CHAPTER 11 : Aslan is Nearer

Edmund is surprised when the Witch does not fulfill any of the promises she made to him
before. She doesn't give him any Turkish Delight, and when he asks about it she orders the
Dwarf to bring him something to eat.

The Dwarf brings Edmund some bread and water. He objects, but the Witch is so angry and
frightening that he starts eating the dry bread.

While Edmund eats, the Dwarf prepares the Witch's sledge. When it's ready, the Witch
orders Edmund to come with her.

Before they leave, the Witch orders Fenris Ulf to take some wolves to the Beavers' house
and kill anyone he finds there. (Luckily, as we know from Chapter Ten, the Beavers and the
children have already left the house, and the falling snow has covered their tracks.)

The Witch and Edmund ride on the sledge and the Dwarf drives it. Edmund has a terrible
time; he is extremely cold and wet without his coat, and he feels miserable because it's
obvious now that the Witch is evil.

They drive all night and into the morning. Suddenly the Witch orders the sledge to stop.

At the foot of the tree, they see a group of animals and creatures, including a family of
squirrels, satyrs, a dwarf, and a fox, eating a delicious-smelling meal. The Fox is standing
up, about to propose a toast. When they see the Witch in her sledge they are terrified.

The Witch demands to know what's going on and where they got the feast from. The Fox
admits that they received the meal as a gift from Father Christmas.

The Witch is enraged by the mention of Father Christmas and insists that the Fox admit he
is lying. One of the young squirrels cries out that Father Christmas has been here.

Furious, the Witch waves her wand and turns the entire group into stone. Edmund begs her
not to, but the Witch simply hits him in the face and orders the Dwarf to continue driving.

For the first time, Edmund feels sorry for someone other than himself as he thinks about the
friendly creatures eating their feast, now cold stone forever.

As the sledge continues racing forward, Edmund notices that the snow is wetter and the air
is warmer and foggy. The sledge begins to have trouble moving; it hits rocks, skids around,
and eventually gets completely stuck.

When the sledge stops, Edmund realizes that he can hear running water. He is excited to
discover that the frost is ending; all around him, snow is melting, revealing green trees and
grass.

The Witch forces Edmund to help the Dwarf push the sledge out of the mud. They continue
driving, but then the sledge gets stuck again.

The Dwarf tells the Witch that the sledge is unusable. The Witch says they must walk. She
has the Dwarf tie Edmund's hands behind him and lead him on a rope, using a whip to keep
him going quickly.
 The snow continues to melt, revealing a lush, green countryside around them. The sun
shines down on beautiful wildflowers. Birds begin to sing.

The Witch urges them to move faster. As the landscape becomes even more beautiful, the
Dwarf says aloud that spring has come and it must be because of Aslan.

The Witch says that if either of them mentions Aslan again, she will kill him.

CHAPTER 12 : Peter's First Battle

While Edmund is on his forced march with the Witch, his brother and sisters, along with the
Beavers, are also walking through the spring countryside, watching the snow melt, the
flowers bloom, and the birds fly around. They leave the fur coats behind them.

Although the children don't know that it is Aslan who has caused the spring, they realize
that the Witch's power is weakening. They are tired but pleased.

Toward the evening, as the sun begins to go down, Mr. Beaver leads them uphill. As they
arrive at the top of the hill, they get a beautiful view of the forest in every direction and the
ocean to the east.

In the middle of a clearing at the top of the hill stands the Stone Table, a very large and very
ancient monument covered with strange writing.

To one side of the Stone Table there is a yellow and red pavilion (a fancy tent) made of silk.
Above the pavilion flies a banner with a picture of a red lion.

The children hear a noise to their right and turn. They see Aslan in the center of a group of
creatures including Dryads (tree spirits) and Naiads (water spirits), centaurs, a unicorn, a
bull with a man's head, and other animals. Two leopards carry Aslan's crown and standard.

Aslan's presence is impressive and powerful and the Beavers and children don't know what
to do. They whisper to each other about who should approach him first.

Eventually Peter steps forward and presents himself to Aslan, saluting with his sword.

Aslan greets the children and beavers, using their names, which he knows already.

Aslan asks where the fourth child is, and Mr. Beaver explains that Edmund has gone to the
White Witch and betrayed them. Peter admits that his behavior might have contributed to
Edmund's actions.

Lucy asks what can be done to save Edmund, and Aslan says that everything possible will
be done, but it will be very difficult.

