The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I am counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 4: The Dwarf Tells of Prince Caspian

“Are you going to tell me what you wouldn’t tell me the other day?” said Caspian.

“I am,” said the Doctor. “But remember. You and I must never talk about these things except here — on the very top of the Great Tower.”

“No. That’s a promise,” said Caspian. “But do go on, please.”

“Listen,” said the Doctor. “All you have heard about Old Narnia is true. It is not the land of men. It is the country of Aslan, the country of the Waking Trees and Visible Naiads, of Fauns and Satyrs, of Dwarfs and Giants, of the gods and the Centaurs, of Talking Beasts. It was against these that the first Caspian fought. It is you Telmarines who silenced the beasts and the trees and the fountains, and who killed and drove away the dwarfs and fauns, and are now trying to cover up even the memory of them. The King does not allow them to be spoken of.”

“Oh, I do wish we hadn’t,” said Caspian. “And I am glad it was all true, even if it is all over.”

Thoughts:  Caspian’s Nurse told him the stories of Old Narnia when he was a little boy. But when his Uncle Miraz hears about it, he tells Caspian the old stories of Narnia and Aslan are nothing but nonsense and fairy tales. Now Doctor Cornelius tells Caspian that all the old stories really are true. Caspian is glad to hear this, though he wishes it were not all over. Some people today say that the stories of the Bible are just nonsense and fairy tales. But what makes the Bible breathtakingly exciting is not just the stories, but that the stories are real. These things happened. And just as Caspian is about to find out in Narnia, the story is far from over. (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter four?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I am counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 3: The Dwarf

“Oh!” said Edmund in a voice which made everyone stop and listen to him. “I’ve just seen it all,” he said.

“Seen what? asked Peter.

“Why, the whole thing,” said Edmund. “You know what we were puzzling about last night, that it was only a year ago since we left Narnia, but everything looks as if no one had lived in Cair Paravel for hundreds of years? Well, don’t you see? You know that, however we long we seemed to have lived in Narnia, when we got back through the wardrobe it seemed to have taken no time at all?”

“Go on,” said Susan. “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

“And that means,” continued Edmund, “that, once you’re out of Narnia, you have no idea how Narnian time is going. Why shouldn’t hundreds of years have gone past in Narnia while only one year has passed for us in England?”

“By Jove, Ed,” said Peter. “I believe you’ve got it. In that sense it really was hundreds of years ago that we lived in Cair Paravel. And now we’re coming back to Narnia just as if we were Crusaders or Anglo Saxons or Ancient Britons or someone coming back to modern England!”

Thoughts:  The whole time element of Narnia is a fun aspect of the story. By having time pass differently in Narnia, Lewis is able to cover vast sections of Narnian history while allowing the Pevensie children (and others) to intersect with this history at different times. It is also fun because when you start each book you have no idea where you will pick up the timeline in Narnia. Lewis may also be thinking of 2 Peter 3:8 here: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter three?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I am counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 2: The Ancient Treasure House

“We must take the gifts,” said Peter. For long ago at a Christmas in Narnia he and Susan and Lucy had been given certain presents which they valued more than their whole kingdom …

Lucy’s was the smallest for it was only a little bottle. But the bottle was made of diamond instead of glass, and it was still more than half full of the magic cordial which would heal almost every wound and every illness. Lucy said nothing and looked very solemn as she took her gift down from its place and slung the belt over her shoulder …

Susan’s gift had been a bow and arrows and a horn. The bow was still there, and the ivory quiver, full of well-feathered arrows … “Won’t the string be perished, Su?” said Peter.

But whether by some magic in the air of the treasure chamber or not, the bow was still in working order … In a moment she had bent the bow and then she gave one little pluck to the string. It twanged: a chirruping twang that vibrated through the whole room. And that one small noise brought back the old days to the children’s minds more than anything that had happened yet. All the battles and hunts and feasts came rushing into their heads together …

Next, Peter took down his gift — the shield with the great red Lion on it, and the royal sword … “It is my sword Rhindon,” he said. “With it I killed the Wolf.” There was a new tone in his voice, and the others all felt that he was really Peter the High King again.

Thoughts:  The children have returned to Narnia, but they are still just school children from England. As they retake their gifts, however, they begin to bear the qualities of kings and queens in Narnia once again. As Christians we are just ordinary people. But God gives his people gifts through the Holy Spirit so that we may do extraordinary things for God’s kingdom as well. (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter two?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I will be counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 1: The Island

It was an empty, sleepy, country station and there was hardly anyone on the platform except themselves. Suddenly Lucy gave a sharp little cry, like someone who has been stung by a wasp.

“What’s up, Lu?” said Edmund — and then suddenly broke off and made a noise like “Ow!”

“What on earth — ” began Peter, and then he too suddenly changed what he had been going to say. Instead, he said, “Susan, let go! What are you doing? Where are you dragging me to?”

“I’m not touching you,” said Susan. “Someone is pulling me. Oh — oh — oh — stop it!”

Everyone noticed that all the others’ faces had gone very white.

“I felt just the same,” said Edmund in a breathless voice. “As if I were being dragged along. A most frightful pulling — ugh! it’s beginning aain.”

“Me too,” said Lucy. “Oh, I can’t bear it.”

“Look sharp!” shouted Edmund. “All catch hands and keep together. This is magic — I can tell by the feeling. Quick!”

Thoughts:  This is a great opening scene. Lewis wastes no time but pulls you right into the story, as effectively as the children are pulled into Narnia from the railway station. Get ready to enjoy the ride! (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter one?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.