cted　a　nice　gravelly　bit　of　　bank　which　would　take　no　footprints　and　came　out　on　the　northern　side。　then；　still　at　a　　walking　pace；　it　went　northward　till　the　cottage；　the　one　tree；　the　donkeys　stable；　and　the　　creek　…　everything；　in　fact；　that　shasta　had　ever　known　…　had　sunk　out　of　sight　in　　the　grey　summer…night　darkness。　they　had　been　going　uphill　and　now　were　at　the　top　　of　the　ridge　…　that　ridge　which　had　always　been　the　boundary　of　shastas　known　world。　he　　could　not　see　what　was　ahead　except　that　it　was　all　open　and　grassy。　it　looked　　endless：　wild　and　lonely　and　free。
  〃i　say！〃　observed　the　horse。　〃what　a　place　for　a　gallop；　eh！鈥?br />
  〃oh　dont　lets；〃　said　shasta。　〃not　yet。　i　dont　know　how　to　…　please；　　horse。　i　dont　know　your　name。鈥?br />
  〃breehy…hinny…brinny…hooky…hah；〃　said　the　horse。
  〃ill　never　be　able　to　say　that；〃　said　shasta。　〃can　i　call　you　bree？鈥?br />
  〃well；　if　its　the　best　you　can　do；　i　suppose　you　must；〃　said　the　horse。　　〃and　what　shall　i　call　you？鈥?br />
  〃im　called　shasta。鈥?br />
  〃hm；〃　said　bree。　〃well；　now；　theres　a　name　thats　really　hard　to　　pronounce。　but　now　about　this　gallop。　its　a　good　deal　easier　than　trotting　if　you　only　knew；　　because　you　dont　have　to　rise　and　fall。　grip　with　your　knees　and　keep　your　eyes　straight　　ahead　between　my　ears。　dont　look　at　the　ground。　if　you　think　youre　going　to　fall　just　grip　　harder　and　sit　up　straighter。　ready？　now：　for　narnia　and　the　north。鈥?br />
  xiaoshuot锛竧锛宑o锛?br />
  CHAPTER　TWO
  锛诲皬。璇础。xt锛惧ぉ锛夊爞锛?br />
  a　wayside　adventure　　it　was　nearly　noon　on　the　following　day　when　shasta　was　wakened　by　　something　warm　and　soft　moving　over　his　face。　he　opened　his　eyes　and　found　himself　staring　　into　the　long　face　of　a　horse；　its　nose　and　lips　were　almost　touching　his。　he　remembered　　the　exciting　events　of　the　previous　night　and　sat　up。　but　as　he　did　so　he　groaned。
  〃ow；　bree；〃　he　gasped。　〃im　so　sore。　all　over。　i　can　hardly　move。鈥?br />
  〃good　morning；　small　one；〃　said　bree。　〃i　was　afraid　you　might　feel　a　bit　　stiff。　it　cant　be　the　falls。　you　didnt　have　more　than　a　dozen　or　so；　and　it　was　all　lovely；　　soft　springy　turf　that　must　have　been　almost　a　pleasure　to　fall　on。　and　the　only　one　that　　might　have　been　nasty　was　broken　by　that　gorse　bush。　no：　its　the　riding　itself　that　es　　hard　at　first。
  what　about　breakfast？　ive　had　mine。鈥?br />
  〃oh　bother　breakfast。　bother　everything；〃　said　shasta。　〃i　tell　you　i　cant　　move。〃　but　the　horse　nuzzled　at　him　with　its　nose　and　pawed　him　gently　with　a　hoof　till　he　　had　to　get　up。
  and　then　he　looked　about　him　and　saw　where　they　were。　behind　them　lay　a　　little　copse。
  before　them　the　turf；　dotted　with　white　flowers；　sloped　down　to　the　brow　of　　a　cliff。　far　below　them；　so　that　the　sound　of　the　breaking　waves　was　very　faint；　lay　the　　sea。　shasta　had　never　seen　it　from　such　a　height　and　never　seen　so　much　of　it　before；　　nor　dreamed　how　many　colours　it　had。　on　either　hand　the　coast　stretched　away；　headland　　after　headland；　and　at　the　points　you　could　see　the　white　foam　running　up　the　　rocks　but　making　no　noise　because　it　was　so　far　off。　there　were　gulls　flying　overhead　and　　the　heat　shivered　on　the　ground；　it　was　a　blazing　day。　but　what　shasta　chiefly　noticed　was　　the　air。　he　couldnt　think　what　was　missing；　until　at　last　he　realized　that　there　was　　no　smell　of　fish　in　it。　for　of　course；　neither　in　the　cottage　nor　among　the　nets；　had　he　ever　　been　away　from
