and followed。 〃but what ill do if i really have to meet aslan； im sure i dont know；〃 he added。
〃youll find it will be all right when you really do；〃 said queen lucy。
then they went forward together； always westward； for that seemed to be the direction aslan had meant when he cried out； 〃further up and futher in。〃 many other creatures were slowly moving the same way； but that grassy country was very wide and there was no crowding。
it still seemed to be early； and the morning freshness was in the air。 they kept on stopping to look round and to look behind them； partly because it was so beautiful but partly also because there was something about it which they could not understand。
〃peter；〃 said lucy； 〃where is this； do you suppose？”
〃i dont know；〃 said the high king。 〃it reminds me of somewhere but i cant give it a name。 could it be somewhere we once stayed for a holiday when we were very； very small？”
〃it would have to have been a jolly good holiday；〃 said eustace。 〃i bet there isnt a country like this anywhere in our world。 look at the colours！ you couldnt get a blue like the blue on those mountains in our world。”
〃is it not aslans country？〃 said tirian。
〃not like aslans country on top of that mountain beyond the eastern end of the world；”
said jill。 〃ive been there。”
〃if you ask me；〃 said edmund； 〃its like somewhere in the narnian world。 look at those mountains ahead … and the big ice…mountains beyond them。 surely theyre rather like the mountains we used to see from narnia； the ones up westward beyond the waterfall？”
〃yes； so they are；〃 said peter。 〃only these are bigger。”
〃i dont think those ones are so very like anything in narnia；〃 said lucy。 〃but look there。”
she pointed southward to their left； and everyone stopped and turned to look。 〃those
hills；〃 said lucy； 〃the nice woody ones and the blue ones behind … arent they very like the southern border of narnia？”
〃like！〃 cried edmund after a moments silence。 〃why； theyre exactly like。 look； theres mount pire with his forked head； and theres the pass into archenland and everything！”
〃and yet theyre not like；〃 said lucy。 〃theyre different。 they have more colours on them and they look further away than i remembered and theyre more 。。 。 more 。 。 。 oh； i dont know。。。”
〃more like the real thing；〃 said the lord digory softly。
suddenly farsight the eagle spread his wings； soared thirty or forty feet up into the air； circled round and then alighted on the ground。
〃kings and queens；〃 he cried； 〃we have all been blind。 we are only beginning to see where we are。 from up there i have seen it all … ettinsmuir； beaversdam； the great river； and cair paravel still shining on the edge of the eastern sea。 narnia is not dead。 this is narnia。”
〃but how can it be？〃 said peter。 〃for aslan told us older ones that we should never return to narnia； and here we are。”
〃yes；〃 said eustace。 〃and we saw it all destroyed and the sun put out。”
〃and its all so different；〃 said lucy。
〃the eagle is right；〃 said the lord digory。 〃listen； peter。 when aslan said you could never go back to narnia； he meant the narnia you were thinking of。 but that was not the real narnia。 that had a beginning and an end。 it was only a shadow or a copy of the real narnia which has always been here and always will be here： just as our world； england and all； is only a shadow or copy of something in aslans real world。 you need not mourn over narnia； lucy。 all of the old narnia that mattered； all the dear creatures； have been drawn into the real narnia through the door。 and of course it is different； as different as a real thing is from a shadow or as waking life is from a dream。〃 his voice stirred everyone like a trumpet as he spoke these words： but when he added under his breath 〃its all in plato； all in plato： bless me； what do they teach them at these schools！〃 the older ones laughed。 it was so exactly like the sort of thing they had heard him say long ago in that other world where his beard was grey instead of golden。 he knew why they were laughing and joined in the laugh himself。 but very quickly they all became grave again： for； as you know； there is a kind of happiness and wonder that makes you serious。 it is too good to waste on jokes。
it is as hard to explain how this sunlit land was different from the old narnia as it would be to tell you how the fruits of that country taste。 perhaps you will get some idea of it if you think like this。 you may have been in a room in which there was a window that
looked out on a lovely bay of the sea or a green valley that wound away among mountains。 and in the wall of that room opposite to the window there may have been a lookingglass。 and as you turned away from the window you suddenly caught sight of that sea or that valley； all over again； in the looking glass。 and the sea in the mirror； or the valley in the mirror； were in one sense just the same as the real ones： yet at the same time they were somehow different … deeper； more wonderful； more like places in a story： in a story you have never heard but very much want to know。 the difference between the old narnia and the new narnia was like that。 the new one was a deeper country： every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more。 i cant describe it any better than that： if ever you get there you will know what i mean。
it was the unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling。 he stamped his right fore…hoof on the ground and neighed； and then cried： 〃i have e home at last！ this is my real country！ i belong here。 this is the land i have been looking for all my life； though i never knew it till now。 the reason why we loved the old narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this。 bree…hee… hee！ e further up； e further in！”
he shook his mane and sprang forward into a great gallop … a unicorns gallop； which； in our world； would have carried him out of sight in a few moments。 but now a most strange thing happened。 everyone else began to run； and they found； to their astonishment； that they could keep up with him： not only the dogs and the humans but even fat little puzzle and short…legged poggin the dwarf。 the air flew in their faces as if they were driving fast in a car without a windscreen。 the country flew past as if they were seeing it from the windows of an express train。 faster and faster they raced； but no one got hot or tired or out of breath。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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farewell to shadowlands if one could run without getting tired； i dont think one would often want to do anything else。 but there might be special reasons for stopping； and it was a special reason which made eustace presently shout： 〃i say！ steady！ look what were ing to！”
and well he might。 for now they saw before them caldron pool and beyond the pool the high unclimbable cliffs and； pouring down the cliffs； thousands of tons of water every second； flashing like diamonds in some places and dark； glassy green in others； the great waterfall； and already the thunder of it was in their ears。
〃dont stop！ further up and further in；〃 called farsight； tilting his flight a little upwards。
〃its all very well for him；〃 said eustace； but jewel also cried out： 〃dont stop。 further up and further in！ take it in your stride。”
his voice could only just be heard above the roar of the water but next moment everyone saw that he had plunged into the pool。 and helter…skelter behind him； with splash after splash； all the others did the same。 the water was not biting cold as all of them （and especially puzzle） expected； but of a delicious foamy coolness。 they all found they were swimming straight for the waterfall itself。
〃this is absolutely crazy；〃 said eustace to edmund。
〃i know。 and yet …〃 said edmund。
〃isnt it wonderful？〃 said lucy。 〃have you noticed one cant feel afraid； even if one wants to？ try it。”
〃by jove； neither one can；〃 said eustace after he had tried。
jewel reached the foot of the waterfall first； but tirian was only just behind him。 jill was last； so she could see the whole thing better than the others。 she saw something white moving steadily up the face of the waterfall。 that white thing was the unicorn。 you couldnt tell whether he was swimming or climbing； but he moved on； higher and higher。
the point of his horn divided the water just above his head； and it cascaded out in two rainbow…coloured streams all round his shoulders。 just behind him came king tirian。 he moved his legs and arms as if he were swimming but he moved straight upwards： as if one could swim up the wall of a house。
what looked funniest was the dogs。 during the gallop they had not been at all out of breath； but now； as they swarmed and wriggled upwards； there was plenty of spluttering and sneezing among them； that was because they would keep on barking； and every time they barked they got their mouths and noses full of water。 but before jill had time to notice all these things fully； she was going up the waterfall herself。 it was the sort of thing that would have been quite impossible in our world。 even if you hadnt been drowned； you would have been smashed to piec