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his size was an elephants； his hair was like pure gold and the brightness of his eyes like gold that is liquid in the furnace。 he was more terrible than the flaming mountain of lagour； and in beauty he surpassed all that is in the world even as the rose in bloom surpasses the dust of the desert。 then i fell at his feet and thought； surely this is the hour of death； for the lion （who is worthy of all honour） will know that i have served tash all my days and not him。 nevertheless； it is better to see the lion and die than to be tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen
him。 but the glorious one bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said； son； thou art wele。 but i said； alas； lord； i am no son of thine but the servant of tash。 he answered； child； all the service thou hast done to tash； i account as service done to me。 then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding； i overcame my fear and questioned the glorious one and said； lord； is it then true； as the ape said； that thou and tash are one？ the lion growled so that the earth shook （but his wrath was not against me） and said； it is false。 not because he and i are one； but because we are opposites； i take to me the services which thou hast done to him。 for i and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me； and none which is not vile can be done to him。 therefore if any man swear by tash and keep his oath for the oaths sake； it is by me that he has truly sworn； though he know it not； and it is i who reward him。 and if any man do a cruelty in my name； then； though he says the name aslan； it is tash whom he serves and by tash his deed is accepted。 dost thou understand； child？ i said； lord； thou knowest how much i understand。 but i said also （for the truth constrained me）； yet i have been seeking tash all my days。 beloved； said the glorious one； unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly。
for all find what they truly seek。
〃then he breathed upon me and took away the trembling from my limbs and caused me to stand upon my feet。 and after that； he said not much； but that we should meet again； and i must go further up and further in。 then he turned him about in a storm and flurry of gold and was gone suddenly。
〃and since then； o kings and ladies； i have been wandering to find him and my happiness is so great that it even weakens me like a wound。 and this is the marvel of marvels； that he called me beloved； me who am but as a dog …鈥�
〃eh？ whats that？〃 said one of the dogs。
〃sir；〃 said emeth。 〃it is but a fashion of speech which we have in calormen。鈥�
〃well； i cant say its one i like very much；〃 said the dog。
〃he doesnt mean any harm；〃 said an older dog。
〃after all； we call our puppies boys when they dont behave properly。鈥�
〃so we do；〃 said the first dog。 〃or girls。鈥�
〃s…s…sh！〃 said the old dog。 〃thats not a nice word to use。 remember where you are。鈥�
〃look！〃 said jill suddenly。 someone was ing； rather timidly； to meet them； a graceful creature on four feet； all silvery…grey。 and they stared at him for a whole ten seconds before five or six voices said all at once； 〃why； its old puzzle！〃 they had never seen him by daylight with the lion…skin off； and it made an extraordinary difference。 he was himself now： a beautiful donkey with such a soft； grey coat and such a gentle； honest face
that if you had seen him you would have done just what jill and lucy did … rushed forward and put your arms round his neck and kissed his nose and stroked his ears。
when they asked him where he had been he said he had e in at the door along with all the other creatures but he had … well； to tell the truth； he had been keeping out of their way as much as he could； and out of aslans way。 for the sight of the real lion had made him so ashamed of all that nonsense about dressing up in a lion…skin that he did not know how to look anyone in the face。 but when he saw that all his friends were going away westward； and after he had had a mouthful of grass （〃and ive never tasted such good grass in my life；〃 said puzzle）； he plucked up his courage and followed。 〃but what ill do if i really have to meet aslan； im sure i dont know；〃 he added。
〃youll find it will be all right when you really do；〃 said queen lucy。
then they went forward together； always westward； for that seemed to be the direction aslan had meant when he cried out； 〃further up and futher in。〃 many other creatures were slowly moving the same way； but that grassy country was very wide and there was no crowding。
it still seemed to be early； and the morning freshness was in the air。 they kept on stopping to look round and to look behind them； partly because it was so beautiful but partly also because there was something about it which they could not understand。
〃peter；〃 said lucy； 〃where is this； do you suppose？鈥�
〃i dont know；〃 said the high king。 〃it reminds me of somewhere but i cant give it a name。 could it be somewhere we once stayed for a holiday when we were very； very small？鈥�
〃it would have to have been a jolly good holiday；〃 said eustace。 〃i bet there isnt a country like this anywhere in our world。 look at the colours！ you couldnt get a blue like the blue on those mountains in our world。鈥�
〃is it not aslans country？〃 said tirian。
〃not like aslans country on top of that mountain beyond the eastern end of the world；鈥�
said jill。 〃ive been there。鈥�
〃if you ask me；〃 said edmund； 〃its like somewhere in the narnian world。 look at those mountains ahead … and the big ice…mountains beyond them。 surely theyre rather like the mountains we used to see from narnia； the ones up westward beyond the waterfall？鈥�
〃yes； so they are；〃 said peter。 〃only these are bigger。鈥�
〃i dont think those ones are so very like anything in narnia；〃 said lucy。 〃but look there。鈥�
she pointed southward to their left； and everyone stopped and turned to look。 〃those
hills；〃 said lucy； 〃the nice woody ones and the blue ones behind … arent they very like the southern border of narnia？鈥�
〃like！〃 cri