The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis
Chapter One

Lvc, LooIs inio o VorJrobe

ONCE there were lour children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. This
story is ahout somethin that happened to them when they were sent away lrom London durin
the war hecause ol the air-raids. They were sent to the house ol an old Prolessor who lived in the
heart ol the country, ten miles lrom the nearest railway station and two miles lrom the nearest
post ollice. He had no wile and he lived in a very lare house with a housekeeper called Mrs.
Macready and three servants. (Their names were Ivy, Mararet and Betty, hut they do not come
into the story much.) He himsell was a very old man with shay white hair which rew over
most ol his lace as well as on his head, and they liked him almost at once, hut on the lirst evenin
when he came out to meet them at the lront door he was so odd-lookin that Lucy (who was the
younest) was a little alraid ol him, and Edmund (who was the next younest) wanted to lauh
and had to keep on pretendin he was hlowin his nose to hide it.
As soon as they had said ood niht to the Prolessor and one upstairs on the lirst niht, the
hoys came into the irls' room and they all talked it over.
We've lallen on our leet and no mistake, said Peter. This is oin to he perlectly splendid.
That old chap will let us do anythin we like.
I think he's an old dear, said Susan.
Oh, come oll it' said Edmund, who was tired and pretendin not to he tired, which always
made him had-tempered. Don't o on talkin like that.
Like what: said Susan, and anyway, it's time you were in hed.
Tryin to talk like Mother, said Edmund. And who are you to say when I'm to o to hed:
Go to hed yoursell.
Hadn't we all hetter o to hed: said Lucy. There's sure to he a row il we're heard talkin
here.
No there won't, said Peter. I tell you this is the sort ol house where no one's oin to mind
what we do. Anyway, they won't hear us. It's ahout ten minutes' walk lrom here down to that
dinin-room, and any amount ol stairs and passaes in hetween.
What's that noise: said Lucy suddenly. It was a lar larer house than she had ever heen in
helore and the thouht ol all those lon passaes and rows ol doors leadin into empty rooms was
heinnin to make her leel a little creepy.
It's only a hird, silly, said Edmund.
It's an owl, said Peter. This is oin to he a wonderlul place lor hirds. I shall o to hed now.
I say, let's o and explore tomorrow. You miht lind anythin in a place like this. Did you see
those mountains as we came alon: And the woods: There miht he eales. There miht he stas.
There'll he hawks.
Baders' said Lucy.
Ioxes' said Edmund.
Rahhits' said Susan.
But when next mornin came there was a steady rain lallin, so thick that when you looked
out ol the window you could see neither the mountains nor the woods nor even the stream in
the arden.
Ol course it would he rainin' said Edmund. They had just linished their hreaklast with the
Prolessor and were upstairs in the room he had set apart lor them a lon, low room with two
windows lookin out in one direction and two in another.
Do stop rumhlin, Ed, said Susan. Ten to one it'll clear up in an hour or so. And in the
meantime we're pretty well oll. There's a wireless and lots ol hooks.
Not lor me said Peter, I'm oin to explore in the house.
Everyone areed to this and that was how the adventures hean. It was the sort ol house that
you never seem to come to the end ol, and it was lull ol unexpected places. The lirst lew doors
they tried led only into spare hedrooms, as everyone had expected that they would, hut soon they
came to a very lon room lull ol pictures and there they lound a suit ol armor, and alter that was
a room all hun with reen, with a harp in one corner, and then came three steps down and live
steps up, and then a kind ol little upstairs hall and a door that led out on to a halcony, and then a
whole series ol rooms that led into each other and were lined with hooks most ol them very
old hooks and some hier than a Bihle in a church. And shortly alter that they looked into a
room that was quite empty except lor one hi wardrohe, the sort that has a lookin-lass in the
door. There was nothin else in the room at all except a dead hlue-hottle on the window-sill.
Nothin there' said Peter, and they all trooped out aain all except Lucy. She stayed
hehind hecause she thouht it would he worthwhile tryin the door ol the wardrohe, even
thouh she lelt almost sure that it would he locked. To her surprise it opened quite easily, and
two mothhalls dropped out.
Lookin into the inside, she saw several coats hanin up mostly lon lur coats. There was
nothin Lucy liked so much as the smell and leel ol lur. She immediately stepped into the
wardrohe and ot in amon the coats and ruhhed her lace aainst them, leavin the door open, ol
course, hecause she knew that it is very loolish to shut onesell into any wardrohe. Soon she went
lurther in and lound that there was a second row ol coats hanin up hehind the lirst one. It was
almost quite dark in there and she kept her arms stretched out in lront ol her so as not to hump
her lace into the hack ol the wardrohe. She took a step lurther in then two or three steps
always expectin to leel woodwork aainst the tips ol her liners. But she could not leel it.
This must he a simply enormous wardrohe' thouht Lucy, oin still lurther in and pushin
the solt lolds ol the coats aside to make room lor her. Then she noticed that there was somethin
crunchin under her leet. I wonder is that more mothhalls: she thouht, stoopin down to leel
it with her hand. But instead ol leelin the hard, smooth wood ol the lloor ol the wardrohe, she
lelt somethin solt and powdery and extremely cold. This is very queer, she said, and went on a
step or two lurther.
Next moment she lound that what was ruhhin aainst her lace and hands was no loner solt
lur hut somethin hard and rouh and even prickly. Why, it is just like hranches ol trees'
exclaimed Lucy. And then she saw that there was a liht ahead ol her, not a lew inches away
where the hack ol the wardrohe ouht to have heen, hut a lon way oll. Somethin cold and solt
was lallin on her. A moment later she lound that she was standin in the middle ol a wood at
niht-time with snow under her leet and snowllakes lallin throuh the air.
Lucy lelt a little lrihtened, hut she lelt very inquisitive and excited as well. She looked hack
over her shoulder and there, hetween the dark tree trunks, she could still see the open doorway
ol the wardrohe and even catch a limpse ol the empty room lrom which she had set out. (She
had, ol course, lelt the door open, lor she knew that it is a very silly thin to shut onesell into a
wardrohe.) It seemed to he still dayliht there. I can always et hack il anythin oes wron,
thouht Lucy. She hean to walk lorward, crunch-crunch over the snow and throuh the wood
towards the other liht. In ahout ten minutes she reached it and lound it was a lamppost. As she
stood lookin at it, wonderin why there was a lamppost in the middle ol a wood and wonderin
what to do next, she heard a pitter patter ol leet comin towards her. And soon alter that a very
strane person stepped out lrom amon the trees into the liht ol the lamppost.
He was only a little taller than Lucy hersell and he carried over his head an umhrella, white
with snow. Irom the waist upwards he was like a man, hut his les were shaped like a oat's (the
hair on them was lossy hlack) and instead ol leet he had oat's hools. He also had a tail, hut Lucy
did not notice this at lirst hecause it was neatly cauht up over the arm that held the umhrella so
as to keep it lrom trailin in the snow. He had a red woolen mulller round his neck and his skin
was rather reddish too. He had a strane, hut pleasant little lace, with a short pointed heard and
curly hair, and out ol the hair there stuck two horns, one on each side ol his lorehead. One ol his
hands, as I have said, held the umhrella. in the other arm he carried several hrown-paper parcels.
What with the parcels and the snow it looked just as il he had heen doin his Christmas
shoppin. He was a Iaun. And when he saw Lucy he ave such a start ol surprise that he dropped
all his parcels.
Goodness racious me' exclaimed the Iaun.

Chapter Two

V|oi Lvc, FovnJ T|ere

GOOD EVENING, said Lucy. But the Iaun was so husy pickin up its parcels that at lirst it
did not reply. When it had linished it made her a little how.
Good evenin, ood evenin, said the Iaun. Excuse me I don't want to he inquisitive
hut should I he riht in thinkin that you are a Dauhter ol Eve:
My name's Lucy, said she, not quite understandin him.
But you are lorive me you are what they call a irl: said the Iaun.
Ol course I'm a irl, said Lucy.
You are in lact Human:
Ol course I'm human, said Lucy, still a little puzzled.
To he sure, to he sure, said the Iaun. How stupid ol me' But I've never seen a Son ol Adam
or a Dauhter ol Eve helore. I am delihted. That is to say - and then it stopped as il it had heen
oin to say somethin it had not intended hut had rememhered in time. Delihted, delihted, it
went on. Allow me to introduce mysell. My name is Tumnus.
I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Tumnus, said Lucy.
And may I ask, O Lucy Dauhter ol Eve, said Mr. Tumnus, how you have come into
Narnia:
Narnia: What's that: said Lucy.
This is the land ol Narnia, said the Iaun, where we are now, all that lies hetween the
lamppost and the reat castle ol Cair Paravel on the eastern sea. And you you have come lrom
the wild woods ol the west:
I I ot in throuh the wardrohe in the spare room, said Lucy.
Ah' said Mr. Tumnus in a rather melancholy voice, il only I had worked harder at
eoraphy when I was a little Iaun, I should no douht know all ahout those strane countries. It
is too late now.
But they aren't countries at all, said Lucy, almost lauhin. It's only just hack there at
least I'm not sure. It is summer there.
Meanwhile, said Mr. Tumnus, it is winter in Narnia, and has heen lor ever so lon, and we
shall hoth catch cold il we stand here talkin in the snow. Dauhter ol Eve lrom the lar land ol
Spare Oom where eternal summer reins around the hriht city ol War Drohe, how would it he
il you came and had tea with me:
Thank you very much, Mr. Tumnus, said Lucy. But I was wonderin whether I ouht to he
ettin hack.
It's only just round the corner, said the Iaun, and there'll he a roarin lire and toast
and sardines and cake.
Well, it's very kind ol you, said Lucy. But I shan't he ahle to stay lon.
Il you will take my arm, Dauhter ol Eve, said Mr. Tumnus, I shall he ahle to hold the
umhrella over hoth ol us. That's the way. Now oll we o.
And so Lucy lound hersell walkin throuh the wood arm in arm with this strane creature as
il they had known one another all their lives.
They had not one lar helore they came to a place where the round hecame rouh and there
were rocks all ahout and little hills up and little hills down. At the hottom ol one small valley Mr.
Tumnus turned suddenly aside as il he were oin to walk straiht into an unusually lare rock,
hut at the last moment Lucy lound he was leadin her into the entrance ol a cave. As soon as
they were inside she lound hersell hlinkin in the liht ol a wood lire. Then Mr. Tumnus stooped
and took a llamin piece ol wood out ol the lire with a neat little pair ol tons, and lit a lamp.
Now we shan't he lon, he said, and immediately put a kettle on.
Lucy thouht she had never heen in a nicer place. It was a little, dry, clean cave ol reddish
stone with a carpet on the lloor and two little chairs (one lor me and one lor a lriend, said Mr.
Tumnus) and a tahle and a dresser and a mantelpiece over the lire and ahove that a picture ol an
old Iaun with a rey heard. In one corner there was a door which Lucy thouht must lead to Mr.
Tumnus's hedroom, and on one wall was a shell lull ol hooks. Lucy looked at these while he was
settin out the tea thins. They had titles like The Lile and Letters ol Silenus or Nymphs and
Their Ways or Men, Monks and Gamekeepers, a Study in Popular Leend or Is Man a Myth:
Now, Dauhter ol Eve' said the Iaun.
And really it was a wonderlul tea. There was a nice hrown e, lihtly hoiled, lor each ol
them, and then sardines on toast, and then huttered toast, and then toast with honey, and then a
suar-topped cake. And when Lucy was tired ol eatin the Iaun hean to talk. He had wonderlul
tales to tell ol lile in the lorest. He told ahout the midniht dances and how the Nymphs who
lived in the wells and the Dryads who lived in the trees came out to dance with the Iauns, ahout
lon huntin parties alter the milk-white sta who could ive you wishes il you cauht him,
ahout leastin and treasure-seekin with the wild Red Dwarls in deep mines and caverns lar
heneath the lorest lloor, and then ahout summer when the woods were reen and old Silenus on
his lat donkey would come to visit them, and sometimes Bacchus himsell, and then the streams
would run with wine instead ol water and the whole lorest would ive itsell up to jollilication
lor weeks on end. Not that it isn't always winter now, he added loomily. Then to cheer himsell
up he took out lrom its case on the dresser a strane little llute that looked as il it were made ol
straw and hean to play. And the tune he played made Lucy want to cry and lauh and dance and
o to sleep all at the same time. It must have heen hours later when she shook hersell and said.
Oh, Mr. Tumnus I'm so sorry to stop you, and I do love that tune hut really, I must o
home. I only meant to stay lor a lew minutes.
It's no ood now, you know, said the Iaun, layin down its llute and shakin its head at her
very sorrowlully.
No ood: said Lucy, jumpin up and leelin rather lrihtened. What do you mean: I've ot
to o home at once. The others will he wonderin what has happened to me. But a moment later
she asked, Mr. Tumnus' Whatever is the matter: lor the Iaun's hrown eyes had lilled with tears
and then the tears hean tricklin down its cheeks, and soon they were runnin oll the end ol its
nose, and at last it covered its lace with its hands and hean to howl.
Mr. Tumnus' Mr. Tumnus' said Lucy in reat distress. Don't' Don't' What is the matter:
Aren't you well: Dear Mr. Tumnus, do tell me what is wron. But the Iaun continued sohhin
as il its heart would hreak. And even when Lucy went over and put her arms round him and lent
him her handkerchiel, he did not stop. He merely took the handkerchiel and kept on usin it,
wrinin it out with hoth hands whenever it ot too wet to he any more use, so that presently
Lucy was standin in a damp patch.
Mr. Tumnus' hawled Lucy in his ear, shakin him. Do stop. Stop it at once' You ouht to
he ashamed ol yoursell, a reat hi Iaun like you. What on earth are you cryin ahout:
Oh oh oh' sohhed Mr. Tumnus, I'm cryin hecause I'm such a had Iaun.
I don't think you're a had Iaun at all, said Lucy. I think you are a very ood Iaun. You are
the nicest Iaun I've ever met.
Oh oh you wouldn't say that il you knew, replied Mr. Tumnus hetween his sohs. No,
I'm a had Iaun. I don't suppose there ever was a worse Iaun since the heinnin ol the world.
But what have you done: asked Lucy.
My old lather, now, said Mr. Tumnus, that's his picture over the mantelpiece. He would
never have done a thin like this.
A thin like what: said Lucy.
Like what I've done, said the Iaun. Taken service under the White Witch. That's what I
am. I'm in the pay ol the White Witch.
The White Witch: Who is she:
Why, it is she that has ot all Narnia under her thumh. It's she that makes it always winter.
Always winter and never Christmas, think ol that'
How awlul' said Lucy. But what does she pay you lor:
That's the worst ol it, said Mr. Tumnus with a deep roan. I'm a kidnapper lor her, that's
what I am. Look at me, Dauhter ol Eve. Would you helieve that I'm the sort ol Iaun to meet a
poor innocent child in the wood, one that had never done me any harm, and pretend to he
lriendly with it, and invite it home to my cave, all lor the sake ol lullin it asleep and then
handin it over to the White Witch:
No, said Lucy. I'm sure you wouldn't do anythin ol the sort.
But I have, said the Iaun.
Well, said Lucy rather slowly (lor she wanted to he truthlul and yet not he too hard on
him), well, that was pretty had. But you're so sorry lor it that I'm sure you will never do it aain.
Dauhter ol Eve, don't you understand: said the Iaun. It isn't somethin I have done. I'm
doin it now, this very moment.
What do you mean: cried Lucy, turnin very white.
You are the child, said Tumnus. I had orders lrom the White Witch that il ever I saw a Son
ol Adam or a Dauhter ol Eve in the wood, I was to catch them and hand them over to her. And
you are the lirst I've ever met. And I've pretended to he your lriend an asked you to tea, and all
the time I've heen meanin to wait till you were asleep and then o and tell Her.
Oh, hut you won't, Mr. Tumnus, said Lucy. You won't, will you: Indeed, indeed you really
mustn't.
And il I don't, said he, heinnin to cry aain she's sure to lind out. And she'll have my tail
cut oll and my horns sawn oll, and my heard plucked out, and she'll wave her wand over my
heautilul clove hools and turn them into horrid solid hools like wretched horse's. And il she is
extra and specially anry she'll turn me into stone and I shall he the only statue ol a Iaun in her
horrihle house until the lour thrones at Cair Paravel are lilled and oodness knows when that will
happen, or whether it will ever happen at all.
I'm very sorry, Mr. Tumnus, said Lucy. But please let me o home.
Ol course I will, said the Iaun. Ol course I've ot to. I see that now. I hadn't known what
Humans were like helore I met you. Ol course I can't ive you up to the Witch, not now that I
know you. But we must he oll at once. I'll see you hack to the lamppost. I suppose you can lind
your own way lrom there hack to Spare Oom and War Drohe:
I'm sure I can, said Lucy.
We must o as quietly as we can, said Mr. Tumnus. The whole wood is lull ol her spies.
Even some ol the trees are on her side.
They hoth ot up and lelt the tea thins on the tahle, and Mr. Tumnus once more put up his
umhrella and ave Lucy his arm, and they went out into the snow. The journey hack was not at
all like the journey to the Iaun's cave, they stole alon as quickly as they could, without speakin
a word, and Mr. Tumnus kept to the darkest places. Lucy was relieved when they reached the
lamppost aain.
Do you know your way lrom here, Dauhter ol Eve: said Tumnus.
Lucy looked very hard hetween the trees and could just see in the distance a patch ol liht
that looked like dayliht. Yes, she said, I can see the wardrohe door.
Then he oll home as quick as you can, said the Iaun, and c-can you ever lorive me lor
what meant to do:
Why, ol course I can, said Lucy, shakin him heartily hy the hand. And I do hope you won't
et into dreadlul trouhle on my account.
Iarewell, Dauhter ol Eve, said he. Perhaps I may keep the handkerchiel:
Rather' said Lucy, and then ran towards the lar oll patch ol dayliht as quickly as her les
would carry her. And presently instead ol rouh hranch hrushin past her she lelt coats, and
instead ol crunchin snow under her leet she lelt wooden hoard and all at once she lound hersell
jumpin out ol the wardrohe into the same empty room lrom which the whole adventure had
started. She shut the wardrohe door tihtly hehind her and looked around, pantin lor hreath. It
was still rainin and she could hear the voices ol the others in the passae.
I'm here, she shouted. I'm here. I've come hack. I'm all riht.

