WHO WILL GO INTO THE STABLE?
JILL felt something tig her ear. It was Jewel the Uni, whispering to her with the wide whisper of a horses mouth. As soon as she heard what he was saying she nodded and tip-toed back to where Puzzle was standing. Quickly and quietly she cut the last cords that bound the lion-skin to him. It wouldnt do for him to be caught with that on, after what the Ape had said! She would like to have hidden the skin somewhere very far away, but it was too heavy. The best she could do was to kick it in among the thickest bushes. Then she made signs to Puzzle to follow her and they both joihe others.
The Ape eaking again.
"And after a horrid thing like that, Aslan - Tashlan - is ahan ever. He says hes been a great deal too good to you, ing out every night to be looked at, see! Well, hes not ing out any more.」
Howls and mewings and squeals and grunts were the Animals ao this, but suddenly a quite different voice broke in with a loud laugh.
"Hark what the monkey says," it shouted. "We know why he isnt going t his precious Aslan out. Ill tell you why: because he hasnt got him. He never had anything except an old donkey with a lion-skin on its baow hes lost that and he doesnt know what to do.」
Tirian could not see the faces oher side of the fire very well but he guessed this was Griffle the Chief Dwarf. And he was quite certain of it when, a sed later, all the Dwarfs voices joined in, singing: "Dont know what to do! Dont know what to do! Dont know what to do-o-o!」
"Silehundered Rishda Tarkaan. "Silence, children of mud! Listen to me, you other Narnians, lest I give and to my warriors to fall upon you with the edge of the sword. The Lord Shift has already told you of that wicked Ass. Do you think, because of him that there is ashlan iable! Do you? Beware, beware.」
"No, no," shouted most of the crowd. But the Dwarfs said, "Thats right, Darkie, youve got it. e on, Monkey, show us whats iable, seeing is believing.」
Whehere was a moments quiet the Ape said: "You Dwarfs think youre very clever, dont you? But not so fast. I never said you couldashlan. Anyone who likes see him.」
The whole assembly became silent. Then, after nearly a mihe Bear began in a slow, puzzled voice: "I dont quite uand all this," it grumbled, "I thought you said -」
"You thought!" repeated the Ape. "As if anyone could call what goes on in your head thinking. Listen, you others. Anyone see Tashlan. But hes not ing out. You have to go in and see him.」
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," said dozens of voices. "Thats what we wanted!
We go in and see him face to face. And now hell be kind and it will all be as it used to be." And the Birds chattered, and the Dogs barked excitedly. Then suddenly, there was a great stirring and a noise of creatures rising to their feet, and in a sed the whole lot of them would have been rushing forward and trying to crowd into the stable door all together. But the Ape shouted: "Get back! Quiet! Not so fast.」
The Beasts stopped, many of them with one paw ih tails wagging, and all of them with heads on one side.
"I thought you said," began the Bear, but Shift interrupted.
"Anyone go in," he said. "But, o a time. Wholl go first? He didnt say he was feeling very kind. Hes been lig his lips a lot since he swallowed up the wicked King the ht. Hes been growling a good deal this m. I wouldnt much like to