84. The Chronicles of Narnia Series - Book 3: the HORSE and HIS BOY

C.S. Lewis 1954

This is the third book of seven of the chronologically renumbered Narnian series and is set during the time of King Peter's reign in Narnia. While Queen Susan was trying to escape an arranged marriage to Tisroc's son Rashmedah, an orphan boy named Shasta flees his callous adoptive father with the help of a great war Narnian horse named Bree. They meet Aravis, a brave young girl with her Narnian horse Hwin. She is also trying to escape marriage to Tisroc's vizier so they decide to go back to Narnia together. During the journey, Shasta gets mistaken for Corin, a prince from Archenland and they accidentally discover a plot to invade Archenland and Narnia. The book ends well, of course with the help of Aslan, and the happy discovery of Shasta's real identity.

'This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were Kings and Queens under him.'(opening line)

'For one of the poets has said, 'Application to business is the root of prosperity, but those who ask questions that do not concern them are steering the ship of folly toward the rock of indigence.'(3)

"You yourself have wisely said," answered Arsheesh, "that the boy's labor has been to me of inestimable value. This must be taken into account in fixing his price. For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work."(7)

"Narnia," answered the Horse. "The happy land of Narnia-- Narnia of the heathery mountains and the thymy downs, Narnia of the many rivers, the plashing glens, the mossy caverns and the deep forests ringing with the hammers of the Dwarfs. Oh the sweet air of Narnia! An hour's life there is better that a thousand years in Calormen,"(10)

'But in spite of his rude words Bree was a patient teacher. No one can teach riding as well as a horse. Shasta learned to trot, to canter, to jump, and to keep his seat even when Bree pulled up suddenly or swung unexpectedly to the left or the right-- which, as Bree told him, was a thing you might have to do at any moment in a battle.'(24)

'Apparently," thought Shasta to himself, "I'm being mistaken for a prince of Archenland, wherever that is. And these must be Narnians. I wonder where the real Corin is?"(64)

'Shasta lay down beside it with his back against the cat and his face towards the Tombs, because if one is nervous there's nothing like having your face toward the danger and having something warm and solid at your back.'(92)

"My son, by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened Vizier: for as a costly jewel retains its value even if hidden in a dung-hill, so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects."(119)

'One of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you come to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them; so that Aravis (though she remembered them years later) had only a vague impression of gray lawns, quietly bubbling fountains, and the long black shadows of cypress trees.'(132)

"Now,' said Bree. "All that about galloping for a day and a night, like in stories, can't really be done. it must be walk and trot: but brisk trots and short walks. And whenever we walk you two humans can slip off and walk too. Now. Are you ready, Hwin? Off we go. Narnia and the North!"(136)

'But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.'(146)

'He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one.'(155)

"But that's just the point," groaned Bree. "Do Talking Horses roll? Supposing they don't? I can't bear to give it up. What do you think, Hwin?"(225)

HarperCollins first renumbered Edition
241 pages
Book borrowed from JRMD