Narnia -

Chapter 1: Lucy Looks Into a Wardrobe Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are four siblings who have been sent to the country to escape the air raids of World War II. They stay with Professor Kirke, an eccentric but kind old man, who resides in a house filled with twists, turns, and surprises. On their first day in the country it rains, so the Pevensies decide to explore the house. As they explore, they discover a spare room that is completely empty except for a large wardrobe. Peter, Susan, and Edmund leave the room, but Lucy stays behind to look inside the wardrobe. Surprised when the wardrobe door opens, Lucy steps inside the enormous closet to find a snowy wood at the back of it. Intrigued, she explores the wood, knowing that the safe wardrobe is still behind her. Eventually she meets a faun, a creature that is half goat and half man. The faun is carrying an umbrella and several parcels. When it sees Lucy, it is so startled that it drops all of its packages. Chapter 2: What Lucy Found There After the faun recovers from the scare, it asks Lucy if she is a Daughter of Eve. Lucy does not understand this question, but she later realizes that the faun is asking whether Lucy is a human girl. Lucy replies that she is a girl, of course. The faun introduces himself as Tumnus, and asks Lucy how she has arrived in Narnia. Narnia, it turns out, is the name of this strange land that Lucy has entered. Lucy is confused and replies that she has come in through the wardrobe in the spare room. Tumnus misunderstands this, and thinks that Lucy comes from a city called War Drobe and a country called Spare Oom. Tumnus invites Lucy to his home for tea. Lucy agrees, on the condition that she does not stay for a long time, and they travel the path to Tumnus's house. Lucy has a delightful tea with Tumnus. Tumnus serves wonderful food and then plays beautiful music for her on a little flute. Finally Lucy shakes herself out of her reverie, or dream, and announces that she must go home. The faun sorrowfully tells her that she cannot go home. When Lucy asks why, the faun bursts into tears. Lucy comforts him as best she can, and Tumnus tells her that he is crying from guilt. He is a servant of the White Witch, the horrible ruler of Narnia, who has cast a spell over the land so that it is always winter and never Christmas. He has been enlisted to catch any humans he can find and bring them to her. Tumnus does not say what the witch will do with the humans, but we can assume that they will be killed. Lucy begs Tumnus to release her, and he agrees, saying that he had never met a human before and did not know what they were like. Tumnus walks Lucy back to the lamppost at the border between Narnia and the wardrobe door, and they say farewell. Chapter 3: Edmund and the Wardrobe Lucy dashes out of Narnia and through the wardrobe, excitedly assuring everyone that she is all right. She is shocked when her siblings declare that she has only been gone for a few seconds. She brings them back to look in the wardrobe to show them the strange world of Narnia, but now it is just an ordinary wardrobe. Peter and Susan tolerantly assume that she is just making up stories, but Edmund spitefully torments her about her fantasy world. On the next rainy day, the children play a game of hide and seek. Lucy wants to check and see if the wardrobe really is empty. Edmund peers into the spare room and sees Lucy vanishing into the wardrobe. He follows her into the wardrobe, intending to keep teasing her, but once inside he finds himself in Narnia. Edmund sees no sign of Lucy and Edmund is unsure what to do. Suddenly, a deathly pale woman approaches on a sledge pulled by white reindeer. She is carrying a wand and wears a fur robe and a crown. The woman stops in front of Edmund, demanding to know what he is. Edmund introduces himself awkwardly. She sternly informs him that she is the Queen of Narnia and that he must address her appropriately. Edmund is puzzled, and stammers something incoherently. Chapter 4: Turkish Delight With some prodding, the Queen discovers that Edmund is a human child. Though she had looked stern and threatening to Edmund at first, when she hears that he is a human she suddenly becomes very attentive, and invites Edmund to sit in her sledge under her fur mantle and talk with her. Edmund does not dare disobey her orders. The Queen conjures up food and drink for him, which consists of a hot drink and a box of Turkish Delight (a type of flavored gelatin coated in powdered sugar). As he eats and drinks, the Queen asks him many questions. Edmund might have been wary of trusting this strange, imposing woman, but he is completely fixated on the sweet food. The narrator explains that the Turkish Delight is enchanted, causing whoever eats it to feel an insatiable greed for more. This sweet dessert compels the unfortunate eater to keep on eating it until he is prevented from doing so or until it kills him. Since Edmund is distracted by his desire, he does not notice the ominous signs when the Queen interrogates him sharply about his family, particularly his brothers and sisters. She seems intrigued to hear that there are four children in his family, two boys and two girls. Edmund also tells her that Lucy has been to Narnia and met a faun. When Edmund