RABADASH THE RIDICULOUS
THE urn of the road- brought them out from among the trees and there, across green lawns, sheltered from the north wind by the high wooded ridge at its back, they saw the castle of Anvard. It was very old and built of a warm, reddish-brown stone.
Before they had reached the gate King Lune came out to meet them, not looking at all like Araviss idea of a king and wearing the oldest of old clothes; for he had just e from making a round of the kennels with his Huntsman and had only stopped for a moment to wash his doggy hands. But the bow with which he greeted Aravis as he took her hand would have been stately enough for an Emperor.
"Little lady," he said, "we bid you very heartily wele. If my dear wife were still alive we could make you better cheer but could not do it with a better will. And I am sorry that you have had misfortunes and been driven from your fathers house, which ot but be a grief to you. My son Cor has told me about your adveogether and all your valour.」
"It was he who did all that, Sir," said Aravis. "Why, he rushed at a lion to save me.」
"Eh, whats that?" said King Lune, his face brightening. "I havent heard that part of the story.」
Then Aravis told it. And Cor, who had very much wahe story to be known, though he felt he couldnt tell it himself, didnt enjoy it so much as he had expected, and indeed felt rather foolish. But his father e very mudeed and in the course of the few weeks told it to so many people that Cor wished it had never happened.
Then the King turo Hwin and Bree and was just as polite to them as to Aravis, and asked them a lot of questions about their families and where they had lived in Narnia before they had been captured. The Horses were rather toied for they were used to being talked to as equals by Humans grown-up Humans, that is. They didnt mind Aravis and Cor.
Presently Queen Lucy came out from the castle and joihem and King Lune said to Aravis, "My dear, here is a loving friend of our house, and she has been seeing that your apartments are put thts for you better than I could have do.」
"Youd like to e ahem, wouldnt you?" said Lucy, kissing Aravis. They liked each other at ond soo away together to talk about Araviss bedroom and Araviss boudoir and about getting clothes for her, and all the sort of things girls do talk about on su occasion.
After lunch, which they had oerrace (it was cold birds and cold game pie and wine and bread and cheese), King Lune ruffled up his brow and heaved a sigh and said, "Heigh-ho! We have still that sorry creature Rabadash on our hands, my friends, and must needs resolve what to do with him.」
Lucy was sitting on the Kings right and Aravis on his left. King Edmund sat at one end of the table and the Lord Darrin faced him at the other. Dar and Peridan and Cor and were on the same side as the King.
"Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head," said Peridan. "Su assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins.」
"It is very true," said Edmund. "But even a traitor may mend. I have known ohat did.」
And he looked very thoughtful.
"To kill this Rabadash would go o raising war with the Tisroc," said Darrin.
"A fig for the Tisroc," said King Lune. "His strength is in numbers and numbers will never cross the desert. But I have no stomach for killing men (even traitors) in cold blood. To have cut