CHAPTER TWELVE
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PETERS FIRST BATTLE WHILE the dwarf and the White Witch were saying this, miles away the Beavers and the children were walking on hour after hour into what seemed a delicious dream. Long ago they had left the coats behind them. And by now they had even stopped saying to one another, "Look! theres a kingfisher," or "I say, bluebells!" or "What was that lovely smell?" or "Just listen to that thrush!" They walked on in silence drinking it all in, passing through patches of warm sunlight into cool, green thickets and out again into wide mossy glades where tall elms raised the leafy roof far overhead, and then into dense masses of fl currant and among hawthorn bushes where the sweet smell was almost overp.They had been just as surprised as Edmund when they saw the winter vanishing and the whole wood passing in a few hours or so from January to May. They hadnt even known for certain (as the Witch did) that this was what would happen when Aslan came to Narnia. But they all khat it was her spells which had produced the endless winter; and therefore they all knew when this magic spring began that something had gone wrong, and badly wrong, with the Witchs schemes. And after the thaw had been going on for some time they all realized that the Witch would no longer be able to use her sledge. After that they didnt hurry so mud they allowed themselves more rests and longer ohey were pretty tired by now of course; but not what Id call bitterly tired - only slow and feeling very dreamy and quiet inside as one does when one is ing to the end of a long day in the open. Susan had a slight blister on one heel.
They had left the course of the big river some time ago; for one had to turn a little to the right (that meant a little to the south) to reach the place of the Stoable. Even if this had not been their way they couldnt have kept to the river v<var></var>alley ohe thaw began, for with all that melting snow the river was soon in flood - a wonderful, r, thundering yellow flood - and their path would have been under water.
And now the sun got low and the light got redder and the shadows got longer and the flowers began to think about closing.
"Not long now," said Mr Beaver, <samp></samp>and began leading them uphill across some very deep, springy moss (it felt nider their tired feet) in a place where only tall trees grew, very wide apart. The climb, ing at the end of the long day, made them all pant and blow.
And just as Lucy was w whether she could really get to the top without another lo, suddenly they were at the top. And this is what they saw.
They were on a green open space from which you could look down on the forest spreading as far as one could see in every dire - except right ahead. There, far to the East, was something twinkling and moving. "By gum!" whispered Peter to Susan, "the sea!" In the very middle of this open hill-top was the Stoable. It was a great grim slab of grey stone supported on four upright stones. It looked very old; and it was cut all over with strange lines and figures that might be the letters of an unknown language. They gave you a curious feeling when you looked at them. The hing they saw avilion pitched on one side of the open place. A wonderful pavilion it was - and especially now when the light of the setting sun fell upon it - with sides of what looked like yellow silk and cords of crimson a-pegs of ivory; and high above it on a pole a banner which bore a red rampant lion fluttering in the breeze which was blowing in their faces from the far-off sea. While they were looking at this they heard a sound of musi their right; and turning in that dire they saw what they had e to see.
Aslan stood in the tre of a crowd of creatures who had grouped themselves round him in the shape of a half-moon. There were Tree-Women there and Well-Women (Dryads and Naiads as they used to be called in our world) who had stringed instruments; it was they who had made the music. There were freat taurs. The horse part of them was like huge English farm horses, and the man part was like stern but beautiful giants.
There was also a uni, and a bull with the head of a man, and a peli, and an eagle, and a great Dog. Ao Aslan stood two leopards of whom one carried his and the other his standard.
But as for Aslan himself, the Beavers and the children didnt know what to do or say when they saw him. People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing ot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For wheried to look at Aslans face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldnt look at him a all trembly.
"Go on," whispered Mr Beaver.
"No," whispered Peter, "you first.”
"No, Sons of Adam before animals," whispered Mr Beaver back again.
"Susan," whispered Peter, "What about you? Ladies first.”
"No, youre the eldest," whispered Susan. And of course the lohey went on doing this the more awkward they felt. Then at last Peter realized that it to him. He drew his sword and raised it to the salute and hastily saying to the others "e on. Pull yourselves together," he advao the Lion and said: "We have e - Aslan.”
"Wele, Peter, Son of Adam," said Aslan. "Wele, Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. Wele He-Beaver and She-Beaver.”
His voice was deep and rid somehow took the fidgets out of them. They now felt glad and quiet and it didnt seem awkward to them to stand and say nothing.
"But where is the fourth?" asked Aslan.
"He has tried to betray them and joihe White Witch, O Aslan," said Mr Beaver. And then something made Peter say, "That artly my fault, Aslan. I was angry with him and I think that helped him to g.”
And Aslan said nothiher to excuse Peter or to blame him but mer<cite></cite>ely stood looking at him with his great unging eyes. And it seemed to all of them that there was nothing to be said.
"Please - Aslan," said Lucy, " anything be doo save Edmund?”
"All shall be done," said Aslan. "But it may be harder than you think." And then he was silent again for some time. Up to that moment Lucy had been thinking how royal and strong and peaceful his face looked; now it suddenly came into her head that he looked sad as well. But mihat expression was quite gohe Lion shook his mane and clapped his paws together ("Terrible paws," thought Lucy, "if he didnt know how to velvet them!") and said, "Meanwhile, let the feast be prepared. Ladies, take these Daughters of Eve to the pavilion and mio them.”