finishes the Turkish Delight, he desperately hopes that the Queen will offer him more, but she does not. Instead, she asks him to bring his brother and sisters to Narnia to meet her. The Queen does not give Edmund an adequate explanation for why she wants to meet them, but she tells Edmund that she will give him all the Turkish Delight he wants if he brings them to her. This is reason enough for Edmund. The Queen sends him back to the lamppost. There he meets Lucy, who tells him she has been with Tumnus, who is well and has not been punished by the White Witch for his treachery. Edmund asks her for details about the White Witch, and he realizes that the Queen of Narnia is the same person. Edmund, however, is still obsessed with Turkish Delight and rationalizes that the Witch and the Queen are not the same entity. Edmund and Lucy go back into the wardrobe to the Professor's house. Although Lucy is ecstatic that now Edmund can support her story, Edmund is not eager to look like a fool because of his original skepticism. Chapter 5: Back on This Side of the Door Lucy and Edmund come bursting out of the wardrobe. Lucy enthusiastically tells Peter and Susan about Narnia and wants Edmund to back up her story. When Lucy tells the story and looks to Edmund for verification, Edmund tells the others that he and Lucy were just playing a game. This gives him an opportunity to act superior to Lucy, but his plan backfires. Instead, Peter and Susan think he has been spitefully playing with Lucy's mind. Feeling that they are getting out of their league and fearing that Lucy is losing her mind, Peter and Susan decide to seek the advice of the Professor. When they speak to him, they are surprised to find that he appears to believe Lucy's story. He points out that they have never known her to lie, whereas Edmund has a history of lying. The Professor says that the rest of Lucy's behavior proves that she is not insane. He contends that Susan and Peter's views of the possible and impossible are narrow if they reject the possibility of "another world" such as Narnia. Furthermore, the Professor also concocts an ingenious theory to explain how Lucy was only gone for a second. He explains that a separate world would more likely have a separate time that would not correspond to our sense of time. Peter and Susan leave the Professor's room more confused than when they went entered, but with just enough doubt to become wary of the whole subject. They remain quiet about the issue and make sure that Edmund leaves Lucy alone, so the excitement seems to subside. One day, all four children are standing together in a hallway when they hear the housekeeper coming down the hall with a tour party. Fearful of being found in an awkward situation, they try to avoid the party, but the party seems to follow them everywhere, and they find themselves chased into the wardrobe room. Hearing people fumbling at the door, they all step into the wardrobe. Chapter 6: Into the Forest Once in the wardrobe, the Pevensie children notice almost immediately that they have entered the world of Narnia. Together they set out to explore the snowy wood. On the way, Edmund admits that he has been in Narnia before, and everyone is furious with him. Lucy leads the group to Tumnus's home, but when they get there, they find that it has been ransacked. A note on the floor informs all visitors that Tumnus has been taken away on charges of treason. Lucy understands immediately that this means the Witch has discovered that Tumnus spared her life. Lucy implores the others to help her rescue Tumnus, and everyone except Edmund agrees. Since Edmund is outvoted, they continue on to save the faun. They do not know where they are going, but a robin leads them to the middle of the wood. Peter, Susan, and Lucy believe that the robin is friendly, but Edmund whispers to Peter that the robin may be on the wrong side, and leading them into a trap. Edmund contends that they do not even know which is the wrong side and which is the right. He also points out that they now have no idea how to return home, which troubles Peter greatly. Chapter 7: A Day with the Beavers As Edmund and Peter discuss whether the robin can be trusted, it flies away. Edmund declares that this vindicates his claim that the robin is untrustworthy. The children notice a creature in the woods. The creature turns out to be a talking beaver named Mr. Beaver. Mr. Beaver tells the children that he is a friend of Tumnus. He verifies his identity by showing the children the handkerchief that Lucy gave Tumnus, which Tumnus in turn gave Mr. Beaver, should he be captured. Mr. Beaver tells the children that he has been enlisted to take them to see Aslan The children react strangely when they hear the name Aslan. Peter, Susan, and Lucy all experience delight, whereas Edmund is mysteriously horrified. Mr. Beaver insists on conducting this exchange with great secrecy, for fear of being heard by spies. Spies might be present even among the trees, some of which are inhabited by spirits called dryads. The children begin to ask Mr. Beaver questions, but he responds that it is not safe to talk, and that he will take them back to his house for dinner and conversation.The children hurry back to the dam and hut with Mr. Beaver. Peter, Susan, and Lucy focus on the