ted .Tash0 Tash0 The &reat &od Tash0 Ine<ora#le Tash0. :There was no
nonsense a#o!t .Tashlan. now.;
The little "arty #y the white ro%) wat%hed these doin&s and whis"ered to one
another. They had fo!nd a tri%)le of water %o(in& down the ro%) and all had
dr!n) ea&erly 4 3ill and Po&&in and the =in& in their hands while the fo!r4
footed ones la""ed fro( the little "ool whi%h it had (ade at the foot of the
stone. S!%h was their thirst that it see(ed the (ost deli%io!s drin) they had
e'er had in their li'es and while they were drin)in& they were "erfe%tly ha""y
and %o!ld not thin) of anythin& else.
.I feel in (y #ones. said Po&&in .that we shall all one #y one "ass thro!&h
that dar) door #efore (ornin&. I %an thin) of a h!ndred deaths I wo!ld rather
ha'e died..
.It is indeed a &ri( door. said Tirian. .It is (ore li)e a (o!th..
.Oh %an,t we do anythin& to sto" it1. said 3ill in a sha)en 'oi%e.
.Nay fair friend. said 3ewel nosin& her &ently. .It (ay #e for !s the door to
Aslan,s %o!ntry and we shall s!" at his ta#le toni&ht..
Rishda Tar)aan t!rned his #a%) on the sta#le and wal)ed slowly to a "la%e in
front of the white ro%).
.Hear)en. he said. .If the Boar and the Do&s and the >ni%orn will %o(e o'er to
(e and "!t the(sel'es in (y (er%y their li'es shall #e s"ared. The Boar shall
&o to a %a&e in The Tisro%,s &arden the Do&s to The Tisro%,s )ennels and the
>ni%orn when I ha'e sawn his horn off shall draw a %art. B!t the Ea&le the
%hildren and he who was the =in& shall #e offered to Tash this ni&ht..
The only answer was &rowls.
.9et on warriors. said the Tar)aan. .=ill the #easts #!t ta)e the two4le&&ed
ones ali'e..
And then the last #attle of the last =in& of Narnia #e&an.
$hat (ade it ho"eless e'en a"art fro( the n!(#ers of the ene(y was the s"ears.
The Calor(enes who had #een with the A"e al(ost fro( the #e&innin& had had no
s"ears7 that was #e%a!se they had %o(e into Narnia #y ones and twos "retendin&
to #e "ea%ef!l (er%hants and of %o!rse they had %arried no s"ears for a s"ear
is not a thin& yo! %an hide. The new ones (!st ha'e %o(e in later after the A"e
was already stron& and they %o!ld (ar%h o"enly. The s"ears (ade all the
differen%e. $ith a lon& s"ear yo! %an )ill a #oar #efore yo! are in rea%h of his
t!s)s and a !ni%orn #efore yo! are in rea%h of his horn- if yo! are 'ery /!i%)
and )ee" yo!r head. And now the le'elled s"ears were %losin& in on Tirian and
his last friends. Ne<t (in!te they were all fi&htin& for their li'es.
In a way it wasn,t /!ite so #ad as yo! (i&ht thin).
$hen yo! are !sin& e'ery (!s%le to the f!ll 4 d!%)in& !nder a s"ear4"oint here
lea"in& o'er it there l!n&in& forward drawin& #a%) wheelin& ro!nd 4 yo!
ha'en,t (!%h ti(e to feel either fri&htened or sad. Tirian )new he %o!ld do
nothin& for the others now- they were all doo(ed to&ether. He 'a&!ely saw the
Boar &o down on one side of hi( and 3ewel fi&htin& f!rio!sly on the other. O!t
of the %orner of one eye he saw #!t only 2!st saw a #i& Calor(ene "!llin& 3ill
away so(ewhere #y her hair. B!t he hardly tho!&ht a#o!t any of these thin&s. His
only tho!&ht now was to sell his life as dearly as he %o!ld. The worst of it was
that he %o!ldn,t )ee" to the "osition in whi%h he had started !nder the white
ro%). A (an who is fi&htin& a do+en ene(ies at on%e (!st ta)e his %han%es
where'er he %an- (!st dart in where'er he sees an ene(y,s #reast or ne%)
!n&!arded. In a 'ery few stro)es this (ay &et yo! /!ite a distan%e fro( the s"ot
where yo! #e&an. Tirian soon fo!nd that he was &ettin& f!rther and f!rther to
the ri&ht nearer to the sta#le. He had a 'a&!e idea in his (ind that there was
so(e &ood reason for )ee"in& away fro( it. B!t he %o!ldn,t now re(e(#er what the
reason was. And anyway he %o!ldn,t hel" it.
All at on%e e'erythin& %a(e /!ite %lear. He fo!nd he was fi&htin& the Tar)aan
hi(self. The #onfire :what was left of it; was strai&ht in front. He was in fa%t
fi&htin& in the 'ery doorway of the sta#le for it had #een o"ened and two
Calor(enes were holdin& the door ready to sla( it sh!t the (o(ent he was
inside. He re(e(#ered e'erythin& now and he reali+ed that the ene(y had #een
ed&in& hi( to the sta#le on "!r"ose e'er sin%e the fi&ht #e&an. And while he was
thin)in& this he was still fi&htin& the Tar)aan as hard as he %o!ld.
A new idea %a(e into Tirian,s head. He dro""ed his sword darted forward in
!nder the swee" of the Tar)aan,s s%i(itar sei+ed his ene(y #y the #elt with
#oth hands and 2!("ed #a%) into the sta#le sho!tin&7
.Co(e in and (eet Tash yo!rself0.
There was a deafenin& noise. As when the A"e had #een fl!n& in the earth shoo)
and there was a #lindin& li&ht.
The Calor(ene soldiers o!tside s%rea(ed. .Tash Tash0. and #an&ed the door. If
Tash wanted their own Ca"tain Tash (!st ha'e hi(. They at any rate did not
want to (eet Tash.
8or a (o(ent or two Tirian did not )now where he was or e'en who he was. Then he
steadied hi(self #lin)ed and loo)ed aro!nd. It was not dar) inside the sta#le
as he had e<"e%ted. He was in stron& li&ht7 that was why he was #lin)in&.
He t!rned to loo) at Rishda Tar)aan #!t Rishda was not loo)in& at hi(. Rishda
&a'e a &reat wail and "ointed- then he "!t his hands #efore his fa%e and fell
flat fa%e downwards on the &ro!nd. Tirian loo)ed in the dire%tion where the
Tar)aan had "ointed. And then he !nderstood.
A terri#le fi&!re was %o(in& towards the(. It was far s(aller than the sha"e
they had seen fro( the Tower tho!&h still (!%h #i&&er than a (an and it was
the sa(e. It had a '!lt!re,s head and fo!r ar(s. Its #ea) was o"en and its eyes
#la+ed. A %roa)in& 'oi%e %a(e fro( its #ea).
.Tho! hast %alled (e into Narnia Rishda Tar)aan. Here I a(. $hat hast tho! to
say1.
B!t the Tar)aan neither lifted his fa%e fro( the &ro!nd nor said a word. He was
sha)in& li)e a (an with a #ad hi%%!". He was #ra'e eno!&h in #attle7 #!t half
his %o!ra&e had left hi( earlier that ni&ht when he first #e&an to s!s"e%t that
there (i&ht #e a real Tash. The rest of it had left hi( now.
$ith a s!dden 2er) 4li)e a hen stoo"in& to "i%) !" a wor( 4 Tash "o!n%ed on the
(isera#le Rishda and t!%)ed hi( !nder the !""er of his two ri&ht ar(s. Then Tash
t!rned his head sidewise to fi< Tirian with one of his terri#le eyes7 for of
%o!rse ha'in& a #ird,s head he %o!ldn,t loo) at yo! strai&ht.
B!t i((ediately fro( #ehind Tash stron& and %al( as the s!((er sea a 'oi%e
said7
.Be&one *onster and ta)e yo!r lawf!l "rey to yo!r own "la%e7 in the na(e of
Aslan and Aslan,s &reat 8ather the E("eror4o'er4the4Sea..
The hideo!s %reat!re 'anished with the Tar)aan still !nder its ar(. And Tirian
t!rned to see who had s"o)en.
And what he saw then set his heart #eatin& as it had ne'er #eaten in any fi&ht.
Se'en =in&s and 6!eens stood #efore hi( all with %rowns on their heads and all
in &litterin& %lothes #!t the =in&s wore fine (ail as well and had their swords
drawn in their hands. Tirian #owed %o!rteo!sly and was a#o!t to s"ea) when the
yo!n&est of the 6!eens la!&hed. He stared hard at her fa%e and then &as"ed with
a(a+e(ent for he )new her. It was 3ill7 #!t not 3ill as he had last seen her
with her fa%e all dirt and tears and an old drill dress half sli""in& off one
sho!lder. Now she loo)ed %ool and fresh as fresh as if she had 2!st %o(e fro(
#athin&. And at first he tho!&ht she loo)ed older #!t then didn,t and he %o!ld
ne'er (a)e !" his (ind on that "oint. And then he saw that the yo!n&est of the
=in&s was E!sta%e7 #!t he also was %han&ed as 3ill was %han&ed.
Tirian s!ddenly felt aw)ward a#o!t %o(in& a(on& these "eo"le with the #lood and
d!st and sweat of a #attle still on hi(. Ne<t (o(ent he reali+ed that he was not
in that state at all. He was fresh and %ool and %lean and dressed in s!%h
%lothes as he wo!ld ha'e worn for a &reat feast at Cair Para'el. :B!t in Narnia
yo!r &ood %lothes were ne'er yo!r !n%o(forta#le ones. They )new how to (a)e
thin&s that felt #ea!tif!l as well as loo)in& #ea!tif!l in Narnia7 and there was
no s!%h thin& as star%h or flannel or elasti% to #e fo!nd fro( one end of the
%o!ntry to the other.;
.Sire. said 3ill %o(in& forward and (a)in& a #ea!tif!l %!rtsey .let (e (a)e
yo! )nown to Peter the Hi&h =in& o'er all =in&s in Narnia..
Tirian had no need to as) whi%h was the Hi&h =in& for he re(e(#ered his fa%e
:tho!&h here it was far no#ler; fro( his drea(. He ste""ed forward san) on one
)nee and )issed Peter,s hand.
.Hi&h =in&. he said. .Yo! are wel%o(e to (e..
And the Hi&h =in& raised hi( and )issed hi( on #oth %hee)s as a Hi&h =in&
sho!ld. Then he led hi( to the eldest of the 6!eens 4 #!t e'en she was not old
and there were no &rey hairs on her head and no wrin)les on her %hee) 4 and
said .Sir this is that Lady Polly who %a(e into Narnia on the 8irst Day when
Aslan (ade the trees &row and the Beasts tal).. He #ro!&ht hi( ne<t to a (an
whose &olden #eard flowed o'er his #reast and whose fa%e was f!ll of wisdo(.
