Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven: Digory and His Uncle Are in Difficulty Again

You might think that the animals were very foolish enough not to recognize at a glance that Uncle Andrew was of the same kind as the two boys and the coachman.But you have to remember that animals don't know anything about clothes.They felt that Polly's coat, Digory's Norfolk suit, and coachman's bowler hat were as much a part of themselves as their own fur and wings.If they didn't talk to them, if Strawberry didn't think that way, they wouldn't know that these three were of the same kind.And Uncle Andrew was much taller than the children, and much thinner than the coachman.Except for the white vest (which is not very white now), he is all black.To the animals, Uncle Andrew's gray hair (now disheveled) did not resemble anything on the trio.They are naturally confused.Worst of all, he can't seem to speak.

He has tried.When the male dog spoke to him (or, as he thought, first growled and then grunted), he raised his trembling hand and said out of breath, "Good puppy, er, poor Old friend." But the animals could no more understand them than he could understand them.They heard nothing but a muffled hiss.Maybe it's better not to understand, because I have never seen a dog willing to be called "good puppy" any more than you are willing to be called "my little devil", let alone Narnia. Talking dog now. Uncle Andrew passed out on the ground. "Ah!" said a wild boar, "it's just a tree. That's what I thought just now." (Remember, they've never seen a swoon, or even a fall.

The male dog sniffed Uncle Andrew's whole body, raised his head and said, "It's an animal, it must be an animal, and it's probably the same kind as those few." "I disagree," said a bear, "animals don't fall on the ground like that. We are animals, we don't fall. We stand, like this." It reared up and walked backwards One step, tripped over a short branch, and fell to the ground on his back. "The third laughing stock, the third laughing stock, the third laughing stock." The Jackdaw said excitedly. "I still think it's a tree," said the Boar.

"If it's a tree," said the other bear, "there will be beehives on it." "I'm sure it wasn't a tree," said one badger. "I think it was trying to say something before it fell." "It's just the wind in the branches," said the Boar. "Surely you didn't say'," said the Jackdaw to the Badger. "You think it's a talking animal! It didn't say anything." "You know," said the elephant (of course the mother elephant, whose husband, you remember, was called away by Aslan), "you know, it could be some kind of animal. This white one doesn't look like Face? Aren't those holes eyes and mouth? No nose, of course. But - ah - needn't be too narrow. Actually, very few of us have what's called a nose." It squinted His long nose, that kind of proud demeanor can be forgiven.

"I strongly disagree with that statement," said the male dog. " "It seems right," said the tapir. "I'll tell you!" said the donkey, "perhaps it is an animal that cannot speak but thinks it can." "Can you make it stand up?" the elephant asked with concern.It gently rolled Uncle Andrew's soft body with its nose and stood him on the ground, but unfortunately put it upside down, two gold halves, three two-fifths shillings and a sixpence coin It fell out of his pocket.But it was no use, and Uncle Andrew fell down again. "Aha!" said several voices, "it's not an animal at all, it's not alive. "

"I tell you, it's an animal," said the dog, "smell it yourselves!" "Smell doesn't tell everything," Xiang said. "Well," said the dog, "if anyone doesn't believe in his own nose, what does he believe in?" "Probably you should trust your head," Xiang said gently. "I strongly disagree with that view," said the male dog. "Well, we must do something," said the Elephant, "because it may be the 'bun,' and it must be given to Aslan. What do you think? Is it an animal or a tree or something?"

"Tree! Tree!" answered a dozen voices. "Well," said the elephant, "then, if it's a tree, it must want to be planted in the ground. We're going to dig a hole." The two moles quickly completed the task.Opinions differed on which end to plant, and it was hard for Uncle Andrew to avoid being thrown headfirst into the ground.Several of the animals said his legs must be branches, and therefore the gray fuzzy mass (referring to his head) must be roots.But other animals said the forked end was more soiled and stretched out more like a root.Finally, he was planted upright, and when he was planted, the earth covered his knees.

"It looks dry," said the Donkey. "Of course, it needs watering," said the Elephant. "I think I can say (without offense to those present) that perhaps, for this job, my nose..." "I strongly disagree," said the male dog.But the elephant walked silently to the river, filled its trunk with water, and came back to sprinkle it on Uncle Andrew.The spiritual creature kept on watering until a lot of water poured over him and flowed from the hem of his coat again, as if he had taken a bath with his clothes on.Finally, he came to his senses and woke up from his coma, fully awake! But we have to put him aside, let him slowly think about the bad things he has done (if it is still possible for him to do such a sane things), let's talk about more important things.

Strawberry trotted forward with Digory on his back. The sounds of the other animals faded away, but Aslan and the group he had chosen were very close.Digory knew he could not interfere with such a serious meeting, and there was no need to.Aslan said something, and the bull elephant, the raven, and all the other animals moved away.Digory dismounted and found Aslan standing face to face with him, bigger, more beautiful, more golden, and more terrible than he had imagined.He dared not look into its large eyes. "Excuse me--Mr. Lion--Aslan--your lord," said Digory, "can--could you please, can you give me some of this miracle fruit for my mother?"

He hoped so badly that the lion would say "yes" and was so terrified that it would say "no."But Digory was taken aback when the lion said neither yes nor no. "This is the boy," said Aslan, not looking at Digory, but at his advisers. "This is the boy who did it." "My God," thought Digory, "what have I done?" "Son of Adam," said the Lion, "a diabolical Witch has set foot in my new land of Narnia. Tell these good animals how she got here." All sorts of things that could be said flashed through Digory's mind, but he was sensible enough to say nothing but the truth.

