Peter’s first battle

           WhilethedwarfandtheWhiteWitchweresayingthis,milesawaytheBeaversandthechildrenwerewalkingonhourafterhourintowhatseemedadeliciousdream.Longagotheyhadleftthecoatsbehindthem.Andbynowtheyhadevenstoppedsayingtooneanother,"Look!there’sakingfisher,"or"Isay,bluebells!"or"Whatwasthatlovelysmell?"or"Justlistentothatthrush!"Theywalkedoninsilencedrinkingitallin,passingthroughpatchesofwarmsunlightintocool,greenthicketsandoutagainintowidemossygladeswheretallelmsraisedtheleafyrooffaroverhead,andthenintodensemassesoffloweringcurrantandamonghawthornbusheswherethesweetsmellwasalmostoverpowering.

           TheyhadbeenjustassurprisedasEdmundwhentheysawthewintervanishingandthewholewoodpassinginafewhoursorsofromJanuarytoMay.Theyhadn’tevenknownforcertain(astheWitchdid)thatthiswaswhatwouldhappenwhenAslancametoNarnia.Buttheyallknewthatitwasherspellswhichhadproducedtheendlesswinter;andthereforetheyallknewwhenthismagicspringbeganthatsomethinghadgonewrong,andbadlywrong,withtheWitch’sschemes.AndafterthethawhadbeengoingonforsometimetheyallrealizedthattheWitchwouldnolongerbeabletousehersledge.Afterthattheydidn’thurrysomuchandtheyallowedthemselvesmorerestsandlongerones.Theywereprettytiredbynowofcourse;butnotwhatI’dcallbitterlytired-onlyslowandfeelingverydreamyandquietinsideasonedoeswhenoneiscomingtotheendofalongdayintheopen.Susanhadaslightblisterononeheel.

           Theyhadleftthecourseofthebigriversometimeago;foronehadtoturnalittletotheright(thatmeantalittletothesouth)toreachtheplaceoftheStoneTable.