rolled　　over　to　it　and　patted　its　neck。　it　went　on　tearing　up　the　grass　and　took　no　notice　of　him。
  then　another　thought　came　into　shastas　mind。　〃i　wonder　what　sort　of　a　man　　that　tarkaan　is；〃　he　said　out　loud。　〃it　would　be　splendid　if　he　was　kind。　some　of　the　　slaves　in　a　great　lords　house　have　next　to　nothing　to　do。　they　wear　lovely　clothes　and　eat　　meat　every　day。
  perhaps　hed　take　me　to　the　wars　and　id　save　his　life　in　a　battle　and　then　　hed　set　me　free　and　adopt　me　as　his　son　and　give　me　a　palace　and　a　chariot　and　a　suit　of　　armour。　but　then　he　might　be　a　horrid　cruel　man。　he　might　send　me　to　work　on　the　fields　in　　chains。　i　wish　i　knew。　how　can　i　know？　i　bet　this　horse　knows；　if　only　he　could　tell　me。鈥?br />
  the　horse　had　lifted　its　head。　shasta　stroked　its　smooth…as…satin　nose　and　　said；　〃i　wish　you　could　talk；　old　fellow。鈥?br />
  and　then　for　a　second　he　thought　he　was　dreaming；　for　quite　distinctly；　　though　in　a　low　voice；　the　horse　said；　〃but　i　can。鈥?br />
  shasta　stared　into　its　great　eyes　and　his　own　grew　almost　as　big；　with　　astonishment。
  〃how　ever　did　you　learn　to　talk？〃　he　asked。
  〃hush！　not　so　loud；〃　replied　the　horse。　〃where　i　e　from；　nearly　all　the　　animals　talk。鈥?br />
  〃wherever　is　that？〃　asked　shasta。
  〃narnia；〃　answered　the　horse。　〃the　happy　land　of　narnia　…　narnia　of　the　　heathery　mountains　and　the　thymy　downs；　narnia　of　the　many　rivers；　the　plashing　　glens；　the　mossy　caverns　and　the　deep　forests　ringing　with　the　hammers　of　the　dwarfs。　　oh　the　sweet　air　of　narnia！　an　hours　life　there　is　better　than　a　thousand　years　　in　calormen。〃　it　ended　with　a　whinny　that　sounded　very　like　a　sigh。
  〃how　did　you　get　here？〃　said　shasta。
  〃kidnapped；〃　said　the　horse。　〃or　stolen；　or　captured　whichever　you　like　to　　call　it。　i　was　only　a　foal　at　the　time。　my　mother　warned　me　not　to　range　the　southern　　slopes；　into　archenland　and　beyond；　but　i　wouldnt　heed　her。　and　by　the　lions　mane　i　　have　paid　for　my　folly。　all　these　years　i　have　been　a　slave　to　humans；　hiding　my　true　　nature　and　pretending　to　be　dumb　and　witless　like　their　horses。鈥?br />
  〃why　didnt　you　tell　them　who　you　were？鈥?br />
  〃not　such　a　fool；　thats　why。　if　theyd　once　found　out　i　could　talk　they　　would　have　made　a　show　of　me　at　fairs　and　guarded　me　more　carefully　than　ever。　my　last　chance　　of　escape　would　have　been　gone。鈥?br />
  〃and　why　…〃　began　shasta；　but　the　horse　interrupted　him。
  〃now　look；〃　it　said；　〃we　mustnt　waste　time　on　idle　questions。　you　want　to　　know　about　my　master　the　tarkaan　anradin。　well；　hes　bad。　not　too　bad　to　me；　for　a　war　　horse　costs　too　much　to　be　treated　very　badly。　but　youd　better　be　lying　dead　tonight　　than　go　to　be　a　human　slave　in　his　house　tomorrow。鈥?br />
  〃then　id　better　run　away；〃　said　shasta；　turning　very　pale。
  〃yes；　you　had；〃　said　the　horse。　〃but　why　not　run　away　with　me？鈥?br />
  〃are　you　going　to　run　away　too？〃　said　shasta。
  〃yes；　if　youll　e　with　me；〃　answered　the　horse。　〃this　is　the　chance　for　　both　of　us。
