Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

"Wake up, Digory, wake up, Frankie," cried Polly, "the toffee tree has grown. It's the most beautiful morning." The rising sun shines into the woods, the grass leaves are covered with a layer of gray dew, and the spider webs are shining with silver.Just beside them grew a very dark tree the size of an apple tree.The white leaves are shaped like paper, much like a herb called satin flower, with small brown fruits like jujubes hanging on it. " "Ha!" said Digory, "but I'm going to have a bath first." He walked quickly through some flowering bushes to the river.Have you ever bathed in a mountain river that rushes in many small cascades over red, blue, and yellow stones in the sun? It's as wonderful as being in the sea; better in some ways.Of course, he had to put on his clothes without drying himself, but even that was well worth it.When he came back Polly went to have a bath too; at least she herself said she had, but as far as we know she can't swim, and perhaps it's best not to ask too much.Franky also went there once, but he just stood in the river, bent over and took a long sip of water, then flicked his mane and hissed a few times.

Polly and Digory get their act together on the Toffee Tree.The fruit is delicious: not quite toffee-like, softer and juicier—a fruit that reminds one of toffee when eaten.Frankie had a good breakfast too: he tried a toffee fruit and liked it, but said that at that time of morning he felt more like eating grass.Then, with some difficulty, the boys got on the horses, and the next day's journey began again. Today's situation is slightly better than yesterday, because everyone feels refreshed, and the rising sun is behind them. Naturally, the surrounding scenery is more beautiful than when the sun shines from the front.It was a wonderful flight, with tall snow-capped mountains rising in all directions, the deep valleys below were green, and the streams that flowed down from the icebergs into the great river were all blue.They are like flying on a huge gemstone, hoping that this journey can last longer.However, after a while, they smelled a smell. "What is it?" "Do you smell it?" "Where does it come from?" From the front came a warm, rich, strange fragrance that seemed to be distilled from the finest fruits and flowers in the world.

"From a valley with a lake," said Franky. "Yes," said Digory, "look! There's a green mountain beyond the lake. Look how blue the lake is." "This must be the place," said the three voices in unison. Frankie made a big circle, flying lower and lower, while the ice peak became higher and higher.The air grows warmer and sweeter every second, almost bringing tears to your eyes.Frankie slid motionlessly with its huge wings spread out, its hooves ready to land at any moment.The steep green hill came crashing down upon them.Soon, Franky landed on the hillside a little unskillfully.The children got off their horses and stood firmly on the warm and soft grass, panting lightly.

There was still a quarter of the way to the top of the mountain, and they immediately set off to climb up. (I think Frankie would have had a hard time going up without the occasional flap of his wings to help him balance.) The highest point of the hill is enclosed by a wall of green grass.Trees are densely planted inside the wall, and the branches stick out of the wall.The leaves shone green, blue and silver in the wind.When the three travelers reached the top of the hill, they circled almost a full circle beyond the green wall before they found the tall, closed golden gate facing due east.

I thought until now that Frankie and Polly thought of going in with Digory, but they quickly dismissed the idea.You've never seen a place so secluded and privately owned.Unless you have a special mission, only a fool would dream of going there.Digory understood at once that no one else would and could go in with him.He walked towards the door alone. When he came to the door, he saw some silver characters written on the golden door, to the effect that: Enter through the golden gate, or stay outside, To pluck fruit for others, or to refrain from desire. Because of those who steal and jump over walls

You will get what you want, but you will also be frustrated. "Picking fruit for other people," said Digory to himself, "well, that's what I'm going to do. That is, I can't eat any of it myself. I don't think I understand what the next two lines mean. Who wants to climb a wall if they can get in through the door? But how does the door open?" He put his hand on it, and the door swung open inward, with no click as the hinges turned. sound. Now that he could see inside the place, it was even more lonely than before.He looked around and entered solemnly.There was no sound inside, and the fountain erected in the center of the garden made only a faint sound.There was a scent around him.It was a pleasant but very serious place.

He knew at once the tree he was looking for, for it was right in the middle, and its large silver apples cast light into the shadows where the sun did not reach.He went straight to it and took an apple off and put it in the breast pocket of his Norfolk jacket, but he couldn't help looking at it and smelling it before putting it in. It didn't matter if he looked at it or smelled it, a burst of extreme hunger and thirst hit him, and he suddenly wanted to taste that apple very much.He quickly put it in his pocket; but there are so many on the tree, what's wrong with tasting one? He thought, the notice on the door is not necessarily a prohibition, it may be just an advice, who cares about the advice? Or even if it is a prohibition, he eats Is it wrong to take an apple? He has already done it "for others".

He thought about it, picked up his head inadvertently, and saw the top of the tree through the branches.A magical bird is perched on a branch above his head.I say "perched" because it seems to be asleep, but maybe not really.One eye opened with an impossibly thin slit.The bird was bigger than an eagle, with an orange breast, a crest of scarlet, and a purple tail. "It just goes to show," Digory said later, telling the story to others, "that you can't be too careful in a magical place like this. You never know what's watching you." But I thought, In any case, Digory would not pick apples for himself.At that time, the concept of "don't steal" was much stronger in the minds of boys than it is now.But we're still not quite sure.

As he turned and made his way to the gate, Digory paused to cast one last look about him.He was startled, for he was not the only one here, there was the witch standing a few steps away.She is throwing away her leftover apple core.The cider was darker than you'd expect, and left a nasty ring around her mouth.Digory guessed at once that she had come over the wall.Moreover, he began to see that the last line "will be fulfilled, but also despaired" might have meaning.For the Witch looked stronger and haughtier than before, and even more triumphant in a way, but her face was as pale as salt.