dam, while Edmund observes his surroundings and notices the two hills the Witch had mentioned. Edmund begins to dream about slipping away and joining the Witch. However, he enters the hut with the rest, where they meet Mrs. Beaver. Together they all prepare a simple and delicious meal of fish and potatoes. The children are famished, so they eat with gusto. Only when the meal is finished does Mr. Beaver suggest that they get down to business. Chapter 8: What Happened After Dinner Mr. Beaver confirms that Tumnus was taken away by the Secret Police, who are under the control of the White Witch. He assumes that Tumnus has been turned to stone. The children are horrified and want to rescue Tumnus, but Mr. Beaver tells them that there is nothing they can do except go to Aslan The children beg to hear more about Aslan, and they feel the same sensation as when his name was first mentioned. Mr. Beaver tells them that Aslan is the King of Narnia, and that he is the rightful King, as opposed to the Witch who is masquerading as Queen. Aslan is not in Narnia often, the beaver says, but when he is, he makes everything right. Susan asks if Aslan is a man, and Mr. Beaver tells her, quite sternly, that he is not a man but a lion—the king of beasts. When the children express trepidation about meeting a lion, Mr. Beaver tells them that they are supposed to be nervous, as no one with any sense would feel completely fearless when meeting Aslan. Despite this, Mr. Beaver says that Aslan is good. The children are to meet Aslan the next day at a place called the Stone Table. They need to fulfill a prophecy—when the four thrones at Cair Paravel are occupied by four "Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve," it will end bad times in Narnia. He tells them that the Queen has twisted this prophecy into a justification for her reign. She says that she is human and the rightful heir to the throne. She is not really human, however, but half giant and half Jinn. She is descended on one side from Lilith, an apocryphal and mythological figure who was said to be the original wife of Adam. Suddenly they all notice that Edmund is missing. The children are distraught and want to form a search party, but Mr. Beaver tells them that this is unnecessary. He joined the White Witch, explains Mr. Beaver, as there was a look in his eye that branded him a traitor. No one remembers how much Edmund heard of the plan to meet Aslan. This is crucial, because the less Edmund tells the Witch the better. The children cannot afford to wait at the Beaver's home. They immediately begin their journey to the Stone Table on routes the Witch would not expect them to take. They hope that the Witch will not catch them before they can reach Aslan. Chapter 9: In the Witch's House Lewis shifts the story's point of view to Edmund. Edmund left the Beavers' house after the children had already devised the plan to meet Aslan at the Stone Table. During Edmund's long walk through the ice and the snow, he works hard to convince himself that the Witch is on the right side and everyone else is wrong. He persuades himself by focusing on Turkish Delight. Edmund also thinks about the modern changes he will make in Narnia after he becomes a prince. When he reaches the White Witch 's castle he finds a courtyard filled with stone statues. The first one he sees is a lion, which he believes to be Aslan. He assumes that the Witch has already triumphed over Aslan and turned him to stone. Edmund enters the castle and encounters a wolf named Maugrim, the chief of the Witch's Secret Police. The wolf fetches the Witch and Edmund tells her everything he heard at the Beavers' house. The Witch is shaken by the news that Aslan is in Narnia. The Witch summons her servant, a dwarf, and commands him to prepare a sledge (a strong and heavy sled). Chapter 10: The Spell Begins to Break Susan, Peter, Lucy, and the Beavers quickly leave the house and travel to the Stone Table. It is a long walk over rough terrain, and the children are exhausted. Mr. Beaver leads them to a dry, earthy cave where they can rest for a few hours. They awaken to the sound of bells and assume that they are hearing the Witch in her sledge. Mr. Beaver darts up to the surface to see which way she is headed. A moment later, he calls down to them to come out, because it is not the Witch after all. When the children exit the cave, they find that it is Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. Santa Claus explains that Christmas has finally arrived and that the Witch's power is weakening. He gives everyone a gift. Santa Claus gives Mrs. Beaver a new sewing machine and tells Mr. Beaver that his dam has been mended. Santa Claus then gives gifts to the children, but they are tools, not toys. Peter receives a sword and a red shield with a gold lion emblazoned on it to defend himself in battle. Santa Claus gives Susan a bow and arrow "to be used in time of greatest need," as he does not intend her to fight in battles. He also presents her with a horn that she can blow that will help save her from danger. Santa Claus offers Lucy a dagger that is also to be used in time of greatest need. When Lucy protests that she is brave enough to fight in battle, Santa Claus gravely tells her, "Battles are ugly when women fight." He also gives Lucy a bottle of