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he had turned pletely round three times did he realize the dreadful truth。
〃i am confounded；〃 said reepicheep to aslan。 〃i am pletely out of countenance。 i must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion。鈥�
〃it bees you very well； small one；〃 said aslan。
〃all the same；〃 replied reepicheep； 〃if anything could be done。。。 perhaps her majesty？鈥�
and here he bowed to lucy。
〃but what do you want with a tail？〃 asked aslan。
〃sir；〃 said the mouse； 〃i can eat and sleep and die for my king without one。 but a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse。鈥�
〃i have sometimes wondered； friend；〃 said aslan； 〃whether you do not think too much about your honour。鈥�
〃highest of all high kings；〃 said reepicheep； 〃permit me to remind you that a very small size has been bestowed on us mice； and if we did not guard our dignity； some （who weigh worth by inches） would allow themselves very unsuitable pleasantries at our expense。 that is why i have been at some pains to make it known that no one who does not wish to feel this sword as near his heart as i can reach shall talk in my presence about traps or toasted cheese or candles： no； sir … not the tallest fool in narnia！〃 here he glared very fiercely up at wimbleweather； but the giant； who was always a stage behind everyone else； had not yet discovered what was being talked about down at his feet； and so missed the point。
〃why have your followers all drawn their swords； may i ask？〃 said aslan。
〃may it please your high majesty；〃 said the second mouse； whose name was peepiceek； 〃we are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our chief must go without his。 we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour which is denied to the high mouse。鈥�
〃ah！〃 roared aslan。 〃you have conquered me。 you have great hearts。 not for the sake of your dignity； reepicheep； but for the love that is between you and your people； and still more for the kindness your people showed me long ago when you ate away the cords that bound me on the stone table （and it was then； though you have long forgotten it； that you began to be talking mice）； you shall have your tail again。鈥�
before aslan had finished speaking the new tail was in its place。 then； at aslans mand； peter bestowed the knighthood of the order of the lion on caspian； and caspian； as soon as he was knighted； himself bestowed it on trufflehunter and trumpkin and reepicheep； and made doctor cornelius his lord chancellor； and confirmed the bulgy bear in his hereditary office of marshal of the lists。 and there was great applause。
after this the telmarine soldiers； firmly but without taunts or blows； were taken across the ford and all put under lock and key in the town of beruna and given beef and beer。
they made a great fuss about wading in the river； for they all hated and feared running water just as much as they hated and feared woods and animals。 but in the end the nuisance was over： and then the nicest parts of that long day began。
lucy； sitting close to aslan and divinely fortable； wondered what the trees were doing。 at first she thought they were merely dancing； they were certainly going round slowly in two circles； one from left to right and the other from right to left。 then she noticed that they kept throwing something down in the centre of both circles。 sometimes she thought they were cutting off long strands of their hair； at other times it looked as if they were breaking off bits of their fingers … but； if so； they had plenty of fingers to spare and it did not hurt them。 but whatever they were throwing down； when it reached the ground； it became brushwood or dry sticks。 then three or four of the red dwarfs came forward with their tinder boxes and set light to the pile； which first crackled； and then blazed； and finally roared as a woodland bonfire on midsummer night ought to do。 and everyone sat down in a wide circle round it。
then bacchus and silenus and the maenads began a dance； far wilder than the dance of the trees； not merely a dance for fun and beauty （though it was that too） but a magic dance of plenty； and where their hands touched； and where their feet fell； the feast came into existence sides of roasted meat that filled the grove with delicious smell； and wheaten cakes and oaten cakes； honey and many…coloured sugars and cream as thick as porridge and as smooth as still water； peaches； nectarines； pomegranates； pears； grapes； strawberries； raspberries pyramids and cataracts of fruit。 then； in great wooden cups and bowls and mazers； wreathed with ivy； came the wines； dark； thick ones like syrups of mulberry juice； and clear red ones like red jellies liquefied； and yellow wines and green wines and yellow…green and greenish…yellow。
but for the tree people different fare was provided。 when lucy saw clodsley shovel and his moles scuffling up the turf in various places （which bacchus had pointed out to them）
and realized that the trees were going to eat earth it gave her rather a shudder。 but when she saw the earths that were actually brought to them she felt quite different。 they began with a rich brown loam that looked almost exactly like chocolate； so like chocolate； in fact； that edmund tried a piece of it； but he did not find it at all nice。 when the rich loam had taken the edge off their hunger； the trees turned to an earth of the kind you see in somerset； which is almost pink。 they said it was lighter and sweeter。 at the cheese stage they had a chalky soil； and then went on to delicate confections of the finest gravels powdered with choice silver sand。 they drank very little wine； and it made the hollies very talkative： for the most part they quenched their thirst with deep draughts of mingled dew and rain； flavoured with forest flowers and the airy taste of the thinnest clouds。
thus aslan feasted the narnians till long after the sunset had died away； and the stars had e out； and the great fire； now hotter but less noisy； shone like a beacon in the dark woods； and the frightened telmarines saw it from far away and wondered what it might mean。 the best thing of all about this feast was that there was no breaking up or going
away； but as the talk grew quieter and slower； one after another would begin to nod and finally drop off to sleep with feet towards the fire and good friends on either side； till at last there was silence all round the circle； and the chattering of water over stone at the ford of beruna could be heard once more。 but all night aslan and the moon gazed upon each other with joyful and unblinking eyes。