.And this. he said .is the Lord Di&ory who was with her on that day. And this
is (y #rother =in& Ed(!nd7 and this (y sister the 6!een L!%y..
.Sir. said Tirian when he had &reeted all these. .If I ha'e read the %hroni%le
ari&ht there sho!ld #e another. Has not yo!r *a2esty two sisters1 $here is
6!een S!san1.
.*y sister S!san. answered Peter shortly and &ra'ely .is no lon&er a friend of
Narnia..
.Yes. said E!sta%e .and whene'er yo!,'e tried to &et her to %o(e and tal)
a#o!t Narnia or do anythin& a#o!t Narnia she says @$hat wonderf!l (e(ories yo!
ha'e0 8an%y yo!r still thin)in& a#o!t all those f!nny &a(es we !sed to "lay when
we were %hildren.,.
.Oh S!san0. said 3ill. .She,s interested in nothin& nowadays e<%e"t nylons and
li"sti%) and in'itations. She always was a 2olly si&ht too )een on #ein& &rown4
!"..
.9rown4!" indeed. said the Lady Polly. .I wish she wo!ld &row !". She wasted
all her s%hool ti(e wantin& to #e the a&e she is now and she,ll waste all the
rest of her life tryin& to stay that a&e. Her whole idea is to ra%e on to the
silliest ti(e of one,s life as /!i%) as she %an and then sto" there as lon& as
she %an..
.$ell don,t let,s tal) a#o!t that now. said Peter. .Loo)0 Here are lo'ely
fr!it4trees. Let !s taste the(..
And then for the first ti(e Tirian loo)ed a#o!t hi( and reali+ed how 'ery
/!eer this ad'ent!re was.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
HO$ THE D$AR8S RE8>SED TO BE TA=EN IN
TIRIAN had tho!&ht 4 or he wo!ld ha'e tho!&ht if he had ti(e to thin) at all 4
that they were inside a little that%hed sta#le a#o!t twel'e feet lon& and si<
feet wide. In reality they stood on &rass the dee" #l!e s)y was o'erhead and
the air whi%h #lew &ently on their fa%es was that of a day in early s!((er. Not
far away fro( the( rose a &ro'e of trees thi%)ly lea'ed #!t !nder e'ery leaf
there "ee"ed o!t the &old or faint yellow or "!r"le or &lowin& red of fr!its
s!%h as no one has seen in o!r world. The fr!it (ade Tirian feel that it (!st #e
a!t!(n #!t there was so(ethin& in the feel of the air that told hi( it %o!ld not
#e later than 3!ne. They all (o'ed towards the trees.
E'eryone raised his hand to "i%) the fr!it he #est li)ed the loo) of and then
e'eryone "a!sed for a se%ond. This fr!it was so #ea!tif!l that ea%h felt .It
%an,t #e (eant for (e... s!rely we,re not allowed to "l!%) it..
.It,s all ri&ht. said Peter. .I )now what we,re all thin)in&. B!t I,( s!re
/!ite s!re we needn,t. I,'e a feelin& we,'e &ot to the %o!ntry where e'erythin&
is allowed..
.Here &oes then0. said E!sta%e. And they all #e&an to eat.
$hat was the fr!it li)e1 >nfort!nately no one %an des%ri#e a taste. All I %an
say is that %o("ared with those fr!its the freshest &ra"efr!it yo!,'e e'er
eaten was d!ll and the 2!i%iest oran&e was dry and the (ost (eltin& "ear was
hard and woody and the sweetest wild straw#erry was so!r. And there were no
seeds or stones and no was"s. If yo! had on%e eaten that fr!it all the ni%est
thin&s in this world wo!ld taste li)e (edi%ines after it. B!t I %an,t des%ri#e
it. Yo! %an,t find o!t what it is li)e !nless yo! %an &et to that %o!ntry and
taste it for yo!rself.
$hen they had eaten eno!&h E!sta%e said to =in& Peter .Yo! ha'en,t yet told !s
how yo! &ot here. Yo! were 2!st &oin& to when =in& Tirian t!rned !"..
.There,s not (!%h to tell. said Peter. .Ed(!nd and I were standin& on the
"latfor( and we saw yo!r train %o(in& in. I re(e(#er thin)in& it was ta)in& the
#end far too fast. And I re(e(#er thin)in& how f!nny it was that o!r "eo"le were
"ro#a#ly in the sa(e train tho!&h L!%y didn,t )now a#o!t it 4.
.Yo!r "eo"le Hi&h =in&1. said Tirian.
.I (ean (y 8ather and *other 4 Ed(!nd,s and L!%y,s and (ine..
.$hy were they1. as)ed 3ill. .Yo! don,t (ean to say they )now a#o!t Narnia1.
.Oh no it had nothin& to do with Narnia. They were on their way to Bristol. I,d
only heard they were &oin& that (ornin&. B!t Ed(!nd said they,d #e #o!nd to #e
&oin& #y that train.. :Ed(!nd was the sort of "erson who )nows a#o!t railways.;
.And what ha""ened then1. said 3ill.
.$ell it,s not 'ery easy to des%ri#e is it Ed(!nd1. said the Hi&h =in&.
.Not 'ery. said Ed(!nd. .It wasn,t at all li)e that other ti(e when we were
"!lled o!t of o!r own world #y *a&i%. There was a fri&htf!l roar and so(ethin&
hit (e with a #an& #!t it didn,t h!rt. And I felt not so (!%h s%ared as 4 well
e<%ited. Oh 4 and this is one /!eer thin&.
I,d had a rather sore )nee fro( a ha%) at r!&&er. I noti%ed it had s!ddenly
&one. And I felt 'ery li&ht. And then 4 here we were..
.It was (!%h the sa(e for !s in the railway %arria&e. said the Lord Di&ory
wi"in& the last tra%es of the fr!it fro( his &olden #eard. .Only I thin) yo! and
I Polly %hiefly felt that we,d #een !nstiffened. Yo! yo!n&sters won,t
!nderstand. B!t we sto""ed feelin& old..
.Yo!n&sters indeed0. said 3ill. .I don,t #elie'e yo! two really are (!%h older
than we are here..
.$ell if we aren,t we ha'e #een. said the Lady Polly.
.And what has #een ha""enin& sin%e yo! &ot here1. as)ed E!sta%e.
.$ell. said Peter .for a lon& ti(e :at least I s!""ose it was a lon& ti(e;
nothin& ha""ened. Then the door o"ened 4.
.The door1. said Tirian.
.Yes. said Peter. .The door yo! %a(e in 4 or %a(e o!t 4 #y. Ha'e yo!
for&otten1.
.B!t where is it1.
.Loo). said Peter and "ointed.
Tirian loo)ed and saw the /!eerest and (ost ridi%!lo!s thin& yo! %an i(a&ine.
Only a few yards away %lear to #e seen in the s!nli&ht there stood !" a ro!&h
wooden door and ro!nd it the fra(ewor) of the doorway7 nothin& else no walls
no roof. He wal)ed towards it #ewildered and the others followed wat%hin& to
see what he wo!ld do. He wal)ed ro!nd to the other side of the door. B!t it
loo)ed 2!st the sa(e fro( the other side7 he was still in the o"en air on a
s!((er (ornin&. The door was si("ly standin& !" #y itself as if it had &rown
there li)e a tree.
.8air Sir. said Tirian to the Hi&h =in& .this is a &reat (ar'el..
.It is the door yo! %a(e thro!&h with that Calor(ene fi'e (in!tes a&o. said
Peter s(ilin&.
.B!t did I not %o(e in o!t of the wood into the sta#le1 $hereas this see(s to #e
a door leadin& fro( nowhere to nowhere..
.It loo)s li)e that if yo! wal) ro!nd it. said Peter. .B!t "!t yo!r eye to that
"la%e where there is a %ra%) #etween two of the "lan)s and loo) thro!&h..
Tirian "!t his eye to the hole. At first he %o!ld see nothin& #!t #la%)ness.
Then at his eyes &rew !sed to it he saw the d!ll red &low of a #onfire that
was nearly &oin& o!t and a#o'e that in a #la%) s)y stars. Then he %o!ld see
dar) fi&!res (o'in& a#o!t or standin& #etween hi( and the fire7 he %o!ld hear
the( tal)in& and their 'oi%es were li)e those of Calor(enes. So he )new that he
was loo)in& o!t thro!&h the sta#le door into the dar)ness of Lantern $aste where
he had fo!&ht his last #attle. The (en were dis%!ssin& whether to &o in and loo)
for Rishda Tar)aan :#!t none of the( wanted to do that; or to set fire to the
sta#le.
He loo)ed ro!nd a&ain and %o!ld hardly #elie'e his eyes. There was the #l!e s)y
o'erhead and &rassy %o!ntry s"readin& as far as he %o!ld see in e'ery
dire%tion and his new friends all ro!nd hi( la!&hin&.
.It see(s then. said Tirian s(ilin& hi(self .that the sta#le seen fro(
within and the sta#le seen fro( witho!t are two different "la%es..
.Yes. said the Lord Di&ory. .Its inside is #i&&er than its o!tside..
.Yes. said 6!een L!%y. .In o!r world too a sta#le on%e had so(ethin& inside it
that was #i&&er than o!r whole world.. It was the first ti(e she had s"o)en and
fro( the thrill in her 'oi%e Tirian now )new why. She was drin)in& e'erythin&
in e'en (ore dee"ly than the others. She had #een too ha""y to s"ea). He wanted
to hear her s"ea) a&ain so he said7
.Of yo!r %o!rtesy *ada( tell on. Tell (e yo!r whole ad'ent!re..
.After the sho%) and the noise. said L!%y .we fo!nd o!rsel'es here. And we
wondered at the door as yo! did. Then the door o"ened for the first ti(e :we
saw dar)ness thro!&h the doorway when it did; and there %a(e thro!&h a #i& (an
with a na)ed sword. $e saw #y his ar(s that he was a Calor(ene. He too) his
stand #eside the door with his sword raised restin& on his sho!lder ready to
%!t down anyone who %a(e thro!&h. $e went to hi( and s"o)e to hi( #!t we
tho!&ht he %o!ld neither see nor hear !s. And he ne'er loo)ed ro!nd on the s)y
and the s!nli&ht and the &rass7 I thin) he %o!ldn,t see the( either. So then we
waited a lon& ti(e. Then we heard the #olt #ein& drawn on the other side of the
door. B!t the (an didn,t &et ready to stri)e with his sword till he %o!ld see
who was %o(in& in. So we s!""osed he had #een told to stri)e so(e and s"are
others. B!t at the 'ery (o(ent when the door o"ened all of a s!dden Tash was
there on this side of the door- none of !s saw where he %a(e fro(. And thro!&h
the door there %a(e a #i& Cat. It &a'e one loo) at Tash and ran for its life7
2!st in ti(e for he "o!n%ed at it and the door hit his #ea) as it was sh!t. The
(an %o!ld see Tash. He t!rned 'ery "ale and #owed down #efore the *onster7 #!t
it 'anished away.
