〃it　was　i鈥?br />
  〃but　what　for？鈥?br />
  〃child；〃　said　the　voice；　〃i　am　telling　you　your　story；　not　hers。　i　tell　no　　one　any　story　but　his　own。鈥?br />
  〃who　are　you？〃　asked　shasta。
  〃myself；〃　said　the　voice；　very　deep　and　low　so　that　the　earth　shook：　and　　again　〃myself〃；　loud　and　clear　and　gay：　and　then　the　third　time　〃myself〃；　whispered　so　　softly　you　could　hardly　hear　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　e　from　all　round　you　as　if　the　　leaves　rustled　with　it。
  shasta　was　no　longer　afraid　that　the　voice　belonged　to　something　that　would　　eat　him；　nor　that　it　was　the　voice　of　a　ghost。　but　a　new　and　different　sort　of　trembling　　came　over　him。
  yet　he　felt　glad　too。
  the　mist　was　turning　from　black　to　grey　and　from　grey　to　white。　this　must　　have　begun　to　happen　some　time　ago；　but　while　he　had　been　talking　to　the　thing　he　had　not　　been　noticing　anything　else。　now；　the　whiteness　around　him　became　a　shining　　whiteness；　his　eyes　began　to　blink。　somewhere　ahead　he　could　hear　birds　singing。　he　knew　　the　night　was　over　at　last。　he　could　see　the　mane　and　ears　and　head　of　his　horse　　quite　easily　now。
  a　golden　light　fell　on　them　from　the　left。　he　thought　it　was　the　sun。
  he　turned　and　saw；　pacing　beside　him；　taller　than　the　horse；　a　lion。　the　　horse　did　not　seem　to　be　afraid　of　it　or　else　could　not　see　it。　it　was　from　the　lion　that　　the　light　came。
  no　one　ever　saw　anything　more　terrible　or　beautiful。
  luckily　shasta　had　lived　all　his　life　too　far　south　in　calormen　to　have　　heard　the　tales　that　were　whispered　in　tashbaan　about　a　dreadful　narnian　demon　that　appeared　in　　the　form　of　a　lion。　and　of　course　he　knew　none　of　the　true　stories　about　aslan；　the　　great　lion；　the　son　of　the　emperor…over…the…sea；　the　king　above　all　high　kings　in　narnia。　but　　after　one　glance　at　the　lions　face　he　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　fell　at　its　　feet。　he　couldnt　say　anything　but　then　he　didnt　want　to　say　anything；　and　he　knew　he　neednt　　say　anything。
  the　high　king　above　all　kings　stooped　towards　him。　its　mane；　and　some　　strange　and　solemn　perfume　that　hung　about　the　mane；　was　all　round　him。　it　touched　his　　forehead　with　its　tongue。　he　lifted　his　face　and　their　eyes　met。　then　instantly　the　　pale　brightness　of　the　mist　and　the　fiery　brightness　of　the　lion　rolled　themselves　together　　into　a　swirling　glory　and　gathered　themselves　up　and　disappeared。　he　was　alone　with　the　　horse　on　a　grassy　hillside　under　a　blue　sky。　and　there　were　birds　singing。
  锛穡w。xiaosh锛祇txt。c锛痬
  CHAPTER　TWELVE
  澶В诲锛岀敓锛屽皬锛岃'缃?br />
  shasta　in　narnia　　〃was　it　all　a　dream？〃　wondered　shasta。　but　it　couldnt　have　been　a　dream　　for　there　in　the　grass　before　him　he　saw　the　deep；　large　print　of　the　lions　front　right　　paw。　it　took　ones　breath　away　to　think　of　the　weight　that　could　make　a　footprint　like　　that。　but　there　was　something　more　remarkable　than　the　size　about　it。　as　he　looked　at　it；　　water　had　already　filled　the　bottom　of　it。　soon　it　was　full　to　the　brim；　and　then　　overflowing；　and　a　little　stream　was　running　downhill；　past　him；　over　the　grass。