Aslan orders his followers to prepare a feast and sends Lucy and Susan away in care of
some of the women. Aslan and Peter are left alone together.

Aslan takes Peter to the eastern edge of the hillside and shows him Cair Paravel, the
palace by the seaside. Aslan says that Peter will be a King in this castle; in fact, Peter will
be High King over the other three, because he is oldest.
 Peter doesn't know what to say. Before he can think of something, they hear the call of a
horn. Aslan says it is Susan's horn, and they rush back to the pavilion.

In the clearing, Peter finds chaos; everyone is running, and an enormous Wolf is chasing
Susan. Susan has swung herself up into a tree, but she can't get high enough to be
completely out of the Wolf's reach.

Peter feels sick and frightened, but he runs directly to the Wolf, drawing his sword. When
the Wolf howls in anger, Peter has time to stab it in the heart. After a long struggle, the Wolf
lies dead.

Susan comes down from the tree and she and Peter hug in relief.

Aslan sends some Centaurs and Eagles to follow a second Wolf, which was lurking in the
trees, and rescue Edmund.

Aslan reminds Peter to clean his sword. Peter wipes his sword clean on the grass, and then
Aslan uses the sword to dub Peter a knight.

CHAPTER 13 : Deep Magic from the Dawn

of Time
The Witch marches Edmund and the Dwarf a long ways until they come to a dark valley in
the shadow of yew and fir trees. Edmund lies down on his face, exhausted.

The Witch and the Dwarf argue about what they should do. The Dwarf says that they are
too late and the other children will already be at the Stone Table. The Witch says that Fenris
Ulf, the Wolf captain, may bring them good news.

It occurs to the Witch that the prophecy requires four human beings to fill the thrones at
Cair Paravel. She considers murdering Edmund so that there will only be three, and then,
after Aslan leaves, she could attack the others.

The Dwarf suggests that they might need Edmund, as a hostage, to bargain with. The
Witch doesn't want to take the chance that he might escape or be rescued.

The Dwarf says that, if they're going to kill Edmund, they should do it right away. The Witch
wants to kill him on the Stone Table, which she says is the proper place for sacrifices.

The Dwarf points out that Aslan's people hold the Stone Table. The Witch agrees to murder
Edmund right where they are.

The other Wolf runs up and tells them that Peter slew Fenris Ulf and that some of Aslan's
army are following him. He tells the Witch that she should run.

The Witch orders the Wolf to gather all the evil creatures to her. The Wolf runs off to carry
out her orders.

The Witch and the Dwarf tie Edmund to a tree trunk and fold back his clothes so that his
neck is exposed. Edmund hears the sound of a knife being sharpened.
 Just as the Witch is preparing to kill Edmund, the centaurs and eagles and other creatures
that Aslan sent in pursuit of the Wolf arrive. The Witch screams and everything is confused.

Edmund is untied and laid down on the ground. His rescuers give him a little wine to revive
him.

In the background, Edmund can hear his other rescuers talking about the Witch and the
Dwarf, who have escaped. Edmund faints. While he is unconscious, they carry him back to
the Stone Table.

After Aslan's people leave with Edmund, a tree stump and a boulder in the clearing turn
back into the White Witch and the Dwarf. The Witch used her magic powers to disguise
them. She still has her wand.

In the morning, Lucy, Susan, and Peter are told by Mrs. Beaver that Edmund has been
rescued.

Aslan and Edmund have a long, private talk. Nobody else knows what is said, but Edmund
is a different person from this day forward.

Aslan brings Edmund back to his brother and sisters. Edmund apologizes to everyone and
they all forgive him.

The Witch's Dwarf arrives. Aslan agrees to let him approach, and the Dwarf demands safe
conduct for the Witch to come and speak to Aslan.

Mr. Beaver objects to the Dwarf calling the Witch "Queen of Narnia." Aslan tells the Beaver
that soon everyone will have their own titles back.

Aslan agrees to let the Witch approach if she leaves her wand behind. The Dwarf agrees
and Aslan's lions go with him to enforce this pact.

The Witch comes forward and stands before Aslan. Everyone feels frightened and cold at
the sight of her. Mrs. Beaver notices that the Witch can't look Aslan directly in the eyes.

The Witch accuses Edmund of being a traitor. Aslan says that his offense was not against
her.

The Witch reminds Aslan of the Deep Magic, which was written on the Stone Table by the
Emperor at the beginning of time: the Witch has the right to punish traitors, and their lives
are forfeit to her.