Chapter Three

EJmvnJ onJ i|e VorJrobe

Lucy ran out ol the empty room into the passae and lound the other three.
It's all riht, she repeated, I've come hack.
What on earth are you talkin ahout, Lucy: asked Susan.
Why: said Lucy in amazement, haven't you all heen wonderin where I was:
So you've heen hidin, have you: said Peter. Poor old Lu, hidin and nohody noticed' You'll
have to hide loner than that il you want people to start lookin lor you.
But I've heen away lor hours and hours, said Lucy.
The others all stared at one another.
Batty' said Edmund, tappin his head. Quite hatty.
What do you mean, Lu: asked Peter.
What I said, answered Lucy. It was just alter hreaklast when I went into the wardrohe, and
I've heen away lor hours and hours, and had tea, and all sorts ol thins have happened.
Don't he silly, Lucy, said Susan. We've only just come out ol that room a moment ao, and
you were there then.
She's not hein silly at all, said Peter, she's just makin up a story lor lun, aren't you, Lu:
And why shouldn't she:
No, Peter, I'm not, she said. It's it's a maic wardrohe. There's a wood inside it, and it's
snowin, and there's a Iaun and a Witch and it's called Narnia, come and see.
The others did not know what to think, hut Lucy was so excited that they all went hack with
her into the room. She rushed ahead ol them, llun open the door ol the wardrohe and cried,
Now' o in and see lor yourselves.
Why, you oose, said Susan, puttin her head inside and pullin the lur coats apart, it's just
an ordinary wardrohe, look' there's the hack ol it.
Then everyone looked in and pulled the coats apart, and they all saw Lucy hersell saw a
perlectly ordinary wardrohe. There was no wood and no snow, only the hack ol the wardrohe,
with hooks on it. Peter went in and rapped his knuckles on it to make sure that it was solid.
A jolly ood hoax, Lu, he said as he came out aain, you have really taken us in, I must
admit. We hall helieved you.
But it wasn't a hoax at all, said Lucy, really and truly. It was all dillerent a moment ao.
Honestly it was. I promise.
Come, Lu, said Peter, that's oin a hit lar. You've had your joke. Hadn't you hetter drop it
now:
Lucy rew very red in the lace and tried to say somethin, thouh she hardly knew what she
was tryin to say, and hurst into tears.
Ior the next lew days she was very miserahle. She could have made it up with the others
quite easily at any moment il she could have hrouht hersell to say that the whole thin was only
a story made up lor lun. But Lucy was a very truthlul irl and she knew that she was really in the
riht, and she could not hrin hersell to say this. The others who thouht she was tellin a lie, and
a silly lie too, made her very unhappy. The two elder ones did this without meanin to do it, hut
Edmund could he spitelul, and on this occasion he was spitelul. He sneered and jeered at Lucy
and kept on askin her il she'd lound any other new countries in other cuphoards all over the
house. What made it worse was that these days ouht to have heen delihtlul. The weather was
line and they were out ol doors lrom mornin to niht, hathin, lishin, climhin trees, and lyin
in the heather. But Lucy could not properly enjoy any ol it. And so thins went on until the next
wet day.
That day, when it came to the alternoon and there was still no sin ol a hreak in the weather,
they decided to play hide-and-seek. Susan was It and as soon as the others scattered to hide,
Lucy went to the room where the wardrohe was. She did not mean to hide in the wardrohe,
hecause she knew that would only set the others talkin aain ahout the whole wretched
husiness. But she did want to have one more look inside it, lor hy this time she was heinnin to
wonder hersell whether Narnia and the Iaun had not heen a dream. The house was so lare and
complicated and lull ol hidin-places that she thouht she would have time to have one look into
the wardrohe and then hide somewhere else. But as soon as she reached it she heard steps in the
passae outside, and then there was nothin lor it hut to jump into the wardrohe and hold the
door closed hehind her. She did not shut it properly hecause she knew that it is very silly to shut
onesell into a wardrohe, even il it is not a maic one.
Now the steps she had heard were those ol Edmund, and he came into the room just in time
to see Lucy vanishin into the wardrohe. He at once decided to et into it himsell not hecause
he thouht it a particularly ood place to hide hut hecause he wanted to o on teasin her ahout
her imainary country. He opened the door. There were the coats hanin up as usual, and a
smell ol mothhalls, and darkness and silence, and no sin ol Lucy. She thinks I'm Susan come to
catch her, said Edmund to himsell, and so she's keepin very quiet in at the hack. He jumped in
and shut the door, lorettin what a very loolish thin this is to do. Then he hean leelin ahout
lor Lucy in the dark. He had expected to lind her in a lew seconds and was very surprised when
he did not. He decided to open the door aain and let in some liht. But he could not lind the
door either. He didn't like this at all and hean ropin wildly in every direction, he even shouted
out, Lucy' Lu' Where are you: I know you're here.
There was no answer and Edmund noticed that his own voice had a curious sound not the
sound you expect in a cuphoard, hut a kind ol open-air sound. He also noticed that he was
unexpectedly cold, and then he saw a liht.
Thank oodness, said Edmund, the door must have swun open ol its own accord. He
lorot all ahout Lucy and went towards the liht, which he thouht was the open door ol the
wardrohe. But instead ol lindin himsell steppin out into the spare room he lound himsell
steppin out lrom the shadow ol some thick dark lir trees into an open place in the middle ol a
wood.
There was crisp, dry snow under his leet and more snow lyin on the hranches ol the trees.
Overhead there was pale hlue sky, the sort ol sky one sees on a line winter day in the mornin.
Straiht ahead ol him he saw hetween the tree-trunks the sun, just risin, very red and clear.
Everythin was perlectly still, as il he were the only livin creature in that country. There was not
even a rohin or a squirrel amon the trees, and the wood stretched as lar as he could see in every
direction. He shivered.
He now rememhered that he had heen lookin lor Lucy, and also how unpleasant he had
heen to her ahout her imainary country which now turned out not to have heen imainary at
all. He thouht that she must he somewhere quite close and so he shouted, Lucy' Lucy' I'm here
too-Edmund.
There was no answer.
She's anry ahout all the thins I've heen sayin lately, thouht Edmund. And thouh he did
not like to admit that he had heen wron, he also did not much like hein alone in this strane,
cold, quiet place, so he shouted aain.
I say, Lu' I'm sorry I didn't helieve you. I see now you were riht all alon. Do come out.
Make it Pax.
Still there was no answer.
ust like a irl, said Edmund to himsell, sulkin somewhere, and won't accept an apoloy.
He looked round him aain and decided he did not much like this place, and had almost made up
his mind to o home, when he heard, very lar oll in the wood, a sound ol hells. He listened and
the sound came nearer and nearer and at last there swept into siht a slede drawn hy two
reindeer.
The reindeer were ahout the size ol Shetland ponies and their hair was so white that even the
snow hardly looked white compared with them, their hranchin horns were ilded and shone like
somethin on lire when the sunrise cauht them. Their harness was ol scarlet leather and covered
with hells. On the slede, drivin the reindeer, sat a lat dwarl who would have heen ahout three
leet hih il he had heen standin. He was dressed in polar hear's lur and on his head he wore a red
hood with a lon old tassel hanin down lrom its point, his hue heard covered his knees and
served him instead ol a ru. But hehind him, on a much hiher seat in the middle ol the slede sat
a very dillerent person a reat lady, taller than any woman that Edmund had ever seen. She
also was covered in white lur up to her throat and held a lon straiht olden wand in her riht
hand and wore a olden crown on her head. Her lace was white not merely pale, hut white
like snow or paper or icin-suar, except lor her very red mouth. It was a heautilul lace in other
respects, hut proud and cold and stern.
The slede was a line siht as it came sweepin towards Edmund with the hells jinlin and
the dwarl crackin his whip and the snow llyin up on each side ol it.
Stop' said the Lady, and the dwarl pulled the reindeer up so sharp that they almost sat
down. Then they recovered themselves and stood champin their hits and hlowin. In the lrosty
air the hreath comin out ol their nostrils looked like smoke.
And what, pray, are you: said the Lady, lookin hard at Edmund.
I'm-I'm-my name's Edmund, said Edmund rather awkwardly. He did not like the way she
looked at him.
The Lady lrowned, Is that how you address a Queen: she asked, lookin sterner than ever.
I he your pardon, your Majesty, I didn't know, said Edmund.
Not know the Queen ol Narnia: cried she. Ha' You shall know us hetter herealter. But I
repeat-what are you:
Please, your Majesty, said Edmund, I don't know what you mean. I'm at school at least I
was it's the holidays now.

Chapter Four

TvrIis| De|i|i

BUT what are you: said the Queen aain. Are you a reat overrown dwarl that has cut oll
its heard:
No, your Majesty, said Edmund, I never had a heard, I'm a hoy.
A hoy' said she. Do you mean you are a Son ol Adam:
Edmund stood still, sayin nothin. He was too conlused hy this time to understand what the
question meant.
I see you are an idiot, whatever else you may he, said the Queen. Answer me, once and lor
all, or I shall lose my patience. Are you human:
Yes, your Majesty, said Edmund.
And how, pray, did you come to enter my dominions:
Please, your Majesty, I came in throuh a wardrohe.
A wardrohe: What do you mean:
I I opened a door and just lound mysell here, your Majesty, said Edmund.
Ha' said the Queen, speakin more to hersell than to him. A door. A door lrom the world
ol men' I have heard ol such thins. This may wreck all. But he is only one, and he is easily dealt
with. As she spoke these words she rose lrom her seat and looked Edmund lull in the lace, her
eyes llamin, at the same moment she raised her wand. Edmund lelt sure that she was oin to do
somethin dreadlul hut he seemed unahle to move. Then, just as he ave himsell up lor lost, she
appeared to chane her mind.
My poor child, she said in quite a dillerent voice, how cold you look' Come and sit with
me here on the slede and I will put my mantle round you and we will talk.
Edmund did not like this arranement at all hut he dared not disohey, he stepped on to the
slede and sat at her leet, and she put a lold ol her lur mantle round him and tucked it well in.
Perhaps somethin hot to drink: said the Queen. Should you like that:
Yes please, your Majesty, said Edmund, whose teeth were chatterin.
The Queen took lrom somewhere amon her wrappins a very small hottle which looked as
il it were made ol copper. Then, holdin out her arm, she let one drop lall lrom it on the snow
heside the slede. Edmund saw the drop lor a second in mid-air, shinin like a diamond. But the
moment it touched the snow there was a hissin sound and there stood a jeweled cup lull ol
somethin that steamed. The dwarl immediately took this and handed it to Edmund with a how
and a smile, not a very nice smile. Edmund lelt much hetter as he hean to sip the hot drink. It
was somethin he had never tasted helore, very sweet and loamy and creamy, and it warmed him
riht down to his toes.
It is dull, Son ol Adam, to drink without eatin, said the Queen presently. What would you
like hest to eat:
Turkish Deliht, please, your Majesty, said Edmund.
The Queen let another drop lall lrom her hottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared
a round hox, tied with reen silk rihhon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several
pounds ol the hest Turkish Deliht. Each piece was sweet and liht to the very center and
Edmund had never tasted anythin more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very
comlortahle.
While he was eatin the Queen kept askin him questions. At lirst Edmund tried to
rememher that it is rude to speak with one's mouth lull, hut soon he lorot ahout this and
thouht only ol tryin to shovel down as much Turkish Deliht as he could, and the more he ate
the more he wanted to eat, and he never asked himsell why the Queen should he so inquisitive.
She ot him to tell her that he had one hrother and two sisters, and that one ol his sisters had
already heen in Narnia and had met a Iaun there, and that no one except himsell and his hrother
and his sisters knew anythin ahout Narnia. She seemed especially interested in the lact that there
were lour ol them, and kept on comin hack to it. You are sure there are just lour ol you: she
asked. Two Sons ol Adam and two Dauhters ol Eve, neither more nor less: and Edmund, with
his mouth lull ol Turkish Deliht, kept on sayin, Yes, I told you that helore, and lorettin to
call her Your Majesty, hut she didn't seem to mind now.
At last the Turkish Deliht was all linished and Edmund was lookin very hard at the empty
hox and wishin that she would ask him whether he would like some more. Prohahly the Queen
knew quite well what he was thinkin, lor she knew, thouh Edmund did not, that this was
enchanted Turkish Deliht and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more
ol it, and would even, il they were allowed, o on eatin it till they killed themselves. But she did
not oller him any more. Instead, she said to him,
Son ol Adam, I should so much like to see your hrother and your two sisters. Will you hrin
them to see me:
I'll try, said Edmund, still lookin at the empty hox.
Because, il you did come aain hrinin them with you ol course I'd he ahle to ive
you some more Turkish Deliht. I can't do it now, the maic will only work once. In my own
house it would he another matter.
Why can't we o to your house now: said Edmund. When he had lirst ot on to the slede
he had heen alraid that she miht drive away with him to some unknown place lrom which he
would not he ahle to et hack, hut he had lorotten ahout that lear now.
It is a lovely place, my house, said the Queen. I am sure you would like it. There are whole
rooms lull ol Turkish Deliht, and what's more, I have no children ol my own. I want a nice hoy
whom I could hrin up as a Prince and who would he Kin ol Narnia when I am one. While he
was Prince he would wear a old crown and eat Turkish Deliht all day lon, and you are much
the cleverest and handsomest youn man I've ever met. I think I would like to make you the
Prince some day, when you hrin the others to visit me.
Why not now: said Edmund. His lace had hecome very red and his mouth and liners were
sticky. He did not look either clever or handsome, whatever the Queen miht say.
Oh, hut il I took you there now, said she, I shouldn't see your hrother and your sisters. I
very much want to know your charmin relations. You are to he the Prince and later on
the Kin, that is understood. But you must have courtiers and nohles. I will make your hrother a
Duke and your sisters Duchesses.
There's nothin special ahout them, said Edmund, and, anyway, I could always hrin them
some other time.
Ah, hut once you were in my house, said the Queen, you miht loret all ahout them. You
would he enjoyin yoursell so much that you wouldn't want the hother ol oin to letch them.
No. You must o hack to your own country now and come to me another day, with them, you
understand. It is no ood comin without them.
But I don't even know the way hack to my own country, pleaded Edmund. That's easy,
answered the Queen. Do you see that lamp: She pointed with her wand and Edmund turned
and saw the same lamppost under which Lucy had met the Iaun. Straiht on, heyond that, is the
way to the World ol Men. And now look the other way'- here she pointed in the opposite
direction and tell me il you can see two little hills risin ahove the trees.
I think I can, said Edmund.
Well, my house is hetween those two hills. So next time you come you have only to lind the
lamppost and look lor those two hills and walk throuh the wood till you reach my house. But
rememher you must hrin the others with you. I miht have to he very anry with you il you
came alone.
I'll do my hest, said Edmund.
And, hy the way, said the Queen, you needn't tell them ahout me. It would he lun to keep
it a secret hetween us two, wouldn't it: Make it a surprise lor them. ust hrin them alon to the
two hills a clever hoy like you will easily think ol some excuse lor doin that and when
you come to my house you could just say Let's see who lives here or somethin like that. I am
sure that would he hest. Il your sister has met one ol the Iauns, she may have heard strane
stories ahout me nasty stories that miht make her alraid to come to me. Iauns will say
anythin, you know, and now -
Please, please, said Edmund suddenly, please couldn't I have just one piece ol Turkish
Deliht to eat on the way home:
No, no, said the Queen with a lauh, you must wait till next time. While she spoke, she
sinaled to the dwarl to drive on, hut as the slede swept away out ol siht, the Queen waved to
Edmund, callin out, Next time' Next time' Don't loret. Come soon.
Edmund was still starin alter the slede when he heard someone callin his own name, and
lookin round he saw Lucy comin towards him lrom another part ol the wood.
Oh, Edmund' she cried. So you've ot in too' Isn't it wonderlul, and now-
All riht, said Edmund, I see you were riht and it is a maic wardrohe alter all. I'll say I'm
sorry il you like. But where on earth have you heen all this time: I've heen lookin lor you
everywhere.
Il I'd known you had ot in I'd have waited lor you, said Lucy, who was too happy and
excited to notice how snappishly Edmund spoke or how llushed and strane his lace was. I've
heen havin lunch with dear Mr. Tumnus, the Iaun, and he's very well and the White Witch has
done nothin to him lor lettin me o, so he thinks she can't have lound out and perhaps
everythin is oin to he all riht alter all.
The White Witch: said Edmund, who's she:
She is a perlectly terrihle person, said Lucy. She calls hersell the Queen ol Narnia thouh
she has no riht to he queen at all, and all the Iauns and Dryads and Naiads and Dwarls and
Animals at least all the ood ones simply hate her. And she can turn people into stone and
do all kinds ol horrihle thins. And she has made a maic so that it is always winter in Narnia
always winter, hut it never ets to Christmas. And she drives ahout on a slede, drawn hy
reindeer, with her wand in her hand and a crown on her head.
Edmund was already leelin uncomlortahle lrom havin eaten too many sweets, and when he
heard that the Lady he had made lriends with was a danerous witch he lelt even more
uncomlortahle. But he still wanted to taste that Turkish Deliht aain more than he wanted
anythin else.
Who told you all that stull ahout the White Witch: he asked.
Mr. Tumnus, the Iaun, said Lucy.
You can't always helieve what Iauns say, said Edmund, tryin to sound as il he knew lar
more ahout them than Lucy.
Who said so: asked Lucy.
Everyone knows it, said Edmund, ask anyhody you like. But it's pretty poor sport standin
here in the snow. Let's o home.
Yes, let's, said Lucy. Oh, Edmund, I am lad you've ot in too. The others will have to
helieve in Narnia now that hoth ol us have heen there. What lun it will he'
But Edmund secretly thouht that it would not he as ood lun lor him as lor her. He would
have to admit that Lucy had heen riht, helore all the others, and he lelt sure the others would all
he on the side ol the Iauns and the animals, hut he was already more than hall on the side ol the
Witch. He did not know what he would say, or how he would keep his secret once they were all
talkin ahout Narnia.
By this time they had walked a ood way. Then suddenly they lelt coats around them instead
ol hranches and next moment they were hoth standin outside the wardrohe in the empty room.
I say, said Lucy, you do look awlul, Edmund. Don't you leel well:
I'm all riht, said Edmund, hut this was not true. He was leelin very sick.
Come on then, said Lucy, let's lind the others. What a lot we shall have to tell them' And
what wonderlul adventures we shall have now that we're all in it toether.
Chapter Five

BocI on T|is SiJe o| i|e Door

BECAUSE the ame ol hide-and-seek was still oin on, it took Edmund and Lucy some time
to lind the others. But when at last they were all toether (which happened in the lon room,
where the suit ol armor was) Lucy hurst out.
Peter' Susan' It's all true. Edmund has seen it too. There is a country you can et to throuh
the wardrohe. Edmund and I hoth ot in. We met one another in there, in the wood. Go on,
Edmund, tell them all ahout it.
What's all this ahout, Ed: said Peter.
And now we come to one ol the nastiest thins in this story. Up to that moment Edmund had
heen leelin sick, and sulky, and annoyed with Lucy lor hein riht, hut he hadn't made up his
mind what to do. When Peter suddenly asked him the question he decided all at once to do the
meanest and most spitelul thin he could think ol. He decided to let Lucy down.
Tell us, Ed, said Susan.
And Edmund ave a very superior look as il he were lar older than Lucy (there was really
only a year's dillerence) and then a little snier and said, Oh, yes, Lucy and I have heen playin
pretendin that all her story ahout a country in the wardrohe is true, just lor lun, ol course.
There's nothin there really.
Poor Lucy ave Edmund one look and rushed out ol the room.
Edmund, who was hecomin a nastier person every minute, thouht that he had scored a
reat success, and went on at once to say, There she oes aain. What's the matter with her:
That's the worst ol youn kids, they always -
Look here, said Peter, turnin on him savaely, shut up' You've heen perlectly heastly to Lu
ever since she started this nonsense ahout the wardrohe, and now you o playin ames with her
ahout it and settin her oll aain. I helieve you did it simply out ol spite.
But it's all nonsense, said Edmund, very taken ahack.
Ol course it's all nonsense, said Peter, that's just the point. Lu was perlectly all riht when
we lelt home, hut since we've heen down here she seems to he either oin queer in the head or
else turnin into a most lrihtlul liar. But whichever it is, what ood do you think you'll do hy
jeerin and nain at her one day and encourain her the next:
I thouht I thouht, said Edmund, hut he couldn't think ol anythin to say.
You didn't think anythin at all, said Peter, it's just spite. You've always liked hein heastly
to anyone smaller than yoursell, we've seen that at school helore now.
Do stop it, said Susan, it won't make thins any hetter havin a row hetween you two. Let's
o and lind Lucy.
It was not surprisin that when they lound Lucy, a ood deal later, everyone could see that
she had heen cryin. Nothin they could say to her made any dillerence. She stuck to her story
and said.
I don't care what you think, and I don't care what you say. You can tell the Prolessor or you
can write to Mother or you can do anythin you like. I know I've met a Iaun in there and I
wish I'd stayed there and you are all heasts, heasts.
It was an unpleasant evenin. Lucy was miserahle and Edmund was heinnin to leel that his
plan wasn't workin as well as he had expected. The two older ones were really heinnin to
think that Lucy was out ol her mind. They stood in the passae talkin ahout it in whispers lon
alter she had one to hed.
The result was the next mornin they decided that they really would o and tell the whole
thin to the Prolessor. He'll write to Iather il he thinks there is really somethin wron with Lu,
said Peter, it's ettin heyond us. So they went and knocked at the study door, and the Prolessor
said Come in, and ot up and lound chairs lor them and said he was quite at their disposal. Then
he sat listenin to them with the tips ol his liners pressed toether and never interruptin, till
they had linished the whole story. Alter that he said nothin lor quite a lon time. Then he
cleared his throat and said the last thin either ol them expected.
How do you know, he asked, that your sister's story is not true:
Oh, hut - hean Susan, and then stopped. Anyone could see lrom the old man's lace that he
was perlectly serious. Then Susan pulled hersell toether and said, But Edmund said they had
only heen pretendin.
That is a point, said the Prolessor, which certainly deserves consideration, very carelul
consideration. Ior instance il you will excuse me lor askin the question does your
experience lead you to reard your hrother or your sister as the more reliahle: I mean, which is
the more truthlul:
That's just the lunny thin ahout it, sir, said Peter. Up till now, I'd have said Lucy every
time.
And what do you think, my dear: said the Prolessor, turnin to Susan.
Well, said Susan, in eneral, I'd say the same as Peter, hut this couldn't he true all this
ahout the wood and the Iaun.
That is more than I know, said the Prolessor, and a chare ol lyin aainst someone whom
you have always lound truthlul is a very serious thin, a very serious thin indeed.
We were alraid it mihtn't even he lyin, said Susan, we thouht there miht he somethin
wron with Lucy.
Madness, you mean: said the Prolessor quite coolly. Oh, you can make your minds easy
ahout that. One has only to look at her and talk to her to see that she is not mad.
But then, said Susan, and stopped. She had never dreamed that a rown-up would talk like
the Prolessor and didn't know what to think.
Loic' said the Prolessor hall to himsell. Why don't they teach loic at these schools: There
are only three possihilities. Either your sister is tellin lies, or she is mad, or she is tellin the truth.
You know she doesn't tell lies and it is ohvious that she is not mad Ior the moment then and
unless any lurther evidence turns up, we must assume that she is tellin the truth.
Susan looked at him very hard and was quite sure lrom the expression on his lace that he was
not makin lun ol them.
But how could it he true, sir: said Peter.
Why do you say that: asked the Prolessor.
Well, lor one thin, said Peter, il it was true why doesn't everyone lind this country every
time they o to the wardrohe: I mean, there was nothin there when we looked, even Lucy didn't
pretend there was.
What has that to do with it: said the Prolessor.
Well, sir, il thins are real, they're there all the time.
Are they: said the Prolessor, and Peter didn't know quite what to say.
But there was no time, said Susan. Lucy had no time to have one anywhere, even il there
was such a place. She came runnin alter us the very moment we were out ol the room. It was
less than a minute, and she pretended to have heen away lor hours.
That is the very thin that makes her story so likely to he true, said the Prolessor. Il there
really is a door in this house that leads to some other world (and I should warn you that this is a
very strane house, and even I know very little ahout it) il, I say, she had ot into another
world, I should not he at a surprised to lind that the other world had a separate time ol its own,
so that however lon you stay there it would never take up any ol our time. On the other hand, I
don't think many irls ol her ae would invent that idea lor themselves. Il she had heen
pretendin, she would have hidden lor a reasonahle time helore comin out and tellin her story.
But do you really mean, sir, said Peter, that there could he other worlds all over the
place, just round the corner like that:
Nothin is more prohahle, said the Prolessor, takin oll his spectacles and heinnin to
polish them, while he muttered to himsell, I wonder what they do teach them at these schools.
But what are we to do: said Susan. She lelt that the conversation was heinnin to et oll
the point.
My dear youn lady, said the Prolessor, suddenly lookin up with a very sharp expression at
hoth ol them, there is one plan which no one has yet suested and which is well worth tryin.
What's that: said Susan.
We miht all try mindin our own husiness, said he. And that was the end ol that
conversation.
Alter this thins were a ood deal hetter lor Lucy. Peter saw to it that Edmund stopped
jeerin at her, and neither she nor anyone else lelt inclined to talk ahout the wardrohe at all. It
had hecome a rather alarmin suhject. And so lor a time it looked as il all the adventures were
comin to an end, hut that was not to he.
This house ol the Prolessor's which even he knew so little ahout was so old and lamous
that people lrom all over Enland used to come and ask permission to see over it. It was the sort
ol house that is mentioned in uidehooks and even in histories, and well it miht he, lor all
manner ol stories were told ahout it, some ol them even straner than the one I am tellin you
now. And when parties ol sihtseers arrived and asked to see the house, the Prolessor always ave
them permission, and Mrs. Macready, the housekeeper, showed them round, tellin them ahout
the pictures and the armor, and the rare hooks in the lihrary. Mrs. Macready was not lond ol
children, and did not like to he interrupted when she was tellin visitors all the thins she knew.
She had said to Susan and Peter almost on the lirst mornin (alon with a ood many other
instructions), And please rememher you're to keep out ol the way whenever I'm takin a party
over the house.
ust as il any ol us would want to waste hall the mornin trailin round with a crowd ol
strane rown-ups' said Edmund, and the other three thouht the same. That was how the
adventures hean lor the second time.
A lew mornins later Peter and Edmund were lookin at the suit ol armor and wonderin il
they could take it to hits when the two irls rushed into the room and said, Look out' Here
comes the Macready and a whole an with her.
Sharp's the word, said Peter, and all lour made oll throuh the door at the lar end ol the
room. But when they had ot out into the Green Room and heyond it, into the Lihrary, they
suddenly heard voices ahead ol them, and realized that Mrs. Macready must he hrinin her party
ol sihtseers up the hack stairs instead ol up the lront stairs as they had expected. And alter
that whether it was that they lost their heads, or that Mrs. Macready was tryin to catch them,
or that some maic in the house had come to lile and was chasin them into Narnia they seemed
to lind themselves hein lollowed everywhere, until at last Susan said, Oh hother those trippers'
Here let's et into the Wardrohe Room till they've passed. No one will lollow us in there. But
the moment they were inside they heard the voices in the passae and then someone lumhlin
at the door and then they saw the handle turnin.
Quick' said Peter, there's nowhere else, and llun open the wardrohe. All lour ol them
hundled inside it and sat there, pantin, in the dark. Peter held the door closed hut did not shut it,
lor, ol course, he rememhered, as every sensihle person does, that you should never never shut
yoursell up in a wardrohe.
Chapter Six