  shasta　stooped　and　drank　…　a　very　long　drink　…　and　then　dipped　his　face　in　　and　splashed　his　head。　it　was　extremely　cold；　and　clear　as　glass；　and　refreshed　him　very　　much。　after　that　he　stood　up；　shaking　the　water　out　of　his　ears　and　flinging　the　wet　　hair　back　from　his　forehead；　and　began　to　take　stock　of　his　surroundings。
  apparently　it　was　still　very　early　morning。　the　sun　had　only　just　risen；　　and　it　had　risen　out　of　the　forests　which　he　saw　low　down　and　far　away　on　his　right。　the　　country　j　which　he　was　looking　at　was　absolutely　new　to　him。　it　was　t　a　green　valley…land　　dotted　with　trees　through　which　he　caught　the　gleam　of　a　river　that　wound　away　roughly　　to　the　north…west。　on　the　far　side　of　the　valley　there　were　high　and　even　rocky　hills；　　but　they　were　lower　than　the　mountains　he　had　seen　yesterday。　then　he　began　to　guess　　where　he　was。
  he　turned　and　looked　behind　him　and　saw　that　the　slope　on　which　he　was　　standing　belonged　to　a　range　of　far　higher　mountains。
  〃i　see；〃　said　shasta　to　himself。　〃those　are　the　big　mountains　between　　archenland　and　narnia。　i　was　on　the掳。　other　side　of　them　yesterday。　i　must　have　e　　through　the　pass　in　the　night。　what　luck　that　i　hit　it！　…　at　least　it　wasnt　luck　at　all　　really；　it　was　him。　and　now　im　in　narnia。鈥?br />
  he　turned　and　unsaddled　his　horse　and　took　off　its　bridle　…　〃though　you　are　　a　perfectly　horrid　horse；〃　he　said。　it　took　no　notice　of　this　remark　and　immediately　　began　eating　grass。　that　horse　had　a　very　low　opinion　of　shasta。
  〃i　wish　i　could　eat　grass！〃　thought　shasta。　〃its　no　good　going　back　to　　anvard；　itll　all　be　besieged。　id　better　get　lower　down　into　the　valley　and　see　if　i　can　get　　anything　to　eat。鈥?br />
  so　he　went　on　downhill　（the　thick　dew　was　cruelly　cold　to　his　bare　feet）　　till　he　came　into　a　wood。　there　was　a　kind　of　track　running　through　it　and　he　had　not　　followed　this　for　many　minutes　when　he　heard　a　thick　and　rather　wheezy　voice　saying　to　him。
  〃good　morning；　neighbour。鈥?br />
  shasta　looked　round　eagerly　to　find　the　speaker　and　presently　saw　a　small；　　prickly　person　with　a　dark　face　who　had　just　e　out　from　among　the　trees。　at　least；　it　　was　small　for　a　person　but　very　big　indeed　for　a　hedgehog；　which　was　what　it　was。
  〃good　morning；〃　said　shasta。　〃but　im　not　a　neighbour。　in　fact　im　a　　stranger　in　these　parts。鈥?br />
  〃ah？〃　said　the　hedgehog　inquiringly。
  〃ive　e　over　the　mountains　…　from　archenland；　you　know。鈥?br />
  〃ha；　archenland；〃　said　the　hedgehog。　〃thats　a　terrible　long　way。　never　　been　there　myself。鈥?br />
  〃and　i　think；　perhaps；〃　said　shasta；　〃someone　ought　to　be　told　that　theres　　an　army　of　savage　calormenes　attacking　anvard　at　this　very　moment。鈥?br />
  〃you　dont　say　so！〃　answered　the　hedgehog。　〃well；　think　of　that。　and　they　　do　say　that　calormen　is　hundreds　and　thousands　of　miles　away；　right　at　the　worlds　end；　　across　a　great　sea　of　sand。鈥?br />
  〃its　not　nearly　as　far　as　you　think；〃　said　shasta。　〃and　oughtnt　something　　to　be　done　about　this　attack　on　anvard？　oughtnt　your　high　king　to　be　told？鈥?br />
  〃certain　sure；　something　ought　to　be　done　about　it；〃　said　the　hedgehog。　　〃but　you　see　im　just　on　my　way　to　bed　for　a　good　days　sleep。　hullo；　neighbour！鈥?br />
