I think my favorite scene from The Chronicles of Narnia, at least the one I repeat to myself most often, is one from The Horse and His Boy. Aslan says, “Have a care, Rabadash. The doom is nearer now: it is at the door: it has lifted the latch.”
But Rabadash replies, “Let the skies fall! Let the earth gape! Let blood and fire obliterate the world! But be sure I will never desist till I have dragged to my palace by her hair the barbarian queen, the daughter of dogs, the–”
“‘The hour has struck,'” said Aslan: and Rabadash saw, to his supreme horror, that everyone had begun to laugh.” They laugh because the evil prince has begun to morph into a donkey.
I’m often on the watch for a chance to say “Have a care, Rabadash,” to someone overzealous. It’s probably my prideful heart.
But what are your favorite lines from the Narnia stories? Let us know in the comments, and by doing so you may enter our giveaway drawing for one of two movie themed books. The larger of the two is seen below.
This is a Prince Caspian movie cover on a large paperback of all seven books plus a newly designed Narnia Timeline fold-out. I wonder if the fold came from the illustration work done in Narnia Chronology. Of course, Narnia Chronology is a full book of Narnia trivia and details. The fold-out in this edition of The Chronicles of Narnia is a simple, illustrated timeline–a nice perk. We are giving away a paperback of this edition and a small paperback of the Prince Caspian novel with an insert of movie photos.
Commenting on this post will enter you in our contest unless you exempt yourself (Lars, you’re exempt). Multiple comments will not increase your chances. I’ll just make a list of everyone’s name and use a random number generator to pick who wins. You must include your email address with your comment so I can write you to ask for your mailing address.
I’ll announce a winner for Prince Caspian next Thursday, April 3. I’ll announce a winner for The Chronicles of Narnia paperback next Friday, April 4.
So what’s your favorite lines from Narnia? Something about Turkish Delight? “Beards and Bedsteads”? “And they call it a mine, heh, a mine!” I can’t remember what book that last one is from . . .
Tags: narnia, chronicles of narnia, Prince Caspian, free, books, giveaway
Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course He’s not safe. But He’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.
“But there’s one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things—trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play-world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. […] Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that’s a small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.”
From The Silver Chair.
Kinda an odd (and dark) choice, I know. But it hit me at just the right time, made me think, and most of all introduced me to the fact that I can maybe doubt a lot…and still be a Christian.
(Actually, I kinda love the whole book for its focus on the redemption of people who, in various ways, are very clear about the fact that they don’t deserve the grace.)
Actually, take me out of the contest–I own enough copies of Narnia as it is.
The line Greg mentioned is the one that immediately came to my mind.
In Dawn Treader when Edmund says to Eustace “You were only an ass, I was a traitor”.
Makes me chuckle and tear up at the same time.
In spite of the blatant discrimination that disqualifies me, I share my favorite lines from The Silver Chair (and they’re not the ones you’re thinking of).
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.
“Sir,” said Caspian, “I’ve always wanted to have just one glimpse of their world. Is that wrong?”
“You cannot want wrong things any more…” said Aslan.
-From The Silver Chair
I’ve always loved that line and longed for being fully sanctified.
Greetings! These are two of my favorite lines. Susan
~ “I’d thought he was a man. Is he ~ quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
Also, “So you’ve come at last! At last! To think that I ever should live to see this day!” Please enter me in your wonderful drawing. I appreciate it. Thanks, Cindi
I love the whole thing. I am really not sure which lines I would choose as my favourite. I must say, I am very excited that finally the 2nd movie is coming into theaters.
I, too, have multiple copies of the Narnia series, so please don’t enter me in the contest, but I couldn’t resist putting down one of my favorite passages:
“Oh, what a shame!” said Lucy. “I did so want to read it again. Well, at least I must remember it. Let’s see . . . it was about . . . about . . . oh dear, it’s all fading away again. And even this last page is going blank. …It was about a cup and a sword and a tree and a green hill, I know that much. But I can’t remember and what shall I do?”
And she never could remember; and ever since that day what Lucy means by a good story is a story which reminds her of the forgotten story in the Magician’s Book …
Then later,
“Shall I ever be able to read that story again; the one I couldn’t remember? Will you tell it to me, Aslan? Oh do, do, do.”
“Indeed, yes, I will tell it to you for years and years.”
From The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Not sure where, but I say it often…
“Always winter, but never Christmas.”
“‘You come 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 in earth.'”
–Prince Caspian
Lars — Those were the lines I was thinking of, actually.
Just to qualify for the contest, I’ll quote another part of the same scene:
“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
“If you had thought that you were [ready to be King], it would have been proof that you are not.” Aslan to Caspian, _Prince Caspian_
I’m sorry; I don’t have the text handy, so that’s my unreliable memory quoting.
I love the books’ take on kingship. It’s my chief complaint about the Narnia and Lord of the Rings movies, both: the guys in the movies are such wimps they have to spend most of their screen time wallowing in king-angst before someone manages to shove them into it. Caspian isn’t ready, but he gives it a shot, and is willing to lead a righteous war over it. Peter takes responsibility for himself, his siblings, and a whole country, and does it like a man. But at the same time, they want to be _good_ kings, not tyrants. I think Lewis is very salutary for a wishy-washy culture.
Oh Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!
Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.
“Logic!” said the Professor half to himself. “Why don’t they teach them logic at these schools?”
“Bless me, what DO they teach them at these schools?”
“You come 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 in earth.”
Aravis immediately began, sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her usual one. For in Calormen, storytelling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you’re taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing. The difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.