Day 30) Seven, Eight, Lay Them Straight: Straight means upright. Choose a book with a moral or strong moral character
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia [Publication Order] #1) by C. S. Lewis
So I know this book comes “second”, after C.S. Lewis wrote The Magician’s Nephew, but technically it was first published, my copy says first; so I’m going with first.
Narnia was such a huge part of my childhood. We grew up reading the books and wanting to visit Narnia.
I’m not kidding, I used to check any wardrobe I found in a furniture store, hotel, etc; in the hopes I would find it.
It used to really bother my mother:
Besides the books we knew the PBS miniseries by heart:
And could quote it line by line. My favorites were this book, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As I grew older I realized that this isn’t just a great adventure story, but also supposed teaching about Jesus as Aslan, the Great Lion, is a representation of him and follows the same themes of sacrifice, love redemption, mercy, etc.
The book is set during WWII, and begins with the Pevensie children-Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy, are sent to the country to escape the air raids. They stay with an interesting professor who has a very intriguing house.
The next day they plan to take a look around outside, but it rains.
They decide to explore the house, and Lucy heads to a wardrobe in the spare room. As she goes in she feels cold, continuing farther and discovers she is another land, Narnia.
She reaches a lamp post when she is approached by Mr. Tumnus, a fawn. He clears a bit of her confusion up and invites her to tea.
Lucy goes with Mr. Tumnus and begins to fall asleep when he plays his flute and tells her all kinds of stories.
She wakes up with a start and sees Mr. Tumnus ccrying. It turns out that Mr. Tumnus is forced to work for the White Witch and keep a look out for any child of Adam or Eve (humans, God’s children). He is supposed to lull them to sleep and nitify her, but now that he has one he is afraid, feels bad, and can’t do it.
He helps her get back to the lamp post, leaving Mr. Tumnus with her hankerchief as a token, and runs back to the wardrobe. She arrives, ready to quell any fear of her disapperance as she was away for hours, but no one cares.
In fact, to them it has just been a second.
Lucy is adamant that she had been away for hours, and when they all go to see about this wardrobe, nothing happens. No portal, no Narnia, no nothing.
It rains agaim and the siblings put together a game of hide-n-seek. Lucy heads back to the wardrobe with Edmond following behind her.
Now it is time tostop and discuss the personalities of the Pevensies. Peter is the edlest and sees him as the interim man of the house; overseeing the family and caring for them. Susan is the next, and she mothers the others; filling that role until they are home again. Edmond is mean, whiny, and likes to pick on his younger sibling Lucy. He has a very unhappy and rude nature. Lucy is the youngest and is extremely truthful, kind, and sweet.
So Edmond planned to makwe fun of her or scare her when he followed Lucy into the wardrobe, but to his surprise! He discovers that there is another world!
While Lucy heads off tp see Mr. Tumnus, Edmond is approached by a beautiful woman all dressed in white. She reveals herself to be the Queen of Narnia. She is belligereant and rude, until sge discovers that he is a human. Then she becomes kindness and sweet, giving him anything he wishes to eat or drink; all the while pumping him for information.
She is espechially interested in the fact that there are four of them, two girls and two boys. She promises Edmond more Turkisk delight and all sorts of things, if only he will bring his siblings to her house; along with hearing about the faun who was helping his sister.
Edmond does not realize that he has walked into the web of the White Witch, or Satan as she represents. Giving Edmond a taste of Turkish Delight that will make any who taste it desire more and more until they die. Like sin, once you do it grabs hold and hooks onto you.
She shows him how to get to her home and then send him back to the lamp post. There he runs into Lucy. Lucy is so excited that Mr. Tumnus has been okay, the White Witch hasn’t gotten him, and they both made it to Narnia. She can’t wait until they tell the others.
But Edmond is not happy. He is very upset and sick to his stomach; sulky and deciding to be cruel.
“For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Acts 8: 23
He lies and tells them that he and Lucy were just playing a game, Narnia doesn’t exist. This upsets Lucy and has her treated poorly by Peter and Susan who vecome worried and think something is wrong with her.
They go to the Professor to ask for guidance, and we have one of the best comebacks ever.
“My dear young lady,’ said the professor…’there is one plan which no one has yet suggested and which is well worth trying.’
‘What’s that?’ said Susan.
‘We might all try minding our own business…”
One day the housekeeper has brought a group of people to look over the Professor’s historic house. They aren’t supposed to be seen in this time and hurry to get out of the way.
They stop in the spare room, but then the sightseers approach it. There is only one place left to go:
As the enter the wardrobe, they get colder taking coats and discovering that the wardrobe has no back, but does go intoNarnia.
Peter and Susan apologize. Edmund tries to steer them correctly to the lamppost, reveling he lied. He had gone to Narnia before.
Peter appoints Lucy the leader and they hed off to see Mr. Tumnus. They get there and find the place an absolute mess and finding a note saying that Mr. Tumnus has been arrested for treason against Jadis, “the Queen of Narnia”.
They find themselves unsure what to do when they are approached by a robin. It acts as if it wishes them to follow him, and they do. There they run into a beaver, Mr. Beaver, who has the hankerchief given to Mr. Tumnus by Lucy. He was sent to keep an eye out for them and guide them.
They go to the Beavers’ house, getting everything ready for dinner. As they enter the home, Edmund notices one of the markers the White Witch showed him to find the wy to her home.