After these thoughts flashed through Digory's mind, he lifted his feet and ran towards the gate as fast as he could.The witch is pressing behind.As soon as he came out, the door closed automatically.This gave him a step ahead, but in a short while, when he rushed to his companion, shouting "Quick, Polly, get on the horse! Fly, Frankie!" the witch had climbed or jumped over the wall to catch up, followed closely behind him again. "Hold still!" cried Digory, turning to her. "Otherwise we shall all disappear. Not one step nearer." "Silly boy," said the witch, "why did you run away? I will not hurt you. If you don't stop and listen to me, you will miss some knowledge that will make you happy all your life."

"I don't want to hear it, thank you," said Digory.But he wanted to hear it. "I know what you have come for," continued the Witch, "for I was the one who hid beside you in the woods last night and heard your talk. You have picked apples from the garden yonder and put them in your pockets. You will take it back to the lion without even tasting it, feed it, feed it, you fool! Do you know what it is? Let me tell you, it is the fruit of youth, the fruit of life. I understand, because I Already ate it. I have felt a change in myself, and I know I shall neither grow old nor die. Eat it, boy, eat it, and you and I shall live forever, be king and queen of this world, or If we decide to go back, we can also go to your world and become kings." "No, thank you," said Digory. "I don't know if I want to live long after everyone I know is dead. I'd rather live to an ordinary age and die and go to heaven." "But what about your mother? You pretend to love her so much." "What has she to do with it?" said Digory. "You don't understand? Fool! She just needs a bite of one of those apples to be all right. You have it in your pocket. We are here by ourselves, and the lion is far away. Use your magic to go back to your own world. A minute later." You just delivered the apple to your mother's bedside. Five minutes later, you'll see the color in her face. She'll tell you that the pain is gone. Soon, she'll say she feels stronger again. And then, she was able to fall asleep - just think, hours of sound sleep with no pain and no medicine. The next day, everyone would say how miraculous her recovery was. She was perfectly fine in no time. Everything would change Well, you will have a happy family again just like any other child." "Oh!" Digory gasped, patting his head with his hand as though wounded.He knew the most dire choice lay before him. "What good is a lion to you, that you would be willing to be his slave?" said the witch. "No one can do anything to you once you are back in your own world. If your mother knew that you would have relieved her pain and restored her What would she think if you could live without breaking your father's heart, and you would rather serve a beast in a strange world that has nothing to do with you?" "I—I don't think it's a beast," said Digory in a dry voice. "It's—I don't know—" "It's worse than you can imagine," said the Witch. "Look how it treats you: see how heartless it makes you. Everyone who obeys it does. Cruel, without sympathy Child of the heart! You would rather have your mother die than . . . " "Oh, stop it," said sad Digory in his still dry voice, "you think I don't understand? But I . . . I promise." "Hey, but you didn't understand what you promised. No one can stop you here." "Mother herself," said Digory, uttering the words with difficulty, "wouldn't have liked that--she was very strict with me, and made me keep my promises--no stealing--and all that sort of thing. If If she was here, she wouldn't let me do that." "But she doesn't need to know," said the Witch sweetly, and you can't think of a man with such a fierce face who could say it so sweetly, "you don't have to tell her how you got the apples. And your father doesn't have to know either. No one in your world needs to know the ins and outs of this matter. Besides, you don't have to take that little girl back." This is where the witch's fatal error lies.Of course Digory knew that Polly could get back on her ring as easily as he could on his own.But apparently the witches don't know this.She asked him to leave Polly behind, and the mean suggestion made all that she had just said lie and empty words.Digory, quick to clear his head even in the midst of his grief, said (in a changed voice much louder):" "Hey, how do you know so many things? Why do you care so much about my mother all of a sudden? What does she have to do with you? What do you want?" "Well done, Digory," Polly whispered in his ear, "quick! go at once." She dared not say anything during the whole argument, because, you know, it wasn't her mother who was dying . "Get on the horse," said Digory, lifting her onto the horse's back, and climbing up as fast as he could, Frankie spread his wings. "Come on, fools," cried the witch, "when you are old and feeble and dying, think of me, little boy, and remember how you threw away your chance of eternal youth. , time never comes." They had already flown high into the sky, only heard her voice, but couldn't make out what she was saying.The witch didn't want to waste time watching them, so she walked down the hill to the north. They left early that morning, and the events in the garden did not take much time, and both Frankie and Polly said they could easily get back to Narnia before dark.On the way back Digory said nothing, and the other two were ashamed to speak to him.He was terribly sad, and was always uncertain whether he had done the right thing, but as long as he thought of the tears that glistened in Aslan's eyes, he was convinced that he was not wrong. All day long, Franky flapped his wings tirelessly and flew steadily.Over the mountains, over the forested primeval mountains, over the great waterfalls, lower and lower, until the Narnia woods, gray and dull in the shadows cast by the tall rock walls.Finally, the sky behind was dyed crimson by the setting sun.He saw many animals gathering by the river, and presently saw Aslan among them.Frankie retracted his wings, spread his hooves and slid down, landing on the ground at a jog.When they had come to a standstill, the boys dismounted, and Digory saw all the animals, dwarves, satyrs, river nymphs, and all, withdraw to either side to make a way for him.He went straight up to Aslan, handed him the apple, and said: "Your Excellency, I picked the apple you wanted."