Inio i|e Foresi

I wish the Macready would hurry up and take all these people away, said Susan presently,
I'm ettin horrihly cramped.
And what a lilthy smell ol camphor' said Edmund.
I expect the pockets ol these coats are lull ol it, said Susan, to keep away the moths.
There's somethin stickin into my hack, said Peter.
And isn't it cold: said Susan.
Now that you mention it, it is cold, said Peter, and han it all, it's wet too. What's the
matter with this place: I'm sittin on somethin wet. It's ettin wetter every minute. He
struled to his leet.
Let's et out, said Edmund, they've one.
O-o-oh' said Susan suddenly, and everyone asked her what was the matter.
I'm sittin aainst a tree, said Susan, and look' It's ettin liht over there.
By ove, you're riht, said Peter, and look there and there. It's trees all round. And this
wet stull is snow. Why, I do helieve we've ot into Lucy's wood alter all.
And now there was no mistakin it and all lour children stood hlinkin in the dayliht ol a
winter day. Behind them were coats hanin on pes, in lront ol them were snow-covered trees.
Peter turned at once to Lucy.
I apoloize lor not helievin you, he said, I'm sorry. Will you shake hands:
Ol course, said Lucy, and did.
And now, said Susan, what do we do next:
Do: said Peter, why, o and explore the wood, ol course.
Uh' said Susan, stampin her leet, it's pretty cold. What ahout puttin on some ol these
coats:
They're not ours, said Peter douhtlully.
I am sure nohody would mind, said Susan, it isn't as il we wanted to take them out ol the
house, we shan't take them even out ol the wardrohe.
I never thouht ol that, Su, said Peter. Ol course, now you put it that way, I see. No one
could say you had haed a coat as lon as you leave it in the wardrohe where you lound it. And I
suppose this whole country is in the wardrohe.
They immediately carried out Susan's very sensihle plan. The coats were rather too hi lor
them so that they came down to their heels and looked more like royal rohes than coats when
they had put them on. But they all lelt a ood deal warmer and each thouht the others looked
hetter in their new et-up and more suitahle to the landscape.
We can pretend we are Arctic explorers, said Lucy.
This is oin to he excitin enouh without pretendin, said Peter, as he hean leadin the
way lorward into the lorest. There were heavy darkish clouds overhead and it looked as il there
miht he more snow helore niht.
I say, hean Edmund presently, ouhtn't we to he hearin a hit more to the lelt, that is, il
we are aimin lor the lamppost: He had lorotten lor the moment that he must pretend never
to have heen in the wood helore. The moment the words were out ol his mouth he realized that
he had iven himsell away. Everyone stopped, everyone stared at him. Peter whistled.
So you really were here, he said, that time Lu said she'd met you in here and you made
out she was tellin lies.
There was a dead silence. Well, ol all the poisonous little heasts - said Peter, and shrued
his shoulders and said no more. There seemed, indeed, no more to say, and presently the lour
resumed their journey, hut Edmund was sayin to himsell, I'll pay you all out lor this, you pack
ol stuck-up, sell-satislied pris.
Where are we oin anyway: said Susan, chielly lor the sake ol chanin the suhject.
I think Lu ouht to he the leader, said Peter, oodness knows she deserves it. Where will
you take us, Lu:
What ahout oin to see Mr. Tumnus: said Lucy. He's the nice Iaun I told you ahout.
Everyone areed to this and oll they went walkin hriskly and stampin their leet. Lucy
proved a ood leader. At lirst she wondered whether she would he ahle to lind the way, hut she
reconized an odd-lookin tree on one place and a stump in another and hrouht them on to
where the round hecame uneven and into the little valley and at last to the very door ol Mr.
Tumnus's cave. But there a terrihle surprise awaited them.
The door had heen wrenched oll its hines and hroken to hits. Inside, the cave was dark and
cold and had the damp leel and smell ol a place that had not heen lived in lor several days. Snow
had drilted in lrom the doorway and was heaped on the lloor, mixed with somethin hlack,
which turned out to he the charred sticks and ashes lrom the lire. Someone had apparently llun
it ahout the room and then stamped it out. The crockery lay smashed on the lloor and the picture
ol the Iaun's lather had heen slashed into shreds with a knile.
This is a pretty ood wash-out, said Edmund, not much ood comin here.
What is this: said Peter, stoopin down. He had just noticed a piece ol paper which had
heen nailed throuh the carpet to the lloor.
Is there anythin written on it: asked Susan.
Yes, I think there is, answered Peter, hut I can't read it in this liht. Let's et out into the
open air.
They all went out in the dayliht and crowded round Peter as he read out the lollowin
words.
T|e |ormer occvponi o| i|ese premises, i|e Fovn Tvmnvs, is vnJer orresi onJ
owoiiin |is irio| on o c|ore o| Hi| Treoson ooinsi |er Imperio| Mojesi,
1oJis, veen o| Nornio, C|oie|oine o| Coir Porove|, Empress o| i|e Lone
Is|onJs, eic., o|so o| com|oriin |er soiJ Mojesi,'s enemies, |orborin spies
onJ |roiernizin wii| Hvmons.
sineJ MAUCPIM, Copioin o| i|e Secrei Po|ice, LONC LIVE THE UEEN
The children stared at each other.
I don't know that I'm oin to like this place alter all, said Susan.
Who is this Queen, Lu: said Peter. Do you know anythin ahout her:
She isn't a real queen at all, answered Lucy, she's a horrihle witch, the White Witch.
Everyone all the wood people hate her. She has made an enchantment over the whole country
so that it is always winter here and never Christmas.
I I wonder il there's any point in oin on, said Susan. I mean, it doesn't seem
particularly sale here and it looks as il it won't he much lun either. And it's ettin colder every
minute, and we've hrouht nothin to eat. What ahout just oin home:
Oh, hut we can't, we can't, said Lucy suddenly, don't you see: We can't just o home, not
alter this. It is all on my account that the poor Iaun has ot into this trouhle. He hid me lrom the
Witch and showed me the way hack. That's what it means hy comlortin the Queen's enemies
and lraternizin with Humans. We simply must try to rescue him.
A lot we could do' said Edmund, when we haven't even ot anythin to eat'
Shut up you' said Peter, who was still very anry with Edmund. What do you think,
Susan:
I've a horrid leelin that Lu is riht, said Susan. I don't want to o a step lurther and I wish
we'd never come. But I think we must try to do somethin lor Mr. Whatever-his-name is I
mean the Iaun.
That's what I leel too, said Peter. I'm worried ahout havin no lood with us. I'd vote lor
oin hack and ettin somethin lrom the larder, only there doesn't seem to he any certainty ol
ettin into this country aain when once you've ot out ol it. I think we'll have to o on.
So do I, said hoth the irls.
Il only we knew where the poor chap was imprisoned' said Peter.
They were all still wonderin what to do next, when Lucy said, Look' There's a rohin, with
such a red hreast. It's the lirst hird I've seen here. I say' I wonder can hirds talk in Narnia: It
almost looks as il it wanted to say somethin to us. Then she turned to the Rohin and said,
Please, can you tell us where Tumnus the Iaun has heen taken to: As she said this she took a
step towards the hird. It at once llew away hut only as lar as to the next tree. There it perched
and looked at them very hard as il it understood all they had heen sayin. Almost without
noticin that they had done so, the lour children went a step or two nearer to it. At this the
Rohin llew away aain to the next tree and once more looked at them very hard. (You couldn't
have lound a rohin with a redder chest or a hrihter eye.)
Do you know, said Lucy, I really helieve he means us to lollow him.
I've an idea he does, said Susan. What do you think, Peter:
Well, we miht as well try it, answered Peter.
The Rohin appeared to understand the matter thorouhly. It kept oin lrom tree to tree,
always a lew yards ahead ol them, hut always so near that they could easily lollow it. In this way
it led them on, slihtly downhill. Wherever the Rohin alihted a little shower ol snow would lall
oll the hranch. Presently the clouds parted overhead and the winter sun came out and the snow
all around them rew dazzlinly hriht. They had heen travelin in this way lor ahout hall an
hour, with the two irls in lront, when Edmund said to Peter, il you're not still too hih and
mihty to talk to me, I've somethin to say which you'd hetter listen to.
What is it: asked Peter.
Hush' Not so loud, said Edmund, there's no ood lrihtenin the irls. But have you
realized what we're doin:
What: said Peter, lowerin his voice to a whisper.
We're lollowin a uide we know nothin ahout. How do we know which side that hird is
on: Why shouldn't it he leadin us into a trap:
That's a nasty idea. Still a rohin, you know. They're ood hirds in all the stories I've ever
read. I'm sure a rohin wouldn't he on the wron side.
It il comes to that, which is the riht side: How do we know that the Iauns are in the riht
and the Queen (yes, I know we've heen told she's a witch) is in the wron: We don't really know
anythin ahout either.
The Iaun saved Lucy.
He said he did. But how do we know: And there's another thin too. Has anyone the least
idea ol the way home lrom here:
Great Scott' said Peter, I hadn't thouht ol that.
And no chance ol dinner either, said Edmund.

Chapter Seven

A Do, wii| i|e Beovers

WHILE the two hoys were whisperin hehind, hoth the irls suddenly cried Oh' and
stopped.
The rohin' cried Lucy, the rohin. It's llown away. And so it had riht out ol siht.
And now what are we to do: said Edmund, ivin Peter a look which was as much as to say
What did I tell you:
Sh' Look' said Susan.
What: said Peter.
There's somethin movin amon the trees over there to the lelt.
They all stared as hard as they could, and no one lelt very comlortahle.
There it oes aain, said Susan presently.
I saw it that time too, said Peter. It's still there. It's just one hehind that hi tree.
What is it: asked Lucy, tryin very hard not to sound nervous.
Whatever it is, said Peter, it's dodin us. It's somethin that doesn't want to he seen.
Let's o home, said Susan. And then, thouh nohody said it out loud, everyone suddenly
realized the same lact that Edmund had whispered to Peter at the end ol the last chapter. They
were lost.
What's it like: said Lucy.
It's it's a kind ol animal, said Susan, and then, Look' Look' Quick' There it is.
They all saw it this time, a whiskered lurry lace which had looked out at them lrom hehind a
tree. But this time it didn't immediately draw hack. Instead, the animal put its paw aainst its
mouth just as humans put their liner on their lips when they are sinalin to you to he quiet.
Then it disappeared aain. The children, all stood holdin their hreath.
A moment later the straner came out lrom hehind the tree, lanced all round as il it were
alraid someone was watchin, said Hush, made sins to them to join it in the thicker hit ol
wood where it was standin, and then once more disappeared.
I know what it is, said Peter, it's a heaver. I saw the tail.
It wants us to o to it, said Susan, and it is warnin us not to make a noise.
I know, said Peter. The question is, are we to o to it or not: What do you think, Lu:
I think it's a nice heaver, said Lucy.
Yes, hut how do we know: said Edmund.
Shan't we have to risk it: said Susan. I mean, it's no ood just standin here and I leel I want
some dinner.
At this moment the Beaver aain popped its head out lrom hehind the tree and heckoned
earnestly to them.
Come on, said Peter, let's ive it a try. All keep close toether. We ouht to he a match lor
one heaver il it turns out to he an enemy.
So the children all ot close toether and walked up to the tree and in hehind it, and there,
sure enouh, they lound the Beaver, hut it still drew hack, sayin to them in a hoarse throaty
whisper, Iurther in, come lurther in. Riht in here. We're not sale in the open'
Only when it had led them into a dark spot where lour trees rew so close toether that their
houhs met and the hrown earth and pine needles could he seen underloot hecause no snow had
heen ahle to lall there, did it hein to talk to them.
Are you the Sons ol Adam and the Dauhters ol Eve: it said.
We're some ol them, said Peter.
S-s-s-sh' said the Beaver, not so loud please. We're not sale even here.
Why, who are you alraid ol: said Peter. There's no one here hut ourselves.
There are the trees, said the Beaver. They're always listenin. Most ol them are on our side,
hut there are trees that would hetray us to her, you know who I mean, and it nodded its head
several times.
Il it comes to talkin ahout sides, said Edmund, how do we know you're a lriend:
Not meanin to he rude, Mr. Beaver, added Peter, hut you see, we're straners.
Quite riht, quite riht, said the Beaver. Here is my token. With these words it held up to
them a little white ohject. They all looked at it in surprise, till suddenly Lucy said, Oh, ol course.
It's my handkerchiel the one I ave to poor Mr. Tumnus.
That's riht, said the Beaver. Poor lellow, he ot wind ol the arrest helore it actually
happened and handed this over to me. He said that il anythin happened to him I must meet you
here and take you on to - Here the Beaver's voice sank into silence and it ave one or two very
mysterious nods. Then sinalin to the children to stand as close around it as they possihly could,
so that their laces were actually tickled hy its whiskers, it added in a low whisper -
They say Aslan is on the move perhaps has already landed.
And now a very curious thin happened. None ol the children knew who Aslan was any
more than you do, hut the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone lelt quite
dillerent. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says somethin
which you don't understand hut in the dream it leels as il it had some enormous meanin
either a terrilyin one which turns the whole dream into a nihtmare or else a lovely meanin too
lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so heautilul that you rememher it all your lile
and are always wishin you could et into that dream aain. It was like that now. At the name ol
Aslan each one ol the children lelt somethin jump in its inside. Edmund lelt a sensation ol
mysterious horror. Peter lelt suddenly hrave and adventurous. Susan lelt as il some delicious smell
or some delihtlul strain ol music had just lloated hy her. And Lucy ot the leelin you have
when you wake up in the mornin and realize that it is the heinnin ol the holidays or the
heinnin ol summer.
And what ahout Mr. Tumnus, said Lucy, where is he:
S-s-s-sh, said the Beaver, not here. I must hrin you where we can have a real talk and also
dinner.
No one except Edmund lelt any dilliculty ahout trustin the heaver now, and everyone,
includin Edmund, was very lad to hear the word dinner.
They therelore all hurried alon hehind their new lriend who led them at a surprisinly quick
pace, and always in the thickest parts ol the lorest, lor over an hour. Everyone was leelin very
tired and very hunry when suddenly the trees hean to et thinner in lront ol them and the
round to lall steeply downhill. A minute later they came out under the open sky (the sun was
still shinin) and lound themselves lookin down on a line siht.
They were standin on the ede ol a steep, narrow valley at the hottom ol which ran at
least it would have heen runnin il it hadn't heen lrozen a lairly lare river. ust helow them a
dam had heen huilt across this river, and when they saw it everyone suddenly rememhered that
ol course heavers are always makin dams and lelt quite sure that Mr. Beaver had made this one.
They also noticed that he now had a sort ol modest expression on his, lace the sort ol look
people have when you are visitin a arden they've made or readin a story they've written. So it
was only common politeness when Susan said, What a lovely dam' And Mr. Beaver didn't say
Hush this time hut Merely a trille' Merely a trille' And it isn't really linished'
Ahove the dam there was what ouht to have heen a deep pool hut was now, ol course, a
level lloor ol dark reen ice. And helow the dam, much lower down, was more ice, hut instead ol
hein smooth this was all lrozen into the loamy and wavy shapes in which the water had heen
rushin alon at the very moment when the lrost came. And where the water had heen tricklin
over and spurtin throuh the dam there was now a litterin wall ol icicles, as il the side ol the
dam had heen covered all over with llowers and wreaths and lestoons ol the purest suar. And
out in the middle, and partly on top ol the dam was a lunny little house shaped rather like an
enormous heehive and lrom a hole in the rool smoke was oin up, so that when you saw it
especially il you were hunry) you at once thouht ol cookin and hecame hunrier than you
were helore.
That was what the others chielly noticed, hut Edmund noticed somethin else. A little lower
down the river there was another small river which came down another small valley to join it.
And lookin up that valley, Edmund could see two small hills, and he was almost sure they were
the two hills which the White Witch had pointed out to him when he parted lrom her at the
lamppost that other day. And then hetween them, he thouht, must he her palace, only a mile oll
or less. And he thouht ahout Turkish Deliht and ahout hein a Kin (And I wonder how Peter
will like that: he asked himsell) and horrihle ideas came into his head.
Here we are, said Mr. Beaver, and it looks as il Mrs. Beaver is expectin us. I'll lead the way.
But he carelul and don't slip.
The top ol the dam was wide enouh to walk on, thouh not (lor humans) a very nice place
to walk hecause it was covered with ice, and thouh the lrozen pool was level with it on one
side, there was a nasty drop to the lower river on the other. Alon this route Mr. Beaver led them
in sinle lile riht out to the middle where they could look a lon way up the river and a lon
way down it. And when they had reached the middle they were at the door ol the house.
Here we are, Mrs. Beaver, said Mr. Beaver, I've lound them. Here are the Sons and
Dauhters ol Adam and Eve'- and they all went in.
The lirst thin Lucy noticed as she went in was a hurrin sound, and the lirst thin she saw
was a kind lookin old she-heaver sittin in the corner with a thread in her mouth workin husily
at her sewin machine, and it was lrom it that the sound came. She stopped her work and ot up
as soon as the children came in.
So you've come at last' she said, holdin out hoth her wrinkled old paws. At last' To think
that ever I should live to see this day' The potatoes are on hoilin and the kettle's sinin and I
daresay, Mr. Beaver, you'll et us some lish.
That I will, said Mr. Beaver, and he went out ol the house (Peter went with him), and across
the ice ol the deep pool to where he had a little hole in the ice which he kept open every day
with his hatchet. They took a pail with them. Mr. Beaver sat down quietly at the ede ol the hole
(he didn't seem to mind it hein so chilly), looked hard into it, then suddenly shot in his paw, and
helore you could say ack Rohinson had whisked out a heautilul trout. Then he did it all over
aain until they had a line catch ol lish.
Meanwhile the irls were helpin Mrs. Beaver to lill the kettle and lay the tahle and cut the
hread and put the plates in the oven to heat and draw a hue ju ol heer lor Mr. Beaver lrom a
harrel which stood in one corner ol the house, and to put on the lryin-pan and et the drippin
hot. Lucy thouht the Beavers had a very snu little home thouh it was not at all like Mr.
Tumnus's cave. There were no hooks or pictures, and instead ol heds there were hunks, like on
hoard ship, huilt into the wall. And there were hams and strins ol onions hanin lrom the rool,
and aainst the walls were umhoots and oilskins and hatchets and pairs ol shears and spades and
trowels and thins lor carryin mortar in and lishin rods and lishin-nets and sacks. And the
cloth on the tahle, thouh very clean, was very rouh.
ust as the lryin pan was nicely hissin Peter and Mr. Beaver came in with the lish which Mr.
Beaver had already opened with his knile and cleaned out in the open air. You can think how
ood the new-cauht lish smelled while they were lryin and how the hunry children loned lor
them to he done and how very much hunrier still they had hecome helore Mr. Beaver said,
Now we're nearly ready. Susan drained the potatoes and then put them all hack in the empty
pot to dry on the side ol the rane while Lucy was helpin Mrs. Beaver to dish up the trout, so
that in a very lew minutes everyone was drawin up their stools (it was all three-leed stools in
the Beavers' house except lor Mrs. Beaver's own special rockin chair heside the lire) and
preparin to enjoy themselves. There was a ju ol creamy milk lor the children (Mr. Beaver stuck
to heer) and a reat hi lump ol deep yellow hutter in the middle ol the tahle lrom which
everyone took as much as he wanted to o with his potatoes, and all the children thouht and
I aree with them that there's nothin to heat ood lreshwater lish il you eat it when it has
heen alive hall an hour ao and has come out ol the pan hall a minute ao. And when they had
linished the lish Mrs. Beaver hrouht unexpectedly out ol the oven a reat and loriously sticky
marmalade roll, steamin hot, and at the same time moved the kettle on to the lire, so that when
they had linished the marmalade roll the tea was made and ready to he poured out. And when
each person had ot his (or her) cup ol tea, each person shoved hack his (or her) stool so as to he
ahle to lean aainst the wall and ave a lon sih ol contentment.
And now, said Mr. Beaver, pushin away his empty heer mu and pullin his cup ol tea
towards him, il you'll just wait till I've ot my pipe lit up and oin nicely why, now we can
et to husiness. It's snowin aain, he added, cockin his eye at the window. That's all the hetter,
hecause it means we shan't have any visitors, and il anyone should have heen tryin to lollow you,
why he won't lind any tracks.

