this passage was rattling around my head today for no particular reason
The young woman had apparently been in the middle of a washing day, for she wore an apron, her sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and there were soapsuds on her hands. If she had had time to put on her good clothes (her best hat had imitation cherries on it) she would have looked dreadful; as it was, she looked rather nice.
Of course she thought she was dreaming. That was why she didn't rush across to her husband and ask him what on earth had happened to them both. But when she looked at the Lion she didn't feel quite so sure it was a dream, yet for some reason she did not appear to be frightened. Then she dropped a little half curtsey, as some country girls still knew how to do in those days. After that, she went and put her hand in the Cabby's and stood there looking round her a littly shyly.
'My children,' said Aslan, fixing his eyes on both of them, 'you are to be the first King and Queen of Narnia.'
The Cabby opened his mouth in astonishment, and his wife turned very red.
'You shall rule and name all these creatures, and do justice among them, and protect them from their enemies when enemies arise. And enemies will arise, for there is an evil Witch in this world.'
The Cabby swallowed hard two or three times and cleared his throat.
'Begging your pardon, sir,' he said, 'and thanking you very much I'm sure (which my Missus does the same) but I ain't no sort of a chap for a job like that. I never 'ad much eddycation, you see.'
'Well,' said Aslan, 'can you use a spade and a plough and raise food out of the earth?'
'Yes, sir, I could do a bit of that sort of work: being brought up to it, like.'
'Can you rule these creatures kindly and fairly, remembering that they are not slaves like the dumb beasts of the world you were born in, but Talking Beasts and free subjects?''
'I see that, sir,' replied the Cabby. 'I'd try to do the square thing by them all.'
'And would you bring up your children and grand-children to do the same?'
'It'd be up to me to try, sir. I'd do my best: wouldn't we, Nellie?''
'And you wouldn't have favourites either among your own children or among the other creatures or let any hold another under or use it hardly?'
'I never could abide such goings on, sir, and that's the truth. I'd give 'em what for if I caught 'em at it,' said the Cabby. (All through this conversation his voice was growing slower and richer. More like the country voice he must have had as a boy and less like the sharp, quick voice of a cockney.)
'And if enemies came against the land (for enemies will arise) and there was war, would you be the first in the charge and the last in the retreat?'
'Well, sir,' said the Cabby very slowly, 'a chap don't exactly know till he's been tried. I dare say I might turn out ever such a soft 'un. Never did no fighting except with my fists. I'd try-that is, I 'ope I'd try-to do my bit.'
'Then,' said Aslan, 'You will have done all that a King should do. Your coronation will be held presently. And you and your children and grandchildren shall be blessed, and some will be Kings of Narnia, and others will be Kings of Archenland which lies yonder over the Southern Mountains.'
-The Magician's Nephew, C.S. Lewis
Of course she thought she was dreaming. That was why she didn't rush across to her husband and ask him what on earth had happened to them both. But when she looked at the Lion she didn't feel quite so sure it was a dream, yet for some reason she did not appear to be frightened. Then she dropped a little half curtsey, as some country girls still knew how to do in those days. After that, she went and put her hand in the Cabby's and stood there looking round her a littly shyly.
'My children,' said Aslan, fixing his eyes on both of them, 'you are to be the first King and Queen of Narnia.'
The Cabby opened his mouth in astonishment, and his wife turned very red.
'You shall rule and name all these creatures, and do justice among them, and protect them from their enemies when enemies arise. And enemies will arise, for there is an evil Witch in this world.'
The Cabby swallowed hard two or three times and cleared his throat.
'Begging your pardon, sir,' he said, 'and thanking you very much I'm sure (which my Missus does the same) but I ain't no sort of a chap for a job like that. I never 'ad much eddycation, you see.'
'Well,' said Aslan, 'can you use a spade and a plough and raise food out of the earth?'
'Yes, sir, I could do a bit of that sort of work: being brought up to it, like.'
'Can you rule these creatures kindly and fairly, remembering that they are not slaves like the dumb beasts of the world you were born in, but Talking Beasts and free subjects?''
'I see that, sir,' replied the Cabby. 'I'd try to do the square thing by them all.'
'And would you bring up your children and grand-children to do the same?'
'It'd be up to me to try, sir. I'd do my best: wouldn't we, Nellie?''
'And you wouldn't have favourites either among your own children or among the other creatures or let any hold another under or use it hardly?'
'I never could abide such goings on, sir, and that's the truth. I'd give 'em what for if I caught 'em at it,' said the Cabby. (All through this conversation his voice was growing slower and richer. More like the country voice he must have had as a boy and less like the sharp, quick voice of a cockney.)
'And if enemies came against the land (for enemies will arise) and there was war, would you be the first in the charge and the last in the retreat?'
'Well, sir,' said the Cabby very slowly, 'a chap don't exactly know till he's been tried. I dare say I might turn out ever such a soft 'un. Never did no fighting except with my fists. I'd try-that is, I 'ope I'd try-to do my bit.'
'Then,' said Aslan, 'You will have done all that a King should do. Your coronation will be held presently. And you and your children and grandchildren shall be blessed, and some will be Kings of Narnia, and others will be Kings of Archenland which lies yonder over the Southern Mountains.'
-The Magician's Nephew, C.S. Lewis