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〃it was i鈥�
〃but what for？鈥�
〃child；〃 said the voice； 〃i am telling you your story； not hers。 i tell no one any story but his own。鈥�
〃who are you？〃 asked shasta。
〃myself；〃 said the voice； very deep and low so that the earth shook： and again 〃myself〃； loud and clear and gay： and then the third time 〃myself〃； whispered so softly you could hardly hear it； and yet it seemed to e from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it。
shasta was no longer afraid that the voice belonged to something that would eat him； nor that it was the voice of a ghost。 but a new and different sort of trembling came over him。
yet he felt glad too。
the mist was turning from black to grey and from grey to white。 this must have begun to happen some time ago； but while he had been talking to the thing he had not been noticing anything else。 now； the whiteness around him became a shining whiteness； his eyes began to blink。 somewhere ahead he could hear birds singing。 he knew the night was over at last。 he could see the mane and ears and head of his horse quite easily now。
a golden light fell on them from the left。 he thought it was the sun。
he turned and saw； pacing beside him； taller than the horse； a lion。 the horse did not seem to be afraid of it or else could not see it。 it was from the lion that the light came。
no one ever saw anything more terrible or beautiful。
luckily shasta had lived all his life too far south in calormen to have heard the tales that were whispered in tashbaan about a dreadful narnian demon that appeared in the form of a lion。 and of course he knew none of the true stories about aslan； the great lion； the son of the emperor…over…the…sea； the king above all high kings in narnia。 but after one glance at the lions face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet。 he couldnt say anything but then he didnt want to say anything； and he knew he neednt say anything。
the high king above all kings stooped towards him。 its mane； and some strange and solemn perfume that hung about the mane； was all round him。 it touched his forehead with its tongue。 he lifted his face and their eyes met。 then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared。 he was alone with the horse on a grassy hillside under a blue sky。 and there were birds singing。
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CHAPTER TWELVE
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shasta in narnia 〃was it all a dream？〃 wondered shasta。 but it couldnt have been a dream for there in the grass before him he saw the deep； large print of the lions front right paw。 it took ones breath away to think of the weight that could make a footprint like that。 but there was something more remarkable than the size about it。 as he looked at it； water had already filled the bottom of it。 soon it was full to the brim； and then overflowing； and a little stream was running downhill； past him； over the grass。
shasta stooped and drank … a very long drink … and then dipped his face in and splashed his head。 it was extremely cold； and clear as glass； and refreshed him very much。 after that he stood up； shaking the water out of his ears and flinging the wet hair back from his forehead； and began to take stock of his surroundings。
apparently it was still very early morning。 the sun had only just risen； and it had risen out of the forests which he saw low down and far away on his right。 the country j which he was looking at was absolutely new to him。 it was t a green valley…land dotted with trees through which he caught the gleam of a river that wound away roughly to the north…west。 on the far side of the valley there were high and even rocky hills； but they were lower than the mountains he had seen yesterday。 then he began to guess where he was。
he turned and looked behind him and saw that the slope on which he was standing belonged to a range of far higher mountains。
〃i see；〃 said shasta to himself。 〃those are the big mountains between archenland and narnia。 i was on the掳。 other side of them yesterday。 i must have e through the pass in the night。 what luck that i hit it！ … at least it wasnt luck at all really； it was him。 and now im in narnia。鈥�
he turned and unsaddled his horse and took off its bridle … 〃though you are a perfectly horrid horse；〃 he said。 it took no notice of this remark and immediately began eating grass。 that horse had a very low opinion of shasta。
〃i wish i could eat grass！〃 thought shasta。 〃its no good going back to anvard； itll all be besieged。 id better get lower down into the valley and see if i can get anything to eat。鈥�
so he went on downhill （the thick dew was cruelly cold to his bare feet） till he came into a wood。 there was a kind of track running through it and he had not followed this for many minutes when he heard a thick and rather wheezy voice saying to him。
〃good morning； neighbour。鈥�
shasta looked round eagerly to find the speaker and presently saw a small； prickly person with a dark face who had just e out from among the trees。 at least； it was small for a person but very big indeed for a hedgehog； which was what it was。
〃good morning；〃 said shasta。 〃but im not a neighbour。 in fact im a stranger in these parts。鈥�
〃ah？〃 said the hedgehog inquiringly。
〃ive e over the mountains … from archenland； you know。鈥�
〃ha； archenland；〃 said the hedgehog。 〃thats a terrible long way。 never been there myself。鈥�
〃and i think； perhaps；〃 said shasta； 〃someone ought to be told that theres an army of savage calormenes attacking anvard at this very moment。鈥�
〃you dont say so！〃 answered the hedgehog。 〃well； think of that。 and they do say that calormen is hundreds and thousands of miles away； right at the worlds end； across a great sea of sand。鈥�
〃its not nearly as far as you think；〃 said shasta。 〃and oughtnt something to be done about this attack on anvard？ oughtnt your high king to be told？鈥�
〃certain sure； something ought to be done about it；〃 said the hedgehog。 〃but you see im just on my way to bed for a good days sleep。 hullo； neighbour！鈥�
the last words were addressed to an immense biscuitcoloured rabbit whose head had just popped up from somewhere beside the path。 the hedgehog immediately told the rabbit what it had just learned from shasta。 the rabbit agreed that this was very remarkable news and that somebody ought to tell someone about it with a view to doing something。
and so it went on。 every few minutes they were joined by other creatures； some from the branches overhead and some from little underground houses at their feet； till the party consisted of five rabbits； a squirrel； two magpies； a goat…foot faun； and a mouse； who all talked at the same time and all agreed with the hedgehog。 for the truth was that in that golden age when the witch and the winter had gone and peter the high king ruled at cair paravel； the smaller woodland people of narnia were so safe and happy that they were getting a little careless。
presently； however； two more practical people arrived in the little wood。 one was a red dwar