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t was so far off。 there were gulls flying overhead and the heat shivered on the ground； it was a blazing day。 but what shasta chiefly noticed was the air。 he couldnt think what was missing； until at last he realized that there was no smell of fish in it。 for of course； neither in the cottage nor among the nets； had he ever been away from
that smell in his life。 and this new air was so delicious； and all his old life seemed so far away； that he forgot for a moment about his bruises and his aching muscles and said： 〃i say； bree； didnt you say something about breakfast？鈥�
〃yes； i did；〃 answered bree。 〃i think youll find something in the saddle… bags。 theyre over there on that tree where you hung them up last night … or early this morning； rather。鈥�
they investigated the saddle…bags and the results were cheering… a meat pasty； only slightly stale； a lump of dried figs and another lump of green cheese； a little flask of wine； and some money； about forty crescents in all； which was more than shasta had ever seen。
while shasta sat down … painfully and cautiously … with his back against a tree and started on the pasty； bree had a few more mouthfuls of grass to keep him pany。
〃wont it be stealing to use the money？〃 asked shasta。
〃oh；〃 said the horse； looking up with its mouth full of grass； 〃i never thought of that。 a free horse and a talking horse mustnt steal； of course。 but i think its all right。 were prisoners and captives in enemy country。 that money is booty； spoil。 besides； how are we to get any food for you without it？ i suppose； like all humans； you wont eat natural food like grass and oats。鈥�
〃i cant。鈥�
〃ever tried？鈥�
〃yes； i have。 i cant get it down at all。 you couldnt either if you were me。鈥�
〃youre rum little creatures； you humans；〃 remarked bree。
when shasta had finished his breakfast （which was by far the nicest he had ever eaten）； bree said； 〃i think ill have a nice roll before we put on that saddle again。〃 and he proceeded to do so。 〃thats good。 thats very good；〃 he said； rubbing his back on the turf and waving all four legs in the air。 〃you ought to have one too； shasta；〃 he snorted。 〃its most refreshing。鈥�
but shasta burst out laughing and said；〃you do look funny when youre on your back！鈥�
〃i look nothing of the sort；〃 said bree。 but then suddenly he rolled round on his side； raised his head and looked hard at shasta； blowing a little。
〃does it really look funny？〃 he asked in an anxious voice。
〃yes； it does；〃 replied shasta。 〃but what does it matter？鈥�
〃you dont think； do you；〃 said bree； 〃that it might be a thing talking horses never do … a silly； clownish trick ive learned from the dumb ones？ it would be dreadful to find； when i get back to narnia； that ive picked up a lot of low； bad habits。 what do you think； shasta？ honestly； now。 dont spare my feelings。 should you think the real； free horses … the talking kind … do roll？鈥�
〃how should i know？ anyway i dont think i should bother about it if i were you。 weve got to get there first。 do you know the way？鈥�
〃i know my way to tashbaan。 after that es the desert。 oh； well manage the desert somehow； never fear。 why； well be in sight of the northern mountains then。 think of it！
to narnia and the north！ nothing will stop us then。 but id be glad to be past tashbaan。
you and i are safer away from cities。鈥�
〃cant we avoid it？鈥�
〃not without going along way inland； and that would take us into cultivated land and main roads； and i wouldnt know the way。 no； well just have to creep along the coast。 up here on the downs well meet nothing but sheep and rabbits and gulls and a few shepherds。 and by the way； what about starting？鈥�
shastas legs ached terribly as he saddled bree and climbed into the saddle； but the horse was kindly to him and went at a soft pace all afternoon。 when evening twilight came they dropped by steep tracks into a valley and found a village。 before they got into it shasta dismounted and entered it on foot to buy a loaf and some onions and radishes。 the horse trotted round by the fields in the dusk and met shasta at the far side。 this became their regular plan every second night。
these were great days for shasta； and every day better than the last as his muscles hardened and he fell less often。 even at the end of his training bree still said he sat like a bag of flour in the saddle。 〃and even if it was safe； young un； id be ashamed to be seen with you on the main road。〃 but in spite of his rude words bree was a patient teacher。 no one can teach riding so well as a horse。 shasta learned to trot； to canter； to jump； and to keep his seat even when bree pulled up suddenly or swung unexpectedly to the left or the right … which； as bree told him； was a thing you might have to do at any moment in a battle。 and then of course shasta begged to be told of the battles and wars in which bree had carried the tarkaan。 and bree would tell of forced marches and the fording of swift rivers； of charges and of fierce fights between cavalry and cavalry when the war horses fought as well as the men； being all fierce stallions； trained to bite and kick； and to rear at the right moment so that the horses weight as well as the riders would e down on a enemys crest in the stroke of sword or battleaxe。 but bree did not want to talk about the wars as often as shasta wanted to hear about them。 〃dont speak of them； youngster；〃 he would say。 〃they were only the tisrocs wars and i fought in them as a slave and a dumb beast。 give me the narnian wars where i shall fight as a free horse among my own people！ those will be wars worth talking about。 narnia and the north！ bra… ha…ha！ broo hoo！鈥�
shasta soon learned； when he heard bree talking like that； to prepare for a gallop。
after they had travelled on for weeks and weeks past more bays and headlands and rivers and villages than shasta could remember； there came a moonlit night when they started their journey at evening； having slept during the day。 they had left the downs behind them and were crossing a wide plain with a forest about half a mile away on their left。
the sea； hidden by low sandhills； was about the same distance on their right。 they had jogged along for about an hour； sometimes trotting and sometimes walking； when bree suddenly stopped。
〃whats up？〃 said shasta。
〃s…s…ssh！〃 said bree； craning his neck round and twitching his ears。 〃did you hear something？ listen。鈥�
〃it sounds like another horse … between us and the wood；〃 said shasta after he had listened for about a minute。
〃it is another horse；〃 said bree。 〃and thats what i dont like。鈥�
〃isnt it probably just a farmer riding home late？〃 said shasta with a yawn。
〃dont tell me！〃 said bree。 〃thats not a farmers riding。 nor a farmers horse either。 cant you tell by the sound？ thats quality； that horse is。 and its being ridden by a real horseman。 i tell you what it is； shasta。 theres a tarkaan under the edge of that wood。
not on his war horse … its too light for that。 on a fine blood mare； i should say。鈥�
〃well； its stopped now； whatever it is；〃 said shasta。
〃youre right；〃 said bree。 〃and why shou