magic cordial and explains that a few drops of will heal any injury or ailment. Then Santa Claus gives them all marvelous food and tea and dashes off to bring Christmas to more people, animals, and creatures. Chapter 11: Aslan is Nearer The book's point of view returns to Edmund. Edmund musters up the courage to ask the Witch for some Turkish Delight, but she refuses at first. Then, she realizes that Edmund could faint on the journey, so she orders the dwarf to bring him stale bread and water. She commands Maugrim to lead a pack of wolves to the Beavers' house and kill anyone they find there. The Witch brings Edmund and the dwarf to the sledge and sets out herself to find the children. Edmund feels miserable—he is soaked to the skin and ignored by the Witch. Now that he is on the receiving end of the Witch's cruelty, he realizes what she is really like. Unfortunately, it is too late for Edmund to do anything about it now. As Edmund and the Witch ride through the snowy landscape, they see a merry little party of small animals enjoying a magnificent tea. The Witch demands to know where they got the feast. They explain that Father Christmas gave it to them. The Witch is infuriated and turns the small animals to stone. Edmund is horrified, but there is nothing he can do and they continue on. As they travel, Edmund notices that it is becoming harder and harder for the sledge to move. He soon realizes why, as he can see snow melting in every direction. The sledge becomes lodged in a ditch, and the Witch, Edmund and the dwarf have to pull it out. After it gets stuck in another ditch, they know they cannot use the sledge anymore and must walk. The Witch becomes more and more agitated as they go on and the snow continues to thaw. Soon Edmund sees flowers and other signs of spring. Finally, the dwarf stops and announces that Aslan caused the season to change to spring. The Witch promises to kill the next person who mentions the name Aslan. Chapter 12: Peter's First Battle While Edmund suffers on his journey with the Witch, the other children and the Beavers have a delightful time. They know that they can beat the Witch to the Stone Table, since her sledge has become useless, so they are able to relax and enjoy the beautiful signs of spring. That evening they reach the Stone Table a strange, low, ancient table made of stone and carved with runes and symbols. Beyond it, the children can just barely glimpse the sea. To their left is a golden pavilion, and to their right, surrounded by good creatures of Narnia, is Aslan. The children are in awe of him. Aslan's majestic face inspires reverence and fear. Eventually Peter approaches him, putting the others at ease. Aslan asks where Edmund is, and Mr. Beaver tells him that he has betrayed them and joined the White Witch. Aslan does not reply, but then Peter takes part of the blame, explaining that he was angry with Edmund and that this may have contributed to his treachery. Lucy begs Aslan to save Edmund, and Aslan tells her that he will do everything he can, but that it will not be easy. Aslan orders the creatures around him to prepare a feast for the children. Then he leads Peter aside and shows him Cair Paravel, a castle on a peninsula where the children will live and reign. Aslan tells Peter that he will "be the High King over all the rest." As they are talking, Peter and Aslan hear Susan's horn, which Father Christmas gave her. She is supposed to blow the horn when she is in danger, as it will bring help. The other animals begin to run to help her, but Aslan stops them and waves Peter on. Peter runs over and sees Susan climbing a tree, pursued by a huge wolf. She only gets as far as the first branch before she comes so close to fainting that she cannot go any higher. Peter knows that if she faints she will fall to danger. He rushes over and stabs the wolf in the heart with the sword that Father Christmas gave him. There is a short struggle, but in the end the wolf lies dead at Peter's feet. Aslan sees another wolf dash into the thicket and sends his fastest animals after it, saying that the wolf will lead them to the Witch and to Edmund. He then knights Peter, after chastising him for forgetting to wipe his sword. Chapter 13: Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time The wolf that Aslan spotted running through the trees dashes back to the Witch and tells her that Maugrim is dead and Aslan is in Narnia. The Witch remains calm and orders the wolf to gather all those Narnians who are on her side and prepare them for battle. As the wolf leaves, the Witch reminds the dwarf of the ancient prophecy. To end bad times in Narnia, four humans must sit in the thrones at Cair Paravel. If they kill Edmund, explains the Witch, the prophecy will not come true. The dwarf agrees with the Witch, and they tie Edmund to a tree and prepare to kill him. At that moment, all of Aslan's creatures that followed the wolf burst into the scene. They free Edmund, but cannot find the Witch or the dwarf. The Witch uses her magic to transform herself into a boulder and the dwarf into an old stump. Eventually Aslan's creatures leave and the Witch removes her disguise. The next morning Peter, Susan, and Lucy find out that Edmund has been rescued and brought back to the camp. Aslan has a long talk with Edmund, and