Chapter Eight

V|oi HoppeneJ A|ier Dinner

AND now, said Lucy, do please tell us what's happened to Mr. Tumnus.
Ah, that's had, said Mr. Beaver, shakin his head. That's a very, very had husiness. There's
no douht he was taken oll hy the police. I ot that lrom a hird who saw it done.
But where's he heen taken to: asked Lucy.
Well, they were headin northwards when they were last seen and we all know what that
means.
No, we don't, said Susan. Mr. Beaver shook his head in a very loomy lashion.
I'm alraid it means they were takin him to her House, he said.
But what'll they do to him, Mr. Beaver: asped Lucy.
Well, said Mr. Beaver, you can't exactly say lor sure. But there's not many taken in there
that ever comes out aain. Statues. All lull ol statues they say it is in the courtyard and up the
stairs and in the hall. People she's turned (he paused and shuddered) turned into stone.
But, Mr. Beaver, said Lucy, can't we I mean we must do somethin to save him. It's too
dreadlul and it's all on my account.
I don't douht you'd save him il you could, dearie, said Mrs. Beaver, hut you've no chance ol
ettin into that House aainst her will and ever comin out alive.
Couldn't we have some strataem: said Peter. I mean couldn't we dress up as somethin, or
pretend to he oh, peddlers or anythin or watch till she was one out or- oh, han it all,
there must he some way. This Iaun saved my sister at his own risk, Mr. Beaver. We can't just
leave him to he to he to have that done to him.
It's no ood, Son ol Adam, said Mr. Beaver, no ood your tryin, ol all people. But now that
Aslan is on the move-
Oh, yes' Tell us ahout Aslan' said several voices at once, lor once aain that strane leelin
like the lirst sins ol sprin, like ood news, had come over them.
Who is Aslan: asked Susan.
Aslan: said Mr. Beaver. Why, don't you know: He's the Kin. He's the Lord ol the whole
wood, hut not olten here, you understand. Never in my time or my lather's time. But the word
has reached us that he has come hack. He is in Narnia at this moment. He'll settle the White
Queen all riht. It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus.
She won't turn him into stone too: said Edmund.
Lord love you, Son ol Adam, what a simple thin to say' answered Mr. Beaver with a reat
lauh. Turn him into stone: Il she can stand on her two leet and look him in the lace it'll he the
most she can do and more than I expect ol her. No, no. He'll put all to rihts as it says in an old
rhyme in these parts.
Wron will he riht, when Aslan comes in siht,
At the sound ol his roar, sorrows will he no more,
When he hares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have sprin aain.
You'll understand when you see him.
But shall we see him: asked Susan.
Why, Dauhter ol Eve, that's what I hrouht you here lor. I'm to lead you where you shall
meet him, said Mr. Beaver.
Is-is he a man: asked Lucy.
Aslan a man' said Mr. Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is the Kin ol the wood
and the son ol the reat Emperor-heyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the Kin ol Beasts:
Aslan is a lion the Lion, the reat Lion.
Ooh' said Susan, I'd thouht he was a man. Is he quite sale: I shall leel rather nervous
ahout meetin a lion.
That you will, dearie, and no mistake, said Mrs. Beaver, il there's anyone who can appear
helore Aslan without their knees knockin, they're either hraver than most or else just silly.
Then he isn't sale: said Lucy.
Sale: said Mr. Beaver, don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you: Who said anythin ahout
sale: 'Course he isn't sale. But he's ood. He's the Kin, I tell you.
I'm lonin to see him, said Peter, even il I do leel lrihtened when it comes to the point.
That's riht, Son ol Adam, said Mr. Beaver, hrinin his paw down on the tahle with a crash
that made all the cups and saucers rattle. And so you shall. Word has heen sent that you are to
meet him, tomorrow il you can, at the Stone Tahle.'
Where's that: said Lucy.
I'll show you, said Mr. Beaver. It's down the river, a ood step lrom here. I'll take you to it'
But meanwhile what ahout poor Mr. Tumnus: said Lucy.
The quickest way you can help him is hy oin to meet Aslan, said Mr. Beaver, once he's
with us, then we can hein doin thins. Not that we don't need you too. Ior that's another ol the
old rhymes.
When Adam's llesh and Adam's hone
Sits at Cair Paravel in throne,
The evil time will he over and done.
So thins must he drawin near their end now he's come and you've come. We've heard ol
Aslan comin into these parts helore lon ao, nohody can say when. But there's never heen
any ol your race here helore.
That's what I don't understand, Mr. Beaver, said Peter, I mean isn't the Witch hersell
human:
She'd like us to helieve it, said Mr. Beaver, and it's on that that she hases her claim to he
Queen. But she's no Dauhter ol Eve. She comes ol your lather Adam's (here Mr. Beaver
howed) your lather Adam's lirst wile, her they called Lilith. And she was one ol the inn. That's
what she comes lrom on one side. And on the other she comes ol the iants. No, no, there isn't a
drop ol real human hlood in the Witch.
That's why she's had all throuh, Mr. Beaver, said Mrs. Beaver.
True enouh, Mrs. Beaver, replied he, there may he two views ahout humans (meanin no
ollence to the present company). But there's no two views ahout thins that look like humans
and aren't.
I've known ood Dwarls, said Mrs. Beaver.
So've I, now you come to speak ol it, said her hushand, hut precious lew, and they were
the ones least like men. But in eneral, take my advice, when you meet anythin that's oin to he
human and isn't yet, or used to he human once and isn't now, or ouht to he human and isn't, you
keep your eyes on it and leel lor your hatchet. And that's why the Witch is always on the lookout
lor any humans in Narnia. She's heen watchin lor you this many a year, and il she knew there
were lour ol you she'd he more danerous still.
What's that to do with it: asked Peter.
Because ol another prophecy, said Mr. Beaver. Down at Cair Paravel that's the castle on
the sea coast down at the mouth ol this river which ouht to he the capital ol the whole country
il all was as it should he down at Cair Paravel there are lour thrones and it's a sayin in Narnia
time out ol mind that when two Sons ol Adam and two Dauhters ol Eve sit in those lour
thrones, then it will he the end not only ol the White Witch's rein hut ol her lile, and that is
why we had to he so cautious as we came alon, lor il she knew ahout you lour, your lives
wouldn't he worth a shake ol my whiskers'
All the children had heen attendin so hard to what Mr. Beaver was tellin them that they
had noticed nothin else lor a lon time. Then durin the moment ol silence that lollowed his last
remark, Lucy suddenly said.
I say-where's Edmund:
There was a dreadlul pause, and then everyone hean askin Who saw him last: How lon
has he heen missin: Is he outside: and then all rushed to the door and looked out. The snow
was lallin thickly and steadily, the reen ice ol the pool had vanished under a thick white
hlanket, and lrom where the little house stood in the center ol the dam you could hardly see
either hank. Out they went, plunin well over their ankles into the solt new snow, and went
round the house in every direction. Edmund' Edmund' they called till they were hoarse. But the
silently lallin snow seemed to mullle their voices and there was not even an echo in answer.
How perlectly dreadlul' said Susan as they at last came hack in despair. Oh, how I wish
we'd never come.
What on earth are we to do, Mr. Beaver: said Peter.
Do: said Mr. Beaver, who was already puttin on his snow-hoots, do: We must he oll at
once. We haven't a moment to spare'
We'd hetter divide into lour search parties, said Peter, and all o in dillerent directions.
Whoever linds him must come hack here at once and
Search parties, Son ol Adam: said Mr. Beaver, what lor:
Why, to look lor Edmund, ol course'
There's no point in lookin lor him, said Mr. Beaver.
What do you mean: said Susan. He can't he lar away yet. And we've ot to lind him. What
do you mean when you say there's no use lookin lor him:
The reason there's no use lookin, said Mr. Beaver, is that we know already where he's
one' Everyone stared in amazement. Don't you understand: said Mr. Beaver. He's one to her,
to the White Witch. He has hetrayed us all.
Oh, surely-oh, really' said Susan, he can't have done that.
Can't he: said Mr. Beaver, lookin very hard at the three children, and everythin they
wanted to say died on their lips, lor each lelt suddenly quite certain inside that this was exactly
what Edmund had done.
But will he know the way: said Peter.
Has he heen in this country helore: asked Mr. Beaver. Has he ever heen here alone:
Yes, said Lucy, almost in a whisper. I'm alraid he has.
And did he tell you what he'd done or who he'd met:
Well, no, he didn't, said Lucy.
Then mark my words, said Mr. Beaver, he has already met the White Witch and joined her
side, and heen told where she lives. I didn't like to mention it helore (he hein your hrother and
all) hut the moment I set eyes on that hrother ol yours I said to mysell 'Treacherous'. He had the
look ol one who has heen with the Witch and eaten her lood. You can always tell them il you've
lived lon in Narnia, somethin ahout their eyes.
All the same, said Peter in a rather chokin sort ol voice, we'll still have to o and look lor
him. He is our hrother alter all, even il he is rather a little heast. And he's only a kid.
Go to the Witch's House: said Mrs. Beaver. Don't you see that the only chance ol savin
either him or yourselves is to keep away lrom her:
How do you mean: said Lucy.
Why, all she wants is to et all lour ol you (she's thinkin all the time ol those lour thrones
at Cair Paravel). Once you were all lour inside her House her joh would he done and there'd
he lour new statues in her collection helore you'd had time to speak. But she'll keep him alive as
lon as he's the only one she's ot, hecause she'll want to use him as a decoy, as hait to catch the
rest ol you with.
Oh, can no one help us: wailed Lucy.
Only Aslan, said Mr. Beaver, we must o on and meet him. That's our only chance now.
It seems to me, my dears, said Mrs. Beaver, that it is very important to know just when he
slipped away. How much he can tell her depends on how much he heard. Ior instance, had we
started talkin ol Aslan helore he lelt: Il not, then we may do very well, lor she won't know that
Aslan has come to Narnia, or that we are meetin him, and will he quite oll her uard as lar as
that is concerned.
I don't rememher his hein here when we were talkin ahout Aslan - hean Peter, hut Lucy
interrupted him.
Oh yes, he was, she said miserahly, don't you rememher, it was he who asked whether the
Witch couldn't turn Aslan into stone too:
So he did, hy ove, said Peter, just the sort ol thin he would say, too'
Worse and worse, said Mr. Beaver, and the next thin is this. Was he still here when I told
you that the place lor meetin Aslan was the Stone Tahle:
And ol course no one knew the answer to this question.
Because, il he was, continued Mr. Beaver, then she'll simply slede down in that direction
and et hetween us and the Stone Tahle and catch us on our way down. In lact we shall he cut
oll lrom Aslan.
But that isn't what she'll do lirst, said Mrs. Beaver, not il I know her. The moment that
Edmund tells her that we're all here she'll set out to catch us this very niht, and il he's heen one
ahout hall an hour, she'll he here in ahout another twenty minutes.
You're riht, Mrs. Beaver, said her hushand, we must all et away lrom here. There's not a
moment to lose.

Chapter Nine

In i|e Viic|'s Hovse

AND now ol course you want to know what had happened to Edmund. He had eaten his
share ol the dinner, hut he hadn't really enjoyed it hecause he was thinkin all the time ahout
Turkish Deliht and there's nothin that spoils the taste ol ood ordinary lood hall so much as
the memory ol had maic lood. And he had heard the conversation, and hadn't enjoyed it much
either, hecause he kept on thinkin that the others were takin no notice ol him and tryin to
ive him the cold shoulder. They weren't, hut he imained it. And then he had listened until Mr.
Beaver told them ahout Aslan and until he had heard the whole arranement lor meetin Aslan at
the Stone Tahle. It was then that he hean very quietly to ede himsell under the curtain which
hun over the door. Ior the mention ol Aslan ave him a mysterious and horrihle leelin just as it
ave the others a mysterious and lovely leelin.
ust as Mr. Beaver had heen repeatin the rhyme ahout Adam's llesh and Adam's hone
Edmund had heen very quietly turnin the door handle, and just helore Mr. Beaver had heun
tellin them that the White Witch wasn't really human at all hut hall a inn and hall a iantess,
Edmund had ot outside into the snow and cautiously closed the door hehind him.
You mustn't think that even now Edmund was quite so had that he actually wanted his
hrother and sisters to he turned into stone. He did want Turkish Deliht and to he a Prince (and
later a Kin) and to pay Peter out lor callin him a heast. As lor what the Witch would do with
the others, he didn't want her to he particularly nice to them certainly not to put them on the
same level as himsell, hut he manaed to helieve, or to pretend he helieved, that she wouldn't do
anythin very had to them, Because, he said to himsell, all these people who say nasty thins
ahout her are her enemies and prohahly hall ol it isn't true. She was jolly nice to me, anyway,
much nicer than they are. I expect she is the rihtlul Queen really. Anyway, she'll he hetter than
that awlul Aslan' At least, that was the excuse he made in his own mind lor what he was doin.
It wasn't a very ood excuse, however, lor deep down inside him he really knew that the White
Witch was had and cruel.
The lirst thin he realized when he ot outside and lound the snow lallin all round him, was
that he had lelt his coat hehind in the Beavers' house. And ol course there was no chance ol oin
hack to et it now. The next thin he realized was that the dayliht was almost one, lor it had
heen nearly three o'clock when they sat down to dinner and the winter days were short. He
hadn't reckoned on this, hut he had to make the hest ol it. So he turned up his collar and shullled
across the top ol the dam (luckily it wasn't so slippery since the snow had lallen) to the lar side ol
the river.
It was pretty had when he reached the lar side. It was rowin darker every minute and what
with that and the snowllakes swirlin all round him he could hardly see three leet ahead. And
then too there was no road. He kept slippin into deep drilts ol snow, and skiddin on lrozen
puddles, and trippin over lallen tree-trunks, and slidin down steep hanks, and harkin his shins
aainst rocks, till he was wet and cold and hruised all over. The silence and the loneliness were
dreadlul. In lact I really think he miht have iven up the whole plan and one hack and owned
up and made lriends with the others, il he hadn't happened to say to himsell, When I'm Kin ol
Narnia the lirst thin I shall do will he to make some decent roads. And ol course that set him
oll thinkin ahout hein a Kin and all the other thins he would do and this cheered him up a
ood deal. He had just settled in his mind what sort ol palace he would have and how many cars
and all ahout his private cinema and where the principal railways would run and what laws he
would make aainst heavers and dams and was puttin the linishin touches to some schemes lor
keepin Peter in his place, when the weather chaned. Iirst the snow stopped. Then a wind
spran up and it hecame lreezin cold. Iinally, the clouds rolled away and the moon came out. It
was a lull moon and, shinin on all that snow, it made everythin almost as hriht as day only
the shadows were rather conlusin.
He would never have lound his way il the moon hadn't come out hy the time he ot to the
other river you rememher he had seen (when they lirst arrived at the Beavers') a smaller river
llowin into the reat one lower down. He now reached this and turned to lollow it up. But the
little valley down which it came was much steeper and rockier than the one he had just lelt and
much overrown with hushes, so that he could not have manaed it at all in the dark. Even as it
was, he ot wet throuh lor he had to stoop under hranches and reat loads ol snow came slidin
oll on to his hack. And every time this happened he thouht more and more how he hated Peter
just as il all this had heen Peter's lault.
But at last he came to a part where it was more level and the valley opened out. And there,
on the other side ol the river, quite close to him, in the middle ol a little plain hetween two hills,
he saw what must he the White Witch's House. And the moon was shinin hrihter than ever.
The House was really a small castle. It seemed to he all towers, little towers with lon pointed
spires on them, sharp as needles. They looked like hue dunce's caps or sorcerer's caps. And they
shone in the moonliht and their lon shadows looked strane on the snow. Edmund hean to he
alraid ol the House.
But it was too late to think ol turnin hack now.
He crossed the river on the ice and walked up to the House. There was nothin stirrin, not
the slihtest sound anywhere. Even his own leet made no noise on the deep newly lallen snow.
He walked on and on, past corner alter corner ol the House, and past turret alter turret to lind
the door. He had to o riht round to the lar side helore he lound it. It was a hue arch hut the
reat iron ates stood wide open.
Edmund crept up to the arch and looked inside into the courtyard, and there he saw a siht
that nearly made his heart stop heatin. ust inside the ate, with the moonliht shinin on it,
stood an enormous lion crouched as il it was ready to sprin. And Edmund stood in the shadow
ol the arch, alraid to o on and alraid to o hack, with his knees knockin toether. He stood
there so lon that his teeth would have heen chatterin with cold even il they had not heen
chatterin with lear. How lon this really lasted I don't know, hut it seemed to Edmund to last
lor hours.
Then at last he hean to wonder why the lion was standin so still lor it hadn't moved one
inch since he lirst set eyes on it. Edmund now ventured a little nearer, still keepin in the shadow
ol the arch as much as he could. He now saw lrom the way the lion was standin that it couldn't
have heen lookin at him at all. (But supposin it turns its head: thouht Edmund.) In lact it
was starin at somethin else namely a little. dwarl who stood with his hack to it ahout lour leet
away. Aha' thouht Edmund. When it sprins at the dwarl then will he my chance to escape.
But still the lion never moved, nor did the dwarl. And now at last Edmund rememhered what the
others had said ahout the White Witch turnin people into stone. Perhaps this was only a stone
lion. And as soon as he had thouht ol that he noticed that the lion's hack and the top ol its head
were covered with snow. Ol course it must he only a statue' No livin animal would have let
itsell et covered with snow. Then very slowly and with his heart heatin as il it would hurst,
Edmund ventured to o up to the lion. Even now he hardly dared to touch it, hut at last he put
out his hand, very quickly, and did. It was cold stone. He had heen lrihtened ol a mere statue'
The reliel which Edmund lelt was so reat that in spite ol the cold he suddenly ot warm all
over riht down to his toes, and at the same time there came into his head what seemed a
perlectly lovely idea. Prohahly, he thouht, this is the reat Lion Aslan that they were all
talkin ahout. She's cauht him already and turned him into stone. So that's the end ol all their
line ideas ahout him' Pooh' Who's alraid ol Aslan:
And he stood there loatin over the stone lion, and presently he did somethin very silly and
childish. He took a stump ol lead pencil out ol his pocket and scrihhled a moustache on the lion's
upper lip and then a pair ol spectacles on its eyes. Then he said, Yah' Silly old Aslan' How do
you like hein a stone: You thouht yoursell mihty line, didn't you: But in spite ol the scrihhles
on it the lace ol the reat stone heast still looked so terrihle, and sad, and nohle, starin up in the
moonliht, that Edmund didn't really et any lun out ol jeerin at it. He turned away and hean
to cross the courtyard.
As he ot into the middle ol it he saw that there were dozens ol statues all ahout standin
here and there rather as the pieces stand on a chesshoard when it is hallway throuh the ame.
There were stone satyrs, and stone wolves, and hears and loxes and cat-amountains ol stone.
There were lovely stone shapes that looked like women hut who were really the spirits ol trees.
There was the reat shape ol a centaur and a wined horse and a lon lithe creature that Edmund
took to he a draon. They all looked so strane standin there perlectly lile-like and also perlectly
still, in the hriht cold moonliht, that it was eerie work crossin the courtyard. Riht in the very
middle stood a hue shape like a man, hut as tall as a tree, with a lierce lace and a shay heard
and a reat cluh in its riht hand. Even thouh he knew that it was only a stone iant and not a
live one, Edmund did not like oin past it.
He now saw that there was a dim liht showin lrom a doorway on the lar side ol the
courtyard. He went to it, there was a lliht ol stone steps oin up to an open door. Edmund
went up them. Across the threshold lay a reat woll.
It's all riht, it's all riht, he kept sayin to himsell, it's only a stone woll. It can't hurt me,
and he raised his le to step over it. Instantly the hue creature rose, with all the hair hristlin
alon its hack, opened a reat, red mouth and said in a rowlin voice.
Who's there: Who's there: Stand still, straner, and tell me who you are.
Il you please, sir, said Edmund, tremhlin so that he could hardly speak, my name is
Edmund, and I'm the Son ol Adam that Her Majesty met in the wood the other day and I've
come to hrin her the news that my hrother and sisters are now in Narnia quite close, in the
Beavers' house. She she wanted to see them.
I will tell Her Majesty, said the Woll. Meanwhile, stand still on the threshold, as you value
your lile. Then it vanished into the house.
Edmund stood and waited, his liners achin with cold and his heart poundin in his chest,
and presently the rey woll, Maurim, the Chiel ol the Witch's Secret Police, came houndin
hack and said, Come in' Come in' Iortunate lavorite ol the Queen or else not so lortunate.
And Edmund went in, takin reat care not to tread on the Woll's paws.
He lound himsell in a lon loomy hall with many pillars, lull, as the courtyard had heen, ol
statues. The one nearest the door was a little laun with a very sad expression on its lace, and
Edmund couldn't help wonderin il this miht he Lucy's lriend. The only liht came lrom a sinle
lamp and close heside this sat the White Witch.
I'm come, your Majesty, said Edmund, rushin eaerly lorward.
How dare you come alone: said the Witch in a terrihle voice. Did I not tell you to hrin
the others with you:
Please, your Majesty, said Edmund, I've done the hest I can. I've hrouht them quite close.
They're in the little house on top ol the dam just up the river with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
A slow cruel smile came over the Witch's lace.
Is this all your news: she asked.
No, your Majesty, said Edmund, and proceeded to tell her all he had heard helore leavin
the Beavers' house.
What' Aslan: cried the Queen, Aslan' Is this true: Il I lind you have lied to me -
Please, I'm only repeatin what they said, stammered Edmund.
But the Queen, who was no loner attendin to him, clapped her hands. Instantly the same
dwarl whom Edmund had seen with her helore appeared.
Make ready our slede, ordered the Witch, and use the harness without hells.