Aslan's army is defiant, but Aslan says that the Witch is right: she has the right to have
blood as payment for Edmund's treachery. If she doesn't get it, then Narnia will be
destroyed in fire and water.

Susan asks Aslan if they can work against the Deep Magic. Aslan's frown is so severe that
nobody asks this again.

During the exchange, Edmund wonders if he should say or do something, but he feels like
he is just supposed to wait and do what he is told.

Aslan tells his followers to fall back so that he can talk to the Witch alone.
 While Aslan and the Witch have their private conference, everyone waits and wonders what
will happen.

Eventually, Aslan calls them back and says that the Witch has renounced her claim on
Edmund's blood.

As the Witch leaves, she asks Aslan how she can know that he will keep his promise. Aslan
roars and she runs away.

CHAPTER 14 : The Triumph of the Witch

Aslan orders his people to move their camp from the Stone Table to the Fords of Beruna.
Nobody wants to ask what's going on or what he promised the Witch.

Aslan's people eat a meal, then pack and move their pavilion.

While they are marching to their new campsite, Aslan explains the tactical situation to Peter.
He outlines one plan for Peter to follow if the Witch and her followers reach her castle and
wait to be besieged, and another plan for Peter to follow if Aslan's army is able to intercept
her before she gets there.

Peter doesn't understand why Aslan is explaining everything to him won't Aslan be there
himself? But Aslan says he can't promise that.

After Aslan finishes giving Peter instructions, he spends the rest of the journey with Susan
and Lucy. He says little and seems sad.

They arrive at the Fords of Beruna and Aslan orders them to set up camp. Peter wants to
camp on the far side of the river to protect them from a night attack, but Aslan says it
doesn't matter.

Because Aslan is downcast, everyone feels depressed as they eat dinner and go to sleep at
their new campsite.

Susan and Lucy can't fall asleep and begin talking. They both feel that something is wrong
with Aslan and that something bad is going to happen soon. They decide to go look for him.

The girls creep out of their tent and see Aslan leaving. They follow him, and he leads them
back toward the Stone Table, retracing their steps from earlier in the day.

In an open space, Aslan sees the girls following him in the moonlight. He asks why they
have come, and Lucy says they couldn't sleep. Susan asks if they can come with him.

Aslan says he will be glad of their company, but they will have to stop when he tells them
and let him go on alone. They agree.

Aslan, Susan, and Lucy walk on together. Aslan is clearly depressed; his head droops and
his tail hangs, and he moans occasionally. Lucy and Susan beg him to tell them what is
wrong, but he won't. He asks them to lay their hands in his mane as they walk together, and
they do.

They arrive at the top of the hill where the Stone Table is located. Aslan tells Susan and
Lucy to stop and not to let themselves be seen. Then he says goodbye.
 Susan and Lucy weep and kiss Aslan goodbye. Then he walks away from them.

The girls hide in the bushes and watch as Aslan walks toward the Stone Table. The clearing
is full of many different evil creatures, from ogres to wolves to hags and beyond. In the
center the White Witch stands by the Stone Table.

When Aslan comes into sight, the evil army lets out a great howl. The Witch laughs, calls
Aslan a fool, and orders her people to tie him to the Stone Table.

Susan and Lucy expect Aslan to destroy these creatures, but instead he remains
motionless and allows them to tie him up.

Before they put him on the table, an ogre shaves Aslan's beautiful golden mane with a pair
of shears. When Aslan is shaved, the others taunt and mock him. Lucy, looking at his face,
notices how brave and patient he looks.

Next, the creatures put a muzzle on Aslan. Although he could bite off their hands, he
doesn't move. Once Aslan is completely immobilized, the creatures beat him, kicking and
hitting, and also spit on him and continue to insult and mock him.

Eventually, the evil mob is tired of tormenting Aslan. They drag him to the Stone Table,
heave him up on it, and tie him down.

The Witch bares her arms and sharpens her stone knife. Aslan looks at the sky, quiet and
sad.

Before the Witch kills Aslan, she tells him that his sacrifice will not help: after he is dead,
she and her army will kill Edmund and his family anyway, and she will rule Narnia forever!

Susan and Lucy hide their eyes because they can't bear to watch as the Witch kills Aslan.

CHAPTER 15 : Deeper Magic from Before

the Dawn of Time
With Aslan dead, the Witch calls her followers to her and they move in a wild mob toward
Aslan's army, intending to carry out a surprise attack. Lucy and Susan, still hiding in the
bushes, are briefly in danger as the evil creatures pass close by them.