while no one hears what he says, Aslan's words clearly have a positive effect. Edmund apologizes to the others and then keeps his mouth shut. A messenger from the Witch approaches and requests that Aslan meet the Witch to discuss an undisclosed topic. Aslan agrees. We find out that Witch has asked Aslan to meet her so they can discuss Edmund. The Witch reminds Aslan of the "Deep Magic" of the Emperor Beyond the Sea, which says that any treachery committed in Narnia is punishable by death at the Witch's hands. Edmund is a traitor, so he must forfeit his life to her. Aslan admits that the Witch's words are correct. He then calls the Witch aside and has an intense and private discussion with her. When it is finished, the Witch looks elated and Aslan appears gloomy. Aslan tells everyone that the Witch has renounced her claim on Edmund's life. The Witch asks Aslan how she will know that Aslan will keep his promise. Aslan roars at her so fiercely that she runs for her life. Chapter 14: The Triumph of the Witch As soon as the Witch leaves, Aslan tersely announces to Peter, Susan, and Lucy that they must camp somewhere else. He does not explain why they must move, or what happened between him and the Witch. As the day progresses, Aslan becomes more despondent. Aslan even hints to Peter that he may not be present at the imminent battle between his forces and the Witch's followers. The camp is filled with gloom and trepidation. That night, Susan and Lucy worry about Aslan, so they cannot sleep. They realize that Aslan has left the pavilion, and they quickly leave to find him. Susan and Lucy spot Aslan and run to him, and beg to follow. Aslan agrees, as long as Susan and Lucy leave when he tells them to. As the three travel together, Aslan becomes increasingly depressed and apathetic. He pleads for human contact so he can alleviate his loneliness. At last they reach the Stone Table, and Aslan bids the children to leave. Instead, Susan and Lucy hide behind a bush. Lucy and Susan watch as hundreds of monstrous creatures surround Aslan and the Stone Table. These are horrible creatures from mythology and the darkest realms of the imagination. At the center of these awful creatures is the Witch. The Witch expects Aslan's arrival, and she tells her servants to tie him up. At first the servants are hesitant, but when Aslan does not resist, they are thrilled to oblige. The Witch's servants humiliate Aslan further by shaving off his mane, muzzling him, kicking him, and jeering at him. Aslan does not protest. The servants finish binding Aslan to the Stone Table and the Witch approaches him with her stone knife. The Witch tells Aslan that he is lost. The Witch says she will kill Aslan instead of Edmund as they agreed. This sacrifice will appease the Deep Magic. The Witch, however, explains that once Aslan is dead there will be nothing to prevent her from killing Edmund, as well as the other three children. Once Aslan is gone, the Witch will be Queen of Narnia forever. Lucy and Susan cover their eyes so they do not see the Witch murder Aslan. Chapter 15: Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time Immediately following Aslan murder, the Witch's forces leave to prepare for battle. Aslan's dead body remains on the Stone Table. Susan and Lucy come out from their hiding spot and cry over his body. Shamed and humiliated, the girls are unable to face Aslan. Susan and Lucy manage to remove the muzzle from Aslan, but they are unable to untie the cords around his body. Susan and Lucy spend the rest of the night in a miserable daze, and cry until they cannot cry any longer. Eventually Susan and Lucy return to Aslan's body and see mice scampering over him. Susan raises a hand to scare them away when Lucy notices that they are actually nibbling at the cords and trying to untie him. The mice leave as dawn arrives, and Susan and Lucy walk around aimlessly as the sky brightens. The girls look at Cair Paravel when the first ray of gold breaks out over the horizon. At that moment, Susan and Lucy hear a deafening crack. They whirl around and see that the Stone Table has broken in half. Aslan has disappeared. Lucy asks if this is more magic, and a voice behind her answers that it is, indeed, more magic. Susan and Lucy whirl around again and see Aslan, alive. Susan and Lucy rush to Aslan, and Susan asks him if Aslan is a ghost. Aslan alleviates their fears with one warm breath. To answer their question, Aslan explains that the Witch was right, that the Deep Magic had decreed that all traitors' lives are forfeited to the Witch. If the Witch had looked back before the dawn of time, she would have learned that when a willing, innocent victim is killed by a traitor, the Stone Table will crack and death will be reversed. Elated by this revelation, Aslan leads Susan and Lucy on a wild romp through Narnia. Once Aslan, Susan, and Lucy are finished playing, the stoic Aslan announces that he has lots of work to do. Aslan tells the girls to ride on his back. Susan and Lucy have a wonderful ride through Narnia, and marvel at the scenery and how quickly Aslan travels. Eventually their journey brings them to the Witch's house. Aslan leaps over the gates in one tremendous bound and enters the courtyard with the silent stone statues. Chapter 16: What Happened About the Statues