.Then we waited a lon& ti(e a&ain. At last the door o"ened for the third ti(e
and there %a(e in a yo!n& Calor(ene. I li)ed hi(. The sentinel at the door
started and loo)ed 'ery s!r"rised when he saw hi(. I thin) he,d #een e<"e%tin&
so(eone /!ite different 4.
.I see it all now. said E!sta%e :he had the #ad ha#it of interr!"tin& stories;.
.The Cat was to &o in first and the sentry had orders to do hi( no har(. Then
the Cat was to %o(e o!t and say he,d seen their #eastly Tashlan and "retend to
#e fri&htened so as to s%are the other Ani(als. B!t what Shift ne'er &!essed was
that the real Tash wo!ld t!rn !"- so 9in&er %a(e o!t really fri&htened. And
after that Shift wo!ld send in anyone he wanted to &et rid of and the sentry
wo!ld )ill the(.
And 4.
.8riend. said Tirian softly .yo! hinder the lady in her tale..
.$ell. said L!%y .the sentry was s!r"rised. That &a'e the other (an 2!st ti(e
to &et on &!ard. They had a fi&ht. He )illed the sentry and fl!n& hi( o!tside
the door. Then he %a(e wal)in& slowly forward to where we were. He %o!ld see !s
and e'erythin& else. $e tried to tal) to hi( #!t he was rather li)e a (an in a
tran%e. He )e"t on sayin& Tash Tash where is Tash1 I &o to Tash. So we &a'e it
!" and he went away so(ewhere 4 o'er there. I li)ed hi(. And after that ...
!&h0. L!%y (ade a fa%e.
.After that. said Ed(!nd .so(eone fl!n& a (on)ey thro!&h the door. And Tash
was there a&ain. *y sister is so tender4hearted she doesn,t li)e to tell yo!
that Tash (ade one "e%) and the *on)ey was &one0.
.Ser'e hi( ri&ht0. said E!sta%e. .All the sa(e I ho"e he,ll disa&ree with Tash
too..
.And after that. said Ed(!nd .%a(e a#o!t a do+en Dwarfs7 and then 3ill and
E!sta%e and last of all yo!rself..
.I ho"e Tash ate the Dwarfs too. said E!sta%e. .Little swine..
.No he didn,t. said L!%y. .And don,t #e horrid. Thery,re still here. In fa%t
yo! %an see the( fro( here. And I,'e tried and tried to (a)e friends with the(
#!t it,s no !se..
.8riends with the(0. %ried E!sta%e. .If yo! )new how those Dwarfs ha'e #een
#eha'in&0.
.Oh sto" it E!sta%e. said L!%y. .Do %o(e and see the(. =in& Tirian "erha"s
yo! %o!ld do so(ethin& with the(..
.I %an feel no &reat lo'e for Dwarfs today. said Tirian. .Yet at yo!r as)in&
Lady I wo!ld do a &reater thin& than this..
L!%y led the way and soon they %o!ld all see the Dwarfs. They had a 'ery odd
loo). They weren,t strollin& a#o!t or en2oyin& the(sel'es :altho!&h the %ords
with whi%h they had #een tied see(ed to ha'e 'anished; nor were they lyin& down
and ha'in& a rest. They were sittin& 'ery %lose to&ether in a little %ir%le
fa%in& one another. They ne'er loo)ed ro!nd or too) any noti%e of the h!(ans
till L!%y and Tirian were al(ost near eno!&h to to!%h the(. Then the Dwarfs all
%o%)ed their heads as if they %o!ldn,t see anyone #!t were listenin& hard and
tryin& to &!ess #y the so!nd what was ha""enin&.
.Loo) o!t0. said one of the( in a s!rly 'oi%e. .*ind where yo!,re &oin&. Don,t
wal) into o!r fa%es0.
.All ri&ht0. said E!sta%e indi&nantly. .$e,re not #lind. $e,'e &ot eyes in o!r
heads..
.They (!st #e darn &ood ones if yo! %an see in here. said the sa(e Dwarf whose
na(e was Di&&le.
.In where1. as)ed Ed(!nd.
.$hy yo! #one4head in here of %o!rse. said Di&&le. .In this "it%h4#la%) "o)y
s(elly little hole of a sta#le..
.Are yo! #lind1. said Tirian.
.Ain,t we all #lind in the dar)0. said Di&&le.
.B!t it isn,t dar) yo! "oor st!"id Dwarfs. said L!%y. .Can,t yo! see1 Loo) !"0
Loo) ro!nd0 Can,t yo! see the s)y and the trees and the flowers1 Can,t yo! see
(e1.
.How in the na(e of all H!(#!& %an I see what ain,t there1 And how %an I see yo!
any (ore than yo! %an see (e in this "it%h dar)ness1.
.B!t I %an see yo!. said L!%y. .I,ll "ro'e I %an see yo!. Yo!,'e &ot a "i"e in
yo!r (o!th..
.Anyone that )nows the s(ell of #a%%y %o!ld tell that. said Di&&le.
.Oh the "oor thin&s0 This is dreadf!l. said L!%y. Then she had an idea. She
sto""ed and "i%)ed so(e wild 'iolets. .Listen Dwarf. she said. .E'en if yo!r
eyes are wron& "erha"s yo!r nose is all ri&ht7 %an yo! s(ell that1. She leaned
a%ross and held the fresh da(" flowers to Di&&le,s !&ly nose. B!t she had to
2!(" #a%) /!i%)ly in order to a'oid a #low fro( his hard little fist.
.None of that0. he sho!ted. .How dare yo!0 $hat do yo! (ean #y sho'in& a lot of
filthy sta#le4litter in (y fa%e1 There was a thistle in it too. It,s li)e yo!r
sa!%e0 And who are yo! anyway1.
.Earth4(an. said Tirian .she is the 6!een L!%y sent hither #y Aslan o!t of
the dee" "ast. And it is for her sa)e alone that I Tirian yo!r lawf!l =in& do
not %!t all yo!r heads fro( yo!r sho!lders "ro'ed and twi%e4"ro'ed traitors
that yo! are..
.$ell if that doesn,t #eat e'erythin&0. e<%lai(ed Di&&le. .How %an yo! &o on
tal)in& all that rot1 Yo!r wonderf!l Lion didn,t %o(e and hel" yo! did he1
Tho!&ht not. And now 4 e'en now 4 when yo!,'e #een #eaten and sho'ed into this
#la%) hole 2!st the sa(e as the rest of !s yo!,re still at yo!r old &a(e.
Startin& a new lie0 Tryin& to (a)e !s #elie'e we,re none of !s sh!t !" and it
ain,t dar) and hea'en )nows what..
.There is no #la%) hole sa'e in yo!r own fan%y fool. %ried Tirian. .Co(e o!t
of it.. And leanin& forward he %a!&ht Di&&le #y the #elt and the hood and
sw!n& hi( ri&ht o!t of the %ir%le of Dwarfs. B!t the (o(ent Tirian "!t hi( down
Di&&le darted #a%) to his "la%e a(on& the others r!##in& his nose and howlin&7
.Ow0 Ow0 $hat d,yo! do that for0 Ban&in& (y fa%e a&ainst the wall. Yo!,'e nearly
#ro)en (y nose..
.Oh dear0. said L!%y .$hat are we to do for the(1.
.Let ,e( alone. said E!sta%e7 #!t as he s"o)e the earth tre(#led. The sweet air
&rew s!ddenly sweeter. A #ri&htness flashed #ehind the(. All t!rned. Tirian
t!rned last #e%a!se he was afraid. There stood his heart,s desire h!&e and
real the &olden Lion Aslan hi(self and already the others were )neelin& in a
%ir%le ro!nd his fore"aws and #!ryin& their hands and fa%es in his (ane as he
stoo"ed his &reat head to to!%h the( with his ton&!e. Then he fi<ed his eyes
!"on Tirian and Tirian %a(e near tre(#lin& and fl!n& hi(self at the Lion,s
feet and the Lion )issed hi( and said .$ell done last of the =in&s of Narnia
who stood fir( at the dar)est ho!r..
.Aslan. said L!%y thro!&h her tears .%o!ld yo! 4 will yo! 4 do so(ethin& for
these "oor Dwarfs1.
.Dearest. said Aslan .I will show yo! #oth what I %an and what I %annot do..
He %a(e %lose to the Dwarfs and &a'e a low &rowl7 low #!t it set all the air
sha)in&. B!t the Dwarfs said to one another .Hear that1 That,s the &an& at the
other end of the sta#le. Tryin& to fri&hten !s. They do it with a (a%hine of
so(e )ind. Don,t ta)e any noti%e. They won,t ta)e !s in a&ain0.
Aslan raised his head and shoo) his (ane. Instantly a &lorio!s feast a""eared on
the Dwarfs, )nees7 "ies and ton&!es and "i&eons and trifles and i%es and ea%h
Dwarf had a &o#let of &ood wine in his ri&ht hand. B!t it wasn,t (!%h !se. They
#e&an eatin& and drin)in& &reedily eno!&h #!t it was %lear that they %o!ldn,t
taste it "ro"erly. They tho!&ht they were eatin& and drin)in& only the sort of
thin&s yo! (i&ht find in a sta#le. One said he was tryin& to eat hay and another
said he had a #it of an old t!rni" and a third said he,d fo!nd a raw %a##a&e
leaf. And they raised &olden &o#lets of ri%h red wine to their li"s and said
.>&h0 8an%y drin)in& dirty water o!t of a tro!&h that a don)ey,s #een at0 Ne'er
tho!&ht we,d %o(e to this.. B!t 'ery soon e'ery Dwarf #e&an s!s"e%tin& that
e'ery other Dwarf had fo!nd so(ethin& ni%er than he had and they started
&ra##in& and snat%hin& and went on to /!arrellin& till in a few (in!tes there
was a free fi&ht and all the &ood food was s(eared on their fa%es and %lothes or
trodden !nder foot. B!t when at last they sat down to n!rse their #la%) eyes and
their #leedin& noses they all said7
.$ell at any rate there,s no H!(#!& here. $e ha'en,t let anyone ta)e !s in. The
Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs..
.Yo! see . said Aslan. .They will not let !s hel" the(. They ha'e %hosen
%!nnin& instead of #elief. Their "rison is only in their own (inds yet they are
in that "rison- and so afraid of #ein& ta)en in that they %annot #e ta)en o!t.
B!t %o(e %hildren. I ha'e other wor) to do..
He went to the Door and they all followed hi(. He raised his head and roared
.Now it is ti(e0. then lo!der .Ti(e0.- then so lo!d that it %o!ld ha'e sha)en
the stars .TI*E.. The Door flew o"en.
CHAPTER 8O>RTEEN
NI9HT 8ALLS ON NARNIA
THEY all stood #eside Aslan on his ri&ht side and loo)ed thro!&h the o"en
doorway.