  that　smell　in　his　life。　and　this　new　air　was　so　delicious；　and　all　his　old　　life　seemed　so　far　away；　that　he　forgot　for　a　moment　about　his　bruises　and　his　aching　muscles　　and　said：　　〃i　say；　bree；　didnt　you　say　something　about　breakfast？鈥?br />
  〃yes；　i　did；〃　answered　bree。　〃i　think　youll　find　something　in　the　saddle…　bags。　theyre　over　there　on　that　tree　where　you　hung　them　up　last　night　…　or　early　this　　morning；　rather。鈥?br />
  they　investigated　the　saddle…bags　and　the　results　were　cheering…　a　meat　　pasty；　only　slightly　stale；　a　lump　of　dried　figs　and　another　lump　of　green　cheese；　a　　little　flask　of　wine；　and　some　money；　about　forty　crescents　in　all；　which　was　more　than　shasta　　had　ever　seen。
  while　shasta　sat　down　…　painfully　and　cautiously　…　with　his　back　against　a　　tree　and　started　on　the　pasty；　bree　had　a　few　more　mouthfuls　of　grass　to　keep　him　pany。
  〃wont　it　be　stealing　to　use　the　money？〃　asked　shasta。
  〃oh；〃　said　the　horse；　looking　up　with　its　mouth　full　of　grass；　〃i　never　　thought　of　that。　a　free　horse　and　a　talking　horse　mustnt　steal；　of　course。　but　i　think　its　　all　right。　were　prisoners　and　captives　in　enemy　country。　that　money　is　booty；　spoil。　　besides；　how　are　we　to　get　any　food　for　you　without　it？　i　suppose；　like　all　humans；　you　　wont　eat　natural　food　like　grass　and　oats。鈥?br />
  〃i　cant。鈥?br />
  〃ever　tried？鈥?br />
  〃yes；　i　have。　i　cant　get　it　down　at　all。　you　couldnt　either　if　you　were　　me。鈥?br />
  〃youre　rum　little　creatures；　you　humans；〃　remarked　bree。
  when　shasta　had　finished　his　breakfast　（which　was　by　far　the　nicest　he　had　　ever　eaten）；　bree　said；　〃i　think　ill　have　a　nice　roll　before　we　put　on　that　saddle　　again。〃　and　he　proceeded　to　do　so。　〃thats　good。　thats　very　good；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　　back　on　the　turf　and　waving　all　four　legs　in　the　air。　〃you　ought　to　have　one　too；　shasta；〃　　he　snorted。　〃its　most　refreshing。鈥?br />
  but　shasta　burst　out　laughing　and　said；〃you　do　look　funny　when　youre　on　　your　back！鈥?br />
  〃i　look　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　bree。　but　then　suddenly　he　rolled　round　　on　his　side；　raised　his　head　and　looked　hard　at　shasta；　blowing　a　little。
  〃does　it　really　look　funny？〃　he　asked　in　an　anxious　voice。
  〃yes；　it　does；〃　replied　shasta。　〃but　what　does　it　matter？鈥?br />
  〃you　dont　think；　do　you；〃　said　bree；　〃that　it　might　be　a　thing　talking　　horses　never　do　…　a　silly；　clownish　trick　ive　learned　from　the　dumb　ones？　it　would　be　dreadful　　to　find；　when　i　get　back　to　narnia；　that　ive　picked　up　a　lot　of　low；　bad　habits。　what　do　　you　think；　shasta？　honestly；　now。　dont　spare　my　feelings。　should　you　think　the　real；　　free　horses　…　the　talking　kind　…　do　roll？鈥?br />
  〃how　should　i　know？　anyway　i　dont　think　i　should　bother　about　it　if　i　were　　you。　weve　got　to　get　there　first。　do　you　know　the　way？鈥?br />