Once Aslan, Susan, and Lucy are in the courtyard, Aslan begins to breathe on each statue. The girls cannot figure out what Aslan is doing until they notice what happens to the stone lion, the first statue that Aslan breathes on. A ripple of gold appears and the statue transforms into a real lion. Throughout the courtyard all the statues come alive, including the loyal Narnians that the Witch had enchanted—the talking animals, centaurs, satyrs, and even a giant. Next, Aslan, Susan, and Lucy storm the dungeons, where they find more stone prisoners, including the faun Tumnus. Once Aslan restores all of the statues, Aslan leads all of the creatures as a troop to help Peter in battle. Peter's army had been faltering against the Witch's troops, and was desperately in need of reinforcements. When Aslan's troops arrive, they see Peter and the Witch dueling furiously. Peter wields the sword that Father Christmas gave him and the Witch holds her stone knife. Aslan quickly interrupts the fight. Aslan leaps upon the Witch and kills her instantly. Chapter 17: The Hunting of the White Stag Once Aslan's new army joins the fight and the Witch dies, the battle is brief. Lucy immediately notices that Peter has become stronger and seems older. Peter recounts the fight to Aslan and tells him that they would have been decimated if it had not been for Edmund's intelligence. Peter's army was losing against the Witch, because she would turn Peter's army into stone. Edmund furiously fought the Witch and realized that he should smash her wand instead of attacking her directly. The destruction of her wand had restored some hope in Peter's army, but Edmund was terribly wounded in the attack. Peter leads Aslan, Susan, and Lucy to where Edmund lies on the ground, mortally wounded. Aslan reminds Lucy of the magic healing cordial that Father Christmas gave her, and Lucy eagerly pours a few drops down Edmund's throat. Lucy cannot stay to see if the cordial works because there are so many other wounded people. When Lucy finally returns, Edmund is well again and looks better than ever. Edmund has lost the sullen, spiteful look that he had had ever since he began attending school. Edmund returns to his real old self and Aslan knights him. Aslan crowns the children as the kings and queens of Narnia, and then Aslan disappears. Mr. Beaver explains that Aslan is expected to leave and then return whenever necessary. The children reign long and faithfully. They enact fair laws and keep Narnia peaceful and harmonious. Naturally, they grow up to become adults. Peter is known for his valor and strength, and is called King Peter the Magnificent. Susan is known for her beauty and grace, and is called Queen Susan the Gentle. Edmund is famous for his intelligence and fairness, and is called King Edmund the Just. Lucy is known everywhere by her gaiety and high spirits, and she is called Queen Lucy the Valiant. One day, after the Pevensies have ruled over Narnia for many years, the now middle-aged Faun Tumnus speaks to them about the White Stag. The White Stag is fabled to grant wishes to whoever catches him, and he has been spotted in Narnia. The Pevensies immediately embark on a hunt and are drawn into Lantern Waste, the wood where the lamppost stands, and where they entered Narnia many years before. There, they find the door through which they originally entered Narnia. The lamppost engenders strange feelings in the four of them, because they can't quite remember what it is, or where they've seen it before. They continue to seek the White Stag, but all at once they find themselves tumbling out of the wardrobe. Suddenly the Pevensies are children again and Mrs. Macready is still in the hall. The children tell the whole story to the Professor, who assures them not to worry. The Professor says that they will return to Narnia again someday, though not through the wardrobe. He explains that they will find other ways into Narnia and will have many more adventures there. Character List Aslan -  The king and god of Narnia. The noble lion sacrifices his life so that the Witch will spare Edmund. After being resurrected the next morning, Aslan rises and defeats the White Witch once and for all. In the context of the book's Christian allegory, Aslan represents Christ. The White Witch  -  This evil queen of Narnia places a spell on the land so that it is winter and never Christmas. The Witch is the "Emperor's hangman," as Mr. Beaver says, and she has the right to kill any Narnian traitor. She wields a wand that turns creatures and people to stone. The wand also produces the Turkish Delight that enslaves Edmund and makes him greedy. The Witch kills Aslan, and it is only after he rises from the dead that he defeats her. Like any malicious character, the Witch, an embodiment of evil, could represent Satan, or she may be a servant of Satan. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia thought she has no right to be queen at all, and all the Fauns and Dryands and Naiads and Dwarfs and Animals—at least all the good ones—simply hate her." Peter Pevensie  -  Peter is the oldest of the Pevensie children, and he is noble and courageous. He matures into a young man during his first few days in Narnia. He immediately proves himself after protecting Susan from a ferocious wolf. Aslan knights him, and eventually crowns him the High King of Narnia. During his reign he is known as King Peter the Magnificent. Susan Pevensie  -  The second oldest of the Pevensie children, Susan is the beauty among the Pevensies. She is sweet and kind, and perhaps a little bland. Santa Claus gives her a horn to blow if she ever finds herself in a dangerous situation. When she becomes queen at Cair Paravel, she is known as Queen Susan the Gentle. Edmund Pevensie  -  The third oldest Pevensie child, Edmund is a brat for most of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Edmund is spiteful and mean, and likes to tease his sister, Lucy. His greed for the enchanted Turkish Delight leads him to act as a traitor against his siblings. Edmund joins forces with the White Witch, but eventually sees the error of his ways and returns to the good side. Lucy Pevensie  -  The youngest Pevensie is cheerful, kind, and brave. This curious, happy-go-lucky girl is the first of the children to venture into Narnia. Later, she urges her siblings to search for her friend, Tumnus, when they find that the faun's home is ransacked. In the beginning, she is the protagonist, although Aslan fills that role later in the novel. We view much of the action through her optimistic eyes, as a foil to the skeptical eyes as Edmund. Santa Claus gives Lucy a cordial, which she uses to heal the wounded following the battle with the Witch's troops. She is known as Queen Lucy the Valiant. Tumnus  -  Lucy meets Tumnus, a faun, on her first excursion into Narnia. He initially intends to kidnap her and bring her to the White Witch. Tumnus does not go through with it, and he spares her life. For his crime, the Witch ransacks his home and petrifies him. Later, Aslan rescues Tumnus from the spell. Kind, sensitive, and caring, Tumnus and Lucy become fast friends once it is settled that he is not going capture her. He also makes a mean cup of tea. Professor Kirke  -  Professor Kirke is a slightly eccentric, elderly professor. He takes care of the Pevensie children so they can escape the air raids in London during World War II. Wise and open-minded, he helps Peter and Susan understand that Narnia may indeed exist. Mr. Beaver -  Mr. Beaver is Tumnus's friend, and he aids the Pevensie children in the search for the petrified faun. Mr. Beaver introduces the Pevensies to Santa Claus and ultimately brings them to the Stone Table and Aslan Mrs. Beaver -  She is Mr. Beaver's wife. Mrs. Beaver is kindly, good-natured, motherly, and a good cook. Dwarf -  The dwarf is one of the Witch's evil henchman and is her right-hand man. Maugrim  -  Maugrim is a wolf and the chief of the Witch's Secret Police. Peter murders the evil wolf after Maugrim chases Susan up a tree. Father Christmas  -  Father Christmas is also known as Santa Claus and he makes a cameo appearance in the land of Narnia. He explains that Christmas has arrived in Narnia and as a gift, gives special tools to each of children. Emperor-over-the-Sea -  We never meet him, but he is Aslan's father and the ultimate God of Narnia. He is the Father, while Aslan is the Son, in the Christian trinity. There does not seem to be a clear Holy Spirit in Narnia. Plot Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie are four siblings sent to live in the country with the eccentric Professor Kirke during World War II. The children explore the house on a rainy day and Lucy, the youngest, finds an enormous wardrobe. Lucy steps inside and finds herself in a strange, snowy wood. Lucy encounters the Faun Tumnus, who is surprised to meet a human girl. Tumnus tells Lucy that she has entered Narnia, a different world. Tumnus invites Lucy to tea, and she accepts. Lucy and Tumnus have a wonderful tea, but the faun bursts into tears and confesses that he is a servant of the evil White Witch. The Witch has enchanted Narnia so that it is always winter and never Christmas. Tumnus explains that he has been enlisted to capture human beings. Lucy implores Tumnus to release her, and he agrees. Lucy exits Narnia and eagerly tells her siblings about her adventure in the wardrobe. They do not believe her, however. Lucy's siblings insist that Lucy was only gone for seconds and not for hours as she claims. When the Pevensie children look in the back of the wardrobe they see that it is an ordinary piece of furniture. Edmund teases Lucy mercilessly about her imaginary country until one day when he sees her vanishing into the wardrobe. Edmund follows Lucy and finds himself in Narnia as well. He does not see Lucy, and instead meets the White Witch that Tumnus told Lucy about. The Witch Witch introduces herself to Edmund as the Queen of Narnia. The Witch feeds Edmund enchanted Turkish Delight, which gives Edmund an insatiable desire for the dessert. The Witch uses Edmund's greed and gluttony to convince Edmund to bring back his siblings to meet her. On the way back to the lamppost, the border between Narnia and our world, Edmund meets Lucy. Lucy tells Edmund about the White Witch. Edmund denies any connection between the Witch and the Queen. All Edmund can think about is his desire for the Turkish Delight. Lucy and Edmund return to Peter and Susan, back in their own world. Lucy relies on Edmund to support her story about Narnia, but Edmund spitefully tells Peter and Susan that