The #onfire had &one o!t. On the earth all was #la%)ness7 in fa%t yo! %o!ld not
ha'e told that yo! were loo)in& into a wood if yo! had not seen where the dar)
sha"es of the trees ended and the stars #e&an. B!t when Aslan had roared yet
a&ain o!t on their left they saw another #la%) sha"e. That is they saw another
"at%h where there were no stars7 and the "at%h rose !" hi&her and hi&her and
#e%a(e the sha"e of a (an the h!&est of all &iants. They all )new Narnia well
eno!&h to wor) o!t where he (!st #e standin&. He (!st #e on the hi&h (oorlands
that stret%h away to the North #eyond the Ri'er Shri##le. Then 3ill and E!sta%e
re(e(#ered how on%e lon& a&o in the dee" %a'es #eneath those (oors they had
seen a &reat &iant aslee" and #een told that his na(e was 8ather Ti(e and that
he wo!ld wa)e on the day the world ended.
.Yes. said Aslan tho!&h they had not s"o)en. .$hile he lay drea(in& his na(e
was Ti(e. Now that he is awa)e he will ha'e a new one..
Then the &reat &iant raised a horn to his (o!th. They %o!ld see this #y the
%han&e of the #la%) sha"e he (ade a&ainst the stars. After that 4 /!ite a #it
later #e%a!se so!nd tra'els so slowly 4 they heard the so!nd of the horn7 hi&h
and terri#le yet of a stran&e deadly #ea!ty.
I((ediately the s)y #e%a(e f!ll of shootin& stars. E'en one shootin& star is a
fine thin& to see- #!t these were do+ens and then s%ores and then h!ndreds
till it was li)e sil'er rain7 and it went on and on. And when it had &one on for
so(e while one or two of the( #e&an to thin) that there was another dar) sha"e
a&ainst the s)y as well as the &iant,s. It was in a different "la%e ri&ht
o'erhead !" in the 'ery roof of the s)y as yo! (i&ht %all it. .Perha"s it is a
%lo!d. tho!&ht Ed(!nd. At any rate there were no stars there7 2!st #la%)ness.
B!t all aro!nd the down"o!r of stars went on. And then the starless "at%h #e&an
to &row s"readin& f!rther and f!rther o!t fro( the %entre of the s)y. And
"resently a /!arter of the whole s)y was #la%) and then a half and at last the
rain of shootin& stars was &oin& on only low down near the hori+on.
$ith a thrill of wonder :and there was so(e terror in it too; they all s!ddenly
reali+ed what was ha""enin&. The s"readin& #la%)ness was not a %lo!d at all7 it
was si("ly e("tiness. The #la%) "art of the s)y was the "art in whi%h there were
no stars left. All the stars were fallin&7 Aslan had %alled the( ho(e.
The last few se%onds #efore the rain of stars had /!ite ended were 'ery
e<%itin&. Stars #e&an fallin& all ro!nd the(. B!t stars in that world are not
the &reat fla(in& &lo#es they are in o!rs. They are "eo"le :Ed(!nd and L!%y had
on%e (et one;. So now they fo!nd showers of &litterin& "eo"le all with lon&
hair li)e #!rnin& sil'er and s"ears li)e white4hot (etal r!shin& down to the(
o!t of the #la%) air swifter than fallin& stones. They (ade a hissin& noise as
they landed and #!rnt the &rass. And all these stars &lided "ast the( and stood
so(ewhere #ehind a little to the ri&ht.
This was a &reat ad'anta&e #e%a!se otherwise now that there were no stars in
the s)y e'erythin& wo!ld ha'e #een %o("letely dar) and yo! %o!ld ha'e seen
nothin&. As it was the %rowd of stars #ehind the( %ast a fier%e white li&ht
o'er their sho!lders. They %o!ld see (ile !"on (ile of Narnian woods s"read o!t
#efore the( loo)in& as if they were floodlit. E'ery #!sh and al(ost e'ery #lade
of &rass had its #la%) shadow #ehind it. The ed&e of e'ery leaf stood o!t so
shar" that yo!,d thin) yo! %o!ld %!t yo!r fin&er on it.
On the &rass #efore the( lay their own shadows. B!t the &reat thin& was Aslan,s
shadow. It strea(ed away to their left enor(o!s and 'ery terri#le. And all this
was !nder a s)y that wo!ld now #e starless fore'er.
The li&ht fro( #ehind the( :and a little to their ri&ht; was so stron& that it
lit !" e'en the slo"es of the Northern *oors. So(ethin& was (o'in& there.
Enor(o!s ani(als were %rawlin& and slidin& down into Narnia7 &reat dra&ons and
&iant li+ards and featherless #irds with win&s li)e #ats, win&s. They
disa""eared into the woods and for a few (in!tes there was silen%e. Then there
%a(e 4 at first fro( 'ery far off 4 so!nds of wailin& and then fro( e'ery
dire%tion a r!stlin& and a "atterin& and a so!nd of win&s. It %a(e nearer and
nearer. Soon one %o!ld distin&!ish the s%a("er of little feet fro( the "addin&
of #i& "aws and the %la%)4%la%) of li&ht little hoofs fro( the th!nder of &reat
ones. And then one %o!ld see tho!sands of "airs of eyes &lea(in&. And at last
o!t of the shadow of the trees ra%in& !" the hill for dear life #y tho!sands
and #y (illions %a(e all )inds of %reat!res 4 Tal)in& Beasts Dwarfs Satyrs
8a!ns 9iants Calor(enes (en fro( Ar%henland *ono"ods and stran&e !nearthly
thin&s fro( the re(ote islands of the !n)nown $estern lands. And all these ran
!" to the doorway where Aslan stood.
This "art of the ad'ent!re was the only one whi%h see(ed rather li)e a drea( at
the ti(e and rather hard to re(e(#er "ro"erly afterwards. Es"e%ially one
%o!ldn,t say how lon& it had ta)en. So(eti(es it see(ed to ha'e lasted only a
few (in!tes #!t at others it felt as if it (i&ht ha'e &one on for years.
O#'io!sly !nless either the Door had &rown 'ery (!%h lar&er or the %reat!res
had s!ddenly &rown as s(all as &nats a %rowd li)e that %o!ldn,t e'er ha'e tried
to &et thro!&h it. B!t no one tho!&ht a#o!t that sort of thin& at the ti(e.
The %reat!res %a(e r!shin& on their eyes #ri&hter and #ri&hter as they drew
nearer and nearer to the standin& Stars. B!t as they %a(e ri&ht !" to Aslan one
or other of two thin&s ha""ened to ea%h of the(. They all loo)ed strai&ht in his
fa%e I don,t thin) they had any %hoi%e a#o!t that. And when so(e loo)ed the
e<"ression of their fa%es %han&ed terri#ly 4 it was fear and hatred7 e<%e"t
that on the fa%es of Tal)in& Bears the fear and hatred lasted only for a
fra%tion of a se%ond. Yo! %o!ld see that they s!ddenly %eased to the Tal)in&
Beasts. They were 2!st ordinary ani(als. And all the %reat!res who loo)ed at
Aslan in that way swer'ed to their ri&ht his left and disa""eared into his
h!&e #la%) shadow whi%h :as yo! ha'e heard; strea(ed away to the left of the
doorway. The %hildren ne'er saw the( a&ain. I don,t )now what #e%a(e of the(.
B!t the others loo)ed in the fa%e of Aslan and lo'ed hi( tho!&h so(e of the(
were 'ery fri&htened at the sa(e ti(e. And all these %a(e in at the Door in on
Aslan,s ri&ht. There were so(e /!eer s"e%i(ens a(on& the(. E!sta%e e'en
re%o&ni+ed one of those 'ery Dwarfs who had hel"ed to shoot the Horses. B!t he
had no ti(e to wonder a#o!t that sort of thin& :and anyway it was no #!siness of
his; for a &reat 2oy "!t e'erythin& else o!t of his head. A(on& the ha""y
%reat!res who now %a(e %rowdin& ro!nd Tirian and his friends were all those who(
they had tho!&ht dead. There was Roonwit the Centa!r and 3ewel the >ni%orn and
the &ood Boar and the &ood Bear and 8arsi&ht the Ea&le and the dear Do&s and
the Horses and Po&&in the Dwarf.
.8!rther in and hi&her !"0. %ried Roonwit and th!ndered away in a &allo" to the
$est. And tho!&h they did not !nderstand hi( the words so(ehow set the(
tin&lin& all o'er. The Boar &r!nted at the( %heerf!lly. The Bear was 2!st &oin&
to (!tter that he still didn,t !nderstand when he %a!&ht si&ht of the fr!it4
trees #ehind the(. He waddled to those trees as fast as he %o!ld and there no
do!#t fo!nd so(ethin& he !nderstood 'ery well. B!t the Do&s re(ained wa&&in&
their tails and Po&&in re(ained sha)in& hands with e'eryone and &rinnin& all
o'er his honest fa%e. And 3ewel leaned his snowy white head o'er the =in&,s
sho!lder and the =in& whis"ered in 3ewel,s ear. Then e'eryone t!rned his
attention a&ain to what %o!ld #e seen thro!&h the Doorway.
The Dra&ons and 9iant Li+ards now had Narnia to the(sel'es. They went to and fro
tearin& !" the trees #y the roots and %r!n%hin& the( !" as if they were sti%)s
of rh!#ar#. *in!te #y (in!te the forests disa""eared. The whole %o!ntry #e%a(e
#are and yo! %o!ld see all sorts of thin&s a#o!t its sha"e 4 all the little
h!("s and hollows whi%h yo! had ne'er noti%ed #efore. The &rass died. Soon
Tirian fo!nd that he was loo)in& at a world of #are ro%) and earth. Yo! %o!ld
hardly #elie'e that anythin& had e'er li'ed there. The (onsters the(sel'es &rew
old and lay down and died. Their flesh shri'elled !" and the #ones a""eared7
soon they were only h!&e s)eletons that lay here and there on the dead ro%)
loo)in& as if they had died tho!sands of years a&o. 8or a lon& ti(e e'erythin&
was still.
At last so(ethin& white 4 a lon& le'el line of whiteness that &lea(ed in the
li&ht of the standin& stars 4 %a(e (o'in& towards the( fro( the Eastern end of
the world.
A wides"read noise #ro)e the silen%e7 first a (!r(!r then a r!(#le then a roar.
And now they %o!ld see what it was that was %o(in& and how fast it %a(e. It was
a foa(in& wall of water. The sea was risin&. In that tree4less world yo! %o!ld
see it 'ery well. Yo! %o!ld see all the ri'ers &ettin& wider and the la)es
&ettin& lar&er and se"arate la)es 2oinin& into one and 'alleys t!rnin& into
new la)es and hills t!rnin& into islands and then those islands 'anishin&. And
the hi&h (oors to their left and the hi&her (o!ntains to their ri&ht %r!(#led
and sli""ed down with a roar and a s"lash into the (o!ntin& water- and the water
%a(e swirlin& !" to the 'ery threshold of the Doorway :#!t ne'er "assed it; so
that the foa( s"lashed a#o!t Aslan,s forefeet. All now was le'el water fro(
where they stood to where the waters (et the s)y.