  you　see　if　i　run　away　without　a　rider；　everyone　who　sees　me　will　say　〃stray　　horse〃　and　be　after　me　as　quick　as　he　can。　with　a　rider　ive　a　chance　to　get　through。　　thats　where　you　can　help　me。　on　the　other　hand；　you　cant　get　very　far　on　those　two　silly　　legs　of　yours　（what　absurd　legs　humans　have！）　without　being　overtaken。　but　on　me　you　can　outdistance　any　other　horse　in　this　country。　thats　where　i　can　help　you。　　by　the　way；　i　suppose　you　know　how　to　ride？鈥?br />
  〃oh　yes；　of　course；〃　said　shasta。　〃at　least；　ive　ridden　the　donkey。鈥?br />
  〃ridden　the　what？〃　retorted　the　horse　with　extreme　contempt。　（at　least；　　that　is　what　he　meant。　actually　it　came　out　in　a　sort　of　neigh　…　〃ridden　the　wha…ha…ha…ha…　ha。〃　talking　horses　always　bee　more　horsy　in　accent　when　they　are　angry。）
  〃in　other　words；〃　it　continued；　〃you　cant　ride。　thats　a　drawback。　ill　　have　to　teach　you　as　we　go　along。　if　you　cant　ride；　can　you　fall？鈥?br />
  〃i　suppose　anyone　can　fall；〃　said　shasta。
  〃1　mean　can　you　fall　and　get　up　again　without　crying　and　mount　again　and　　fall　again　and　yet　not　be　afraid　of　falling？鈥?br />
  〃i　…　ill　try；〃　said　shasta。　〃poor　little　beast；〃　said　the　horse　in　a　　gentler　tone。　〃i　forget　youre　only　a　foal。　well　make　a　fine　rider　of　you　in　time。　and　now　…　we　　mustnt　start　until　those　two　in　the　but　are　asleep。　meantime　we　can　make　our　plans。　my　tarkaan　　is　on　his　way　north　to　the　great　city；　to　tashbaan　itself　and　the　court　of　the　tisroc　　…鈥?br />
  〃i　say；〃　put　in　shasta　in　rather　a　shocked　voice；　〃oughtnt　you　to　say　‘may　　he　live　for　ever？鈥?br />
  〃why？〃　asked　the　horse。　〃im　a　free　narnian。　and　why　should　i　talk　slaves　　and　fools　talk？　i　dont　want　him　to　live　for　ever；　and　i　know　that　hes　not　going　to　　live　for　ever　whether　i　want　him　to　or　not。　and　i　can　see　youre　from　the　free　north　too。　　no　more　of　this　southern　jargon　between　you　and　me！　and　now；　back　to　our　plans。　as　i　　said；　my　human　was　on　his　way　north　to　tashbaan。鈥?br />
  〃does　that　mean　wed　better　go　to　the　south？鈥?br />
  〃i　think　not；〃　said　the　horse。　〃you　see；　he　thinks　im　dumb　and　witless　　like　his　other　horses。　now　if　i　really　were；　the　moment　i　got　loose　id　go　back　home　to　my　　stable　and　paddock；　back　to　his　palace　which　is　two　days　journey　south。　thats　where　　hell　look　for　me。　hed　never　dream　of　my　going　on　north　on　my　own。　and　anyway　he　will　　probably　think　that　someone　in　the　last　village　who　saw　him　ride　through　has　　followed　us　to　here　and　stolen　me。鈥?br />
  〃oh　hurrah！〃　said　shasta。　〃then　well　go　north。　ive　been　longing　to　go　to　　the　north　all　my　life。鈥?br />
  〃of　course　you　have；〃　said　the　horse。　〃thats　because　of　the　blood　thats　　in　you。　im　sure　youre　true　northern　stock。　but　not　too　loud。　i　should　think　theyd　be　　asleep　soon　now。鈥?br />
  〃id　better　creep　back　and　see；〃　suggested　shasta。
  〃thats　a　good　idea；〃　said　the　horse。　〃but　take　care　youre　not　caught。鈥?br />
  it　was　a　good　deal　darker　now　and　very　silent　except　for　the　sound　of　the　　waves　on　the　beach；　which　shasta　hardly　noticed　because　he　had　been　hearing　it　day　and　　night　as　long　as　he　could　remember。　the　cottage；　as　he　approached　it；　showed　no　light。　　when　he　listened　at　the　front　there　was　no　noise。　when　he　went　round　to　the　only　　window；　he　could　hear；　after　a　second　or　two；　the　familiar　noise　of　the　old　　fishermans　squeaky　snore。