  the　last　words　were　addressed　to　an　immense　biscuitcoloured　rabbit　whose　　head　had　just　popped　up　from　somewhere　beside　the　path。　the　hedgehog　immediately　told　the　　rabbit　what　it　had　just　learned　from　shasta。　the　rabbit　agreed　that　this　was　very　　remarkable　news　and　that　somebody　ought　to　tell　someone　about　it　with　a　view　to　doing　　something。
  and　so　it　went　on。　every　few　minutes　they　were　joined　by　other　creatures；　　some　from　the　branches　overhead　and　some　from　little　underground　houses　at　their　feet；　　till　the　party　consisted　of　five　rabbits；　a　squirrel；　two　magpies；　a　goat…foot　faun；　and　a　　mouse；　who　all　talked　at　the　same　time　and　all　agreed　with　the　hedgehog。　for　the　truth　was　　that　in　that　golden　age　when　the　witch　and　the　winter　had　gone　and　peter　the　high　king　　ruled　at　cair　paravel；　the　smaller　woodland　people　of　narnia　were　so　safe　and　happy　　that　they　were　getting　a　little　careless。
  presently；　however；　two　more　practical　people　arrived　in　the　little　wood。　　one　was　a　red　dwarf　whose　name　appeared　to　be　duffle。　the　other　was　a　stag；　a　beautiful　　lordly　creature　with　wide　liquid　eyes；　dappled　flanks　and　legs　so　thin　and　　graceful　that　they　looked　as　if　you　could　break　them　with　two　fingers。
  〃lion　alive！〃　roared　the　dwarf　as　soon　as　he　had　heard　the　news。　〃and　if　　thats　so；　why　are　we　all　standing　still；　chattering？　enemies　at　anvard！　news　must　be　sent　　to　cair　paravel　at　once。　the　army　must　be　called　out。　narnia　must　go　to　the　aid　of　　king　lune。鈥?br />
  〃ah！〃　said　the　hedgehog。　〃but　you　wont　find　the　high　king　at　the　cair。　　hes　away　to　the　north　trouncing　those　giants。　and　talking　of　giants；　neighbours；　that　puts　　me　in　mind　…鈥?br />
  〃wholl　take　our　message？〃　interrupted　the　dwarf。　〃anyone　here　got　more　　speed　than　me？鈥?br />
  〃ive　got　speed；〃　said　the　stag。　〃whats　my　message？　how　many　calormenes？鈥?br />
  〃two　hundred：　under　prince　rsh。　and　…〃　but　the　stag　was　already　away　…　　all　four　legs　off　the　ground　at　once；　and　in　a　moment　its　white　stern　had　　disappeared　among　the　remoter　trees。
  〃wonder　where　hes　going；〃　said　a　rabbit。　〃he　wont　find　the　high　king　at　　cair　paravel；　you　know。鈥?br />
  〃hell　find　queen　lucy；〃　said　duffle。　〃and　then　hullo！　whats　wrong　with　　the　human？　it　looks　pretty　green。　why；　i　do　believe　its　quite　faint。　perhaps　its　mortal　　hungry。　when　did　you　last　have　a　meal；　youngster？鈥?br />
  〃yesterday　morning；〃　said　shasta　weakly。
  〃e　on；　then；　e　on；〃　said　the　dwarf；　at　once　throwing　his　thick　little　　arms　round　shastas　waist　to　support　him。　〃why；　neighbours；　we　ought　all　to　be　ashamed　　of　ourselves！　you　e　with　me；　lad。　breakfast！　better　than　talking。鈥?br />
  with　a　great　deal　of　bustle；　muttering　reproaches　to　itself；　the　dwarf　　half　led　and　half　supported　shasta　at　a　great　speed　further　into　the　wood　and　a　little　　downhill。　it　was　a　longer　walk　than　shasta　wanted　at　that　moment　and　his　legs　had　begun　to　　feel　very　shaky　before　they　came　out　from　the　trees　on　to　bare　hillside。　there　they　found　a　　little　house　with　a　smoking　chimney　and　an　open　door；　and　as　they　came　to　the　doo