And o!t there it #e&an to &row li&ht. A strea) of dreary and disastro!s dawn
s"read alon& the hori+on and widened and &rew #ri&hter till in the end they
hardly noti%ed the li&ht of the stars who stood #ehind the(. At last the s!n
%a(e !". $hen it did the Lord Di&ory and the Lady Polly loo)ed at one another
and &a'e a little nod7 those two in a different world had on%e seen a dyin&
s!n and so they )new at on%e that this s!n also was dyin&. It was three ti(es 4
twenty ti(es 4 as #i& as it o!&ht to #e and 'ery dar) red. As its rays fell
!"on the &reat Ti(e4&iant he t!rned red too7 and in the refle%tion of that s!n
the whole waste of shoreless waters loo)ed li)e #lood.
Then the *oon %a(e !" /!ite in her wron& "osition 'ery %lose to the s!n and
she also loo)ed red. And at the si&ht of her the s!n #e&an shootin& o!t &reat
fla(es li)e whis)ers or sna)es of %ri(son fire towards her. It is as if he
were an o%to"!s tryin& to draw her to hi(self in his tenta%les. And "erha"s he
did draw her. At any rate she %a(e to hi( slowly at first #!t then (ore and
(ore /!i%)ly till at last his lon& fla(es li%)ed ro!nd her and the two ran
to&ether and #e%a(e one h!&e #all li)e a #!rnin& %oal. 9reat l!("s of fire %a(e
dro""in& o!t of it into the sea and %lo!ds of stea( rose !".
Then Aslan said .Now (a)e an end..
The &iant threw his horn into the sea. Then he stret%hed o!t one ar( 4 'ery
#la%) it loo)ed and tho!sands of (iles lon& 4 a%ross the s)y till his hand
rea%hed the S!n. He too) the S!n and s/!ee+ed it in his hand as yo! wo!ld
s/!ee+e an oran&e. And instantly there was total dar)ness.
E'eryone e<%e"t Aslan 2!("ed #a%) fro( the i%e4%old air whi%h now #lew thro!&h
the Doorway. Its ed&es were already %o'ered with i%i%les.
.Peter Hi&h =in& of Narnia. said Aslan. .Sh!t the Door..
Peter shi'erin& with %old leaned o!t into the dar)ness and "!lled the Door to.
It s%ra"ed o'er i%e as he "!lled it. Then rather %l!(sily :for e'en in that
(o(ent his hands had &one n!(# and #l!e; he too) o!t a &olden )ey and lo%)ed it.
They had seen stran&e thin&s eno!&h thro!&h that Doorway. B!t it was stran&er
than any of the( to loo) ro!nd and find the(sel'es in war( dayli&ht the #l!e
s)y a#o'e the( flowers at their feet and la!&hter in Aslan,s eyes.
He t!rned swiftly ro!nd %ro!%hed lower lashed hi(self with his tail and shot
away li)e a &olden arrow.
.Co(e f!rther in0 Co(e f!rther !"0. he sho!ted o'er his sho!lder. B!t who %o!ld
)ee" !" with hi( at that "a%e1 They set o!t wal)in& $estward to follow hi(.
.So. said Peter .ni&ht falls on Narnia. $hat L!%y0 Yo!,re not %ryin&1 $ith
Aslan ahead and all of !s here1.
.Don,t try to sto" (e Peter. said L!%y .I a( s!re Aslan wo!ld not. I a( s!re
it is not wron& to (o!rn for Narnia. Thin) of all that lies dead and fro+en
#ehind that door..
.Yes and I did ho"e. said 3ill .that it (i&ht &o on for e'er. I )new o!r world
%o!ldn,t. I did thin) Narnia (i&ht..
.I saw it #e&in. said the Lord Di&ory. .I did not thin) I wo!ld li'e to see it
die..
.Sirs. said Tirian. .The ladies do well to wee". See I do so (yself. I ha'e
seen (y (other,s death. $hat world #!t Narnia ha'e I e'er )nown1 It were no
'irt!e #!t &reat dis%o!rtesy if we did not (o!rn..
They wal)ed away fro( the Door and away fro( the Dwarfs who still sat %rowded
to&ether in their i(a&inary sta#le. And as they went they tal)ed to one another
a#o!t old wars and old "ea%e and an%ient =in&s and all the &lories of Narnia.
The Do&s were still with the(. They 2oined in the %on'ersation #!t not (!%h
#e%a!se they were too #!sy ra%in& on ahead and ra%in& #a%) and r!shin& off to
sniff at s(ells in the &rass till they (ade the(sel'es snee+e. S!ddenly they
"i%)ed !" a s%ent whi%h see(ed to e<%ite the( 'ery (!%h. They all started
ar&!in& a#o!t it 4 .Yes it is 4 No it isn,t 4 That,s 2!st what I said 4 anyone
%an s(ell what that is 4 Ta)e yo!r &reat nose o!t of the way and let so(eone
else s(ell..
.$hat is it %o!sins1. said Peter.
.A Calor(ene Sire. said se'eral Do&s at on%e.
.Lead on to hi( then. said Peter. .$hether he (eets !s in "ea%e or war he
shall #e wel%o(e..
The Do&s darted on ahead and %a(e #a%) a (o(ent later r!nnin& as if their li'es
de"ended on it and #ar)in& lo!dly to say that it really was a Calor(ene.
:Tal)in& Do&s 2!st li)e the %o((on ones #eha'e as if they tho!&ht whate'er
they are doin& at the (o(ent i((ensely i("ortant.;
The others followed where the Do&s led the( and fo!nd a yo!n& Calor(ene sittin&
!nder a %hestn!t tree #eside a %lear strea( of water. It was E(eth. He rose at
on%e and #owed &ra'ely.
.Sir. he said to Peter .I )now not whether yo! are (y friend or (y foe #!t I
sho!ld %o!nt it (y hono!r to ha'e yo! for either. Has not one of the "oets said
that a no#le friend is the #est &ift and a no#le ene(y the ne<t #est1.
.Sir. said Peter .I do not )now that there need #e any war #etween yo! and
!s..
.Do tell !s who yo! are and what,s ha""ened to yo!. said 3ill.
.If there,s &oin& to #e a story let,s all ha'e a drin) and sit down. #ar)ed
the Do&s. .$e,re /!ite #lown..
.$ell of %o!rse yo! will #e if yo! )ee" tearin& a#o!t the way yo! ha'e done.
said E!sta%e.
So the h!(ans sat down on the &rass. And when the Do&s had all had a 'ery noisy
drin) o!t of the strea( they all sat down #olt !"ri&ht "antin& with their
ton&!es han&in& o!t of their heads a little on one side to hear the story. B!t
3ewel re(ained standin& "olishin& his horn a&ainst his side.
CHAPTER 8I8TEEN
8>RTHER >P AND 8>RTHER IN
.=NO$ O $arli)e =in&s. said E(eth .and yo! O ladies whose #ea!ty ill!(inates
the !ni'erse that I a( E(eth the se'enth son of Har"ha Tar)aan of the %ity of
Tehish#aan $estward #eyond the desert. I %a(e lately into Narnia with nine and
twenty others !nder the %o((and of Rishda Tar)aan Now when I first heard that we
sho!ld (ar%h !"on Narnia I re2oi%ed- for I had heard (any thin&s of yo!r Land
and desired &reatly to (eet yo! in #attle. B!t when I fo!nd that we were to &o
in dis&!ised as (er%hants :whi%h is a sha(ef!l dress for a warrior and the son
of a Tar)aan; and to wor) #y lies and tri%)ery then (y 2oy de"arted fro( (e.
And (ost of all when I fo!nd we (!st wait !"on a *on)ey and when it #e&an to #e
said that Tash and Aslan were one then the world #e%a(e dar) in (y eyes. 8or
always sin%e I was a #oy I ha'e ser'ed Tash and (y &reat desire was to )now (ore
of hi( if it (i&ht #e to loo) !"on his fa%e. B!t the na(e of Aslan was hatef!l
to (e.
.And as yo! ha'e seen we were %alled to&ether o!tside the straw4roofed ho'el
ni&ht after ni&ht and the fire was )indled and the A"e #ro!&ht forth o!t of
the ho'el so(ethin& !"on fo!r le&s that I %o!ld not well see. And the "eo"le and
the Beasts #owed down and did hono!r to it. B!t I tho!&ht the Tar)aan is
de%ei'ed #y the A"e7 for this thin& that %o(es o!t of the sta#le is neither Tash
nor any other &od. B!t when I wat%hed the Tar)aan,s fa%e and (ar)ed e'ery word
that he said to the *on)ey then I %han&ed (y (ind7 for I saw that the Tar)aan
did not #elie'e in it hi(self. And then I !nderstood that he did not #elie'e in
Tash at all7 for if he had how %o!ld he dare to (o%) hi(1
.$hen I !nderstood this a &reat ra&e fell !"on (e and I wondered that the tr!e
Tash did not stri)e down #oth the *on)ey and the Tar)aan with fire fro( hea'en.
Ne'ertheless I hid (y an&er and held (y ton&!e and waited to see how it wo!ld
end. B!t last ni&ht as so(e of yo! )now the *on)ey #ro!&ht not forth the
yellow thin& #!t said that all who desired to loo) !"on Tashlan 4 for so they
(i<ed the two words to "retend that they were all one 4 (!st "ass one #y one
into the ho'el. And I said to (yself Do!#tless this is so(e other de%e"tion.
B!t when the Cat had followed in and had %o(e o!t a&ain in a (adness of terror
then I said to (yself S!rely the tr!e Tash who( they %alled on witho!t
)nowled&e or #elief has now %o(e a(on& !s and will a'en&e hi(self. And tho!&h
(y heart was t!rned into water inside (e #e%a!se of the &reatness and terror of
Tash yet (y desire was stron&er than (y fear and I "!t for%e !"on (y )nees to
stay the( fro( tre(#lin& and on (y teeth that they sho!ld not %hatter and
resol'ed to loo) !"on the fa%e of Tash tho!&h he sho!ld slay (e. So I offered
(yself to &o into the ho'el- and the Tar)aan tho!&h !nwillin&ly let (e &o.
.As soon as I had &one in at the door the first wonder was that I fo!nd (yself
in this &reat s!nli&ht :as we all are now; tho!&h the inside of the ho'el had
loo)ed dar) fro( o!tside. B!t I had no ti(e to (ar'el at this for i((ediately I
was for%ed to fi&ht for (y head a&ainst one of o!r own (en. As soon as I saw hi(
I !nderstood that the *on)ey and the Tar)aan had set hi( there to slay any who
%a(e in if he were not in their se%rets7 so that this (an also was a liar and a
(o%)er and no tr!e ser'ant of Tash. I had the #etter will to fi&ht hi(- and
ha'in& slain the 'illain I %ast hi( o!t #ehind (e thro!&h the door.