When the girls had gone Aslan laid his paw - and though it was velveted it was very heavy - oers shoulder and said, "e, Son of Adam, and I will show you a far-off sight of the castle where you are to be King.”
Aer with his sword still drawn in his ha with the Lion to the eastern edge of the hilltop. There a beautiful sight met their eyes. The sun was setting behind their backs.
That meant that the whole try below them lay in the evening light - forest and hills and valleys and, winding away like a silver she lower part of the great river. And beyond all this, miles away, was the sea, and beyond the sea the sky, full of clouds which were just turning rose colour with the refle of the su. But just where the land of Narnia met the sea - in fact, at the mouth of the great river - there was something on a little hill, shining. It was shining because it was a castle and of course the sunlight was reflected from all the windows which looked towards Peter and the su; but to Peter it looked like a great star resting on the seashore.
"That, O Man," said Aslan, "is Cair Paravel of the four thrones, in one of whiust sit as King. I show it to you because you are the first-born and you will be High King over all the rest.”
And once more Peter said nothing, for at that moment a strange noise woke the silence suddenly. It was like a bugle, but richer.
"It is your sisters horn," said Aslan to Peter in a low voice; so low as to be almost a purr, if it is not disrespectful to think of a Lion purring.
For a momeer did not uand. Then, when he saw all the other creatures start forward and heard Aslan say with a wave of his paw, "Back! Let the Prince win his spurs," he did uand, a off running as hard as he could to the pavilion. And there he saw a dreadful sight.
The Naiads and Dryads were scattering in every dire. Lucy was running towards him as fast as her short legs would carry her and her face was as white as paper. Then he saw Susan make a dash for a tree, and swing herself up, followed by a huge grey beast. At first Peter thought it was a bear. Then he saw that it looked like an Alsatian, though it was far too big to be a dog. Then he realized that it was a wolf - a wolf standing on its hind legs, with its front paws against the tree-trunk, snapping and snarling. All the hair on its back stood up on end. Susan had not been able to get higher than the sed big branch.
One of her legs hung down so that her foot was only an inch or two above the snappih. Peter wondered why she did not get higher or at least take a better grip; then he realized that she was just going to faint and that if she fainted she would fall off.
Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no differeo what he had to do. He rushed straight up to the monster and aimed a slash of his sword at its side. That stroke never reached the Wolf. Quick as lightning it turned round, its eyes flaming, and its mouth wide open in a howl of anger. If it had not been so angry that it simply had to howl it would have got him by the throat at once. As it was -
though all this happeoo quickly for Peter to think at all - he had just time to duck dolunge his sword, as hard as he could, between the brutes fs into its heart. Then came a horrible, fused moment like something in a nightmare. He was tugging and pulling and the Wolf seemed her alive nor dead, and its bared teeth knocked against his forehead, and everything was blood a and hair. A moment later he found that the monster lay dead and he had drawn his sword out of it and was straightening his bad rubbing the sweat off his fad out of his eyes. He felt tired all over.
Then, after a bit, Susan came dowree. She aer felt pretty shaky when they met and I wont say there wasnt kissing and g on both sides. But in Narnia no ohinks any the worse of you for that.
"Quick! Quick!" shouted the voice of Aslan. "taurs! Eagles! I see another wolf ihickets. There - behind you. He has just darted away. After him, all of you. He will be going to his mistress. Now is your ce to find the Witd rescue the fourth Son of Adam." And instantly with a thunder of hoofs aing of wings a dozen or so of the swiftest creatures disappeared into the gathering darkness.
Peter, still out of breath, turned and saw Aslan close at hand.
"You have fotten to your sword," said Aslan.
It was true. Peter blushed when he looked at the bright blade and saw it all smeared with the Wolfs hair and blood. He stooped down and wiped it quite on the grass, and then wiped it quite dry on his coat.
"Hand it to me and kneel, Son of Adam," said Aslan. And wheer had done so he struck him with the flat of the blade and said, "Rise up, Sir Peter Wolfs -Bane. And, whatever happens, never fet to wipe your sword.”
Now we must get baund. When he had been made to walk far further than he had ever known that anybody could walk, the Witch at last halted in a dark valley all overshadowed with fir trees arees. Edmund simply sank down and lay on his face doing nothing at all and not even g what was going to happe provided they would let him lie still. He was too tired even to notice how hungry and thirsty he was. The Witd the dwarf were talking close beside him in low tones.
"No," said the dwarf, "it is no use now, O Queen. They must have reached the Stoable by now.”
"Perhaps the Wolf will smell us out and bring us news," said the Witch.
"It ot be good news if he does," said the dwarf.
"Four thrones in Cair Paravel," said the Witch. "How if only three were filled? That would not fulfil the prophecy.”
"What difference would that make now that He is here?" said the dwarf. He did not dare, even now, to mention the name of Aslan to his mistress.
"He may not stay long. And then - we would fall upohree at Cair.”
"Yet it might be better," said the dwarf, "to keep this one" (here he kicked Edmund) "for bargaining with.”
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