The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
C. S. Lewis

(5/29/23-5/29/23)

JN:     

        Four children, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan, were sent to live with a professor during a war to protect against bombings. In the mansion he owned, they spent their time looking for anything of interest. Lucy, the youngest, found particular interest in a lone wardrobe that solely inhabited a room. While the rest were exploring elsewhere, she went deeper into the wardrobe until she found herself in a wintery scene surrounded by trees. She walked through the snow, coming to a light post when a faun approached her (top half man and bottom half goat for those unfamiliar with the movie). He introduced himself as Tumnus and brought her to a cave in the woods, where he gave her tea and told her stories until Lucy insisted she had to return. Tumnus suddenly broke down in tears, admitting that he had planned to bring her to the White Witch, the one who caused the ceaseless cold. Lucy consoled him and told him he was doing the right thing by allowing her to leave. She then returned through the open door to the wardrobe and the mansion. 
        She told her siblings about Narnia, and naturally, they didn’t believe her when her tale about being gone four hours only occurred in a couple of moments. They checked the wardrobe and found it to be a normal wardrobe. 
        The next few days Lucy spent sulking after Edmund kept making fun of her for her story. One day, they played hide and seek, and Edmund checked out the wardrobe for the fun of it, finding himself in Narnia instead of surrounded by clothes. He tried calling out to Lucy to apologize, but she didn’t respond. Instead, a carriage carrying the White Witch arrived. She enticed him, giving him a blanket and a delicious meal for him to gorge on in the carriage. While he ate, she asked him questions and learned about his siblings and Lucy's experiences in Narnia. She promised to make him king of Narnia and give him as much food as he wanted if he brought his siblings to her. She then dropped him off and left. 
        Lucy came out of nowhere, saying she had been with Tumnus, and the two siblings returned through the wardrobe. Lucy ran to tell Susan and Peter about her time, but when it came time for Edmund to confirm her story, he denied it. Lucy ran off in anger, Peter yelled at Edmund for making her mad, and Peter and Susan started to worry about her mental state. 
        Someday later, the four of them were walking around the house when they heard the maid leading a tour group through the house. With nowhere to turn, they went to the wardrobe and found themselves in Narnia. Peter knew Edmund had lied and made sure he knew he had no part in decisions made for now. They followed Lucy as she went to Tumnus’s cave but found it empty with a note saying he had been arrested for not turning Lucy in. Peter sought to go back and grab food, but Susan and Lucy wanted to help Tumnus, so they decided to do that. Not knowing where to start, they asked a robin and followed it throughout the wintery day. Edmund, knowing he had to find a way to turn his siblings in, talked to Peter about whether they could trust Tumnus. 
        As they walked, the robin suddenly took up and left, and the four of them wandered around until they caught sight of a beaver. The beaver beckoned them to follow him, and they did until Edmund brought up whether it was a good idea. The beaver showed them a handkerchief that Tumnus had given him after Lucy gave it to him, and everyone, except for Edmund, was convinced that he was on their side. They followed him to his dam where his wife cooked up dinner. They discussed the arrival of Aslan and the terror that was the White Witch. 
        The beaver told them that they needed to find Aslan if they hoped to save Tumnus. He told them of a prophecy that involved the four of them and how they and Aslan would be needed to stop the White Witch. As they finished discussing, they suddenly realized that Edmund was missing, and the beaver said what he had already suspected: Edmund was headed toward the White Witch. 
        Edmund found her frozen castle and all of her statues that littered the castle. He told her what he knew, and while she was furious that he didn’t bring anyone, she pounced on the knowledge of them being close and prepared her sleigh to track them. 
        Knowing she would be coming for them soon, Lucy, Peter, Susan, and the beavers left the dam and traveled toward where Aslan would be. After hours of walking, everyone was tired and cold, so Mr. Beaver brought them to a little hole that would keep them hidden. After several hours of sleep, they woke up to bells, and Mr. Beaver went to check it out. Instead of the White Witch, it was Santa, who hadn’t shown himself ever since the White Witch took control of the forest. True to his jolly nature, he delivered presents to the children: a sword and shield for Peter, a bow and arrow and an ivory horn for Susan, and a dagger and healing potion for Lucy. 
