Wunderkind ❄ A Chronicles of Narnia Tale {Wattys 2018}

A Knock for the Witch

When she awoke, daylight was streaming through onto her face. She had a crick in her neck and she was a little cold, though memories of the previous day came flooding back and suddenly she was wide-awake. Everyone was sitting up and blinking blearily and listening to a soft jingling outside the cave.

"Oh, no," whispered Susan. "It's the Witch!"

At this, they all became very afraid. Had the wolves somehow followed them to the cave and told the Witch where they were? More importantly, was Edmund with her? Mr Beaver darted out of the cave to see what it was, gesturing for the others to keep quiet. They crouched in the cave anxiously, hoping that Mr Beaver would hurry up and tell them everything was all right, but they waited for almost five minutes before he called out, "It's all right! It's all right, you can come out now! It's not the Witch! Come out; come and see!"

He sounded very excited, and at once Mrs Beaver and the children came out of the cave, shaking themselves off and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. They scrambled to the top of the bank, where Mr Beaver was jumping up and down in delight.

"Come and see!" he said. "Come on! Oh, this is a wonderful knock for the Witch!"

And at last they did see. A sledge was parked neatly in the snow, bells strung up all along the sides and big brown reindeer harnessed to it. In front of the sledge stood a great man in a long coat bright as strawberries, with rosy cheeks and a long white beard. He beamed at the children, and they all felt very glad to see him.

"Father Christmas," whispered Lucy in a tremulous sort of voice. "But I thought Mr Tumnus said the Witch makes it always winter and never Christmas."

"Indeed, she has kept me out for a very long time, Lucy," said Father Christmas. "But her magic is weakening, and at last I have got in." He smiled once more and pulled a large sack from his sleigh. "And now for your presents. Mrs Beaver, I will deliver a new sewing machine to your house when I pass. Mr Beaver, you will find your dam finished and mended, and there will be a new sluicegate fitted."

Neither of the Beavers quite knew what to say, and they simply clutched each other's paws and smiled.

"Peter, Adam's Son," said Father Christmas, producing from the sack a sword and shield. "This is your present. They are tools, not toys, and the time to use them is perhaps near at hand. Bear them well, Son of Adam."

Peter took the gifts, feeling very solemn and trembly. He turned the shield towards the sunlight, admiring the bright red lion embedded in the silver. "Thank you, sir," he said.

"Susan, Eve's Daughter," said Father Christmas. "You must use these only when you are in great need." He handed her a bow and quiver of arrows, and a beautiful, intricately decorated ivory horn. "When you put the horn to your lips and blow, no matter where you are, help will always come." Susan immediately strung the bow and quiver over her shoulder, careful not to damage them.

"Lucy, Eve's Daughter," said Father Christmas.

Lucy stepped forward, feeling both solemn and glad at the same time. "Yes, sir," she said.

He gave her a small bottle made of diamond and filled with a dark red liquid. "This bottle contains juice from the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. It has very strong healing powers. If you, or one of your friends, is hurt, just a few drops of this will restore them," he said, then handed her a dagger. "And this, though I hope you will never need it, is to defend yourself with in great need. I do not mean for you to be in battle."

"But sir," said Lucy. "I think I could be brave enough."

"I'm sure you could," said Father Christmas smiling kindly; "but battles are ugly when women fight."