Chapter Ten

T|e Spe|| Beins io BreoI

Now we must o hack to Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and the three other children. As soon as Mr.
Beaver said, There's no time to lose, everyone hean hundlin themselves into coats, except Mrs.
Beaver, who started pickin up sacks and layin them on the tahle and said. Now, Mr. Beaver,
just reach down that ham. And here's a packet ol tea, and there's suar, and some matches. And il
someone will et two or three loaves out ol the crock over there in the corner.
What are you doin, Mrs. Beaver: exclaimed Susan.
Packin a load lor each ol us, dearie, said Mrs. Beaver very coolly. You didn't think we'd set
out on a journey with nothin to eat, did you:
But we haven't time' said Susan, huttonin the collar ol her coat. She may he here any
minute.
That's what I say, chimed in Mr. Beaver.
Get alon with you all, said his wile. Think it over, Mr. Beaver. She can't he here lor
quarter ol an hour at least.
But don't we want as hi a start as we can possihly et, said Peter, il we're to reach the
Stone Tahle helore her:
You've ot to rememher that, Mrs. Beaver, said Susan. As soon as she has looked in here
and linds we're one she'll he oll at top speed.
That she will, said Mrs. Beaver. But we can't et there helore her whatever we do, lor she'll
he on a slede and we'll he walkin.
Then have we no hope: said Susan.
Now don't you et lussin, there's a dear, said Mrs. Beaver, hut just et hall a dozen clean
handkerchiels out ol the drawer. 'Course we've ot a hope. We can't et there helore her hut we
can keep under cover and o hy ways she won't expect and perhaps we'll et throuh.
That's true enouh, Mrs. Beaver, said her hushand. But it's time we were out ol this.
And don't you start lussin either, Mr. Beaver, said his wile. There. That's hetter. There's
live loads and the smallest lor the smallest ol us. that's you, my dear, she added, lookin at Lucy.
Oh, do please come on, said Lucy.
Well, I'm nearly ready now, answered Mrs. Beaver at last, allowin her hushand to help her
into, her snow-hoots. I suppose the sewin machine's too heavy to hrin:
Yes. It is, said Mr. Beaver. A reat deal too heavy. And you don't think you'll he ahle to use
it while we're on the run, I suppose:
I can't ahide the thouht ol that Witch liddlin with it, said Mrs. Beaver, and hreakin it or
stealin it, as likely as not.
Oh, please, please, please, do hurry' said the three children. And so at last they all ot
outside and Mr. Beaver locked the door (It'll delay her a hit, he said) and they set oll, all
carryin their loads over their shoulders.
The snow had stopped and the moon had come out when they hean their journey. They
went in sinle lile lirst Mr. Beaver, then Lucy, then Peter, then Susan, and Mrs. Beaver last ol
all. Mr. Beaver led them across the dam and on to the riht hank ol the river and then alon a
very rouh sort ol path amon the trees riht down hy the river-hank. The sides ol the valley,
shinin in the moonliht, towered up lar ahove them on either hand. Best keep down here as
much as possihle, he said. She'll have to keep to the top, lor you couldn't hrin a slede down
here.
It would have heen a pretty enouh scene to look at it throuh a window lrom a comlortahle
armchair, and even as thins were, Lucy enjoyed it at lirst. But as they went on walkin and
walkin and walkin and as the sack she was carryin lelt heavier and heavier, she hean to
wonder how she was oin to keep up at all. And she stopped lookin at the dazzlin hrihtness
ol the lrozen river with all its waterlalls ol ice and at the white masses ol the tree-tops and the
reat larin moon and the countless stars and could only watch the little short les ol Mr. Beaver
oin pad-pad-pad-pad throuh the snow in lront ol her as il they were never oin to stop. Then
the moon disappeared and the snow hean to lall once more. And at last Lucy was so tired that
she was almost asleep and walkin at the same time when suddenly she lound that Mr. Beaver
had turned away lrom the river-hank to the riht and was leadin them steeply uphill into the
very thickest hushes. And then as she came lully awake she lound that Mr. Beaver was just
vanishin into a little hole in the hank which had heen almost hidden under the hushes until you
were quite on top ol it. In lact, hy the time she realized what was happenin, only his short llat
tail was showin.
Lucy immediately stooped down and crawled in alter him. Then she heard noises ol
scramhlin and pullin and pantin hehind her and in a moment all live ol them were inside.
Wherever is this: said Peter's voice, soundin tired and pale in the darkness. (I hope you
know what I mean hy a voice soundin pale.)
It's an old hidin-place lor heavers in had times, said Mr. Beaver, and a reat secret. It's not
much ol a place hut we must et a lew hours' sleep.
Il you hadn't all heen in such a plauey luss when we were startin, I'd have hrouht some
pillows, said Mrs. Beaver.
It wasn't nearly such a nice cave as Mr. Tumnus's, Lucy thouht just a hole in the round
hut dry and earthy. It was very small so that when they all lay down they were all a hundle ol
clothes toether, and what with that and hein warmed up hy their lon walk they were really
rather snu. Il only the lloor ol the cave had heen a little smoother' Then Mrs. Beaver handed
round in the dark a little llask out ol which everyone drank somethin it made one couh and
splutter a little and stun the throat, hut it also made you leel deliciously warm alter you'd
swallowed it and everyone went straiht to sleep.
It seemed to Lucy only the next minute (thouh really it was hours and hours later) when she
woke up leelin a little cold and dreadlully still and thinkin how she would like a hot hath.
Then she lelt a set ol lon whiskers ticklin her cheek and saw the cold dayliht comin in
throuh the mouth ol the cave. But immediately alter that she was very wide awake indeed, and
so was everyone else. In lact they were all sittin up with their mouths and eyes wide open
listenin to a sound which was the very sound they'd all heen thinkin ol (and sometimes
imainin they heard) durin their walk last niht. It was a sound ol jinlin hells.
Mr. Beaver was out ol the cave like a llash the moment he heard it. Perhaps you think, as
Lucy thouht lor a moment, that this was a very silly thin to do: But it was really a very sensihle
one. He knew he could scramhle to the top ol the hank amon hushes and hramhles without
hein seen, and he wanted ahove all thins to see which way the Witch's slede went. The others
all sat in the cave waitin and wonderin. They waited nearly live minutes. Then they heard
somethin that lrihtened them very much. They heard voices. Oh, thouht Lucy, he's heen
seen. She's cauht him'
Great was their surprise when a little later, they heard Mr. Beaver's voice callin to them lrom
just outside the cave.
It's all riht, he was shoutin. Come out, Mrs. Beaver. Come out, Sons and Dauhters ol
Adam. It's all riht' It isn't Her' This was had rammar ol course, hut that is how heavers talk
when they are excited, I mean, in Narnia in our world they usually don't talk at all.
So Mrs. Beaver and the children came hundlin out ol the cave, all hlinkin in the dayliht,
and with earth all over them, and lookin very lrowsty and unhrushed and uncomhed and with
the sleep in their eyes.
Come on' cried Mr. Beaver, who was almost dancin with deliht. Come and see' This is a
nasty knock lor the Witch' It looks as il her power is already crumhlin.
What do you mean, Mr. Beaver: panted Peter as they all scramhled up the steep hank ol the
valley toether.
Didn't I tell you, answered Mr. Beaver, that she'd made it always winter and never
Christmas: Didn't I tell you: Well, just come and see'
And then they were all at the top and did see.
It was a slede, and it was reindeer with hells on their harness. But they were lar hier than
the Witch's reindeer, and they were not white hut hrown. And on the slede sat a person whom
everyone knew the moment they set eyes on him. He was a hue man. in a hriht red rohe
(hriht as holly herries) with a hood that had lur inside it and a reat white heard, that lell like a
loamy waterlall over his chest.
Everyone knew him hecause, thouh you see people ol his sort only in Narnia, you see
pictures ol them and hear them talked ahout even in our world the world on this side ol the
wardrohe door. But when you really see them in Narnia it is rather dillerent. Some ol the pictures
ol Iather Christmas in our world make him look only lunny and jolly. But now that the children
actually stood lookin at him they didn't lind it quite like that. He was so hi, and so lad, and so
real, that they all hecame quite still. They lelt very lad, hut also solemn.
I've come at last, said he. She has kept me out lor a lon time, hut I have ot in at last.
Aslan is on the move. The Witch's maic is weakenin.
And Lucy lelt runnin throuh her that deep shiver ol ladness which you only et il you are
hein solemn and still.
And now, said Iather Christmas, lor your presents. There is a new and hetter sewin
machine lor you, Mrs. Beaver. I will drop it in your house as, I pass.
Il you please, sir, said Mrs. Beaver, makin a curtsey. It's locked up.
Locks and holts make no dillerence to me, said Iather Christmas. And as lor you, Mr.
Beaver, when you et home you will lind your dam linished and mended and all the leaks
stopped and a new sluice ate litted.
Mr. Beaver was so pleased that he opened his mouth very wide and then lound he couldn't
say anythin at all.
Peter, Adam's Son, said Iather Christmas.
Here, sir, said Peter.
These are your presents, was the answer, and they are tools not toys. The time to use them
is perhaps near at hand. Bear them well. With these words he handed to Peter a shield and a
sword. The shield was the color ol silver and across it there ramped a red lion, as hriht as a ripe
strawherry at the moment when you pick it. The hilt ol the sword was ol old and it had a sheath
and a sword helt and everythin it needed, and it was just the riht size and weiht lor Peter to
use. Peter was silent and solemn as he received these ilts, lor he lelt they were a very serious
kind ol present.
Susan, Eve's Dauhter, said Iather Christmas. These are lor you, and he handed her a how
and a quiver lull ol arrows and a little ivory horn. You must use the how only in reat need, he
said, lor I do not mean you to liht in the hattle. It does not easily miss. And when you put this
horn to your lips, and hlow it, then, wherever you are, I think help ol some kind will come to
you.
Last ol all he said, Lucy, Eve's Dauhter, and Lucy came lorward. He ave her a little hottle
ol what looked like lass (hut people said alterwards that it was made ol diamond) and a small
daer. In this hottle, he said, there is cordial made ol the juice ol one ol the lirellowers that
row in the mountains ol the sun. Il you or any ol your lriends is hurt, a lew drops ol this restore
them. And the daer is to delend yoursell at reat need. Ior you also are not to he in hattle.
Why, sir: said Lucy. I think I don't know hut I think I could he hrave enouh.
That is not the point, he said. But hattles are uly when women liht. And now here he
suddenly looked less rave here is somethin lor the moment lor you all' and he hrouht out
(I suppose lrom the hi ha at his hack, hut nohody quite saw him do it) a lare tray containin
live cups and saucers, a howl ol lump suar, a ju ol cream, and a reat hi teapot all sizzlin and
pipin hot. Then he cried out Merry Christmas' Lon live the true Kin' and cracked his whip,
and he and the reindeer and the slede and all were out ol siht helore anyone realized that they
had started.
Peter had just drawn his sword out ol its sheath and was showin it to Mr. Beaver, when Mrs.
Beaver said.
Now then, now then' Don't stand talkin there till the tea's ot cold. ust like men. Come
and help to carry the tray down and we'll have hreaklast. What a mercy I thouht ol hrinin the
hread-knile.
So down the steep hank they went and hack to the cave, and Mr. Beaver cut some ol the
hread and ham into sandwiches and Mrs. Beaver poured out the tea and everyone enjoyed
themselves. But lon helore they had linished enjoyin themselves Mr. Beaver said, Time to he
movin on now.

Chapter E|even

As|on is Neorer

EDMUND meanwhile had heen havin a most disappointin time. When the dwarl had one
to et the slede ready he expected that the Witch would start hein nice to him, as she had heen
at their last meetin. But she said nothin at all. And when at last Edmund plucked up his
courae to say, Please, your Majesty, could I have some Turkish Deliht: You you said -
she answered, Silence, lool' Then she appeared to chane her mind and said, as il to hersell, a
And yet it will not do to have the hrat laintin on the way, and once more clapped her hands.
Another, dwarl appeared.
Brin the human creature lood and drink, she said.
The dwarl went away and presently returned hrinin an iron howl with some water in it and
an iron plate with a hunk ol dry hread on it. He rinned in a repulsive manner as he set them
down on the lloor heside Edmund and said.
Turkish Deliht lor the little Prince. Ha' Ha' Ha'
Take it away, said Edmund sulkily. I don't want dry hread. But the Witch suddenly turned
on him with such a terrihle expression on her lace that he, apoloized and hean to nihhle at the
hread, thouh, it was so stale he could hardly et it down.
You may he lad enouh ol it helore you taste hread aain, said the Witch.
While he was still chewin away the lirst dwarl came hack and announced that the slede
was ready. The White Witch rose and went out, orderin Edmund to o with her. The snow was
aain lallin as they came into the courtyard, hut she took no notice ol that and made Edmund sit
heside her on the slede. But helore they drove oll she called Maurim and he came houndin
like an enormous do to the side ol the slede.
Take with you the swiltest ol your wolves and o at once to the house ol the Beavers, said
the Witch, and kill whatever you lind there. Il they are already one, then make all speed to the
Stone Tahle, hut do not he seen. Wait lor me there in hidin. I meanwhile must o many miles to
the West helore I lind a place where I can drive across the river. You may overtake these humans
helore they reach the Stone Tahle. You will know what to do il you lind them'
I hear and ohey, O Queen, rowled the Woll, and immediately he shot away into the snow
and darkness, as quickly as a horse can allop. In a lew minutes he had called another woll and
was with him down on the dam snillin at the Beavers' house. But ol course they lound it empty.
It would have heen a dreadlul thin lor the Beavers and the children il the niht had remained
line, lor the wolves would then have heen ahle to lollow their trail and ten to one would have
overtaken them helore they had ot to the cave. But now that the snow had heun aain the
scent was cold and even the lootprints were covered up.
Meanwhile the dwarl whipped up the reindeer, and the Witch and Edmund drove out under
the archway and on and away into the darkness and the cold. This was a terrihle journey lor
Edmund, who had no coat. Belore they had heen oin a quarter ol an hour all the lront ol him
was covered with snow he soon stopped tryin to shake it oll hecause, as quickly as he did
that, a new lot athered, and he was so tired. Soon he was wet to the skin. And oh, how
miserahle he was' It didn't look now as il the Witch intended to make him a Kin. All the thins
he had said to make himsell helieve that she was ood and kind and that her side was really the
riht side sounded to him silly now. He would have iven anythin to meet the others at this
moment even Peter' The only way to comlort himsell now was to try to helieve that the
whole thin was a dream and that he miht wake up at any moment. And as they went on, hour
alter hour, it did come to seem like a dream.
This lasted loner than I could descrihe even il I wrote paes and paes ahout it. But I will
skip on to the time when the snow had stopped and the mornin had come and they were racin
alon in the dayliht. And still they went on and on, with no sound hut the everlastin swish ol
the snow and the creakin ol the reindeer's harness. And then at last the Witch said, What have
we here: Stop' and they did.
How Edmund hoped she was oin to say somethin ahout hreaklast' But she had stopped lor
quite a dillerent reason. A little way oll at the loot ol a tree sat a merry party, a squirrel and his
wile with their children and two satyrs and a dwarl and an old dolox, all on stools round a tahle.
Edmund couldn't quite see what they were eatin, hut it smelled lovely and there seemed to he
decorations ol holly and he wasn't at all sure that he didn't see somethin like a plum puddin. At
the moment when the slede stopped, the Iox, who was ohviously the oldest person present, had
just risen to its leet, holdin a lass in its riht paw as il it was oin to say somethin. But when
the whole party saw the slede stoppin and who was in it, all the aiety went out ol their laces.
The lather squirrel stopped eatin with his lork hallway to his mouth and one ol the satyrs
stopped with its lork actually in its mouth, and the hahy squirrels squeaked with terror.
What is the meanin ol this: asked the Witch Queen. Nohody answered.
Speak, vermin' she said aain. Or do you want my dwarl to lind you a tonue with his
whip: What is the meanin ol all this luttony, this waste, this sell-indulence: Where did you
et all these thins:
Please, your Majesty, said the Iox, we were iven them. And il I miht make so hold as to
drink your Majesty's very ood health
Who ave them to you: said the Witch.
I-I-I-Iather Christmas, stammered the Iox.
What: roared the Witch, sprinin lrom the slede and takin a lew strides nearer to the
terrilied animals. He has not heen here' He cannot have heen here' How dare you hut no. Say
you have heen lyin and you shall even now he loriven.
At that moment one ol the youn squirrels lost its head completely.
He has he has he has' it squeaked, heatin its little spoon on the tahle. Edmund saw
the Witch hite her lips so that a drop ol hlood appeared on her white cheek. Then she raised her
wand. Oh, don't, don't, please don't, shouted Edmund, hut even while he was shoutin she had
waved her wand and instantly where the merry party had heen there were only statues ol
creatures (one with its stone lork lixed lorever hall-way to its stone mouth) seated round a stone
tahle on which there were stone plates and a stone plum puddin.
As lor you, said the Witch, ivin Edmund a stunnin hlow on the lace as she re-mounted
the slede, let that teach you to ask lavor lor spies and traitors. Drive on' And Edmund lor the
lirst time in this story lelt sorry lor someone hesides himsell. It seemed so pitilul to think ol those
little stone liures sittin there all the silent days and all the dark nihts, year alter year, till the
moss rew on them and at last even their laces crumhled away.
Now they were steadily racin on aain. And soon Edmund noticed that the snow which
splashed aainst them as they rushed throuh it was much wetter than it had heen all last niht.
At the same time he noticed that he was leelin much less cold. It was also hecomin loy. In
lact every minute it rew loier and warmer. And the slede was not runnin nearly as well as it
had heen runnin up till now. At lirst he thouht this was hecause the reindeer were tired, hut
soon he saw that that couldn't he the real reason. The slede jerked, and skidded and kept on
joltin as il it had struck aainst stones. And however the dwarl whipped the poor reindeer the
slede went slower and slower. There also seemed to he a curious noise all round them, hut the
noise ol their drivin and joltin and the dwarl's shoutin at the reindeer prevented Edmund lrom
hearin what it was, until suddenly the slede stuck so last that it wouldn't o on at all. When
that happened there was a moment's silence. And in that silence Edmund could at last listen to
the other noise properly. A strane, sweet, rustlin, chatterin noise and yet not so strane, lor
he'd heard it helore il only he could rememher where' Then all at once he did rememher. It
was the noise ol runnin water. All round them thouh out ol siht, there were streams,
chatterin, murmurin, huhhlin, splashin and even (in the distance) roarin. And his heart ave
a reat leap (thouh he hardly knew why) when he realized that the lrost was over. And much
nearer there was a drip-drip-drip lrom the hranches ol all the trees. And then, as he looked at one
tree he saw a reat load ol snow slide oll it and lor the lirst time since he had entered Narnia he
saw the dark reen ol a lir tree. But he hadn't time to listen or watch any loner, lor the Witch
said.
Don't sit starin, lool' Get out and help.
And ol course Edmund had to ohey. He stepped out into the snow hut it was really only
slush hy now and hean helpin the dwarl to et the slede out ol the muddy hole it had ot
into. They ot it out in the end, and hy hein very cruel to the reindeer the dwarl manaed to et
it on the move aain, and they drove a little lurther. And now the snow was really meltin in
earnest and patches ol reen rass were heinnin to appear in every direction. Unless you have
looked at a world ol snow as lon as Edmund had heen lookin at it, you will hardly he ahle to
imaine what a reliel those reen patches were alter the endless white. Then the slede stopped
aain.
It's no ood, your Majesty, said the dwarl. We can't slede in this thaw.
Then we must walk, said the Witch.
We shall never overtake them walkin, rowled the dwarl. Not with the start they've ot.
Are you my councilor or my slave: said the Witch. Do as you're told. Tie the hands ol the
human creature hehind it and keep hold ol the end ol the rope. And take your whip. And cut the
harness ol the reindeer, they'll lind their own way home.
The dwarl oheyed, and in a lew minutes Edmund lound himsell hein lorced to walk as last
as he could with his hands tied hehind him. He kept on slippin in the slush and mud and wet
rass, and every time he slipped the dwarl ave him a curse and sometimes a llick with the whip.
The Witch walked hehind the dwarl and kept on sayin, Iaster' Iaster'
Every moment the patches ol reen rew hier and the patches ol snow rew smaller. Every
moment more and more ol the trees shook oll their rohes ol snow. Soon, wherever you looked,
instead ol white shapes you saw the dark reen ol lirs or the hlack prickly hranches ol hare oaks
and heeches and elms. Then the mist turned lrom white to old and presently cleared away
altoether. Shalts ol delicious sunliht struck down on to the lorest lloor and overhead you could
see a hlue sky hetween the treetops.
Soon there were more wonderlul thins happenin. Comin suddenly round a corner into a
lade ol silver hirch trees Edmund saw the round covered in all directions with little yellow
llowers celandines. The noise ol water rew louder. Presently they actually crossed a stream.
Beyond it they lound snowdrops rowin.
Mind your own husiness' said the dwarl when he saw that Edmund had turned his head to
look at them, and he ave the rope a vicious jerk.
But ol course this didn't prevent Edmund lrom seein. Only live minutes later he noticed a
dozen crocuses rowin round the loot ol an old tree old and purple and white. Then came a
sound even more delicious than the sound ol the water. Close heside the path they were
lollowin a hird suddenly chirped lrom the hranch ol a tree. It was answered hy the chuckle ol
another hird a little lurther oll. And then, as il that had heen a sinal, there was chatterin and
chirrupin in every direction, and then a moment ol lull son, and within live minutes the whole
wood was rinin with hirds' music, and wherever Edmund's eyes turned he saw hirds alihtin
on hranches, or sailin overhead or chasin one another or havin their little quarrels or tidyin up
their leathers with their heaks.
Iaster' Iaster' said the Witch.
There was no trace ol the lo now. The sky hecame hluer and hluer, and now there were
white clouds hurryin across it lrom time to time. In the wide lades there were primroses. A
liht hreeze spran up which scattered drops ol moisture lrom the swayin hranches and carried
cool, delicious scents aainst the laces ol the travelers. The trees hean to come lully alive. The
larches and hirches were covered with reen, the lahurnums with old. Soon the heech trees had
put lorth their delicate, transparent leaves. As the travelers walked under them the liht also
hecame reen. A hee huzzed across their path.
This is no thaw, said the dwarl, suddenly stoppin. This is Sprin. What are we to do: Your
winter has heen destroyed, I tell you' This is Aslan's doin.
Il either ol you mention that name aain, said the Witch, he shall instantly he killed.