.Then I loo)ed a#o!t (e and saw the s)y and the wide lands and s(elled the
sweetness. And I said By the 9ods this is a "leasant "la%e7 it (ay #e that I
a( %o(e into the %o!ntry of Tash. And I #e&an to 2o!rney into the stran&e
%o!ntry and to see) hi(.
.So I went o'er (!%h &rass and (any flowers and a(on& all )inds of wholeso(e and
dele%ta#le trees till lo0 in a narrow "la%e #etween two ro%)s there %a(e to (eet
(e a &reat Lion. The s"eed of hi( was li)e the ostri%h and his si+e was an
ele"hant,s- his hair was li)e "!re &old and the #ri&htness of his eyes li)e &old
that is li/!id in the f!rna%e. He was (ore terri#le than the 8la(in& *o!ntain of
La&o!r and in #ea!ty he s!r"assed all that is in the world e'en as the rose in
#loo( s!r"asses the d!st of the desert. Then I fell at his feet and tho!&ht
S!rely this is the ho!r of death for the Lion :who is worthy of all hono!r;
will )now that I ha'e ser'ed Tash all (y days and not hi(. Ne'ertheless it is
#etter to see the Lion and die than to #e Tisro% of the world and li'e and not
to ha'e seen hi(. B!t the 9lorio!s One #ent down his &olden head and to!%hed (y
forehead with his ton&!e and said Son tho! art wel%o(e. B!t I said Alas
Lord I a( no son of thine #!t the ser'ant of Tash. He answered Child all the
ser'i%e tho! hast done to Tash I a%%o!nt as ser'i%e done to (e. Then #y reasons
of (y &reat desire for wisdo( and !nderstandin& I o'er%a(e (y fear and
/!estioned the 9lorio!s One and said Lord is it then tr!e as the A"e said
that tho! and Tash are one1 The Lion &rowled so that the earth shoo) :#!t his
wrath was not a&ainst (e; and said It is false. Not #e%a!se he and I are one
#!t #e%a!se we are o""osites I ta)e to (e the ser'i%es whi%h tho! hast done to
hi(. 8or I and he are of s!%h different )inds that no ser'i%e whi%h is 'ile %an
#e done to (e and none whi%h is not 'ile %an #e done to hi(. Therefore if any
(an swear #y Tash and )ee" his oath for the oath,s sa)e it is #y (e that he has
tr!ly sworn tho!&h he )now it not and it is I who reward hi(. And if any (an
do a %r!elty in (y na(e then tho!&h he says the na(e Aslan it is Tash who( he
ser'es and #y Tash his deed is a%%e"ted. Dost tho! !nderstand Child1 I said
Lord tho! )nowest how (!%h I !nderstand. B!t I said also :for the tr!th
%onstrained (e; Yet I ha'e #een see)in& Tash all (y days. Belo'ed said the
9lorio!s One !nless thy desire had #een for (e tho! wo!ldst not ha'e so!&ht so
lon& and so tr!ly. 8or all find what they tr!ly see).
.Then he #reathed !"on (e and too) away the tre(#lin& fro( (y li(#s and %a!sed
(e to stand !"on (y feet. And after that he said not (!%h #!t that we sho!ld
(eet a&ain and I (!st &o f!rther !" and f!rther in. Then he t!rned hi( a#o!t in
a stor( and fl!rry of &old and was &one s!ddenly.
.And sin%e then O =in&s and Ladies I ha'e #een wanderin& to find hi( and (y
ha""iness is so &reat that it e'en wea)ens (e li)e a wo!nd. And this is the
(ar'el of (ar'els that he %alled (e Belo'ed (e who a( #!t as a do& 4.
.Eh1 $hat,s that1. said one of the Do&s.
.Sir. said E(eth. .It is #!t a fashion of s"ee%h whi%h we ha'e in Calor(en..
.$ell I %an,t say it,s one I li)e 'ery (!%h. said the Do&.
.He doesn,t (ean any har(. said an older Do&.
.After all we %all o!r "!""ies Boys when they don,t #eha'e "ro"erly..
.So we do. said the first Do&. .Or &irls..
.S4s4sh0. said the Old Do&. .That,s not a ni%e word to !se. Re(e(#er where yo!
are..
.Loo)0. said 3ill s!ddenly. So(eone was %o(in& rather ti(idly to (eet the(- a
&ra%ef!l %reat!re on fo!r feet all sil'ery4&rey. And they stared at hi( for a
whole ten se%onds #efore fi'e or si< 'oi%es said all at on%e .$hy it,s old
P!++le0. They had ne'er seen hi( #y dayli&ht with the lion4s)in off and it (ade
an e<traordinary differen%e. He was hi(self now7 a #ea!tif!l don)ey with s!%h a
soft &rey %oat and s!%h a &entle honest fa%e that if yo! had seen hi( yo!
wo!ld ha'e done 2!st what 3ill and L!%y did 4 r!shed forward and "!t yo!r ar(s
ro!nd his ne%) and )issed his nose and stro)ed his ears.
$hen they as)ed hi( where he had #een he said he had %o(e in at the door alon&
with all the other %reat!res #!t he had 4 well to tell the tr!th he had #een
)ee"in& o!t of their way as (!%h as he %o!ld- and o!t of Aslan,s way. 8or the
si&ht of the real Lion had (ade hi( so asha(ed of all that nonsense a#o!t
dressin& !" in a lion4s)in that he did not )now how to loo) anyone in the fa%e.
B!t when he saw that all his friends were &oin& away $estward and after he had
had a (o!thf!l of &rass :.And I,'e ne'er tasted s!%h &ood &rass in (y life.
said P!++le; he "l!%)ed !" his %o!ra&e and followed. .B!t what I,ll do if I
really ha'e to (eet Aslan I,( s!re I don,t )now. he added.
.Yo!,ll find it will #e all ri&ht when yo! really do. said 6!een L!%y.
Then they went forward to&ether always $estward for that see(ed to #e the
dire%tion Aslan had (eant when he %ried o!t .8!rther !" and f!ther in.. *any
other %reat!res were slowly (o'in& the sa(e way #!t that &rassy %o!ntry was
'ery wide and there was no %rowdin&.
It still see(ed to #e early and the (ornin& freshness was in the air. They )e"t
on sto""in& to loo) ro!nd and to loo) #ehind the( "artly #e%a!se it was so
#ea!tif!l #!t "artly also #e%a!se there was so(ethin& a#o!t it whi%h they %o!ld
not !nderstand.
.Peter. said L!%y .where is this do yo! s!""ose1.
.I don,t )now. said the Hi&h =in&. .It re(inds (e of so(ewhere #!t I %an,t &i'e
it a na(e. Co!ld it #e so(ewhere we on%e stayed for a holiday when we were 'ery
'ery s(all1.
.It wo!ld ha'e to ha'e #een a 2olly &ood holiday. said E!sta%e. .I #et there
isn,t a %o!ntry li)e this anywhere in o!r world. Loo) at the %olo!rs0 Yo!
%o!ldn,t &et a #l!e li)e the #l!e on those (o!ntains in o!r world..
.Is it not Aslan,s %o!ntry1. said Tirian.
.Not li)e Aslan,s %o!ntry on to" of that (o!ntain #eyond the Eastern end of the
world. said 3ill. .I,'e #een there..
.If yo! as) (e. said Ed(!nd .it,s li)e so(ewhere in the Narnian world. Loo) at
those (o!ntains ahead 4 and the #i& i%e4(o!ntains #eyond the(. S!rely they,re
rather li)e the (o!ntains we !sed to see fro( Narnia the ones !" $estward
#eyond the $aterfall1.
.Yes so they are. said Peter. .Only these are #i&&er..
.I don,t thin) those ones are so 'ery li)e anythin& in Narnia. said L!%y. .B!t
loo) there.. She "ointed So!thward to their left and e'eryone sto""ed and
t!rned to loo). .Those hills. said L!%y .the ni%e woody ones and the #l!e ones
#ehind 4 aren,t they 'ery li)e the So!thern #order of Narnia1.
.Li)e0. %ried Ed(!nd after a (o(ent,s silen%e. .$hy they,re e<a%tly li)e. Loo)
there,s *o!nt Pire with his for)ed head and there,s the "ass into Ar%henland
and e'erythin&0.
.And yet they,re not li)e. said L!%y. .They,re different. They ha'e (ore
%olo!rs on the( and they loo) f!rther away than I re(e(#ered and they,re (ore ..
. (ore . . . oh I don,t )now....
.*ore li)e the real thin&. said the Lord Di&ory softly.
S!ddenly 8arsi&ht the Ea&le s"read his win&s soared thirty or forty feet !"
into the air %ir%led ro!nd and then ali&hted on the &ro!nd.
.=in&s and 6!eens. he %ried .we ha'e all #een #lind. $e are only #e&innin& to
see where we are. 8ro( !" there I ha'e seen it all 4 Ettins(!ir Bea'ersda( the
9reat Ri'er and Cair Para'el still shinin& on the ed&e of the Eastern Sea.
Narnia is not dead. This is Narnia..
.B!t how %an it #e1. said Peter. .8or Aslan told !s older ones that we sho!ld
ne'er ret!rn to Narnia and here we are..
.Yes. said E!sta%e. .And we saw it all destroyed and the s!n "!t o!t..
.And it,s all so different. said L!%y.
.The Ea&le is ri&ht. said the Lord Di&ory. .Listen Peter. $hen Aslan said yo!
%o!ld ne'er &o #a%) to Narnia he (eant the Narnia yo! were thin)in& of. B!t
that was not the real Narnia. That had a #e&innin& and an end. It was only a
shadow or a %o"y of the real Narnia whi%h has always #een here and always will
#e here7 2!st as o!r world En&land and all is only a shadow or %o"y of
so(ethin& in Aslan,s real world. Yo! need not (o!rn o'er Narnia L!%y. All of
the old Narnia that (attered all the dear %reat!res ha'e #een drawn into the
real Narnia thro!&h the Door. And of %o!rse it is different- as different as a
real thin& is fro( a shadow or as wa)in& life is fro( a drea(.. His 'oi%e
stirred e'eryone li)e a tr!("et as he s"o)e these words7 #!t when he added !nder
his #reath .It,s all in Plato all in Plato7 #less (e what do they tea%h the(
at these s%hools0. the older ones la!&hed. It was so e<a%tly li)e the sort of
thin& they had heard hi( say lon& a&o in that other world where his #eard was
&rey instead of &olden. He )new why they were la!&hin& and 2oined in the la!&h
hi(self. B!t 'ery /!i%)ly they all #e%a(e &ra'e a&ain7 for as yo! )now there
is a )ind of ha""iness and wonder that (a)es yo! serio!s. It is too &ood to
waste on 2o)es.
