The Voyage of the Dawn Tread

NTURES O

and returned laden with a pair of wild goats which were now roasting over a fire. Caspian had ordered a cask of wine ashore, strong wine of Archenland which had to be mixed with water befor

d it so sheer, that it was like a huge pit or trench. The floor was grassy though strewn with rocks, and here an

irst, nothing else at all in the valley; not an animal, not a bird, not an insect. T

oked he shuddered. Apparently he had by amazing luck found the only possible way down - a long green spit of land, horribly steep and narrow, with precipices on

ed and before he had taken a step forward into the valley he heard a noise behind him. It was only a small noise but it sounde

s. And out of this two thin wisps of smoke were coming. And the loose stones just beneath the dark hollow

he had never even imagined - along lead-coloured snout, dull red eyes, no feathers or fur, a long lithe body that trailed on the ground, legs whose elbows went up higher than its back like a spider's cruel claws, ba

was like the smoke of a fire that will not last much longer. Nor did it seem to have noticed Eustace. It moved very slowly towards the pool - slowly and with many pauses. Even in his fear Eustace felt that it was an old, sad creature. He w

law in the air. A little dark blood gushed from its wide-opened mouth. The smoke from its nostrils turned black for a moment and then floated away. No more came. this was the brute's trick, the way it lured travellers to their doom. But one couldn't wait for ever

seeing it die. He stepped over it and went to the pool for his drink, for the heat was getting unbearable. He was not surprised when he hea

inded with such rain as one never sees in Europe. There was no use trying to climb out of the valley as long as thi

s why he was so puzzled at the surface on which he was lying. Parts of it were too prickly to be stones and too hard to be thorns, and there seemed to be a great many round, flat things, and it all clinked when he moved. There was light enou

I could have quite a decent time here - perhaps in Calormen. It sounds the least phoney of these countries. I wonder how much I can carry? That bracelet now - those things in it are probably diamonds - I'll slip that on my own wrist. Too big, but not if I push it right up here above my elbow. Then fill my pockets with diamo

dinner and became seriously alarmed about him. They shouted, "Eustac

'd have heard that," sai

mund. "What on earth did he wa

"He may have got lost, or fallen into

wild beasts,

ce if he has, I sa

creature is no friend of mine but he is of the Queen's blood, and while he is one of

Caspian wearily. "That's the nuisance of it. It mean

seemed to have grown much more comfortable: in fact he could hardly feel it at all. He was puzzled by the pain in his arm at first, but presently it occurred t

in front of him, and a little on his right, where the moonlight fell clear on the floor of the cave, he saw a hideous shape movin

t Eustace. "Of course, the brute ha

here had been smoke coming from the other dragon's nose before it died. This was so alarming that he held his breath. The two columns of smoke vanished

cave. Perhaps the creature was asleep - and anyway it was his only chance. But of course before

d at the size of his own tears as he saw them splashing on to the treasure

extending his right arm. The dragon's fore-leg and claw on his right went through exactly th

cking whatever he did! His nerve br

ought they were both following him. He daren't look back. He rushed to the pool. The twisted shape of the dead dragon lying

d he been doing that? And secondly, as he bent towards the water, he thought for a second that yet another dragon was staring up at him out of the pool. But in an instant he

eeping on a dragon's hoard with greedy, dragonish t

As for the pain in his left arm (or what had been his left arm) he could now see what had happened by squinting with his left eye. The bracelet which had fitted very nicely on the upper arm of a boy was far too

But the moment he thought this he realized that he didn't want to. He wanted to be friends. He wanted to get back among humans and talk and laugh and share things. He realized that he was a monster cut off from the whole human race. An appalling loneliness cam

p its voice and wept. A powerful dragon crying its eyes out under the

d now that Caspian would never have sailed away and left him. And he felt sur

way through it before he realized what he was doing; for, you see, though his mind was the mind of Eustace, his tastes and his digestion were

rise to him - the first pleasant surprise he had had for a long time. He rose high into the air and saw innumerable mountain-tops spread out beneath him in the moonlight. He could see the ba

ews was disquieting. They had found no trace of Eustace but had seen a dead dragon in a valley. They tried to make the best of it and everyone assured everyone else that there were not likel

: he'd poison anything," said Rhince. But he s

ry softly, and found the whole company gath

it?" sa

r the tree-tops and lighted on the beach. Yes, I am afraid it is between us and the

sty's leave-" b

keep close watch and, as soon as it is light, go down to the beach and give it battle. I will lead. King Edmund will be on my right and the Lord Drinian on my left. There are no o

will go away

use then we shan't know where it is. If there's

had very poor appetites. And endless hours seemed to pass before the darkness thinned and birds began chirping her

waiting about and everyone felt fonder of everyone else than at ordinary times. A moment later they were marching. It grew lighter as they came to the e

fire and smoke, the dragon retreated - you could almo

its head like tha

s nodding,"

ing coming from its

said Lucy. "It's cryi

said Drinian. "That's what crocodi

at," remarked Edmund. "Just as if it

erstands what we're

odded its he

f Lucy's shoulder and

hrill voice, "can yo

agon n

you s

ok its

your business. But if you will swear friendship

use that leg was sore and sw

he poor thing - that's probably what it was crying about. Perh

spian. "It's a very clever

Reepicheep, as fast as his short legs could carry hi

w," said Lucy, "I mig

ordial had cured him of sea-sickness before he became a dragon. But he was disappointed. The m

e treatment, and Caspian suddenly exclaime