Chapter Twe|ve

Peier's Firsi Boii|e

WHILE the dwarl and the White Witch were sayin this, miles away the Beavers and the
children were walkin on hour alter hour into what seemed a delicious dream. Lon ao they had
lelt the coats hehind them. And hy now they had even stopped sayin to one another, Look'
there's a kinlisher, or I say, hluehells' or What was that lovely smell: or ust listen to that
thrush' They walked on in silence drinkin it all in, passin throuh patches ol warm sunliht
into cool, reen thickets and out aain into wide mossy lades where tall elms raised the lealy rool
lar overhead, and then into dense masses ol llowerin currant and amon hawthorn hushes where
the sweet smell was almost overpowerin.
They had heen just as surprised as Edmund when they saw the winter vanishin and the
whole wood passin in a lew hours or so lrom anuary to May. They hadn't even known lor
certain (as the Witch did) that this was what would happen when Aslan came to Narnia. But
they all knew that it was her spells which had produced the endless winter, and therelore they all
knew when this maic sprin hean that somethin had one wron, and hadly wron, with the
Witch's schemes. And alter the thaw had heen oin on lor some time they all realized that the
Witch would no loner he ahle to use her slede. Alter that they didn't hurry so much and they
allowed themselves more rests and loner ones. They were pretty tired hy now ol course, hut not
what I'd call hitterly tired only slow and leelin very dreamy and quiet inside as one does
when one is comin to the end ol a lon day in the open. Susan had a sliht hlister on one heel.
They had lelt the course ol the hi river some time ao, lor one had to turn a little to the
riht (that meant a little to the south) to reach the place ol the Stone Tahle. Even il this had not
heen their way they couldn't have kept to the river valley once the thaw hean, lor with all that
meltin snow the river was soon in llood a wonderlul, roarin, thunderin yellow llood and
their path would have heen under water.
And now the sun ot low and the liht ot redder and the shadows ot loner and the llowers
hean to think ahout closin.
Not lon now, said Mr. Beaver, and hean leadin them uphill across some very deep,
spriny moss (it lelt nice under their tired leet) in a place where only tall trees rew, very wide
apart. The climh, comin at the end ol the lon day, made them all pant and hlow. And just as
Lucy was wonderin whether she could really et to the top without another lon rest, suddenly
they were at the top. And this is what they saw.
They were on a reen open space lrom which you could look down on the lorest spreadin as
lar as one could see in every direction except riht ahead. There, lar to the East, was
somethin twinklin and movin. By um' whispered Peter to Susan, the sea' In the very
middle ol this open hill-top was the Stone Tahle. It was a reat rim slah ol rey stone supported
on lour upriht stones. It looked very old, and it was cut all over with strane lines and liures
that miht he the letters ol an unknown lanuae. They ave you a curious leelin when you
looked at them. The next thin they saw was a pavilion pitched on one side ol the open place. A
wonderlul pavilion it was and especially now when the liht ol the settin sun lell upon it
with sides ol what looked like yellow silk and cords ol crimson and tent-pes ol ivory, and hih
ahove it on a pole a hanner which hore a red rampant lion llutterin in the hreeze which was
hlowin in their laces lrom the lar-oll sea. While they were lookin at this they heard a sound ol
music on their riht, and turnin in that direction they saw what they had come to see.
Aslan stood in the center ol a crowd ol creatures who had rouped themselves round him in
the shape ol a hall-moon. There were Tree-Women there and Well-Women (Dryads and Naiads
as they used to he called in our world) who had strined instruments, it was they who had made
the music. There were lour reat centaurs. The horse part ol them was like hue Enlish larm
horses, and the man part was like stern hut heautilul iants. There was also a unicorn, and a hull
with the head ol a man, and a pelican, and an eale, and a reat Do. And next to Aslan stood
two leopards ol whom one carried his crown and the other his standard.
But as lor Aslan himsell, the Beavers and the children didn't know what to do or say when
they saw him. People who have not heen in Narnia sometimes think that a thin cannot he ood
and terrihle at the same time. Il the children had ever thouht so, they were cured ol it now. Ior
when they tried to look at Aslan's lace they just cauht a limpse ol the olden mane and the
reat, royal, solemn, overwhelmin eyes, and then they lound they couldn't look at him and went
all tremhly.
Go on, whispered Mr. Beaver.
No, whispered Peter, you lirst.
No, Sons ol Adam helore animals, whispered Mr. Beaver hack aain.
Susan, whispered Peter, What ahout you: Ladies lirst.
No, you're the eldest, whispered Susan. And ol course the loner they went on doin this
the more awkward they lelt. Then at last Peter realized that it was up to him. He drew his sword
and raised it to the salute and hastily sayin to the others Come on. Pull yourselves toether, he
advanced to the Lion and said.
We have come Aslan.
Welcome, Peter, Son ol Adam, said Aslan. Welcome, Susan and Lucy, Dauhters ol Eve.
Welcome He-Beaver and She-Beaver.
His voice was deep and rich and somehow took the lidets out ol them. They now lelt lad
and quiet and it didn't seem awkward to them to stand and say nothin.
But where is the lourth: asked Aslan.
He has tried to hetray them and joined the White Witch, O Aslan, said Mr. Beaver. And
then somethin made Peter say,
That was partly my lault, Aslan. I was anry with him and I think that helped him to o
wron.
And Aslan said nothin either to excuse Peter or to hlame him hut merely stood lookin at
him with his reat unchanin eyes. And it seemed to all ol them that there was nothin to he
said.
Please Aslan, said Lucy, can anythin he done to save Edmund:
All shall he done, said Aslan. But it may he harder than you think. And then he was silent
aain lor some time. Up to that moment Lucy had heen thinkin how royal and stron and
peacelul his lace looked, now it suddenly came into her head that he looked sad as well. But next
minute that expression was quite one. The Lion shook his mane and clapped his paws toether
(Terrihle paws, thouht Lucy, il he didn't know how to velvet them') and said,
Meanwhile, let the least he prepared. Ladies, take these Dauhters ol Eve to the pavilion and
minister to them.
When the irls had one Aslan laid his paw and thouh it was velveted it was very heavy
on Peter's shoulder and said, Come, Son ol Adam, and I will show you a lar-oll siht ol the
castle where you are to he Kin.
And Peter with his sword still drawn in his hand went with the Lion to the eastern ede ol
the hilltop. There a heautilul siht met their eyes. The sun was settin hehind their hacks. That
meant that the whole country helow them lay in the evenin liht lorest and hills and valleys
and, windin away like a silver snake, the lower part ol the reat river. And heyond all this, miles
away, was the sea, and heyond the sea the sky, lull ol clouds which were just turnin rose color
with the rellection ol the sunset. But just where the land ol Narnia met the sea in lact, at the
mouth ol the reat river there was somethin on a little hill, shinin. It was shinin hecause it
was a castle and ol course the sunliht was rellected lrom all the windows which looked towards
Peter and the sunset, hut to Peter it looked like a reat star restin on the seashore.
That, O Man, said Aslan, is Cair Paravel ol the lour thrones, in one ol which you must sit as
Kin. I show it to you hecause you are the lirst-horn and you will he Hih Kin over all the rest.
And once more Peter said nothin, lor at that moment a strane noise woke the silence
suddenly. It was like a hule, hut richer.
It is your sister's horn, said Aslan to Peter in a low voice, so low as to he almost a purr, il it
is not disrespectlul to think ol a Lion purrin.
Ior a moment Peter did not understand. Then, when he saw all the other creatures start
lorward and heard Aslan say with a wave ol his paw, Back' Let the Prince win his spurs, he did
understand, and set oll runnin as hard as he could to the pavilion. And there he saw a dreadlul
siht.
The Naiads and Dryads were scatterin in every direction. Lucy was runnin towards him as
last as her short les would carry her and her lace was as white as paper. Then he saw Susan make
a dash lor a tree, and swin hersell up, lollowed hy a hue rey heast. At lirst Peter thouht it was
a hear. Then he saw that it looked like an Alsatian, thouh it was lar too hi to he a do. Then he
realized that it was a woll a woll standin on its hind les, with its lront paws aainst the tree-
trunk, snappin and snarlin. All the hair on its hack stood up on end. Susan had not heen ahle to
et hiher than the second hi hranch. One ol her les hun down so that her loot was only an
inch or two ahove the snappin teeth. Peter wondered why she did not et hiher or at least take
a hetter rip, then he realized that she was just oin to laint and that il she lainted she would lall
oll.
Peter did not leel very hrave, indeed, he lelt he was oin to he sick. But that made no
dillerence to what he had to do. He rushed straiht up to the monster and aimed a slash ol his
sword at its side. That stroke never reached the Woll. Quick as lihtnin it turned round, its eyes
llamin, and its mouth wide open in a howl ol aner. Il it had not heen so anry that it simply
had to howl it would have ot him hy the throat at once. As it was thouh all this happened
too quickly lor Peter to think at all he had just time to duck down and plune his sword, as
hard as he could, hetween the hrute's loreles into its heart. Then came a horrihle, conlused
moment like somethin in a nihtmare. He was tuin and pullin and the Woll seemed neither
alive nor dead, and its hared teeth knocked aainst his lorehead, and everythin was hlood and
heat and hair. A moment later he lound that the monster lay dead and he had drawn his sword
out ol it and was straihtenin his hack and ruhhin the sweat oll his lace and out ol his eyes. He
lelt tired all over.
Then, alter a hit, Susan came down the tree. She and Peter lelt pretty shaky when they met
and I won't say there wasn't kissin and cryin on hoth sides. But in Narnia no one thinks any the
worse ol you lor that.
Quick' Quick' shouted the voice ol Aslan. Centaurs' Eales' I see another woll in the
thickets. There hehind you. He has just darted away. Alter him, all ol you. He will he oin to
his mistress. Now is your chance to lind the Witch and rescue the lourth Son ol Adam. And
instantly with a thunder ol hools and heatin ol wins a dozen or so ol the swiltest creatures
disappeared into the atherin darkness.
Peter, still out ol hreath, turned and saw Aslan close at hand.
You have lorotten to clean your sword, said Aslan.
It was true. Peter hlushed when he looked at the hriht hlade and saw it all smeared with the
Woll's hair and hlood. He stooped down and wiped it quite clean on the rass, and then wiped it
quite dry on his coat.
Hand it to me and kneel, Son ol Adam, said Aslan. And when Peter had done so he struck
him with the llat ol the hlade and said, Rise up, Sir Peter Woll's-Bane. And, whatever happens,
never loret to wipe your sword.
Now we must et hack to Edmund. When he had heen made to walk lar lurther than he had
ever known that anyhody could walk, the Witch at last halted in a dark valley all overshadowed
with lir trees and yew trees. Edmund simply sank down and lay on his lace doin nothin at all
and not even carin what was oin to happen next provided they would let him lie still. He was
too tired even to notice how hunry and thirsty he was. The Witch and the dwarl were talkin
close heside him in low tones.
No, said the dwarl, it is no use now, O Queen. They must have reached the Stone Tahle hy
now.
Perhaps the Woll will smell us out and hrin us news, said the Witch.
It cannot he ood news il he does, said the dwarl.
Iour thrones in Cair Paravel, said the Witch. How il only three were lilled: That would not
lullill the prophecy.
What dillerence would that make now that He is here: said the dwarl. He did not dare,
even now, to mention the name ol Aslan to his mistress.
He may not stay lon. And then we would lall upon the three at Cair.
Yet it miht he hetter, said the dwarl, to keep this one (here he kicked Edmund) lor
harainin with.

Chapter Thirteen

Deep Moic |rom i|e Down o| Time

Yes' and have him rescued, said the Witch scornlully.
Then, said the dwarl, we had hetter do what we have to do at once.
I would like to have it done on the Stone Tahle itsell, said the Witch. That is the proper
place. That is where it has always heen done helore.
It will he a lon time now helore the Stone Tahle can aain he put to its proper use, said the
dwarl.
True, said the Witch, and then, Well, I will hein.
At that moment with a rush and a snarl a Woll rushed up to them.
I have seen them. They are all at the Stone Tahle, with Him. They have killed my captain,
Maurim. I was hidden in the thickets and saw it all. One ol the Sons ol Adam killed him. Ily'
Ily'
No, said the Witch. There need he no llyin. Go quickly. Summon all our people to meet
me here as speedily as they can. Call out the iants and the werewolves and the spirits ol those
trees who are on our side. Call the Ghouls, and the Boles, the Ores and the Minotaurs. Call the
Cruels, the Has, the Spectres, and the people ol the Toadstools. We will liht. What: Have I not
still my wand: Will not their ranks turn into stone even as they come on: Be oll quickly, I have a
little thin to linish here while you are away.
The reat hrute howed its head, turned, and alloped away.
Now' she said, we have no tahle let me see. We had hetter put it aainst the trunk ol a
tree.
Edmund lound himsell hein rouhly lorced to his leet. Then the dwarl set him with his hack
aainst a tree and hound him last. He saw the Witch take oll her outer mantle. Her arms were
hare underneath it and terrihly white. Because they were so very white he could see them, hut he
could not see much else, it was so dark in this valley under the dark trees.
Prepare the victim,, said the Witch. And the dwarl undid Edmund's collar and lolded hack
his shirt at the neck. Then he took Edmund's hair and pulled his head hack so that he had to raise
his chin. Alter that Edmund heard a strane noise whizz whizz whizz. Ior a moment he
couldn't think what it was. Then he realized. It was the sound ol a knile hein sharpened.
At that very moment he heard loud shouts lrom every direction a drummin ol hools and
a heatin ol wins a scream lrom the Witch conlusion all round him. And then he lound
he was hein untied. Stron arms were round him and he heard hi, kind voices sayin thins like
Let him lie down ive him some wine drink this steady now you'll he all riht in
a minute.
Then he heard the voices ol people who were not talkin to him hut to one another. And
they were sayin thins like Who's ot the Witch: I thouht you had her. I didn't see her alter
I knocked the knile out ol her hand I was alter the dwarl do you mean to say she's
escaped: - A chap can't mind everythin at once what's that: Oh, sorry, it's only an old
stump' But just at this point Edmund went oll in a dead laint.
Presently the centaurs and unicorns and deer and hirds (they were ol course the rescue party
which Aslan had sent in the last chapter) all set oll to o hack to the Stone Tahle, carryin
Edmund with them. But il they could have seen what happened in that valley alter they had
one, I think they miht have heen surprised.
It was perlectly still and presently the moon rew hriht, il you had heen there you would
have seen the moonliht shinin on an old tree-stump and on a lair-sized houlder. But il you had
one on lookin you would radually have heun to think there was somethin odd ahout hoth
the stump and the houlder. And next you would have thouht that the stump did look really
remarkahly like a little lat man crouchin on the round. And il you had watched lon enouh
you would have seen the stump walk across to the houlder and the houlder sit up and hein
talkin to the stump, lor in reality the stump and the houlder were simply the Witch and the
dwarl. Ior it was part ol her maic that she could make thins look like what they aren't, and she
had the presence ol mind to do so at the very moment when the knile was knocked out ol her
hand. She had kept hold ol her wand, so it had heen kept sale, too.
When the other children woke up next mornin (they had heen sleepin on piles ol cushions
in the pavilion) the lirst thin they heard -lrom Mrs. Beaver was that their hrother had heen
rescued and hrouht into camp late last niht, and was at that moment with Aslan. As soon as
they had hreaklasted they all went out, and there they saw Aslan and Edmund walkin toether
in the dewy rass, apart lrom the rest ol the court. There is no need to tell you (and no one ever
heard) what Aslan was sayin, hut it was a conversation which Edmund never lorot. As the
others drew nearer Aslan turned to meet them, hrinin Edmund with him.
Here is your hrother, he said, and there is no need to talk to him ahout what is past.
Edmund shook hands with each ol the others and said to each ol them in turn, I'm sorry,
and everyone said, That's all riht. And then everyone wanted very hard to say somethin which
would make it quite clear that they were all lriends with him aain -somethin ordinary and
natural -and ol course no one could think ol anythin in the world to say. But helore they had
time to leel really awkward one ol the leopards approached Aslan and said,
Sire, there is a messener lrom the enemy who craves audience.
Let him approach, said Aslan.
The leopard went away and soon returned leadin the Witch's dwarl.
What is your messae, Son ol Earth: asked Aslan.
The Queen ol Narnia and Empress ol the Lone Islands desires a sale conduct to come and
speak with you, said the dwarl, on a matter which is as much to your advantae as to hers.
Queen ol Narnia, indeed' said Mr. Beaver. Ol all the cheek -
Peace, Beaver, said Aslan. All names will soon he restored to their proper owners. In the
meantime we will not dispute ahout them. Tell your mistress, Son ol Earth, that I rant her sale
conduct on condition that she leaves her wand hehind her at that reat oak.
This was areed to and two leopards went hack with the dwarl to see that the conditions
were properly carried out. But supposin she turns the two leopards into stone: whispered Lucy
to Peter. I think the same idea had occurred to the leopards themselves, at any rate, as they
walked oll their lur was all standin up on their hacks and their tails were hristlin like a cat's
when it sees a strane do.
It'll he all riht, whispered Peter in reply. He wouldn't send them il it weren't.
A lew minutes later the Witch hersell walked out on to the top ol the hill and came straiht
across and stood helore Aslan. The three children who had not seen her helore lelt shudders
runnin down their hacks at the siht ol her lace, and there were low rowls amon all the
animals present. Thouh it was hriht sunshine everyone lelt suddenly cold. The only two people
present who seemed to he quite at their ease were Aslan and the Witch hersell. It was the oddest
thin to see those two laces the olden lace and the dead-white lace so close toether. Not
that the Witch looked Aslan exactly in his eyes, Mrs. Beaver particularly noticed this.
You have a traitor there, Aslan, said the Witch. Ol course everyone present knew that she
meant Edmund. But Edmund had ot past thinkin ahout himsell alter all he'd heen throuh and
alter the talk he'd had that mornin. He just went on lookin at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter
what the Witch said.
Well, said Aslan. His ollence was not aainst you.
Have you lorotten the Deep Maic: asked the Witch.
Let us say I have lorotten it, answered Aslan ravely. Tell us ol this Deep Maic.
Tell you: said the Witch, her voice rowin suddenly shriller. Tell you what is written on
that very Tahle ol Stone which stands heside us: Tell you what is written in letters deep as a
spear is lon on the lirestones on the Secret Hill: Tell you what is enraved on the scepter ol the
Emperor-heyond-the-Sea: You at least know the Maic which the Emperor put into Narnia at
the very heinnin. You know that every traitor helons to me as my lawlul prey and that lor
every treachery I have a riht to a kill.
Oh, said Mr. Beaver. So that's how you came to imaine yoursell a queen hecause you
were the Emperor's hanman. I see.
Peace, Beaver, said Aslan, with a very low rowl. And so, continued the Witch, that
human creature is mine. His lile is lorleit to me. His hlood is my property.
Come and take it then, said the Bull with the man's head in a reat hellowin voice.
Iool, said the Witch with a savae smile that was almost a snarl, do you really think your
master can roh me ol my rihts hy mere lorce: He knows the Deep Maic hetter than that. He
knows that unless I have hlood as the Law says all Narnia will he overturned and perish in lire
and water.
It is very true, said Aslan, I do not deny it.
Oh, Aslan' whispered Susan in the Lion's ear, can't we I mean, you won't, will you:
Can't we do somethin ahout the Deep Maic: Isn't there somethin you can work aainst it:
Work aainst the Emperor's Maic: said Aslan, turnin to her with somethin like a lrown
on his lace. And nohody ever made that suestion to him aain.
Edmund was on the other side ol Aslan, lookin all the time at Aslan's lace. He lelt a chokin
leelin and wondered il he ouht to say somethin, hut a moment later he lelt that he was not
expected to do anythin except to wait, and do what he was told.
Iall hack, all ol you, said Aslan, and I will talk to the Witch alone.
They all oheyed. It was a terrihle time this waitin and wonderin while the Lion and the
Witch talked earnestly toether in low voices. Lucy said, Oh, Edmund' and hean to cry. Peter
stood with his hack to the others lookin out at the distant sea. The Beavers stood holdin each
other's paws with their heads howed. The centaurs stamped uneasily with their hools. But
everyone hecame perlectly still in the end, so that you noticed even small sounds like a humhle-
hee llyin past, or the hirds in the lorest down helow them, or the wind rustlin the leaves. And
still the talk hetween Aslan and the White Witch went on.
At last they heard Aslan's voice, You can all come hack, he said. I have settled the matter.
She has renounced the claim on your hrother's hlood. And all over the hill there was a noise as il
everyone had heen holdin their hreath and had now heun hreathin aain, and then a murmur
ol talk.
The Witch was just turnin away with a look ol lierce joy on her lace when she stopped and
said,
But how do I know this promise will he kept:
Haa-a-arrh' roared Aslan, hall risin lrom his throne, and his reat mouth opened wider and
wider and the roar rew louder and louder, and the Witch, alter starin lor a moment with her
lips wide apart, picked up her skirts and lairly ran lor her lile.

