PRINCECASPIANlivedinagreatcastleinthecentreofNarniawithhisuncle,Miraz,theKingofNarnia,andhisaunt,whohadredhairandwascalledQueenPrunaprismia.HisfatherandmotherweredeadandthepersonwhomCaspianlovedbestwashisnurse,andthough(beingaprince)hehadwonderfultoyswhichwoulddoalmostanythingbuttalk,helikedbestthelasthourofthedaywhenthetoyshadallbeenputbackintheircupboardsandNursewouldtellhimstories.
Hedidnotcaremuchforhisuncleandaunt,butabouttwiceaweekhisunclewouldsendforhimandtheywouldwalkupanddowntogetherforhalfanhourontheterraceatthesouthsideofthecastle.Oneday,whiletheyweredoingthis,theKingsaidtohim,
“Well,boy,wemustsoonteachyoutorideanduseasword.YouknowthatyourauntandIhavenochildren,soitlooksasifyoumighthavetobeKingwhenI’mgone.Howshallyoulikethat,eh?”
“Idon’tknow,Uncle,”saidCaspian.
“Don’tknow,eh?”saidMiraz.“Why,Ishouldliketoknowwhatmoreanyonecouldwishfor!”
“Allthesame,Idowish,”saidCaspian.
“Whatdoyouwish?”askedtheKing.
“Iwish—Iwish—IwishIcouldhavelivedintheOldDays,”saidCaspian.(Hewasonlyaverylittleboyatthetime.)
UptillnowKingMirazhadbeentalkinginthetiresomewaythatsomegrown-upshave,whichmakesitquiteclearthattheyarenotreallyinterestedinwhatyouaresaying,butnowhesuddenlygaveCaspianaverysharplook.
“Eh?What’sthat?”hesaid.“Whatolddaysdoyoumean?”
“Oh,don’tyouknow,Uncle?”saidCaspian.“Wheneverythingwasquitedifferent.Whenalltheanimalscouldtalk,andtherewerenicepeoplewholivedinthestreamsandthetrees.NaiadsandDryadstheywerecalled.AndtherewereDwarfs.AndtherewerelovelylittleFaunsinallthewoods.Theyhadfeetlikegoats.And—”
“That’sallnonsense,forbabies,”saidtheKingsternly.“Onlyfitforbabies,doyouhear?You’regettingtoooldforthatsortofstuff.Atyourageyououghttobethinkingofbattlesandadventures,notfairytales.”
“Oh,buttherewerebattlesandadventuresinthosedays,”saidCaspian.“Wonderfuladventures.OncetherewasaWhiteWitchandshemadeherselfQueenofthewholecountry.Andshemadeitsothatitwasalwayswinter.AndthentwoboysandtwogirlscamefromsomewhereandsotheykilledtheWitchandtheyweremadeKingsandQueensofNarnia,andtheirnameswerePeterandSusanandEdmundandLucy.Andsotheyreignedforeversolongandeveryonehadalovelytime,anditwasallbecauseofAslan—”
“Who’she?”saidMiraz.AndifCaspianhadbeenaverylittleolder,thetoneofhisuncle’svoicewouldhavewarnedhimthatitwouldbewisertoshutup.Buthebabbledon,
“Oh,don’tyouknow?”hesaid.“AslanisthegreatLionwhocomesfromoverthesea.”
“Whohasbeentellingyouallthisnonsense?”saidtheKinginavoiceofthunder.Caspianwasfrightenedandsaidnothing.
“YourRoyalHighness,”saidKingMiraz,lettinggoofCaspian’shand,whichhehadbeenholdingtillnow,“Iinsistuponbeinganswered.Lookmeintheface.Whohasbeentellingyouthispackoflies?”
“N-Nurse,”falteredCaspian,andburstintotears.
“Stopthatnoise,”saidhisuncle,takingCaspianbytheshouldersandgivinghimashake.“Stopit.Andneverletmecatchyoutalking-orthinkingeither-aboutallthosesillystoriesagain.ThereneverwerethoseKingsandQueens.HowcouldtherebetwoKingsatthesametime?Andthere’snosuchpersonasAslan.Andtherearenosuchthingsaslions.Andthereneverwasatimewhenanimalscouldtalk.Doyouhear?”
“Yes,Uncle,”sobbedCaspian.
“Thenlet’shavenomoreofit,”saidtheKing.Thenhecalledtooneofthegentlemen-in-waitingwhowerestandingatthefarendoftheterraceandsaidinacoldvoice,“ConductHisRoyalHighnesstohisapartmentsandsendHisRoyalHighness’snursetomeATONCE.”
NextdayCaspianfoundwhataterriblethinghehaddone,forNursehadbeensentawaywithoutevenbeingallowedtosaygood-byetohim,andhewastoldhewastohaveaTutor.
Caspianmissedhisnurseverymuchandshedmanytears;andbecausehewassomiserable,hethoughtabouttheoldstoriesofNarniafarmorethanbefore.HedreamedofDwarfsandDryadseverynightandtriedveryhardtomakethedogsandcatsinthecastletalktohim.Butthedogsonlywaggedtheirtailsandthecatsonlypurred.
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