The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

aging mouth. Then, to his utter astonishment, the lion, still on its hind legs, checked
itself suddenly, turned head over heels, picked itself up, and rushed away.
Shasta did not for a moment suppose it had gone for good. He turned and raced for the
gate in the green wall which, now for the first time, he remembered seeing. Hwin,
stumbling and nearly fainting, was just entering the gate: Aravis still kept her seat but her
back was covered with blood.
"Come in, my daughter, come in," the robed and bearded man was saying, and then
"Come in, my son" as Shasta panted up to him. He heard the gate closed behind him; and
the bearded stranger was already helping Aravis off her horse.
They were in a wide and perfectly circular enclosure, protected by a high wall of green
turf. A pool of perfectly still water, so full that the water was almost exactly level with
the ground, lay before him. At one end of the pool, completely overshadowing it with its
branches, there grew the hugest and most beautiful tree that Shasta had ever seen. Beyond
the pool was a little low house of stone roofed with deep and ancient thatch. There was a
sound of bleating and over at the far side of the enclosure there were some goats. The
level ground was completely covered with the finest grass.
"Are - are - are you," panted Shasta. "Are you King Lune of Archenland?"
The old man shook his head. "No," he replied in a quiet voice, "I am the Hermit of the
Southern March. And now, my son, waste no time on questions, but obey. This damsel is
wounded. Your horses are spent. Rabadash is at this moment finding a ford over the
Winding Arrow. If you run now, without a moment's rest, you will still be in time to warn
King Lune."
Shasta's heart fainted at these words for he felt he had no strength left. And he writhed
inside at what seemed the cruelty and unfairness of the demand. He had not yet learned
that if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and
better one. But all he said out loud was:
"Where is the King?"
The Hermit turned and pointed with his staff. "Look," he said. "There is another gate,
right opposite to the one you entered by. Open it and go straight ahead: always straight
ahead, over level or steep, over smooth or rough, over dry or wet. I know by my art that
you will find King Lune straight ahead. But run, run: always run."
Shasta nodded his head, ran to the northern gate and disappeared beyond it. Then the
Hermit took Aravis, whom he had all this time been supporting with his left arm, and half
led, half carried her into the house. After a long time he came out again.
"Now, cousins," he said to the Horses. "It is your turn."