Heart of Courage

02. A Narnian Lullaby

Lucy and Isabel entered a forest clouded in white and walked up to a lamp post. They admired it and heard what sounded like scurrying about. The sisters ducked behind the lamp post. A creature with a red scarf carrying parcels appeared. The creature, Isabel, and Lucy screamed and the creature dropped its parcels.

Moments later, the three of them walked back towards the lamp post.

"Were you hiding from us?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Huh, um, n... n... no. I didn't want to scare you," the creature said.

Isabel tilted her head as she said, "If you don't mind me asking, what are you?"

He looked shocked that Lucy and Isabel didn't know what he was. "Why, I'm a faun! And you two must be some kind of beardless dwarf?"

"We're not a dwarf!" Lucy cried. "We're girls! And actually, I'm tallest in my class. Isabel is the smartest in her class."

The faun remained confused and asked, "But you're saying you're daughters of Eve?"

Lucy frowned. "Well, our mum's name is Helen..."

The faun cut her off. "Yes, but you two are in fact, human."

The sisters nodded and the faun questioned, "What are you doing here?"

Lucy glanced back. "Well, we came from the wardrobe in the spare room, and..."

"Spare Oom."

"Spare room," Isabel corrected. "Is that in Narnia?"

The faun seemed confused. "No. This is Narnia. Everything from this lamp post to Cair Paravel on the Eastern ocean, every stick and stone, every icicle is Narnia."

"This is an awfully big wardrobe," Lucy mumbled as she glanced at her sister.

The faun turned his gaze to the sisters once again. "Wardrobe? I'm sorry, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."

Lucy smiled and extended her hand. "Glad to meet you, Mr. Tumnus. I'm Lucy Pevensie. This is my sister Isabel." Tumnus stared at her hand.

"Oh. You shake it."

Tumnus frowned. "Why?"

Lucy thought for a moment. "I-I don't know. People do it when they meet each other."

Tumnus shook her hand, then Isabel's before he said, "Well then Lucy and Isabel Pevensie, from the shining city of War Drobe in the wondrous land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?"

Lucy glanced at the wardrobe. "Oh, well, thank you very much, but we probably should be getting back..."

"Yes, but it's only just around the corner. And there'll be a glorious fire. And toast and cakes. And maybe... we'll even break into the sardines."

"Well, I don't know..."

"Oh, come on. It's not everyday I get to make new friends."

Lucy glanced at her sister who nodded.

Lucy replied in a nervous tone, "Well, maybe for just a little while... if you have sardines."

"By the bucket load," Tumnus answered with a small smile. "Come along."

The sisters followed the faun to his house. When they arrived, Lucy asked, "Can we help you?"

Tumnus nodded and both Lucy and Isabel took a couple of parcels and opened the door. "Why, thank you!"

They put the parcels down and began examining the pictures. Tumnus noticed what she was doing. "Oh... that is my father."

"He has a nice face," Lucy said with a smile. "You look just like him."