It is as hard to e<"lain how this s!nlit land was different fro( the old Narnia
as it wo!ld #e to tell yo! how the fr!its of that %o!ntry taste. Perha"s yo!
will &et so(e idea of it if yo! thin) li)e this. Yo! (ay ha'e #een in a roo( in
whi%h there was a window that loo)ed o!t on a lo'ely #ay of the sea or a &reen
'alley that wo!nd away a(on& (o!ntains. And in the wall of that roo( o""osite to
the window there (ay ha'e #een a loo)in&&lass. And as yo! t!rned away fro( the
window yo! s!ddenly %a!&ht si&ht of that sea or that 'alley all o'er a&ain in
the loo)in& &lass. And the sea in the (irror or the 'alley in the (irror were
in one sense 2!st the sa(e as the real ones7 yet at the sa(e ti(e they were
so(ehow different 4 dee"er (ore wonderf!l (ore li)e "la%es in a story7 in a
story yo! ha'e ne'er heard #!t 'ery (!%h want to )now. The differen%e #etween
the old Narnia and the new Narnia was li)e that. The new one was a dee"er
%o!ntry7 e'ery ro%) and flower and #lade of &rass loo)ed as if it (eant (ore. I
%an,t des%ri#e it any #etter than that7 if e'er yo! &et there yo! will )now what
I (ean.
It was the >ni%orn who s!((ed !" what e'eryone was feelin&. He sta("ed his ri&ht
fore4hoof on the &ro!nd and nei&hed and then %ried7
.I ha'e %o(e ho(e at last0 This is (y real %o!ntry0 I #elon& here. This is the
land I ha'e #een loo)in& for all (y life tho!&h I ne'er )new it till now. The
reason why we lo'ed the old Narnia is that it so(eti(es loo)ed a little li)e
this. Bree4hee4hee0 Co(e f!rther !" %o(e f!rther in0.
He shoo) his (ane and s"ran& forward into a &reat &allo" 4 a >ni%orn,s &allo"
whi%h in o!r world wo!ld ha'e %arried hi( o!t of si&ht in a few (o(ents. B!t
now a (ost stran&e thin& ha""ened. E'eryone else #e&an to r!n and they fo!nd
to their astonish(ent that they %o!ld )ee" !" with hi(7 not only the Do&s and
the h!(ans #!t e'en fat little P!++le and short4le&&ed Po&&in the Dwarf. The air
flew in their fa%es as if they were dri'in& fast in a %ar witho!t a winds%reen.
The %o!ntry flew "ast as if they were seein& it fro( the windows of an e<"ress
train. 8aster and faster they ra%ed #!t no one &ot hot or tired or o!t of
#reath.
CHAPTER SI?TEEN
8ARE$ELL TO SHADO$LANDS
I8 one %o!ld r!n witho!t &ettin& tired I don,t thin) one wo!ld often want to do
anythin& else. B!t there (i&ht #e s"e%ial reasons for sto""in& and it was a
s"e%ial reason whi%h (ade E!sta%e "resently sho!t7
.I say0 Steady0 Loo) what we,re %o(in& to0.
And well he (i&ht. 8or now they saw #efore the( Caldron Pool and #eyond the Pool
the hi&h !n%li(#a#le %liffs and "o!rin& down the %liffs tho!sands of tons of
water e'ery se%ond flashin& li)e dia(onds in so(e "la%es and dar) &lassy &reen
in others the 9reat $aterfall- and already the th!nder of it was in their ears.
.Don,t sto"0 8!rther !" and f!rther in. %alled 8arsi&ht tiltin& his fli&ht a
little !"wards.
.It,s all 'ery well for hi(. said E!sta%e #!t 3ewel also %ried o!t7
.Don,t sto". 8!rther !" and f!rther in0 Ta)e it in yo!r stride..
His 'oi%e %o!ld only 2!st #e heard a#o'e the roar of the water #!t ne<t (o(ent
e'eryone saw that he had "l!n&ed into the Pool. And helter4s)elter #ehind hi(
with s"lash after s"lash all the others did the sa(e. The water was not #itin&
%old as all of the( :and es"e%ially P!++le; e<"e%ted #!t of a deli%io!s foa(y
%oolness. They all fo!nd they were swi((in& strai&ht for the $aterfall itself.
.This is a#sol!tely %ra+y. said E!sta%e to Ed(!nd.
.I )now. And yet 4. said Ed(!nd.
.Isn,t it wonderf!l1. said L!%y. .Ha'e yo! noti%ed one %an,t feel afraid e'en
if one wants to1 Try it..
.By 3o'e neither one %an. said E!sta%e after he had tried.
3ewel rea%hed the foot of the $aterfall first #!t Tirian was only 2!st #ehind
hi(. 3ill was last so she %o!ld see the whole thin& #etter than the others. She
saw so(ethin& white (o'in& steadily !" the fa%e of the $aterfall. That white
thin& was the >ni%orn. Yo! %o!ldn,t tell whether he was swi((in& or %li(#in&
#!t he (o'ed on hi&her and hi&her. The "oint of his horn di'ided the water 2!st
a#o'e his head and it %as%aded o!t in two rain#ow4%olo!red strea(s all ro!nd
his sho!lders. 3!st #ehind hi( %a(e =in& Tirian. He (o'ed his le&s and ar(s as
if he were swi((in& #!t he (o'ed strai&ht !"wards7 as if one %o!ld swi( !" the
wall of a ho!se.
$hat loo)ed f!nniest was the Do&s. D!rin& the &allo" they had not #een at all
o!t of #reath #!t now as they swar(ed and wri&&led !"wards there was "lenty
of s"l!tterin& and snee+in& a(on& the(- that was #e%a!se they wo!ld )ee" on
#ar)in& and e'ery ti(e they #ar)ed they &ot their (o!ths and noses f!ll of
water. B!t #efore 3ill had ti(e to noti%e all these thin&s f!lly she was &oin&
!" the $aterfall herself. It was the sort of thin& that wo!ld ha'e #een /!ite
i("ossi#le in o!r world. E'en if yo! hadn,t #een drowned yo! wo!ld ha'e #een
s(ashed to "ie%es #y the terri#le wei&ht of water a&ainst the %o!ntless 2a&s of
ro%). B!t in that world yo! %o!ld do it. Yo! went on !" and !" with all )inds
of refle%ted li&hts flashin& at yo! fro( the water and all (anner of %olo!red
stones flashin& thro!&h it till it see(ed as if yo! were %li(#in& !" li&ht
itself 4 and always hi&her and hi&her till the sense of hei&ht wo!ld ha'e
terrified yo! if yo! %o!ld #e terrified #!t later it was only &lorio!sly
e<%itin&. And then at last one %a(e to the lo'ely s(ooth &reen %!r'e in whi%h
the water "o!red o'er the to" and fo!nd that one was o!t on the le'el ri'er
a#o'e the $aterfall. The %!rrent was ra%in& away #ehind yo! #!t yo! were s!%h a
wonderf!l swi((er that yo! %o!ld (a)e headway a&ainst it. Soon they were all on
the #an) dri""in& #!tha""y.
A lon& 'alley o"ened ahead and &reat snow4(o!ntains now (!%h nearer stood !"
a&ainst the s)y.
.8!rther !" and f!rther in. %ried 3ewel and instantly they were off a&ain.
They were o!t of Narnia now and !" into the $estern $ild whi%h neither Tirian
nor Peter nor e'en the Ea&le had e'er seen #efore. B!t the Lord Di&ory and the
Lady Polly had. .Do yo! re(e(#er1 Do yo! re(e(#er1. they said 4 and said it in
steady 'oi%es too witho!t "antin& tho!&h the whole "arty was now r!nnin&
faster than an arrow flies.
.$hat Lord1. said Tirian. .Is it then tr!e as stories tell that yo! two
2o!rneyed here on the 'ery day the world was (ade1.
.Yes. said Di&ory .and it see(s to (e as if it were only yesterday..
.And on a flyin& horse1. as)ed Tirian. .Is that "art tr!e1.
.Certainly. said Di&ory. B!t the Do&s #ar)ed .8aster faster0.
So they ran faster and faster till it was (ore li)e flyin& than r!nnin& and
e'en the Ea&le o'erhead was &oin& no faster than they. And they went thro!&h
windin& 'alley after windin& 'alley and !" the stee" sides of hills and faster
than e'er down the other side followin& the ri'er and so(eti(es %rossin& it
and s)i((in& a%ross (o!ntainla)es as if they were li'in& s"eed4#oats till at
last at the far end of one lon& la)e whi%h loo)ed as #l!e as a t!r/!oise they
saw a s(ooth &reen hill. Its sides were as stee" as the sides of a "yra(id and
ro!nd the 'ery to" of it ran a &reen wall7 #!t a#o'e the wall rose the #ran%hes
of trees whose lea'es loo)ed li)e sil'er and their fr!it li)e &old.
.8!rther !" and f!rther in0. roared the >ni%orn and no one held #a%). They
%har&ed strai&ht at the foot of the hill and then fo!nd the(sel'es r!nnin& !" it
al(ost as water fro( a #ro)en wa'e r!ns !" a ro%) o!t at the "oint of so(e #ay.
Tho!&h the slo"e was nearly as stee" as the roof of a ho!se and the &rass was
s(ooth as a #owlin& &reen no one sli""ed. Only when they had rea%hed the 'ery
to" did they slow !"- that was #e%a!se they fo!nd the(sel'es fa%in& &reat &olden
&ates. And for a (o(ent none of the( was #old eno!&h to try if the &ates wo!ld
o"en. They all felt 2!st as they had felt a#o!t the fr!it .Dare we1 Is it ri&ht1
Can it #e (eant for !s1.
B!t while they were standin& th!s a &reat horn wonderf!lly lo!d and sweet #lew
fro( so(ewhere inside that walled &arden and the &ates sw!n& o"en.
Tirian stood holdin& his #reath and wonderin& who wo!ld %o(e o!t. And what %a(e
was the last thin& he had e<"e%ted7 a little slee) #ri&ht4eyed Tal)in& *o!se
with a red feather st!%) in a %ir%let on its head and its left "aw restin& on a
lon& sword. It #owed a (ost #ea!tif!l #ow and said in its shrill 'oi%e7
.$el%o(e in the Lion,s na(e. Co(e f!rther !" and f!rther in..
Then Tirian saw =in& Peter and =in& Ed(!nd and 6!een L!%y r!sh forward to )neel
down and &reet the *o!se and they all %ried o!t .Ree"i%hee"0. And Tirian
#reathed fast with the sheer wonder of it for now he )new that he was loo)in&
at one of the &reat heroes of Narnia Ree"i%hee" the *o!se who had fo!&ht at the
&reat Battle of Ber!na and afterwards sailed to the $orld,s end with =in&
Cas"ian the Seafarer. B!t #efore he had had (!%h ti(e to thin) of this he felt
two stron& ar(s thrown a#o!t hi( and felt a #earded )iss on his %hee)s and heard
a well re(e(#ered 'oi%e sayin&7
.$hat lad1 Art thi%)er and taller sin%e I last to!%hed thee0.