it is a silly story. Peter and Susan are worried that Lucy is insane so they talk to Professor Kirke. The Professor shocks Peter and Susan by arguing that Lucy is telling the truth. One day the children hide in the wardrobe to avoid the housekeeper and some houseguests. Suddenly all four Pevensie children find themselves in Narnia. Lucy leads them to Tumnus's home, but a note informs them that Tumnus has been arrested on charges of treason. Lucy realized that this means the Witch knows that Tumnus spared Lucy's life, and that the Witch has captured Tumnus. Lucy implores her siblings to help her rescue Tumnus from the Witch. Guided by a friendly robin, the children wander into the woods, and meet Mr. Beaver. Mr. Beaver brings them back to his home, where he explains that the children cannot do anything to save Tumnus. The only thing the children can do is join Mr. Beaver on a journey to see Aslan a lion. Aslan appears to be a king or god figure in Narnia. The children are all pleasantly enchanted by the name Aslan, except for Edmund, who is horrified by the sound of it. Mr. Beaver, Peter, Susan, and Lucy plot to meet Aslan at the Stone Table the following day, but they soon notice that Edmund has disappeared. Meanwhile, Edmund searches for the White Witch to warn her of Aslan's arrival and of the Beavers' plan. The Witch is enraged to hear that Aslan is in Narnia and immediately begins plotting to kill the children. The Witch wants to avoid an ancient prophecy that says that four humans will someday reign over Narnia and overthrow her evil regime. The children and the Beavers, meanwhile, rush to reach the Stone Table before the Witch. As they travel, wonderful seasonal changes occur. First they meet Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, who explains that the Witch's spell of "always winter and never Christmas" has ended. The enchanted winter snow melts and the children see signs of spring. Simultaneously, the Witch drags Edmund toward the Stone Table and treats him very poorly. Once spring arrives, the Witch cannot use her sledge anymore, so she cannot reach the Stone Table before the children. When the other three Pevensies meet Aslan, they are awed by him, but they quickly grow more comfortable in his presence. They love him immediately, despite their fear. Aslan promises to do all that he can to save Edmund. He takes Peter aside to show him the castle where he will be king. As they are talking, they hear Susan blowing the magic horn that Father Christmas gave her to her, signaling that she is in danger. Aslan sends Peter to help her. Arriving on the scene, Peter sees a wolf attacking Susan, and stabs it to death with the sword given him by Father Christmas. Aslan sees another wolf vanishing into a thicket, and sends his followers to trail it, hoping it will lead them to the Witch. The Witch is preparing to kill Edmund as the rescue party arrives. Aslan and his followers rescue Edmund, but are unable to find the Witch, who disguises herself as part of the landscape. Edmund is happy to see his siblings, as he has accepted that the Witch is evil. The next day, the Witch and Aslan speak and the Witch demands Edmund's life because she says that Edmund is a traitor. The Witch says that according to the Deep Magic of Narnia, a traitor life's is forfeit to the Witch. Aslan does not deny this, and he secretly reaches a compromise with her. The Witch appears very pleased, while Aslan seems pensive and depressed. The following night, Susan and Lucy observe Aslan grow increasingly gloomy and sad. The sisters are unable to sleep, and they notice that Aslan has disappeared. Susan and Lucy leave the pavilion to search for Aslan. When they find Aslan, he tells them they can stay until he tells them they must leave. Together, Aslan, Susan, and Lucy walk to the Stone Table, where Aslan tells them to leave. Susan and Lucy hide behind some bushes and watch the Witch and a horde of her followers torment, humiliate, and finally kill Aslan. The Witch explains that Aslan sacrificed his life for Edmund. Susan and Lucy stay with Aslan's dead body all night. In the morning, they hear a great cracking noise, and are astounded to see the Stone Table broken. Aslan has disappeared. Suddenly Susan and Lucy hear Aslan's voice from behind him. Aslan has risen from the dead. Aslan carries the girls to the Witch's castle, where they free all the prisoners who have been turned to stone. Aslan, Susan, and Lucy charge join the battle between Peter's army and the Witch's troops. Peter and his troops are exhausted. Fortunately, Aslan swiftly kills the Witch and Peter's army then defeats the Witch's followers. Aslan knights Edmund, who has atoned for his sin of siding with the Witch. The children ascend to the thrones at Cair Paravel, the castle in Narnia. Aslan subsequently disappears. The children eventually become adults and reign over Narnia for many years. One day, in a hunt for a magical white stag, they arrive at the lamppost that had marked the border between Narnia and our world. The Pevensies tumble back out of the wardrobe to our world. No time has passed, and they return to Professor Kirke's house as children. The foursome tells Professor Kirke about their adventure, and the Professor assures them that they will return to Narnia again some day.