Chapter Fourteen

T|e Trivmp| o| i|e Viic|

As soon as the Witch had one Aslan said, We must move lrom this place at once, it will he
wanted lor other purposes. We shall encamp toniht at the Iords ol Beruna.
Ol course everyone was dyin to ask him how he had arraned matters with the witch, hut
his lace was stern and everyone's ears were still rinin with the sound ol his roar and so nohody
dared.
Alter a meal, which was taken in the open air on the hill-top (lor the sun had ot stron hy
now and dried the rass), they were husy lor a while takin the pavilion down and packin thins
up. Belore two o'clock they were on the march and set oll in a northeasterly direction, walkin at
an easy pace lor they had not lar to o.
Durin the lirst part ol the journey Aslan explained to Peter his plan ol campain. As soon as
she has linished her husiness in these parts, he said, the Witch and her crew will almost
certainly lall hack to her House and prepare lor a siee. You may or may not he ahle to cut her
oll and prevent her lrom reachin it. He then went on to outline two plans ol hattle one lor
lihtin the Witch and her people in the wood and another lor assaultin her castle. And all the
time he was advisin Peter how to conduct the operations, sayin thins like, You must put your
Centaurs in such and such a place or You must post scouts to see that she doesn't do so-and-so,
till at last Peter said,
But you will he there yoursell, Aslan.
I can ive you no promise ol that, answered the Lion. And he continued ivin Peter his
instructions.
Ior the last part ol the journey it was Susan and Lucy who saw most ol him. He did not talk
very much and seemed to them to he sad.
It was still alternoon when they came down to a place where the river valley had widened
out and the river was hroad and shallow. This was the Iords ol Beruna and Aslan ave orders to
halt on this side ol the water. But Peter said,
Wouldn't it he hetter to camp on the lar side lor lear she should try a niht attack or
anythin:
Aslan, who seemed to have heen thinkin ahout somethin else, roused himsell with a shake
ol his manilicent mane and said, Eh: What's that: Peter said it all over aain.
No, said Aslan in a dull voice, as il it didn't matter. No. She will not make an attack
toniht. And then he sihed deeply. But presently he added, All the same it was well thouht ol.
That is how a soldier ouht to think. But it doesn't really matter. So they proceeded to pitch
their camp.
Aslan's mood allected everyone that evenin. Peter was leelin uncomlortahle too at the idea
ol lihtin the hattle on his own, the news that Aslan miht not he there had come as a reat
shock to him. Supper that evenin was a quiet meal. Everyone lelt how dillerent it had heen last
niht or even that mornin. It was as il the ood times, havin just heun, were already drawin
to their end.
This leelin allected Susan so much that she couldn't et to sleep when she went to hed. And
alter she had lain countin sheep and turnin over and over she heard Lucy ive a lon sih and
turn over just heside her in the darkness.
Can't you et to sleep either: said Susan.
No, said Lucy. I thouht you were asleep. I say, Susan'
What:
I've a most horrihle leelin as il somethin were hanin over us.
Have you: Because, as a matter ol lact, so have I.
Somethin ahout Aslan, said Lucy. Either some dreadlul thin is oin to happen to him, or
somethin dreadlul that he's oin to do.
There's heen somethin wron with him all alternoon, said Susan. Lucy' What was that he
said ahout not hein with us at the hattle: You don't think he could he stealin away and leavin
us toniht, do you:
Where is he now: said Lucy. Is he here in the pavilion:
I don't think so.
Susan' let's o outside and have a look round. We miht see him.
All riht. Let's, said Susan, we miht just as well he doin that as lyin awake here.
Very quietly the two irls roped their way amon the other sleepers and crept out ol the
tent. The moonliht was hriht and everythin was quite still except lor the noise ol the river
chatterin over the stones. Then Susan suddenly cauht Lucy's arm and said, Look' On the lar
side ol the campin round, just where the trees hean, they saw the Lion slowly walkin away
lrom them into the wood. Without a word they hoth lollowed him.
He led them up the steep slope out ol the river valley and then slihtly to the riht
apparently hy the very same route which they had used that alternoon in comin lrom the Hill ol
the Stone Tahle. On and on he led them, into dark shadows and out into pale moonliht, ettin
their leet wet with the heavy dew. He looked somehow dillerent lrom the Aslan they knew. His
tail and his head hun low and he walked slowly as il he were very, very tired. Then, when they
were crossin a wide open place where there where no shadows lor them to hide in, he stopped
and looked round. It was no ood tryin to run away so they came towards him. When they were
closer he said,
Oh, children, children, why are you lollowin me:
We couldn't sleep, said Lucy and then lelt sure that she need say no more and that Aslan
knew all they had heen thinkin.
Please, may we come with you wherever you're oin: asked Susan.
Well - said Aslan, and seemed to he thinkin. Then he said, I should he lad ol company
toniht. Yes, you may come, il you will promise to stop when I tell you, and alter that leave me
to o on alone.
Oh, thank you, thank you. And we will, said the two irls.
Iorward they went aain and one ol the irls walked on each side ol the Lion. But how slowly
he walked' And his reat, royal head drooped so that his nose nearly touched the rass. Presently
he stumhled and ave a low moan.
Aslan' Dear Aslan' said Lucy, what is wron: Can't you tell us:
Are you ill, dear Aslan: asked Susan.
No, said Aslan. I am sad and lonely. Lay your hands on my mane so that I can leel you are
there and let us walk like that.
And so the irls did what they would never have dared to do without his permission, hut
what they had loned to do ever since they lirst saw him huried their cold hands in the heautilul
sea ol lur and stroked it and, so doin, walked with him. And presently they saw that they were
oin with him up the slope ol the hill on which the Stone Tahle stood. They went up at the side
where the trees came lurthest up, and when they ot to the last tree (it was one that had some
hushes ahout it) Aslan stopped and said,
Oh, children, children. Here you must stop. And whatever happens, do not let yourselves he
seen. Iarewell.
And hoth the irls cried hitterly (thouh they hardly knew why) and clun to the Lion and
kissed his mane and his nose and his paws and his reat, sad eyes. Then he turned lrom them and
walked out on to the top ol the hill. And Lucy and Susan, crouchin in the hushes, looked alter
him, and this is what they saw.
A reat crowd ol people were standin all round the Stone Tahle and thouh the moon was
shinin many ol them carried torches which hurned with evil-lookin red llames and hlack
smoke. But such people' Ores with monstrous teeth, and wolves, and hull-headed men, spirits ol
evil trees and poisonous plants, and other creatures whom I won't descrihe hecause il I did the
rownups would prohahly not let you read this hook Cruels and Has and Incuhuses, Wraiths,
Horrors, Elreets, Sprites, Orknies, Wooses, and Ettins. In lact here were all those who were on
the Witch's side and whom the Woll had summoned at her command. And riht in the middle,
standin hy the Tahle, was the Witch hersell.
A howl and a ihher ol dismay went up lrom the creatures when they lirst saw the reat Lion
pacin towards them, and lor a moment even the Witch seemed to he struck with lear. Then she
recovered hersell and ave a wild lierce lauh.
The lool' she cried. The lool has come. Bind him last.
Lucy and Susan held their hreaths waitin lor Aslan's roar and his sprin upon his enemies.
But it never came. Iour Has, rinnin and leerin, yet also (at lirst) hanin hack and hall alraid
ol what they had to do, had approached him. Bind him, I say' repeated the White Witch. The
Has made a dart at him and shrieked with triumph when they lound that he made no resistance
at all. Then others evil dwarls and apes rushed in to help them, and hetween them they
rolled the hue Lion over on his hack and tied all his lour paws toether, shoutin and cheerin as
il they had done somethin hrave, thouh, had the Lion chosen, one ol those paws could have
heen the death ol them all. But he made no noise, even when the enemies, strainin and tuin,
pulled the cords so tiht that they cut into his llesh. Then they hean to dra him towards the
Stone Tahle.
Stop' said the Witch. Let him lirst he shaved.
Another roar ol mean lauhter went up lrom her lollowers as an ore with a pair ol shears
came lorward and squatted down hy Aslan's head. Snip-snip-snip went the shears and masses ol
curlin old hean to lall to the round. Then the ore stood hack and the children, watchin
lrom their hidin-place, could see the lace ol Aslan lookin all small and dillerent without its
mane. The enemies also saw the dillerence.
Why, he's only a reat cat alter all' cried one.
Is that what we were alraid ol: said another.
And they sured round Aslan, jeerin at him, sayin thins like Puss, Puss' Poor Pussy, and
How many mice have you cauht today, Cat: and Would you like a saucer ol milk, Pussums:
Oh, how can they: said Lucy, tears streamin down her cheeks. The hrutes, the hrutes' lor
now that the lirst shock was over the shorn lace ol Aslan looked to her hraver, and more
heautilul, and more patient than ever.
Muzzle him' said the Witch. And even now, as they worked ahout his lace puttin on the
muzzle, one hite lrom his jaws would have cost two or three ol them their hands. But he never
moved. And this seemed to enrae all that rahhle. Everyone was at him now. Those who had
heen alraid to come near him even alter he was hound hean to lind their courae, and lor a lew
minutes the two irls could not even see him so thickly was he surrounded hy the whole
crowd ol creatures kickin him, hittin him, spittin on him, jeerin at him.
At last the rahhle had had enouh ol this. They hean to dra the hound and muzzled Lion to
the Stone Tahle, some pullin and some pushin. He was so hue that even when they ot him
there it took all their ellorts to hoist him on to the surlace ol it. Then there was more tyin and
tihtenin ol cords.
The cowards' The cowards' sohhed Susan. Are they still alraid ol him, even now:
When once Aslan had heen tied (and tied so that he was really a mass ol cords) on the llat
stone, a hush lell on the crowd. Iour Has, holdin lour torches, stood at the corners ol the Tahle.
The Witch hared her arms as she had hared them the previous niht when it had heen Edmund
instead ol Aslan. Then she hean to whet her knile. It looked to the children, when the leam ol
the torchliht lell on it, as il the knile were made ol stone, not ol steel, and it was ol a strane and
evil shape.
As last she drew near. She stood hy Aslan's head. Her lace was workin and twitchin with
passion, hut his looked up at the sky, still quiet, neither anry nor alraid, hut a little sad. Then,
just helore she ave the hlow, she stooped down and said in a quiverin voice,
And now, who has won: Iool, did you think that hy all this you would save the human
traitor: Now I will kill you instead ol him as our pact was and so the Deep Maic will he
appeased. But when you are dead what will prevent me lrom killin him as well: And who will
take him out ol my hand then: Understand that you have iven me Narnia lorever, you have lost
your own lile and you have not saved his. In that knowlede, despair and die.
The children did not see the actual moment ol the killin. They couldn't hear to look and had
covered their eyes.
Chapter Fifteen

Deeper Moic |rom Be|ore i|e Down o| Time

WHILE the two irls still crouched in the hushes with their hands over their laces, they heard
the voice ol the Witch callin out,
Now' Iollow me all and we will set ahout what remains ol this war' It will not take us lon
to crush the human vermin and the traitors now that the reat Iool, the reat Cat, lies dead.
At this moment the children were lor a lew seconds in very reat daner. Ior with wild cries
and a noise ol skirlin pipes and shrill horns hlowin, the whole ol that vile rahhle came sweepin
oll the hill-top and down the slope riht past their hidin-place. They lelt the Specters o hy
them like a cold wind and they lelt the round shake heneath them under the allopin leet ol
the Minotaurs, and overhead there went a llurry ol loul wins and a hlackness ol vultures and
iant hats. At any other time they would have tremhled with lear, hut now the sadness and
shame and horror ol Aslan's death so lilled their minds that they hardly thouht ol it.
As soon as the wood was silent aain Susan and Lucy crept out onto the open hill-top. The
moon was ettin low and thin clouds were passin across her, hut still they could see the shape
ol the Lion lyin dead in his honds. And down they hoth knelt in the wet rass and kissed his cold
lace and stroked his heautilul lur what was lelt ol it and cried till they could cry no more.
And then they looked at each other and held each other's hands lor mere loneliness and cried
aain, and then aain were silent. At last Lucy said,
I can't hear to look at that horrihle muzzle. I wonder could we take il oll:
So they tried. And alter a lot ol workin at it (lor their liners were cold and it was now the
darkest part ol the niht) they succeeded. And when they saw his lace without it they hurst out
cryin aain and kissed it and londled it and wiped away the hlood and the loam as well as they
could. And it was all more lonely and hopeless and horrid than I know how to descrihe.
I wonder could we untie him as well: said Susan presently. But the enemies, out ol pure
spitelulness, had drawn the cords so tiht that the irls could make nothin ol the knots.
I hope no one who reads this hook has heen quite as miserahle as Susan and Lucy were that
niht, hut il you have heen il you've heen up all niht and cried till you have no more tears
lelt in you you will know that there comes in the end a sort ol quietness. You leel as il
nothin was ever oin to happen aain. At any rate that was how it lelt to these two. Hours and
hours seemed to o hy in this dead calm, and they hardly noticed that they were ettin colder
and colder. But at last Lucy noticed two other thins. One was that the sky on the east side ol the
hill was a little less dark than it had heen an hour ao. The other was some tiny movement oin
on in the rass at her leet. At lirst she took no interest in this. What did it matter: Nothin
mattered now' But at last she saw that whatever-it-was had heun to move up the upriht stones
ol the Stone Tahle. And now whatever-they-were were movin ahout on Aslan's hody. She
peered closer. They were little rey thins.
Uh' said Susan lrom the other side ol the Tahle. How heastly' There are horrid little mice
crawlin over him. Go away, you little heasts. And she raised her hand to lrihten them away.
Wait' said Lucy, who had heen lookin at them more closely still. Can you see what they're
doin:
Both irls hent down and stared.
I do helieve - said Susan. But how queer' They're nihhlin away at the cords'
That's what I thouht, said Lucy. I think they're lriendly mice. Poor little thins they
don't realize he's dead. They think it'll do some ood untyin him.
It was quite delinitely lihter hy now. Each ol the irls noticed lor the lirst time the white
lace ol the other. They could see the mice nihhlin away, dozens and dozens, even hundreds, ol
little lield mice. And at last, one hy one, the ropes were all nawed throuh.
The sky in the east was whitish hy now and the stars were ettin lainter all except one
very hi one low down on the eastern horizon. They lelt colder than they had heen all niht. The
mice crept away aain.
The irls cleared away the remains ol the nawed ropes. Aslan looked more like himsell
without them. Every moment his dead lace looked nohler, as the liht rew and they could see it
hetter.
In the wood hehind them a hird ave a chucklin sound. It had heen so still lor hours and
hours that it startled them. Then another hird answered it. Soon there were hirds sinin all over
the place.
It was quite delinitely early mornin now, not late niht.
I'm so cold, said Lucy.
So am I, said Susan. Let's walk ahout a hit.
They walked to the eastern ede ol the hill and looked down. The one hi star had almost
disappeared. The country all looked dark rey, hut heyond, at the very end ol the world, the sea
showed pale. The sky hean to turn red. They walked to ands lro more times than they could
count hetween the dead Aslan and the eastern ride, tryin to keep warm, and oh, how tired their
les lelt. Then at last, as they stood lor a moment lookin out towards they sea and Cair Paravel
(which they could now just make out) the red turned to old alon the line where the sea and
the sky met and very slowly up came the ede ol the sun. At that moment they heard lrom
hehind them a loud noise a reat crackin, dealenin noise as il a iant had hroken a iant's
plate.
What's that: said Lucy, clutchin Susan's arm.
I I leel alraid to turn round, said Susan, somethin awlul is happenin.
They're doin somethin worse to Him, said Lucy. Come on' And she turned, pullin
Susan round with her.
The risin ol the sun had made everythin look so dillerent all colors and shadows were
chaned that lor a moment they didn't see the important thin. Then they did. The Stone Tahle
was hroken into two pieces hy a reat crack that ran down it lrom end to end, and there was no
Aslan.
Oh, oh, oh' cried the two irls, rushin hack to the Tahle.
Oh, it's too had, sohhed Lucy, they miht have lelt the hody alone.
Who's done it: cried Susan. What does it mean: Is it maic:
Yes' said a reat voice hehind their hacks. It is more maic. They looked round. There,
shinin in the sunrise, larer than they had seen him helore, shakin his mane (lor it had
apparently rown aain) stood Aslan himsell.
Oh, Aslan' cried hoth the children, starin up at him, almost as much lrihtened as they
were lad.
Aren't you dead then, dear Aslan: said Lucy.
Not now, said Aslan.
You're not not a : asked Susan in a shaky voice. She couldn't hrin hersell to say the
word host. Aslan stooped his olden head and licked her lorehead. The warmth ol his hreath and
a rich sort ol smell that seemed to han ahout his hair came all over her.
Do I look it: he said.
Oh, you're real, you're real' Oh, Aslan' cried Lucy, and hoth irls llun themselves upon him
and covered him with kisses.
But what does it all mean: asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.
It means, said Aslan, that thouh the Witch knew the Deep Maic, there is a maic deeper
still which she did not know. Her knowlede oes hack only to the dawn ol time. But il she could
have looked a little lurther hack, into the stillness and the darkness helore Time dawned, she
would have read there a dillerent incantation. She would have known that when a willin victim
who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Tahle would crack and Death
itsell would start workin hackwards. And now -
Oh yes. Now: said Lucy, jumpin up and clappin her hands.
Oh, children, said the Lion, I leel my strenth comin hack to me. Oh, children, catch me il
you can' He stood lor a second, his eyes very hriht, his limhs quiverin, lashin himsell with his
tail. Then he made a leap hih over their heads and landed on the other side ol the Tahle.
Lauhin, thouh she didn't know why, Lucy scramhled over it to reach him. Aslan leaped aain.
A mad chase hean. Round and round the hill-top he led them, now hopelessly out ol their reach,
now lettin them almost catch his tail, now divin hetween them, now tossin them in the air
with his hue and heautilully velveted paws and catchin them aain, and now stoppin
unexpectedly so that all three ol them rolled over toether in a happy lauhin heap ol lur and
arms and les. It was such a romp as no one has ever had except in Narnia, and whether it was
more like playin with a thunderstorm or playin with a kitten Lucy could never make up her
mind. And the lunny thin was that when all three linally lay toether pantin in the sun the irls
no loner lelt in the least tired or hunry or thirsty.
And now, said Aslan presently, to husiness. I leel I am oin to roar. You had hetter put
your liners in your ears.
And they did. And Aslan stood up and when he opened his mouth to roar his lace hecame so
terrihle that they did not dare to look at it. And they saw all the trees in lront ol him hend helore
the hlast ol his roarin as rass hends in a meadow helore the wind. Then he said,
We have a lon journey to o. You must ride on me. And he crouched down and the
children climhed on to his warm, olden hack, and Susan sat lirst, holdin on tihtly to his mane
and Lucy sat hehind holdin on tihtly to Susan. And with a reat heave he rose underneath them
and then shot oll, laster than any horse could o, down hill and into the thick ol the lorest.
That ride was perhaps the most wonderlul thin that happened to them in Narnia. Have you
ever had a allop on a horse: Think ol that, and then take away the heavy noise ol the hools and
the jinle ol the hits and imaine instead the almost noiseless paddin ol the reat paws. Then
imaine instead ol the hlack or rey or chestnut hack ol the horse the solt rouhness ol olden
lur, and the mane llyin hack in the wind. And then imaine you are oin ahout twice as last as
the lastest racehorse. But this is a mount that doesn't need to he uided and never rows tired. He
rushes on and on, never missin his lootin, never hesitatin, threadin his way with perlect skill
hetween tree trunks, jumpin over hush and hriar and the smaller streams, wadin the larer,
swimmin the larest ol all. And you are ridin not on a road nor in a park nor even on the
downs, hut riht across Narnia, in sprin, down solemn avenues ol heech and across sunny lades
ol oak, throuh wild orchards ol snow-white cherry trees, past roarin waterlalls and mossy rocks
and echoin caverns, up windy slopes aliht with orse hushes, and across the shoulders ol
heathery mountains and alon iddy rides and down, down, down aain into wild valleys and out
into acres ol hlue llowers.
It was nearly midday when they lound themselves lookin down a steep hillside at a castle
a little toy castle it looked lrom where they stood which seemed to he all pointed towers. But
the Lion was rushin down at such a speed that it rew larer every moment and helore they had
time even to ask themselves what it was they were already on a level with it. And now it no
loner looked like a toy castle hut rose lrownin in lront ol them. No lace looked over the
hattlements and the ates were last shut. And Aslan, not at all slackin his pace, rushed straiht as
a hullet towards it.
The Witch's home' he cried. Now, children, hold tiht.
Next moment the whole world seemed to turn upside down, and the children lelt as il they
had lelt their insides hehind them, lor the Lion had athered himsell toether lor a reater leap
than any he had yet made and jumped or you may call it llyin rather than jumpin riht
over the castle wall. The two irls, hreathless hut unhurt, lound themselves tumhlin oll his hack
in the middle ol a wide stone courtyard lull ol statues.
Chapter Sixteen