It was his own father the &ood =in& Erlian7 #!t not as Tirian had seen hi( last
when they #ro!&ht hi( ho(e "ale and wo!nded fro( his fi&ht with the &iant nor
e'en as Tirian re(e(#ered hi( in his later years when he was a &rey4headed
warrior. This was his father yo!n& and (erry as he %o!ld 2!st re(e(#er hi(
fro( 'ery early days when he hi(self had #een a little #oy "layin& &a(es with
his father in the %astle &arden at Cair Para'el 2!st #efore #edti(e on s!((er
e'enin&s. The 'ery s(ell of the #read4and4(il) he !sed to ha'e for s!""er %a(e
#a%) to hi(.
3ewel tho!&ht to hi(self .I will lea'e the( to tal) for a little and then I
will &o and &reet the &ood =in& Erlian. *any a #ri&ht a""le has he &i'en (e when
I was #!t a %olt.. B!t ne<t (o(ent he had so(ethin& else to thin) of for o!t of
the &ateway there %a(e a horse so (i&hty and no#le that e'en a >ni%orn (i&ht
feel shy in its "resen%e7 a &reat win&ed horse. It loo)ed a (o(ent at the Lord
Di&ory and the Lady Polly and nei&hed o!t .$hat %o!sins0. and they #oth sho!ted
.8led&e0 9ood old 8led&e0. and r!shed to )iss it.
B!t #y now the *o!se was a&ain !r&in& the( to %o(e in. So all of the( "assed in
thro!&h the &olden &ates into the deli%io!s s(ell that #lew towards the( o!t of
that &arden and into the %ool (i<t!re of s!nli&ht and shadow !nder the trees
wal)in& on s"rin&y t!rf that was all dotted with white flowers. The 'ery first
thin& whi%h str!%) e'eryone was that the "la%e was far lar&er than it had see(ed
fro( o!tside. B!t no one had ti(e to thin) a#o!t that for "eo"le were %o(in& !"
to (eet the new%o(ers fro( e'ery dire%tion.
E'eryone yo! had e'er heard of :if yo! )new the history of these %o!ntries;
see(ed to #e there. There was 9li(feather the Owl and P!ddle&l!( the
*arshwi&&le and =in& Rilian the Disen%hanted and his (other the Star,s
da!&hter and his &reat father Cas"ian hi(self. And %lose #eside hi( were the
Lord Drinian and the Lord Berne and Tr!(")in the Dwarf and Tr!ffle4h!nter the
&ood Bad&er with 9lenstor( the Centa!r and a h!ndred other heroes of the &reat
$ar of Deli'eran%e. And then fro( another side %a(e Cor the =in& of Ar%henland
with =in& L!ne his father and his wife 6!een Ara'is and the #ra'e "rin%e Corin
Th!nder48ist his #rother and Bree the Horse and Hwin the *are. And then 4
whi%h was a wonder #eyond all wonders to Tirian 4 there %a(e fro( f!rther away
in the "ast the two &ood Bea'ers and T!(n!s the 8a!n. And there was &reetin&
and )issin& and hand4sha)in& and old 2o)es re'i'ed :yo!,'e no idea how &ood an
old 2o)e so!nds when yo! ta)e it o!t a&ain after a rest of fi'e or si< h!ndred
years; and the whole %o("any (o'ed forward to the %entre of the or%hard where
the Phoeni< sat in a tree and loo)ed down !"on the( all and at the foot of that
tree were two thrones and in those two thrones a =in& and 6!een so &reat and
#ea!tif!l that e'eryone #owed down #efore the(. And well they (i&ht for these
two were =in& 8ran) and 6!een Helen fro( who( all the (ost an%ient =in&s of
Narnia and Ar%henland are des%ended. And Tirian felt as yo! wo!ld feel if yo!
were #ro!&ht #efore Ada( and E'e in all their &lory.
A#o!t half an ho!r later 4 or it (i&ht ha'e #een half a h!ndred years later for
ti(e there is not li)e ti(e here 4 L!%y stood with her dear friend her oldest
Narnian friend the 8a!n T!(n!s loo)in& down o'er the wall of that &arden and
seein& all Narnia s"read o!t #elow. B!t when yo! loo)ed down yo! fo!nd that this
hill was (!%h hi&her than yo! had tho!&ht7 it san) down with shinin& %liffs
tho!sands of feet #elow the( and trees in that lower world loo)ed no #i&&er than
&rains of &reen salt. Then she t!rned inward a&ain and stood with her #a%) to
the wall and loo)ed at the &arden.
.I see. she said at last tho!&htf!lly. .I see now. This &arden is li)e the
sta#le. It is far #i&&er inside than it was o!tside..
.Of %o!rse Da!&hter of E'e. said the 8a!n. .The f!rther !" and the f!rther in
yo! &o the #i&&er e'erythin& &ets. The inside is lar&er than the o!tside..
L!%y loo)ed hard at the &arden and saw that it was not really a &arden #!t a
whole world with its own ri'ers and woods and sea and (o!ntains. B!t they were
not stran&e7 she )new the( all.
.I see. she said. .This is still Narnia and (ore real and (ore #ea!tif!l then
the Narnia down #elow 2!st as it was (ore real and (ore #ea!tif!l than the
Narnia o!tside the sta#le door0 I see... world within world Narnia within
Narnia....
.Yes. said *r T!(n!s .li)e an onion7 e<%e"t that as yo! &o in and in ea%h
%ir%le is lar&er than the last..
And L!%y loo)ed this way and that and soon fo!nd that a new and #ea!tif!l thin&
had ha""ened to her. $hate'er she loo)ed at howe'er far away it (i&ht #e on%e
she had fi<ed her eyes steadily on it #e%a(e /!ite %lear and %lose as if she
were loo)in& thro!&h a teles%o"e. She %o!ld see the whole So!thern desert and
#eyond it the &reat %ity of Tash#aan7 to Eastward she %o!ld see Cair Para'el on
the ed&e of the sea and the 'ery window of the roo( that had on%e #een her own.
And far o!t to sea she %o!ld dis%o'er the islands islands after islands to the
end of the world and #eyond the end the h!&e (o!ntain whi%h they had %alled
Aslan,s %o!ntry. B!t now she saw that it was "art of a &reat %hain of (o!ntains
whi%h rin&ed ro!nd the whole world. In front of her it see(ed to %o(e /!ite
%lose. Then she loo)ed to her left and saw what she too) to #e a &reat #an) of
#ri&htly4%olo!red %lo!d %!t off fro( the( #y a &a". B!t she loo)ed harder and
saw that it was not a %lo!d at all #!t a real land. And when she had fi<ed her
eyes on one "arti%!lar s"ot of it she at on%e %ried o!t .Peter0 Ed(!nd0 Co(e
and loo)0 Co(e /!i%)ly.. And they %a(e and loo)ed for their eyes also had
#e%o(e li)e hers.
.$hys. e<%lai(ed Peter. .It,s En&land. And that,s the ho!se itself 4 Professor
=ir),s old ho(e in the %o!ntry where all o!r ad'ent!res #e&an0.
.I tho!&ht that ho!se had #een destroyed. said Ed(!nd.
.So it was. said the 8a!n. .B!t yo! are now loo)in& at the En&land within
En&land the real En&land 2!st as this is the real Narnia. And in that inner
En&land no &ood thin& is destroyed..
S!ddenly they shifted their eyes to another s"ot and then Peter and Ed(!nd and
L!%y &as"ed with a(a+e(ent and sho!ted o!t and #e&an wa'in&7 for there they saw
their own father and (other wa'in& #a%) at the( a%ross the &reat dee" 'alley.
It was li)e when yo! see "eo"le wa'in& at yo! fro( the de%) of a #i& shi" when
yo! are waitin& on the /!ay to (eet the(.
.How %an we &et at the(1. said L!%y.
.That is easy. said *r T!(n!s. .That %o!ntry and this %o!ntry 4 all the real
%o!ntries 4 are only s"!rs 2!ttin& o!t fro( the &reat (o!ntains of Aslan. $e
ha'e only to wal) alon& the rid&e !"ward and inward till it 2oins on. And
listen0 There is =in& 8ran),s horn7 we (!st all &o !"..
And soon they fo!nd the(sel'es all wal)in& to&ether and a &reat #ri&ht
"ro%ession it was 4 !" towards (o!ntains hi&her than yo! %o!ld see in this world
e'en if they were there to #e seen. B!t there was no snow on those (o!ntains7
there were forests and &reen slo"es and sweet or%hards and flashin& waterfalls
one a#o'e the other &oin& !" fore'er. And the land they were wal)in& on &rew
narrower all the ti(e with a dee" 'alley on ea%h side7 and a%ross that 'alley
the land whi%h was the real En&land &rew nearer and nearer.
The li&ht ahead was &rowin& stron&er. L!%y saw that a &reat series of (any4
%olo!red %liffs led !" in front of the( li)e a &iant,s stair%ase. And then she
for&ot e'erythin& else #e%a!se Aslan hi(self was %o(in& lea"in& down fro(
%liff to %liff li)e a li'in& %atara%t of "ower and #ea!ty.
And the 'ery first "erson who( Aslan %alled to hi( was P!++le the Don)ey. Yo!
ne'er saw a don)ey loo) fee#ler and sillier than P!++le did as he wal)ed !" to
Aslan and he loo)ed #eside Aslan as s(all as a )itten loo)s #eside a St
Bernard. The Lion #owed down his head and whis"ered so(ethin& to P!++le at whi%h
his lon& ears went down #!t then he said so(ethin& else at whi%h the ears
"er)ed !" a&ain. The h!(ans %o!ldn,t hear what he had said either ti(e. Then
Aslan t!rned to the( and said7
.Yo! do not yet loo) so ha""y as I (ean yo! to #e..
L!%y said .$e,re so afraid of #ein& sent away Aslan. And yo! ha'e sent !s #a%)
into o!r own world so often..
.No fear of that. said Aslan. .Ha'e yo! not &!essed1.
Their hearts lea"ed and a wild ho"e rose within the(.
.There was a real railway a%%ident. said Aslan softly.
.Yo!r father and (other and all of yo! are 4 as yo! !sed to
%all it in the Shadowlands 4 dead. The ter( is o'er7 the
holidays ha'e #e&!n. The drea( is ended7 this is the
(ornin&..
And as He s"o)e He no lon&er loo)ed to the( li)e a lion- #!t
the thin&s that #e&an to ha""en after that were so &reat and
#ea!tif!l that I %annot write the(. And for !s this is the
end of all the stories and we %an (ost tr!ly say that they
all li'ed ha""ily e'er after. B!t for the( it was only the
#e&innin& of the real story. All their life in this world
and all their ad'ent!res in Narnia had only #een the %o'er
and the title "a&e7 now at last they were #e&innin& Cha"ter
One of the 9reat Story whi%h no one on earth has read7 whi%h
&oes on fore'er7 in whi%h e'ery %ha"ter is #etter than the
one #efore.