They discuss what to do about Mr. Tumnus, but Mr. Beaver is firm they can’t o anything; but will have to wait for Aslan to take care of it. He also tells them why the White Witch is after them, if sons and daughters of Adam and Eve sit on the thrones i Cair Paravel she’s done.
“When Adam’s flesh and Adam’s bone
Sits at Cair Paravel in throne,
The evil will be over and done.”
The Witch likes to pretend she is human, but she isn’t. So she will do all she can to destroy them.
While they are talking, they suddenly realize that Edmund is gone. They want to search for him, but the Beavers dissuade them. Edmund has gone to the White Witch, she belongs to him.
They decide to leave immediately for the stone table and hope they make it there before the Witch does.
Edmund headed off to see the White Witch. He isn’t evil and wants his siblings killed or turned into stone; in fact he doesn’t really know about that. He just likes the fact that they are going to be made lower than him, and he will be the High King.
He has to pass through a crepy courtyard full of stone statues (actually real people/animals that had been turned into stone). He is approaxched by a wolf working for the White Witch. He brings Edmond in and Edmond sees that the Withch is evil. They head out to get the Pevensies.
The group head out an hide in an old beaver cave and the next day hear noises. They think it might be something wrong, so Mr. Beaver goes looking. He comes back joyful that t is Father Christmas! The White Witch’s power is weakening as she has kept him out for years.
And he has brought gifts to all:
“And now,’ said Father Christmas, ‘for your presents. There is a new and better sewing machine for you Mrs. Beaver. I will drop it in your house as I pass…As for you, Mr. Beaver, when you get home you will find your dam finished and mended and all the leaks stopped and a new sluice gate fitted…
‘Peter, Adam’s Son,’ said Father Christmas.
‘Here, Sir,’ said Peter.
‘These are your presents,’ was the answer, ‘and they are not toys. The time to use them is perhaps at hand. Bear them well.’ With these words he handed to Peter a shield and a sword…
‘Susan, Eve’s Daughter,’ said Father Christmas. ‘These are for you,’ and he handed her a bow and quiver full of arrows and a little ivory horn. ‘You must use this bow only in great need,’ he said, ‘for I do not mean you to fight in the battle. It does not easily miss. And when you put this horn to your lips and blow it, then, wherever you are, I think help of some kind will come to you.’
Last of all he said, ‘Lucy, Eve’s Daughter,’ and Lucy came forward. He gave her a little bottle of what looked like glass…and a small dagger. ‘In this bottle,’ he said, ‘there is a cordial made of the juice of one of the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. If you or any of your friends are hurt, a few drops of this will restore you. And the dagger is to defend yourself at great need…”
They are ready for what is coming:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13
He then presents them with a delicious breakfast.
Edmond finds life with the “Queen” absolutely miserable. She treats him poorly annd cruelly, and all he wishes is to be back with his family. They start lagging intheir search as the snow begins to mekt and the power of the Queen starts to crack.
Spring has come and Aslan is on the move.
The children and Beavers arrive at the stone table and meet Aslan.He is a powerful lion; strong, kind, royal, strong, etc.
They tell them their story and about Edmond.
“Please-Aslan,’ said Lucy, ‘can anything be done to save Edmund?’
‘All shall be done,’ said Aslan. ‘But it may be harder than you think.”
Aslan takes Peter aside nd shows bhim the land, along with giving him advice. A wolf comes into the camp and attacks. All come to protect the children, but Aslan allows Peter to fight him.
After Peter kills him, Aslan sends the swiftest creatures to save Edmund.
Edmund had been forced to walk after they abondened the sled and has grown severely weary. The Witch has decided to kill him now as that will stall the prophocey. Theyare about to, when he is saved and spirited away.
The next day, the kids awake and find out that their brother is here and speaking with Aslan.
Aslan presents Edmund to his siblings and tells them to not speak about the past.
However, the celebration is cut short when the White Witch sends a messanger to speak to Aslan. The Witch comes and demands Edmund, his treachary marks him as her property. Aslan takes her aside and speaks to her privately, offering something in exchange for Edmund. Himself.
Aslan gives Peter advice and goes on his own; followed by Susan and Lucy. He tells them to go hie as he presents himself to the Witch.
They tie him up and shave him. They jeer and mock, putting a muzzle on him. And she kills him.
After they all leave, the kids go to help untie him. They get help from mice that bite and chew at his restraints. They leave as the dawn nears, but as they go away they hear a load noise.
They go back and find Aslan! Alive!!!
“That though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of Time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Aslan goes and awakens all the statues; all rushing to help in the battle.
After the battle, in which Edmund fought bravely to help his family. They all go to Cair Paravel and are crowned kings and queens of Narnia.
They governed Narnia for a long time and were beloved by all the people. Peter grew tall and was a great warrior; King Peter the Magnificent, the High King. Susan grew tall and gracious, being Queen Susan the Gentle. King Edmund remembered everything that happened and grew to be quieter and graver in council and judgement, being King Edmund the Just. And little Lucy grew to be sunny, light, bright, and all wanted her as their queen, Queen Lucy the Valiant.
One day, many, many, many, many years later they go out hunting. They find the lightpost, and he wardrobe and appear back in their world, time, and only a few seconds has past.
They try to go back, but they can’t go that way.
“Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia. But don’t go trying to use the same route twice.”
Nope they will have to wait for another way.
“And that is the very end of the adventures of the wardrobe. But if the Professor was right it was only the beginning of the adventures of Narnia.”
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