"I brought her, Aslan," he answered in a low voice. "why?" "I wanted to take her out of our world and put her back in her world. I thought I brought her back into her world." "How did she get into your world, son of Adam?" "By—magic." The lion said nothing.Digory knew he had said too little. "It's my uncle, Aslan," he said, "who sent us out of our world with a magic ring, at least I had to, because he got Polly away first, and then we were in a place called Charn's place met the witch, and she captured us as..." "Have you met a witch?" Aslan's low voice was threatening with a roar. "She's awake," said Digory despondently; then, growing pale, "I mean, I woke her. Because I wondered what would happen if I rang the bell. Polly wouldn't agree to it." No. It's not her fault. I—I fought her. I know I shouldn't. I think I'm a little confused by the words under the clock." "Really?" asked Aslan, still in a low voice. "No," said Digory, "I see now that it is not. I was making excuses." A long pause follows.Digory kept thinking, "I've screwed up the whole thing. There's no chance of asking for things for Mama now." When the Lion spoke again, it was not to Digory. "You see, friends," said it, "that this new and clean world which I have given you has not been born for seven hours, an evil power has come in, awakened and brought forth by this Son of Adam." The beasts, even Strawberry, turned their eyes to Digory, who wished the earth could swallow him up. "Don't be discouraged, though," said Aslan, still facing his beasts, "that demon will bring us evil. But it's still early. I'll watch out for the worst to come my way. Now, we're going to To establish an order so that for hundreds of years this will be a part of the happy world. Adam's race brought disaster, but it will also help us to undo it. Come closer, you two." The last sentence was addressed to Polly and the coachman who had just arrived.Polly held the coachman's hand firmly, and stared at Aslan in amazement.The coachman took one look at the Lion, and took off his hat, for no one had ever seen him without his hat.He looked younger and handsomer now, more like a countryman than a London coachman. "Son," said Aslan to the coachman, "I have known you for a long time. Do you know me?" "No, sir, no acquaintance," said the coachman, "at least not in the usual sense. But I feel, if I may say so, that we had some acquaintance before." "Very well," said the Lion, "you are more understanding than you think, and you will understand me better and better. Do you like this land?" "I am very happy here, sir," said the coachman. "Do you want to live here forever?" "You know, sir, I'm married," said the coachman, "and I think none of us would want to go back to London if my wife were here. We're all country folks." Aslan lifted his hairy head, and let out a long, not very loud, but powerful cry.Polly's heart beat faster.It was a call, she was sure, that anyone who heard it, no matter how many worlds and ages had passed, would want to heed and would be able to heed it.Curious as she was, she wasn't startled or shocked when a kind-looking, honest-looking young woman stepped out of nowhere and stood beside her.Polly knew at once that it was the coachman's wife, who had not been dragged abruptly from our world by any tormenting magic ring, but had arrived there as swiftly, simply, and comfortably as a bird returning to its nest.The young woman wore an apron with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and her hands were still scummed with soap, and she had evidently been doing laundry.Given time for a good dress (her best hat is trimmed with cherries), she's sure to look obnoxious.Her plain dress made her look quite lovely. Of course, she thought she was in a dream, so she didn't run to her husband immediately and asked him what was going on.But when she saw the lion, she wasn't so sure it was a dream, but for some reason she didn't look very frightened.Then she curtseyed slightly, as some country girls in those days knew how to curtsy.Then, she walked over, took the coachman's hand, stood there, and looked around shyly. "My children," said Aslan, looking at them both, "you will be the first King and Queen of Narnia." The coachman opened his mouth in surprise, and his wife blushed. "You shall rule over all these animals, and act justly, and keep them safe when the enemy invades. And the enemy will come, for there is already a demonic witch in this world." The coachman swallowed hard several times and cleared his throat. "I beg your pardon, sir," he said, "thank you very much (as does my wife), but I can't do this kind of thing. I don't have much education, you know." "So," said Aslan, "can you use a shovel and a plow? Can you grow crops in the field?" "Yes, sir, I can do this kind of work, it can be said that I have been able to do this since I was a child." "Can you treat these animals with kindness and justice? Remember, they are not slaves like dumb beasts in the world you were born into. They are talking beasts and free." "I understand, sir," replied the coachman, "that I will do justice to all animals." "Would you teach your children, your grandkids to do that?" "It's going to take me to do it, Your Excellency. I'll do my best, won't you, Riley?" "You don't create cronies among your children, or among other animals, that some oppress and enslave others?" "I will never tolerate such conduct, indeed, sir. If I catch anyone doing such a thing, I will punish them," said the coachman. (During this conversation the coachman's voice grows slower and thicker, more like his boyish country voice than the high-pitched voice of his London coachman. "If the enemy comes (because the enemy will come), and the war starts, will you charge ahead and retreat behind?" "Your Excellency," said the coachman slowly, "it's hard for a man to really see clearly without practice. I dare say I'm a gentle man in the end, and I've only fought with my fists at best. But I'll try— That said, I want to try to do my part." "Well," said Aslan, "you will do all the things a king should do. Your coronation is about to take place. You and your children and grandchildren will be blessed, some will be King of Narnia, some will It's the King of Archenland over there on the South Hills. As for you, little girl (he turns to Polly), you're welcome. Did you forgive him for hurting you in the Hall of Charn's ruins?" 5 "Yes, Aslan, we are made up," said Polly. "That's good," said Aslan. "Now it's the lad's turn."