按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the children； said； 〃Strike me pink。 I always did say that 'oss 'ad a lot of sense； though。〃
〃Creatures； I give you yourselves；〃 said the strong； happy voice of Aslan。 〃I give to you forever this land of Narnia。 I give you the woods； the fruits； the rivers。 I give you the stars and I give you myself。 The Dumb Beasts whom I have not chosen are yours also。 Treat them gently and cherish them but do not go back to their ways lest you cease to be Talking Beasts。 For out of them you were taken and into them you can return。 Do not so。〃
〃No； Aslan； we won't； we won't；〃 said everyone。 But one perky jackdaw added in a loud voice； 〃No fear！〃 and everyone else had finished just before he said it so that his words came out quite clear in a dead silence； and perhaps you have found out how awful that can be…say； at a party。 The Jackdaw became so embarrassed that it hid its head under its wings as if it was going to sleep。 And all the other animals began making various queer noises which are their ways of laughing and which； of course； no one has ever heard in our world。 They tried at first to repress it； but Aslan said：
〃Laugh and fear not； creatures。 Now that you are no longer dumb and witless； you need not always be grave。 For jokes as well as justice e in with speech。〃
So they all let themselves go。 And there was such merriment that the Jackdaw himself plucked up courage again and perched on the cab…horse's head； between its ears； clapping its wings； and said：
〃Aslan！ Aslan！ Have I made the first joke？ Will everybody always be told how I made the first joke？〃
〃No； little friend；〃 said the Lion。 〃You have not made the first joke； you have only been the first joke。〃 Then everyone laughed more than ever； but the Jackdaw didn't mind and laughed just as loud till the horse shook its head and the Jackdaw lost its balance and fell off； but remembered its wings （they were still new to it） before it reached the ground。
〃And now；〃 said Aslan； 〃Narnia is established。 We must next take thought for keeping it safe。 I will call some of you to my council。 e hither to me； you the chief Dwarf； and you the River…god； and you Oak and the Owl； and both the Ravens and the Bull…Elephant。 We must talk together。 For though the world is not five hours old an evil has already entered it。〃
The creatures he had named came forward and he turned away eastward with them。 The others all began talking； saying things like 〃What did he say had entered the world？…A Neevil…What's a Neevil？…No； he didn't say a Neevil； he said a weevil…Well； what's that？〃
〃Look here；〃 said Digory to Polly； 〃I've got to go after him…Aslan； I mean； the Lion。 I must speak to him。〃
〃Do you think we can？〃 said Polly。 〃I wouldn't dare。〃
〃I've got to；〃 said Digory。 〃It's about Mother。 If anyone could give me something that would do her good； it would be him。〃
〃I'll e along with you；〃 said the Cabby。 〃I liked the looks of 'im。 And I don't reckon these other beasts will go for us。 And I want a word with old Strawberry。〃
So all three of them stepped out boldly…or as boldly as they could…towards the assembly of animals。 The creatures were so busy talking to one another and making friends that they didn't notice the three humans until they were very close； nor did they hear Uncle Andrew； who was standing trembling in his buttoned boots a good way off and shouting （but by no means at the top of his voice）。
〃Digory！ e back！ e back at once when you're told。 I forbid you to go a step further。〃
When at last they were right in among the animals； the animals all stopped talking and stared at them。
〃Well？〃 said the He…Beaver at last； 〃what； in the name of Aslan； are these？〃
〃Please；〃 began Digory in rather a breathless voice； when a Rabbit said； 〃They're a kind of large lettuce； that's my belief。〃
〃No； we're not； honestly we're not；〃 said Polly hastily。 〃We're not at all nice to eat。〃
〃There！〃 said the Mole。 〃They can talk。 Who ever heard of a talking lettuce？〃
〃Perhaps they're the Second joke；〃 suggested the Jackdaw。
A Panther； which had been washing its face； stopped for a moment to say； 〃Well； if they are； they're nothing like so good as the first one。 At least； 1 don't see anything very funny about them。〃 It yawned and went on with its wash。
〃Oh； please；〃 said Digory。 〃I'm in such a hurry。 I want to see the Lion。〃
All this time the Cabby had been trying to catch Strawberry's eye。 Now he did。 〃Now； Strawberry； old boy；〃 he said。 〃You know me。 You ain't going to stand there and say as you don't know me。〃
〃What's the Thing talking about； Horse？〃 said several voices。
〃Well；〃 said Strawberry very slowly； 〃I don't exactly know； I think most of us don't know much about any
thing yet。 But I've a sort of idea I've seen a thing like this before。 I've a feeling I lived somewhere else…or was something else…before Aslan woke us all up a few minutes ago。 It's all very muddled。 Like a dream。 But there were things like these three in the dream。〃
〃What？〃 said the Cabby。 〃Not know me？ Me what used to bring you a hot mash of an evening when you was out of sorts？ Me what rubbed you down proper？ Me what never forgot to put your cloth on you if you was standing in the _ cold？ I wouldn't 'ave thought it of you； Strawberry。〃
〃It does begin to e back；〃 said the Horse thoughtfully。 〃Yes。 Let me think now； let me think。 Yes； you used to tie a horrid black thing behind me and then hit me to make me run； and however far I ran this black thing would always be ing rattle…rattle behind me。〃
〃We 'ad our living to earn； see；〃 said the Cabby。 〃Yours the same as mine。 And if there 'adn't been no work and no whip there'd 'ave been no stable； no hay； no mash； and no oats。 For you did get a taste of oats when I could afford 'em； which no one can deny。〃
〃Oats？〃 said the Horse； pricking up his ears。 〃Yes； I remember something about that。 Yes； I remember more and more。 You were always sitting up somewhere behind； and I was always running in front； pulling you and the black thing。 I know I did all the work。〃
〃Summer； I grant you；〃 said the Cabby。 〃 'Ot work for you and a cool seat for me。 But what about winter； old boy； when you was keeping yourself warm and I was sitting up there with my feet like ice and my nose fair pinched off me with the wind； and my 'ands that numb I couldn't 'ardly 'old the reins？〃
〃It was a hard； cruel country；〃 said Strawberry。 〃There was no grass。 All hard stones。〃
〃Too true； mate； too true！〃 said the Cabby。 〃A 'ard world it was。 I always did say those paving…stones weren't fair on any 'oss。 That's Lunn'on； that is。 I didn't like it no more than what you did。 You were a country 'oss； and I was a country man。 Used to sing in the choir； I did； down at 'ome。 But there wasn't a living for me there。〃
〃Oh please； please；〃 said Digory。 〃Could we get on？ The Lion's getting further and further away。 And I do want to speak to him so dreadfully badly。〃
〃Look 'er