        (Back to E) Edmund yearned for his reward, but the witch only gave him a piece of stale bread before ordering him to accompany her on the sleigh. Through the night, Edmund rode atop the sleigh in the freezing cold. When morning came, the ride started to get bumpier and bumpier. He looked around and saw that the frozen expanse was becoming more and more green. The dwarf that rode with them confirmed the White Witch's worst fears: spring was coming, which meant Aslan was coming. Angered, the White Witch ordered them to walk with her. She tied Edmund up and walked quickly to intercept the siblings.
        (Back to the siblings) After some more walking, Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the beavers finally reached the Stone Table, where they found Aslan, centaurs, and other mythical creatures. They told Alsan of Edmund's betrayal before going their separate ways to prepare for the upcoming feast. As Aslan told  Peter that he planned to make him king, Peter heard Susan's horn blow. He rushed to her side and slew a wolf that attacked her. Alsan unleashed his forces upon the other wolf that sought to return to the White Witch and report the union of the siblings and Aslan. They managed to follow the wolf all of the way back to the White Witch and captured Edmund, bringing him back to Aslan, but not before the White Witch could mark his blood, binding her to him.
        The following day, the three siblings woke up to find Aslan deep in conversation with Edmund. They forgave his betrayal after he apologized. While they spoke, the White Witch requested safe passage to talk, and Aslan agreed. When she came, she discussed the blood claim that she had. Aslan discreetly spoke with her, agreeing for her to give up the blood oath before she fled. Afterward, Aslan solemnly led the army to camp for the night a ways from the Stone Table. He spoke in great detail about the attack plans to Peter. Once they made it, everyone went to sleep, the mood soured by Aslan’s off-putting mood. 
        Sometime during the night, Susan and Lucy both awoke and went outside to find Aslan walking away. They started following him, but he quickly noticed them. Aslan called them to his side to accompany him, and they graciously did so. When he approached the Stone Table, he made them hide. They watched in horror as he approached the Stone Table surrounded by grotesque brutes and monsters. The creatures triumphantly tied up and led him to the Stone Table, where the White Witch happily took a stone dagger and slew him. 
        The girls waited until the hordes left the Stone Table and prepared for war. When the coast cleared, the girls went down to Aslan and cried upon his now-shaved mane. As they sat crying, hundreds of field mice nibbled on his bonds until they freed him. The frigid night became too cold, so they started pacing back and forth near the table. Suddenly, the girls heard a large crack and looking back, the table was split down the middle, and Aslan was gone. They went to investigate when Aslan appeared behind them, explaining that since he died willingly and on Edmund's behalf, the magic resurrected him (just some mysterious magic). Elated, the girls climbed upon his back and exuberantly rode Aslan as he ran to the White Witch's castle. There, Aslan breathed life into every statue, turning them back from stone to flesh. 
        Once he freed everyone, Aslan told them of the battle, and they raced toward it, finding Peter's army outnumbered with casualties littering the field (too bad there was no "FOR NARNIA" shout in the book. It was my favorite part of the movie). Peter dueled the White Witch as Aslan came to pounce on her and put an end to her. With the White Witch dealt with, the rest of the army fell swiftly, and Lucy helped to heal the wounds on the battlefield. 
        That night, the victors held a great feast in honor of their success, and the four siblings were crowned kings and queens of Narnia. For many years, they reigned over the lands, vanquished evil when it spawned, formed alliances with foreign nations, and promoted peace across. One day, the four of them were following a wish-granting stag when they stumbled upon a lamp post. So many years had passed that they had forgotten about their lives before Narnia, but something called them toward the light post. They walked toward it until they found themselves back in the closet, realizing only several minutes had passed. Life would stay the same for everyone else, but for Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund, it changed forever. They told their story to the professor, who believed every word, and he assured them they would have many more adventures in Narnia. (That’s the end of this classic! A quick but timeless tale. If you’re interested, there are many more to fill your fantastical hearts with. Thank you for reading, and be wary of deep wardrobes in mysterious houses.)