V|oi HoppeneJ Abovi i|e Sioives

WHAT an extraordinary place' cried Lucy. All those stone animals and people too' It's
it's like a museum.
Hush, said Susan, Aslan's doin somethin.
He was indeed. He had hounded up to the stone lion and hreathed on him. Then without
waitin a moment he whisked round almost as il he had heen a cat chasin its tail -and
hreathed also on the stone dwarl, which (as you rememher) was standin a lew leet lrom the lion
with his hack to it. Then he pounced on a tall stone dryad which stood heyond the dwarl, turned
rapidly aside to deal with a stone rahhit on his riht, and rushed on to two centaurs. But at that
moment Lucy said,
Oh, Susan' Look' Look at the lion.
I expect you've seen someone put a lihted match to a hit ol newspaper which is propped up
in a rate aainst an unlit lire. And lor a second nothin seems to have happened, and then you
notice a tiny streak ol llame creepin alon the ede ol the newspaper. It was like that now. Ior a
second alter Aslan had hreathed upon him the stone lion looked just the same. Then a tiny streak
ol old hean to run alon his white marhle hack then it spread then the color seemed to lick
all over him as the llame licks all over a hit ol paper then, while his hindquarters were still
ohviously stone, the lion shook his mane and all the heavy, stone lolds rippled into livin hair.
Then he opened a reat red mouth, warm and livin, and ave a prodiious yawn. And now his
hind les had come to lile. He lilted one ol them and scratched himsell. Then, havin cauht siht
ol Aslan, he went houndin alter him and lriskin round him whimperin with deliht and
jumpin up to lick his lace.
Ol course the children's eyes turned to lollow the lion, hut the siht they saw was so
wonderlul that they soon lorot ahout him. Everywhere the statues were comin to lile. The
courtyard looked no loner like a museum, it looked more like a zoo. Creatures were runnin
alter Aslan and dancin round him till he was almost hidden in the crowd. Instead ol all that
deadly white the courtyard was now a hlaze ol colors, lossy chestnut sides ol centaurs, indio
horns ol unicorns, dazzlin plumae ol hirds, reddy-hrown ol loxes, dos and satyrs, yellow
stockins and crimson hoods ol dwarls, and the hirch-irls in silver, and the heech-irls in lresh,
transparent reen, and the larch-irls in reen so hriht that it was almost yellow. And instead ol
the deadly silence the whole place ran with the sound ol happy roarins, hrayins, yelpins,
harkins, squealins, cooins, neihins, stampins, shouts, hurrahs, sons and lauhter.
Oh' said Susan in a dillerent tone. Look' I wonder I mean, is it sale:
Lucy looked and saw that Aslan had just hreathed on the leet ol the stone iant.
It's all riht' shouted Aslan joyously. Once the leet are put riht, all the rest ol him will
lollow.
That wasn't exactly what I meant, whispered Susan to Lucy. But it was too late to do
anythin ahout it now even il Aslan would have listened to her. The chane was already creepin
up the Giant's les. Now he was movin his leet. A moment later he lilted his cluh oll his
shoulder, ruhhed his eyes and said,
Bless me' I must have heen asleep. Now' Where's that dratted little Witch that was runnin
ahout on the round. Somewhere just hy my leet it was. But when everyone had shouted up to
him to explain what had really happened, and when the Giant had put his hand to his ear and ot
them to repeat it all aain so that at last he understood, then he howed down till his head was no
lurther oll than the top ol a haystack and touched his cap repeatedly to Aslan, heamin all over
his honest uly lace. (Giants ol any sort are now so rare in Enland and so lew iants are ood-
tempered that ten to one you have never seen a iant when his lace is heamin. It's a siht well
worth lookin at.)
Now lor the inside ol this house' said Aslan. Look alive, everyone. Up stairs and down
stairs and in my lady's chamher' Leave no corner unsearched. You never know where some poor
prisoner may he concealed.
And into the interior they all rushed and lor several minutes the whole ol that dark, horrihle,
lusty old castle echoed with the openin ol windows and with everyone's voices cryin out at
once, Don't loret the duneons Give us a hand with this door' Here's another little windin
stair Oh' I say. Here's a poor kanaroo. Call Aslan Phew' How it smells in here Look out
lor trap doors Up here' There are a whole lot more on the landin' But the hest ol all was
when Lucy came rushin upstairs shoutin out,
Aslan' Aslan' I've lound Mr. Tumnus. Oh, do come quick.
A moment later Lucy and the little Iaun were holdin each other hy hoth hands and dancin
round and round lor joy. The little chap was none the worse lor havin heen a statue and was ol
course very interested in all she had to tell him.
But at last the ransackin ol the Witch's lortress was ended. The whole castle stood empty
with every door and window open and the liht and the sweet sprin air lloodin into all the dark
and evil places which needed them so hadly. The whole crowd ol liherated statues sured hack
into the courtyard. And it was then that someone (Tumnus, I think) lirst said,
But how are we oin to et out: lor Aslan had ot in hy a jump and the ates were still
locked.
That'll he all riht, said Aslan, and then, risin on his hind-les, he hawled up at the Giant.
Hi' You up there, he roared. What's your name:
Giant Rumhlehullin, il it please your honour, said the Giant, once more touchin his cap.
Well then, Giant Rumhlehullin, said Aslan, just let us out ol this, will you:
Certainly, your honor. It will he a pleasure, said Giant Rumhlehullin. Stand well away lrom
the ates, all you little 'uns. Then he strode to the ate himsell and han han han
went his hue cluh. The ates creaked at the lirst hlow, cracked at the second, and shivered at the
third. Then he tackled the towers on each side ol them and alter a lew minutes ol crashin and
thuddin hoth the towers and a ood hit ol the wall on each side went thunderin down in a
mass ol hopeless ruhhle, and when the dust cleared it was odd, standin in that dry, rim, stony
yard, to see throuh the ap all the rass and wavin trees and sparklin streams ol the lorest, and
the hlue hills heyond that and heyond them the sky.
Blowed il I ain't all in a muck sweat, said the Giant, pullin like the larest railway enine.
Comes ol hein out ol condition. I suppose neither ol you youn ladies has such a thin as a
pocket-handkerchee ahout you:
Yes, I have, said Lucy, standin on tip-toes and holdin her handkerchiel up as lar as she
could reach.
Thank you, Missie, said Giant Rumhlehullin, stoopin down. Next moment Lucy ot rather
a lriht lor she lound hersell cauht up in mid-air hetween the Giant's liner and thumh. But just
as she was ettin near his lace he suddenly started and then put her ently hack on the round
mutterin, Bless me' I've picked up the little irl instead. I he your pardon, Missie, I thouht
you was the handkerchee'
No, no, said Lucy lauhin, here it is' This time he manaed to et it hut it was only ahout
the same size to him that a saccharine tahlet would he to you, so that when she saw him
solemnly ruhhin it to and lro across his reat red lace, she said, I'm alraid it's not much use to
you, Mr. Rumhlehullin.
Not at all. Not at all, said the iant politely. Never met a nicer handkerchee. So line, so
handy. So I don't know how to descrihe it.
What a nice iant he is' said Lucy to Mr. Tumnus.
Oh yes, replied the Iaun. All the Bullins always were. One ol the most respected ol all the
iant lamilies in Narnia. Not very clever, perhaps (I never knew a iant that was), hut an old
lamily. With traditions, you know. Il he'd heen the other sort she'd never have turned him into
stone.
At this point Aslan clapped his paws toether and called lor silence.
Our day's work is not yet over, he said, and il the Witch is to he linally deleated helore
hed-time we must lind the hattle at once.
And join in, I hope, sir' added the larest ol the Centaurs.
Ol course, said Aslan. And now' Those who can't keep up that is, children, dwarls, and
small animals must ride on the hacks ol those who can that is, lions, centaurs, unicorns,
horses, iants and eales. Those who are ood with their noses must come in lront with us lions
to smell out where the hattle is. Look lively and sort yourselves.
And with a reat deal ol hustle and cheerin they did. The most pleased ol the lot was the
other lion who kept runnin ahout everywhere pretendin to he very husy hut really in order to
say to everyone he met. Did you hear what he said: Us Lions. That means him and me. Us Lions.
That's what I like ahout Aslan. No side, no stand-oll-ishness. Us Lions. That meant him and me.
At least he went on sayin this till Aslan had loaded him up with three dwarls, one dryad, two
rahhits, and a hedeho. That steadied him a hit.
When all were ready (it was a hi sheep-do who actually helped Aslan most in ettin them
sorted into their proper order) they set out throuh the ap in the castle wall. At lirst the lions
and dos went nosin ahout in all directions. But then suddenly one reat hound picked up the
scent and ave a hay. There was no time lost alter that. Soon all the dos and lions and wolves and
other huntin animals were oin at lull speed with their noses to the round, and all the others,
streaked out lor ahout hall a mile hehind them, were lollowin as last as they could. The noise
was like an Enlish lox-hunt only hetter hecause every now and then with the music ol the
hounds was mixed the roar ol the other lion and sometimes the lar deeper and more awlul roar
ol Aslan himsell. Iaster and laster they went as the scent hecame easier and easier to lollow. And
then, just as they came to the last curve in a narrow, windin valley, Lucy heard ahove all these
noises another noise a dillerent one, which ave her a queer leelin inside. It was a noise ol
shouts and shrieks and ol the clashin ol metal aainst metal.
Then they came out ol the narrow valley and at once she saw the reason. There stood Peter
and Edmund and all the rest ol Aslan's army lihtin desperately aainst the crowd ol horrihle
creatures whom she had seen last niht, only now, in the dayliht, they looked even straner and
more evil and more delormed. There also seemed to he lar more ol them. Peter's army which
had their hacks to her looked terrihly lew. And there were statues dotted all over the hattlelield,
so apparently the Witch had heen usin her wand. But she did not seem to he usin it now. She
was lihtin with her stone knile. It was Peter she was lihtin hoth ol them oin at it so hard
that Lucy could hardly make out what was happenin, she only saw the stone knile and Peter's
sword llashin so quickly that they looked like three knives and three swords. That pair were in
the center. On each side the line stretched out. Horrihle thins were happenin wherever she
looked.
Oll my hack, children, shouted Aslan. And they hoth tumhled oll. Then with a roar that
shook all Narnia lrom the western lamppost to the shores ol the eastern sea the reat heast llun
himsell upon the White Witch. Lucy saw her lace lilted towards him lor one second with an
expression ol terror and amazement. Then Lion and Witch had rolled over toether hut with the
Witch underneath, and at the same moment all war-like creatures whom Aslan had led lrom the
Witch's house rushed madly on the enemy lines, dwarls with their hattleaxes, dos with teeth,
the Giant with his cluh (and his leet also crushed dozens ol the loe), unicorns with their horns,
centaurs with swords and hools. And Peter's tired army cheered, and the newcomers roared, and
the enemy squealed and ihhered till the wood re-echoed with the din ol that onset.
Chapter Seventeen

T|e Hvniin o| i|e V|iie Sio

THE hattle was all over a lew minutes alter their arrival. Most ol the enemy had heen killed
in the lirst chare ol Aslan and his companions, and when those who were still livin saw that the
Witch was dead they either ave themselves up or took to lliht. The next thin that Lucy knew
was that Peter and Aslan were shakin hands. It was strane to her to see Peter lookin as he
looked now his lace was so pale and stern and he seemed so much older.
It was all Edmund's doin, Aslan, Peter was sayin. We'd have heen heaten il it hadn't heen
lor him. The Witch was turnin our troops into stone riht and lelt. But nothin would stop him.
He louht his way throuh three ores to where she was just turnin one ol your leopards into a
statue. And when he reached her he had sense to hrin his sword smashin down on her wand
instead ol tryin to o lor her directly and simply ettin made a statue himsell lor his pains. That
was the mistake all the rest were makin. Once her wand was hroken we hean to have some
chance il we hadn't lost so many already. He was terrihly wounded. We must o and see him.
They lound Edmund in chare ol Mrs. Beaver a little way hack lrom the lihtin line. He was
covered with hlood, his mouth was open, and his lace a nasty reen color.
Quick, Lucy, said Aslan.
And then, almost lor the lirst time, Lucy rememhered the precious cordial that had heen
iven her lor a Christmas present. Her hands tremhled so much that she could hardly undo the
stopper, hut she manaed it in the end and poured a lew drops into her hrother's mouth.
There are other people wounded, said Aslan while she was still lookin eaerly into
Edmund's pale lace and wonderin il the cordial would have any result.
Yes, I know, said Lucy crossly. Wait a minute.
Dauhter ol Eve, said Aslan in a raver voice, others also are at the point ol death. Must
more people die lor Edmund:
I'm sorry, Aslan, said Lucy, ettin up and oin with him. And lor the next hall-hour they
were husy she attendin to the wounded while he restored those who had heen turned into
stone. When at last she was lree to come hack to Edmund she lound him standin on his leet and
not only healed ol his wounds hut lookin hetter than she had seen him look oh, lor aes, in
lact ever since his lirst term at that horrid school which was where he had heun to o wron. He
had hecome his real old sell aain and could look you in the lace. And there on the lield ol hattle
Aslan made him a kniht.
Does he know, whispered Lucy to Susan, what Aslan did lor him: Does he know what the
arranement with the Witch really was:
Hush' No. Ol course not, said Susan.
Ouhtn't he to he told: said Lucy.
Oh, surely not, said Susan. It would he too awlul lor him. Think how you'd leel il you were
he.
All the same I think he ouht to know, said Lucy. But at that moment they were
interrupted.
That niht they slept where they were. How Aslan provided lood lor them all I don't know,
hut somehow or other they lound themselves all sittin down on the rass to a line hih tea at
ahout eiht o'clock. Next day they hean marchin eastward down the side ol the reat river.
And the next day alter that, at ahout teatime, they actually reached the mouth. The castle ol Cair
Paravel on its little hill towered up ahove them, helore them were the sands, with rocks and little
pools ol salt water, and seaweed, and the smell ol the sea and lon miles ol hluish-reen waves
hreakin lor ever and ever on the heach. And oh, the cry ol the seaulls' Have you heard it: Can
you rememher:
That evenin alter tea the lour children all manaed to et down to the heach aain and et
their shoes and stockins oll and leel the sand hetween their toes. But next day was more solemn.
Ior then, in the Great Hall ol Cair Paravel that wonderlul hall with the ivory rool and the
west wall hun with peacock's leathers and the eastern door which looks towards the sea, in the
presence ol all their lriends and to the sound ol trumpets, Aslan solemnly crowned them and led
them to the lour thrones amid dealenin shouts ol, Lon Live Kin Peter' Lon Live Queen
Susan' Lon Live Kin Edmund' Lon Live Queen Lucy'
Once a kin or queen in Narnia, always a kin or queen. Bear it well, Sons ol Adam' Bear it
well, Dauhters ol Eve' said Aslan.
And throuh the eastern door, which was wide open, came the voices ol the mermen and the
mermaids swimmin close to the shore and sinin in honor ol their new Kins and Queens.
So the children sat on their thrones and scepters were put into their hands and they ave
rewards and honors to all their lriends, to Tumnus the Iaun, and to the Beavers, and Giant
Rumhlehullin, to the leopards, and the ood centaurs, and the ood dwarls, and to the lion. And
that niht there was a reat least in Cair Paravel, and revelry and dancin, and old llashed and
wine llowed, and answerin to the music inside, hut straner, sweeter, and more piercin, came
the music ol the sea people.
But amidst all these rejoicins Aslan himsell quietly slipped away. And when the Kins and
Queens noticed that he wasn't there they said nothin ahout it. Ior Mr. Beaver had warned them,
He'll he comin and oin, he had said. One day you'll see him and another you won't. He
doesn't like hein tied down and ol course he has other countries to attend to. It's quite all riht.
He'll olten drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild,' you know. Not like a tame lion.
And now, as you see, this story is nearly (hut not quite) at an end. These two Kins and two
Queens overned Narnia well, and lon and happy was their rein. At lirst much ol their time
was spent in seekin out the remnants ol the White Witch's army and destroyin them, and
indeed lor a lon time there would he news ol evil thins lurkin in the wilder parts ol the lorest
a hauntin here and a killin there, a limpse ol a werewoll one month and a rumor ol a ha
the next. But in the end all that loul hrood was stamped out. And they made ood laws and kept
the peace and saved ood trees lrom hein unnecessarily cut down, and liherated youn dwarls
and youn satyrs lrom hein sent to school, and enerally stopped husyhodies and interlerers and
encouraed ordinary people who wanted to live and let live. And they drove hack the lierce
iants (quite a dillerent sort lrom Giant Rumhlehullin) on the north ol Narnia when these
ventured across the lrontier. And they entered into lriendship and alliance with countries heyond
the sea and paid them visits ol state and received visits ol state lrom them. And they themselves
rew and chaned as the years passed over them. And Peter hecame a tall and deep-chested man
and a reat warrior, and he was called Kin Peter the Manilicent. And Susan rew into a tall and
racious woman with hlack hair that lell almost to her leet and the kins ol the countries heyond
the sea hean to send amhassadors askin lor her hand in marriae. And she was called Susan the
Gentle. Edmund was a raver and quieter man than Peter, and reat in council and judment. He
was called Kin Edmund the ust. But as lor Lucy, she was always ay and olden-haired, and all
princes in those parts desired her to he their Queen, and her own people called her Queen Lucy
the Valiant.
So they lived in reat joy and il ever they rememhered their lile in this world it was only as
one rememhers a dream. And one year it lell out that Tumnus (who was a middle-aed Iaun hy
now and heinnin to he stout) came down river and hrouht them news that the White Sta
had once more appeared in these parts the White Sta who would ive you wishes il you
cauht him. So these two Kins and two Queens with the principal memhers ol their court, rode
a huntin with horns and hounds in the Western Woods to lollow the White Sta. And they had
not hunted lon helore they had a siht ol him. And he led them a reat pace over rouh and
smooth and throuh thick and thin, till the horses ol all the courtiers were tired out and these
lour were still lollowin. And they saw the sta enter into a thicket where their horses could not
lollow. Then said Kin Peter (lor they talked in quite a dillerent style now, havin heen Kins and
Queens lor so lon), Iair Consorts, let us now aliht lrom our horses and lollow this heast into
the thicket, lor in all my days I never hunted a nohler quarry.
Sir, said the others, even so let us do.
So they alihted and tied their horses to trees and went on into the thick wood on loot. And
as soon as they had entered it Queen Susan said,
Iair lriends, here is a reat marvel, lor I seem to see a tree ol iron.
Madam, said, Kin Edmund, il you look well upon it you shall see it is a pillar ol iron with
a lantern set on the top thereol.
By the Lion's Mane, a strane device, said Kin Peter, to set a lantern here where the trees
cluster so thick ahout it and so hih ahove it that il it were lit it should ive liht to no man'
Sir, said Queen Lucy. By likelihood when this post and this lamp were set here there were
smaller trees in the place, or lewer, or none. Ior this is a youn wood and the iron post is old.
And they stood lookin upon it. Then said Kin Edmund,
I know not how it is, hut this lamp on the post worketh upon me stranely. It runs in my
mind that I have seen the like helore, as it were in a dream, or in the dream ol a dream.
Sir, answered they all, it is even so with us also.
And more, said Queen Lucy, lor it will not o out ol my mind that il we pass this post and
lantern either we shall lind strane adventures or else some reat chane ol our lortunes.
Madam, said Kin Edmund, the like lorehodin stirreth in my heart also.
And in mine, lair hrother, said Kin Peter.
And in mine too, said Queen Susan. Wherelore hy my counsel we shall lihtly return to our
horses and lollow this White Sta no lurther.
Madam, said Kin Peter, therein I pray thee to have me excused. Ior never since we lour
were Kins and Queens in Narnia have we set our hands to any hih matter, as hattles, quests,
leats ol arms, acts ol justice, and the like, and then iven over, hut always what we have taken in
hand, the same we have achieved.
Sister, said Queen Lucy, my royal hrother speaks rihtly. And it seems to me we should he
shamed il lor any learin or lorehodin we turned hack lrom lollowin so nohle a heast as now
we have in chase.
And so say I, said Kin Edmund. And I have such desire to lind the sinilication ol this
thin that I would not hy my ood will turn hack lor the richest jewel in all Narnia and all the
islands.
Then in the name ol Aslan, said Queen Susan, il ye will all have it so, let us o on and take
the adventure that shall lall to us.
So these Kins and Queens entered the thicket, and helore they had one a score ol paces
they all rememhered that the thin they had seen was called a lamppost, and helore they had
one twenty more they noticed that they were makin their way not throuh hranches hut
throuh coats. And next moment they all came tumhlin out ol a wardrohe door into the empty
room, and They were no loner Kins and Queens in their huntin array hut just Peter, Susan,
Edmund and Lucy in their old clothes. It was the same day and the same hour ol the day on
which they had all one into the wardrohe to hide. Mrs. Macready and the visitors were still
talkin in the passae, hut luckily they never came into the empty room and so the children
weren't cauht.
And that would have heen the very end ol the story il it hadn't heen that they lelt they really
must explain to the Prolessor why lour ol the coats out ol his wardrohe were missin. And the
Prolessor, who was a very remarkahle man, didn't tell them not to he silly or not to tell lies, hut
helieved the whole story. No, he said, I don't think it will he any ood tryin to o hack
throuh the wardrohe door to et the coats. You won't et into Narnia aain hy that route. Nor
would the coats he much use hy now il you did'
Eh: What's that: Yes, ol course you'll et hack to Narnia aain some day. Once a Kin in
Narnia, always a Kin in Narnia. But don't o tryin to use the same route twice. Indeed, don't try
to et there at all. It'll happen when you're not lookin lor it. And don't talk too much ahout it
even amon yourselves. And don't mention it to anyone else unless you lind that they've had
adventures ol the same sort themselves. What's that: How will you know: Oh, you'll know all
riht. Odd thins they say even their looks will let the secret out. Keep your eyes open.
Bless me, what do they teach them at these schools:
And that is the very end ol the adventure ol the wardrohe. But il the Prolessor was riht it
was only the heinnin ol the adventures ol Narnia.