  〃i　know　my　way　to　tashbaan。　after　that　es　the　desert。　oh；　well　manage　　the　desert　somehow；　never　fear。　why；　well　be　in　sight　of　the　northern　mountains　then。　　think　of　it！
  to　narnia　and　the　north！　nothing　will　stop　us　then。　but　id　be　glad　to　be　　past　tashbaan。
  you　and　i　are　safer　away　from　cities。鈥?br />
  〃cant　we　avoid　it？鈥?br />
  〃not　without　going　along　way　inland；　and　that　would　take　us　into　cultivated　　land　and　main　roads；　and　i　wouldnt　know　the　way。　no；　well　just　have　to　creep　along　　the　coast。　up　here　on　the　downs　well　meet　nothing　but　sheep　and　rabbits　and　gulls　and　a　　few　shepherds。　and　by　the　way；　what　about　starting？鈥?br />
  shastas　legs　ached　terribly　as　he　saddled　bree　and　climbed　into　the　　saddle；　but　the　horse　was　kindly　to　him　and　went　at　a　soft　pace　all　afternoon。　when　evening　　twilight　came　they　dropped　by　steep　tracks　into　a　valley　and　found　a　village。　before　they　got　　into　it　shasta　dismounted　and　entered　it　on　foot　to　buy　a　loaf　and　some　onions　and　　radishes。　the　horse　trotted　round　by　the　fields　in　the　dusk　and　met　shasta　at　the　far　side。　　this　became　their　regular　plan　every　second　night。
  these　were　great　days　for　shasta；　and　every　day　better　than　the　last　as　his　　muscles　hardened　and　he　fell　less　often。　even　at　the　end　of　his　training　bree　still　　said　he　sat　like　a　bag　of　flour　in　the　saddle。　〃and　even　if　it　was　safe；　young　un；　id　be　　ashamed　to　be　seen　with　you　on　the　main　road。〃　but　in　spite　of　his　rude　words　bree　was　a　　patient　teacher。　no　one　can　teach　riding　so　well　as　a　horse。　shasta　learned　to　trot；　to　canter；　　to　jump；　and　to　keep　his　seat　even　when　bree　pulled　up　suddenly　or　swung　unexpectedly　to　　the　left　or　the　right　…　which；　as　bree　told　him；　was　a　thing　you　might　have　to　do　at　any　　moment　in　a　battle。　and　then　of　course　shasta　begged　to　be　told　of　the　battles　and　wars　　in　which　bree　had　carried　the　tarkaan。　and　bree　would　tell　of　forced　marches　and　the　　fording　of　swift　rivers；　of　charges　and　of　fierce　fights　between　cavalry　and　cavalry　when　　the　war　horses　fought　as　well　as　the　men；　being　all　fierce　stallions；　trained　to　bite　and　　kick；　and　to　rear　at　the　right　moment　so　that　the　horses　weight　as　well　as　the　riders　would　　e　down　on　a　enemys　crest　in　the　stroke　of　sword　or　battleaxe。　but　bree　did　not　want　to　　talk　about　the　wars　as　often　as　shasta　wanted　to　hear　about　them。　〃dont　speak　of　them；　　youngster；〃　he　would　say。　〃they　were　only　the　tisrocs　wars　and　i　fought　in　them　as　a　　slave　and　a　dumb　beast。　give　me　the　narnian　wars　where　i　shall　fight　as　a　free　horse　among　　my　own　people！　those　will　be　wars　worth　talking　about。　narnia　and　the　north！　bra…　ha…ha！　broo　hoo！鈥?br />
  shasta　soon　learned；　when　he　heard　bree　talking　like　that；　to　prepare　for　a　　gallop。
  after　they　had　travelled　on　for　weeks　and　weeks　past　more　bays　and　　headlands　and　rivers　and　villages　than　shasta　could　remember；　there　came　a　moonlit　night　when　　they　started　their　journey　at　evening；　having　slept　during　the　day。　they　had　left　the　　downs　behind　them　and　were　crossing　a　wide　plain　with　a　forest　about　half　a　mile　away　on　　their　left。
  the　sea；　hidden　by　low　s