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The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

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"I shall never see <strong>Narnia</strong>," said Bree <strong>in</strong> a low voice.<br />

"Aren't you well, Bree dear?" said Aravis.<br />

Bree turned round at last, his face mournful as only a horse's can be.<br />

"I shall go back to Calormen," he said.<br />

"What?" said Aravis. "Back to slavery!"<br />

"Yes," said Bree. "Slavery is all I'm fit for. How can I ever show my face among the free<br />

Horses <strong>of</strong> <strong>Narnia</strong>? - I who left a mare and a girl and a boy to be eaten by lions while I<br />

galloped all I could to save my own wretched sk<strong>in</strong>!"<br />

"We all ran as hard as we could," said Hw<strong>in</strong>.<br />

"Shasta didn't!" snorted Bree. "At least he ran <strong>in</strong> the right direction: ran back. And that is<br />

what shames me most <strong>of</strong> all. I, who called myself a war-horse and boasted <strong>of</strong> a hundred<br />

fights, to be beaten by a little human boy - a child, a mere foal, who had never held a<br />

sword nor had any good nurture or example <strong>in</strong> his life!"<br />

"I know," said Aravis. "I felt just the same. Shasta was marvellous. I'm just as bad as you,<br />

Bree. I've been snubb<strong>in</strong>g him and look<strong>in</strong>g down on him ever s<strong>in</strong>ce you met us and now<br />

he turns out to be the best <strong>of</strong> us all. But I th<strong>in</strong>k it would be better to stay and say we're<br />

sorry than to go back to Calormen."<br />

"It's all very well for you," said Bree. "You haven't disgraced yourself. But I've lost<br />

everyth<strong>in</strong>g."<br />

"My good Horse," said the Hermit, who had approached them unnoticed because his bare<br />

feet made so little noise on that sweet, dewy grass. "My good Horse, you've lost noth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

but your self-conceit. No, no, cous<strong>in</strong>. Don't put back your ears and shake your mane at<br />

me. If you are really so humbled as you sounded a m<strong>in</strong>ute ago, you must learn to listen to<br />

sense. You're not quite the great Horse you had come to th<strong>in</strong>k, from liv<strong>in</strong>g among poor<br />

dumb horses. Of course you were braver and cleverer than them. You could hardly help<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g that. It doesn't follow that you'll be anyone very special <strong>in</strong> <strong>Narnia</strong>. But as long as<br />

you know you're nobody special, you'll be a very decent sort <strong>of</strong> Horse, on the whole, and<br />

tak<strong>in</strong>g one th<strong>in</strong>g with another. And now, if you and my other four-footed cous<strong>in</strong> will<br />

come round to the kitchen door we'll see about the other half <strong>of</strong> that mash."<br />

CHAPTER ELEVEN<br />

THE UNWELCOME FELLOW TRAVELLER

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