Once the Witch's army is gone, Lucy and Susan go to the Stone Table and weep over
Aslan's body. They cry and mourn for a long time.

Eventually, when they seem to have run out of tears, Lucy suggests that they take off
Aslan's muzzle. They do, and it sets them crying again.

Susan suggests that they untie Aslan's body from the table, but the knots are so tight that
they can't.

For a long time, Susan and Lucy wait, quiet and shocked. Nothing seems to matter
anymore. Time passes. It gets colder.
 Lucy notices that it's beginning to get light outside. She also notices something moving in
the grass mice!

The mice crawl up onto Aslan's body. Susan tries to shoo them away, but Lucy points out
that the mice are eating through the cords that tie Aslan's body to the Stone Table.

It gets brighter; the sunrise has almost started. Only one star is visible, a big bright star on
the Eastern horizon. The mice finish eating through all of Aslan's bindings and creep away.

It continues to get brighter. Birds start to sing.

Susan and Lucy feel cold and decide to walk around a little bit. They go to the edge of the
hill and look east. The large star is no longer visible.

Susan and Lucy pace between Aslan's body and the edge of the hill, trying to stay warm.
They feel cold and tired.

Finally, while the girls are looking east toward the castle of Cair Paravel, the edge of the
sun peeks up over the horizon. At the same moment, behind them there is an enormous
cracking, thunder-like noise.

Lucy and Susan assume that the evil creatures are mutilating Aslan's corpse and run back
toward the Stone Table. When they get there, the Stone Table is broken completely in half
and Aslan's body is gone!

Susan wonders if this is more magic, and a voice from behind her says that it is. The girls
turn around, only to see Aslan, alive and larger than before, standing behind them.

The girls are both happy and scared. Aslan assures them that he was dead, but isn't
anymore, and that he is not a ghost.

Susan and Lucy hug and kiss Aslan with great joy.

Once the girls calm down, Susan asks Aslan to explain. Aslan tells her that the Witch's
knowledge only goes back to the Dawn of Time, but that there is a deeper magic from
before the Dawn of Time that she didn't know about. According to this deeper magic, when
an innocent, willing victim was executed in the place of a traitor, the Stone Table would
crack and Death would work backwards.

For a while, Aslan frolics and leaps about, enjoying his returning strength. Lucy and Susan
play a strange game of tag with him, in which they all run around and sometimes Aslan
catches them and tosses them gently in the air, and sometimes they roll around on the
ground and wrestle. At the end of the game, the girls no longer feel hungry or thirsty or
tired.

Next, the girls plug their ears while Aslan lets out a terrible roar.

Aslan invites Lucy and Susan to ride on him. Once they are mounted, he rushes down into
the forest. For hours, they enjoy the ride, as Aslan runs swiftly through the beautiful Narnian
countryside.

Around the middle of the day, they arrive at the Witch's castle. Aslan leaps over the walls
into the courtyard.
CHAPTER 16 : What Happened About the
Statues
Lucy is amazed to see the Witch's courtyard; she thinks all the statues make it look like a
museum.

Aslan begins bounding around, pouncing and romping like a big cat. Each time he comes
near one of the statues, he breathes on it.

Lucy and Susan realize that Aslan's breath is un-petrifying the statues, turning stone back
into the people and creatures of Narnia!

First, Aslan turns the statue of a lion back into a real lion. The real lion is excited to see
Aslan and follows him around.

Soon the courtyard is full of different people and creatures laughing and talking.

Susan notices Aslan arrive at the feet of the stone giant. She's worried that the giant might
not be friendly, but once Aslan has breathed on his feet and restored him to health, Giant
Rumblebuffin turns out to be the Witch's enemy and their friend.

After they finish with the courtyard, Aslan instructs everyone to go into the Witch's house
and find all the other prisoners and statues.

While they are ransacking the Witch's castle, Lucy finds Mr. Tumnus, who has indeed been
turned to stone. Aslan breathes on him and soon he and Lucy are having a happy reunion!

Finally, everyone has been rescued. Aslan has Giant Rumblebuffin smash the walls of the
courtyard with his club and everyone emerges into the woods.

Giant Rumblebuffin is sweaty after working hard to destroy the walls, so Lucy lends him her
handkerchief to mop his face. The handkerchief is far too small for him, but he is very polite
and thanks Lucy anyway. Mr. Tumnus tells Lucy that all the Buffins are good giants.