  it　was　funny　to　think　that　if　all　went　well　he　would　never　hear　it　again。　　holding　his　breath　and　feeling　a　little　bit　sorry；　but　much　less　sorry　than　he　was　glad；　　shasta　glided　away　over　the　grass　and　went　to　the　donkeys　stable；　groped　along　to　a　place　he　　knew　where　the　key　was　hidden；　opened　the　door　and　found　the　horses　saddle　and　bridle　　which　had　been　locked　up　there　for　the　night。　he　bent　forward　and　kissed　the　donkeys　　nose。　〃im　sorry　we　cant　take　you；〃　he　said。
  〃there　you　are　at　last；〃　said　the　horse　when　he　got　back　to　it。　〃i　was　　beginning　to　wonder　what　had　bee　of　you。鈥?br />
  〃i　was　getting　your　things　out　of　the　stable；〃　replied　shasta。　〃and　now；　　can　you　tell　me　how　to　put　them　on？鈥?br />
  for　the　next　few　minutes　shasta　was　at　work；　very　cautiously　to　avoid　　jingling；　while　the　horse　said　things　like；　〃get　that　girth　a　bit　tighter；〃　or　〃youll　find　a　　buckle　lower　down；鈥?br />
  or　〃youll　need　to　shorten　those　stirrups　a　good　bit。〃　when　all　was　　finished　it　said：　　〃now；　weve　got　to　have　reins　for　the　look　of　the　thing；　but　you　wont　be　　using　them。　tie　them　to　the　saddle…bow：　very　slack　so　that　i　can　do　what　i　like　with　my　　head。　and；　remember　…　you　are　not　to　touch　them。鈥?br />
  〃what　are　they　for；　then？〃　asked　shasta。
  〃ordinarily　they　are　for　directing　me；〃　replied　the　horse。　〃but　as　i　intend　　to　do　all　the　directing　on　this　journey；　youll　please　keep　your　hands　to　yourself。　and　　theres　another　thing。　im　not　going　to　have　you　grabbing　my　mane。鈥?br />
  〃but　i　say；〃　pleaded　shasta。　〃if　im　not　to　hold　on　by　the　reins　or　by　your　　mane；　what　am　i　to　hold　on　by？鈥?br />
  〃you　hold　on　with　your　knees；〃　said　the　horse。　〃thats　the　secret　of　good　　riding。　grip　my　body　between　your　knees　as　hard　as　you　like；　sit　straight　up；　straight　as　a　　poker；　keep　your　elbows　in。　and　by　the　way；　what　did　you　do　with　the　spurs？鈥?br />
  〃put　them　on　my　heels；　of　course；〃　said　shasta。　〃i　do　know　that　much。鈥?br />
  〃then　you　can　take　them　off　and　put　them　in　the　saddlebag。　we　may　be　able　　to　sell　them　when　we　get　to　tashbaan。　ready？　and　now　i　think　you　can　get　up。鈥?br />
  〃ooh！　youre　a　dreadful　height；〃　gasped　shasta　after　his　first；　and　　unsuccessful；　attempt。
  〃im　a　horse；　thats　all；〃　was　the　reply。　〃anyone　would　think　i　was　a　　haystack　from　the　way　youre　trying　to　climb　up　me！　there；　thats　better。　now　sit　up　and　　remember　what　i　told　you　about　your　knees。　funny　to　think　of　me　who　has　led　cavalry　charges　　and　won　races　having　a　potato…sack　like　you　in　the　saddle！　however；　off　we　go。〃　it　　chuckled；　not　unkindly。
  and　it　certainly　began　their　night　journey　with　great　caution。　first　of　all　　it　went　just　south　of　the　fishermans　cottage　to　the　little　river　which　there　ran　into　the　　sea；　and　took　care　to　leave　in　the　mud　some　very　plain　hoof…marks　pointing　south。　but　as　soon　as　　they　were　in　the　middle　of　the　ford　it　turned　upstream　and　waded　till　they　were　about　a　　hundred　yards　farther　inland　than　the　cottage。　then　it　selected　a　nice　gravelly　bit　of　　bank　which　would　take　no　footprints　and　came　out　on　the　northern　side。