The Last Battle

Jill takes the lion skin off Puzzle so he will not be caught in that disguise. Shift is telling the crowd that since Tashlan is mad, he will not be emerging from “the Stable” anymore. Griffle, the chief dwarf, laughs that Shift has not got anything to bring out, saying he lost the donkey. Shift retorts that the Narnians now have to go in the Stable one at a time to see Tashlan. When Jill asks Tirian if Tash is in the Stable, he guesses that two Calormenes with drawn swords are standing at the door. Ginger coolly volunteers to enter; Poggin suspects it is a plot for the cat to say he saw some wonder inside. Instead, they hear a horrible caterwaul and Ginger rushes out, his hair standing on end. Ginger is no longer a talking animal and can only make ordinary cat noises: At Narnia’s beginning, Aslan warned the talking creatures that if they misbehaved they would be reduced to ordinary animals.

A young and handsome Calormene officer named Emeth asks to enter the Stable, reasoning that if Tash and Aslan are one and Aslan is in the stable, his own god must be there as well. Rishda tries to prevent him, but Emeth persists. Jewel whispers that the solemn-faced Emeth deserves a better god than Tash. After a few moments, a dead Calormene falls out of the Stable door. Tirian can see that the deceased is not Emeth, even though the surprised Rishda claims it is.

When Shift tries to force a brave Narnian boar into the Stable, Tirian begins the battle, ordering all true Narnians to his side in the fight against the Calormenes.

Rishda leaps out of reach of King Tirian’s sword; he is also leery of the eagle and the unicorn. Shift does not realize the danger as quickly, so Tirian picks Shift up and throws him through the Stable door. The earth shakes and the group hears a strange noise like that of a monstrous bird. Farsight notices that Rishda is now as surprised and frightened as everyone else about what is in the Stable.

Every single talking dog joyfully supports the king’s side in the battle. Mice, a bear, and the boar come too, but Tirian sees how very few of the Narnians follow him: They are terrified of Tashlan’s wrath. Tirian sends the mice to gnaw the ropes and free the talking horses. Meanwhile, Rishda orders his men to drive their opponents into the Stable as an offering to Tash. Farsight thinks that is how Rishda hopes to win Tash’s pardon for his previous unbelief.

Eustace hopes he will be brave in battle while Jill shoots arrows at the advancing enemy. After two minutes, the Calormenes’ first attack fails. Then Tirian hears the Calormene drum calling for reinforcements. The talking horses of Narnia charge up the hill to help Tirian’s side, but the dwarfs shoot arrows that kill them; the dwarfs do not want either side to win. Everyone hears the answering drum of Calormene troops coming to support Rishda. Tirian orders his forces to attack, although he privately has lost all hope. He tells his group to retreat to the white rock at his signal. The king’s group is fighting their way through the enemy, but new Calormenes keep arriving, and Tirian gives the command to go to the rock.

Jill arrives at the white rock a moment before her friends. When they turn around, they see a Calormene carrying a kicking Eustace toward the Stable door. Tirian and Jewel rush to rescue Eustace, but the Calormene throws Eustace inside and shuts the door. Griffle and the dwarfs start shooting arrows at the Calormenes, seeking to kill as many of both sides as they can. The dwarfs want Narnia for themselves, but their archery is not effective against the mail-clad Calormenes. Rishda orders his men to fling 11 dwarfs, one after the other, through the Stable door in offering to Tash. Poggin fears that everyone in their group may pass through the door before morning. Jewel comforts Jill by asserting that it may be a door to Aslan’s country.

Since Tirian and his allies refuse to surrender to Rishda, “the last battle of the last king of Narnia [begins]” (118). Tirian’s group is hopelessly outnumbered, and their enemies possess lethal long spears. Although Tirian sees Jill dragged away, he is fighting Rishda in order to sell his life as dearly as he can. Tirian realizes the enemy is edging him toward the Stable in order to throw him in, so he seizes Rishda, inviting him to meet Tash as they both go through the door. The earth shakes, and there is a blinding light. Tirian sees the ghastly, vulture-headed Tash. Tash tucks the miserable Rishda under his arms. When Tash stares at Tirian, a strong, calm voice tells the monster to vanish in Aslan’s name.

Seven kings and queens of Narnia greet Tirian. He is amazed to recognize Jill, no longer dirty and in tears but in a fresh gown. He also sees a changed Eustace. High King Peter introduces Tirian to Lady Polly, Lord Digory, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy. The missing Queen Susan is no longer a Friend of Narnia; she is too interested in trying to be grown-up. Tirian looks around for the first time as Peter mentions the lovely fruit trees.