“Yes, wasn’t it a shame?” said Lucy. “I saw you all right. They wouldn’t believe me. They’re all so—”
From somewhere deep inside Aslan’s body there came the faintest suggestion of a growl.
“I’m sorry,” said Lucy, who understood some of his moods. “I didn’t mean to start slanging the others. But it wasn’t my fault anyway, was it?”
The Lion looked straight into her eyes.
“Oh, Aslan,” said Lucy. “You don’t mean it was? How could I—I couldn’t have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I? Don’t look at me like that. . . oh well, I suppose I could, Yes, and it wouldn’t have been alone, I know, not if I was with you. But what would have been the good?”
Aslan said nothing.
“You mean,” said Lucy rather faintly, “that it would have turned out all right—somehow? But how? Please, Aslan! Am I not to know?”
“To know what would have happened, child?” said Aslan. “No. Nobody is ever told that.”
“Oh dear,” said Lucy.
“But anyone can find out what will happen,” said Aslan. “If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me—what will happen? There is only one way of finding out.”
“Do you mean that is what you want me to do?” gasped Lucy.
“Yes, little one,” said Aslan.
“Will the others see you too?” asked Lucy.
“Certainly not at first” said Aslan. “Later on, it depends.”
“But they won’t believe me!” said Lucy.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Aslan.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” said Lucy. “And I was so pleased at finding you again. And I thought you’d let me stay. And I thought you’d come roaring in and frighten all the enemies away—like last time. And now everything is going to be horrid.”
“It is hard for you, little one,” said Aslan. “But things never happen the same way twice. It has been hard for us all in Narnia before now.”
Lucy buried her head in his mane to hide from his face, But there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly she sat up.
“I’m sorry, Aslan,” she said. “I’m ready now.”
“Now you are a lioness,” said Aslan. “And now all Narnia will be renewed. But come. We have no time to lose.”
C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia The Chronicles of Narnia (1951, this edition Harper Collins, 1994) 142-143.
Oh, how very beautiful. I'm so thankful for this site, Ken!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, you are a lioness! Christ has called you and life all around you will be renewed. God will work all things toward good. Trust him and experience his redemption.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very inspirational reading today from Prince Caspian. And this scene was much better in the book than in the movie ;) We answer to Christ, not to others. He is first. When we listen and trust and obey him, we find ourselves being changed. I stood there with Lucy when I prepared this reading. I needed to hear it. And it was powerful.
Thanks, Margaret for sharing in that experience and posting about it. Aslan is on the move!
When I was receiving communion on Sunday, I heard these words in my head, "Now you are a lioness."
ReplyDeleteI felt very close to Christ.
(Yes, technically, I would be a "lion", but Jesus knows I wouldn't mind hearing the quote in its original form as he knows that I'm egalitarian who's ok with hearing a few female-exclusive references to balance out all the times we've expected women to relate to male-exclusive references. Yes, it's funny how my mind works sometimes.)
Ken, thank you for helping us all keep our eyes on Aslan.
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