next day messengers （who were chiefly squirrels and birds） were sent all over the country with a proclamation to the scattered telmarines … including； of course； the prisoners in beruna。 they were told that caspian was now king and that narnia would henceforth belong to the talking beasts and the dwarfs and dryads and fauns and other creatures quite as much as to the men。 any who chose to stay under the new conditions might do so； but for those who did not like the idea； aslan would provide another home。
anyone who wished to go there must e to aslan and the kings at the ford of beruna by noon on the fifth day。 you may imagine that this caused plenty of head… scratching among the telmarines。 some of them； chiefly the young ones； had； like caspian； heard stories of the old days and were delighted that they had e back。 they were already making friends with the creatures。 these all decided to stay in narnia。 but most of the older men； especially those who had been important under miraz； were sulky and had no wish to live in a country where they could not rule the roost。 〃live here with a lot of blooming performing animals！ no fear；〃 they said。 〃and ghosts too；〃 some added with a shudder。 〃thats what those there dryads really are。 its not canny。〃 they were also suspicious。 〃i dont trust em；〃 they said。 〃not with that awful lion and all。 he wont keep his claws off us long； youll see。〃 but then they were equally suspicious of his offer to give them a new home。 〃take us off to his den and eat us one by one most likely；〃 they muttered。 and the more they talked to one another the sulkier and more suspicious they became。 but on the appointed day more than half of them turned up。
at one end of the glade aslan had caused to be set up two stakes of wood； higher than a mans head and about three feet apart。 a third； and lighter； piece of wood was bound across them at the top； uniting them； so that the whole thing looked like a doorway from nowhere into nowhere。 in front of this stood aslan himself with peter on his right and caspian on his left。 grouped round them were susan and lucy； trumpkin and trufflehunter； the lord cornelius； glenstorm； reepicheep； and others。 the children and the dwarfs had made good use of the royal wardrobes in what had been the castle of miraz and was now the castle of caspian； and what with silk and cloth of gold； with snowy linen glancing through slashed sleeves； with silver mail shirts and jewelled sword…hilts； with gilt helmets and feathered bonnets； they were almost too bright to look at。
even the beasts wore rich chains about their necks。 yet nobodys eyes were on them or the children。 the living and strokable gold of aslans mane outshone them all。 the rest of the old narnians stood down each side of the glade。 at the far end stood the telmarines。
the sun shone brightly and pennants fluttered in the light wind。
〃men of telmar；〃 said aslan； 〃you who seek a new land； hear my words。 i will send you all to your own country； which i know and you do not。鈥�
〃we dont remember telmar。 we dont know where it is。 we dont know what it is like；鈥�
grumbled the telmarines。
〃you came into narnia out of telmar；〃 said aslan。 〃but you came into telmar from another place。 you do not belong to this world at all。 you came hither； certain generations ago； out of that same world to which the high king peter belongs。鈥�
at this； half the telmarines began whimpering； 〃there you are。 told you so。 hes going to kill us all； send us right out of the world；〃 and the other half began throwing out their chests and slapping one another on the back and whispering； 〃there you are。 might have guessed we didnt belong to this place with all its queer； nasty； unnatural creatures。 were of royal blood； youll see。〃 and even caspian and cornelius and the children turned to aslan with looks of amazement on their faces。
〃peace；〃 said aslan in the low voice which was nearest to his growl。 the earth seemed to shake a little and every living thing in the grove became still as stone。
〃you； sir caspian；〃 said aslan； 〃might have known that you could be no true king of narnia unless； like the kings of old； you were a son of adam and came from the world of adams sons。 and so you are。 many years ago in that world； in a deep sea of that world which is called the south sea； a shipload of pirates were driven by storm on an island。
and there they did as pirates would： killed the natives and took the native women for wives； and made palm wine； and drank and were drunk； and lay in the shade of the palm trees； and woke up and quarrelled； and sometimes killed one another。 and in one of these frays six were put to flight by the rest and fled with their women into the centre of the island and up a mountain； and went； as they thought； into a cave to hide。 but it was one of the magical places of that world； one of the chinks or chasms between chat world and this。 there were many chinks or chasms between worlds in old times； but they have grown rarer。 this was one of the last： i do not say the last。 and so they fell； or rose； or blundered； or dropped right through； and found themselves in this world； in the land of telmar which was then unpeopled。 but why it was unpeopled is a long story： i will not tell it now。 and in telmar their descendants lived and became a fierce and proud people； and after many generations there was a famine in telmar and they invaded narnia； which was then in some disorder （but that also would be a long story）； and conquered it and ruled it。 do you mark all this well； king caspian？鈥�
〃i do indeed； sir；〃 said caspian。 〃i was wishing that i came of a more honourable lineage。鈥�
〃you e of the lord adam and the lady eve；〃 said aslan。 〃and that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar； and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth。 be content。鈥�
caspian bowed。
〃and now；〃 said aslan； 〃you men and women of telmar； will you go back to that island in the world of men from which your fathers first came？ it is no bad place。 the race of those pirates who first found it has died out； and it is without inhabitants。 there are good wells of fresh water； and fruitful soil； and timber for building； and fish in the lagoons； and the other men of that world have not yet discovered it。 the chasm is open for your return； but this i must warn you； that once you have gone through； it will close behind you for ever。 there will be no more merce between the worlds by that door。鈥�
there was silence for a moment。 then a burly； decent looking fellow among the telmarine soldiers pushed forward and said： 〃well； il