Aslan organizes everyone for the journey across country back to the site of the battle,
where they need to join in and help Peter, Edmund, and everyone else. The other lion is
flattered and excited to help Aslan, but not very helpful.

Eventually, they set off. The animals that can track scents dogs and lions and wolves
pick up the scent of the army and lead the way. The animals that can run trot along behind
them, with everyone else riding on their backs. Lucy and Susan ride on Aslan.

As they come to the end of the valley and onto the plain, Lucy is able to hear the sounds of
the battle metal clashing against metal, shouting, and shrieking.

On the battlefield, Peter, Edmund, and the rest of Aslan's army are valiantly holding their
ground against the Witch's forces, even though they are outnumbered and exhausted.

There are statues everywhere, but the Witch seems to have lost her wand and is using the
stone knife to fight Peter.

Lucy and Susan get off Aslan's back and he rushes toward the Witch and pounces on her!
 The people and creatures that Aslan has freed from the Witch's castle rush into the battle,
acting as reinforcements.

CHAPTER 17 : The Hunting of the White

Stag
A few moments after Aslan and his followers arrive, the battle is ended. Most of the evil
creatures are dead and the rest flee.

Peter and Aslan shake hands. Peter tells Aslan that Edmund changed the course of the
battle by attacking the Witch and destroying her magic wand. Once she couldn't turn
anyone to stone, she had no advantage.

Edmund has been badly wounded. Aslan reminds Lucy that she has the flask of magic
medicine. She pours a few drops into Edmund's mouth.

Lucy wants to wait to see if Edmund will recover, but Aslan reminds her that there are many
other wounded people who need her help.

For about half an hour, Lucy and Aslan go around and care for the casualties on their side
of the battle. Lucy heals the wounded with her magic cordial, and Aslan un-petrifies the
people who were turned to stone.

When Lucy sees Edmund again a little later, he is completely healed in both body and spirit.
Aslan makes him a knight.

Lucy and Susan discuss whether Edmund should be told about Aslan's sacrifice for his
sake. Lucy thinks Edmund should be told, but Susan thinks he shouldn't. Before they can
decide what to do, they are interrupted.

Aslan miraculously provides an enormous feast for everyone and then they sleep in the
field.

The next day, everyone marches east toward Cair Paravel and the ocean. By evening, the
children are wading in the waves on the beach.

The day after that, the four children are crowned by Aslan as Kings and Queens of Narnia.

The children sit in their throne wearing crowns and holding scepters. They reward all their
friends with honors and everyone has a feast in the evening. Outside, mermaids and
mermen sing to celebrate their coronation.

Aslan slips away from the party. The children aren't surprised, because Mr. Beaver warned
them that Aslan would probably come and go.

King Peter, King Edmund, Queen Susan, and Queen Lucy govern Narnia fairly and justly
for a long time. They seek out and destroy the rest of the evil creatures who have gone into
hiding. They make good laws and are generally awesome.

All the children grow up to be virtuous monarchs. Peter becomes a great warrior and is
called King Peter the Magnificent. The others all earn nicknames, too: Queen Susan the
 Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy the Valiant. They don't really remember
living in England, except the way you remember dreams.

One day, Mr. Tumnus brings them news that a magic White Stag has been seen in the
woods in the West. Anyone who catches the Stag is granted wishes, so the Kings and
Queens go out to hunt for him.

While chasing the White Stag, the Kings and Queens are led back to the lamppost. They
don't remember what it is right away and are surprised to see "a tree of iron" with a lamp on
top.

Seeing the lamppost starts to trigger memories for the four siblings. They have a sense that
beyond the lamppost they will find adventures. Susan wants to go back to Cair Paravel, but
the others want to keep going.

The four siblings go past the lamppost. They begin to remember what a lamppost is, and
then the find themselves among coats hanging in a cupboard, and then they find
themselves getting out of the wardrobe into the empty room.

Back in England, it is still the same moment at which they first hid in the wardrobe. Mrs.
Macready and the tourists are outside in the hallway looking at features of the famous
house.

The children tell the Professor about their adventures to explain why they lost four of his fur
coats.

The Professor suggests that the children will get back to Narnia someday, but probably not
through the wardrobe again. From the way he talks about it, the children wonder just how
he knows so much about Narnia! (The explanation of that is in another book, The
Magician's Nephew.)