EHOWSHASTASETOUTONHISTRAVELS
THISisthestoryofahathappenedinNarniaahelaheGoldeerwasHighKinginNarniaandhisbrotherandhistwosisterswereKingandQueensunderhim。
Inthosedays，farsouthinenonalittlecreekofthesea，therelivedapoorfishermancalledArsheesh，andwithhimtherelivedaboywhocalledhimFather。Theboy'snamewasShasta。OnmostdaysArsheeshwentoutinhisboattofishinthem，aernoonheharnessedhisdooadloadedthecartwithfishaamileorsosouthwardtothevillagetosellit。IfithadsoldwellhewouldoodtemperandsaynothingtoShasta，butifithadsoldbadlyhewouldfindfaultsbeathim。TherewasalwayssomethingtofindfaultwithforShastahadplentyofworktodo，mendingandwashis，gthesupper，ahewhichtheybothlived。
ShastawasnotatallihingthatlaysouthofhishomebecausehehadowitothevillagewithArsheeshaherewaserestihevillageheohermelikehisfather—menwithlong，dirtyrobes，aurhetoe，andturbansontheirheads，aalkiherveryslowlyaboutthingsthatsoundeddull。ButhewasveryiedihatlaytotheNorthbeoowayandhewasneverallowedtogotherehimself。Wheingoutthes，andallalone，hewouldofteotheNorth。Onecouldseenothingbutagrassysluptoalevelridgeatheskysafewbirdsinit。
&imesifArsheeshwasthereShastawouldsay，“OmyFather，whatistherebeyondthathill?”AhefishermanerhewouldboxShasta'searsaoattendtohiswork。Orifheeaceablemoodhewouldsay，“Omyson，donotallowyourmiedbyidlequestions。Foroshassaid，'Applitobusiherootofprosperity，butthosewhoaskquestionsthatdohemaresteeringtheshipoffollytowardtherodigence'。”
Shastathoughtthatbeyoheremustbesomedelightfulsecretwhichhisfatherwishedtohidefromhim。Iy，however，thefishermahisbecausehedidn'tknowwhatlaytotheherdidhecare。Hehadaveryprad。
&heretheSerwhowasunlikeanymanthatShastahadseenbefore。Herodeupdappledhorsewithflowiailandhisstirrupsandbridlewereinlaidwithsilver。Thespikeofahelmetprojeiddleofhissilkenturbanaofmail。Byhissidehungagscimitar，arouuddedwithbossesathisbadhisrighthandgraspedalance。Hisfacewasdark，butthisdidnotsurpriseShastabecauseallthepeopleofe;whatdidsurprisehimwastheman'sbeardwhichwasdyed，anddgleamingwithstedoil。ButArsheeshkhegolder'sbarearmthathewasaTarkaalord，andhebowedkneeliillhisbeardtouchedtheearthaoShastatokneelalso。
&rangerdemaalityfhtwhichofcoursethefishermarefuse。AllthebesttheyhadwassetbeforetheTarkaanforsupper（andhedidn'tthinkmuchofit）andShasta，asalehefishermanhadpany，wasgivenahuurofthecottage。Ontheseosheusuallysleptwiththedoslittlethatchedstable。Butitwasmuchtotosleepyet，andShasta，whohadhatitiswrongtolistenbehinddoors，satdownwithhiseartoathewoodenwallofthecottagetohearwhatthegrowalkingabout。Andthisiswhatheheard。
“Andnow，Omyhost，”saidtheTarkaaobuythatboyofyours。”
“Omymaster，”repliedthefisherman（andShastakhewheedlihegreedylookthatrobablyingintohisfaceashesaidit），“riceduceyourservant，phheis，tosellintoslaveryhisonlydhisownflesh?Hashepoetssaid，‘Naturalaffeisstrohansoupandmoreprecles?'”
“Itiseveheguestdryly。“Butahaslikewisesaid，“Hetstodeceivethejudiciousisalreadybaringhisownbackforthesce。”Donotledmouthwithfalsehoods。Thisboyismalynosonofyours，foryourcheekisasdarkasmiheboyisfairaheaccursedbutbeautifulbarbarianswhoieNorth。”
“Hoassaid，”ahefisherman，“thatStoffwithshieldsbuttheEyeofWisdompiercesthrougheverydefehen，uest，thatbeyextremepovertyIhavenevermarriedandhavenochild。ButinthatsameyearinwhichtheTisroc（mayhelivefanhisaugustareign，onahemoonwasatherfull，itpleasedthegodstodeprivemeofmysleep。ThereforeIarosefrommybedinthishovelahtothebeachtorefreshmyselfwithlookingupohemthecoolair。AlyIheardanoiseastomeacrossthewaterawere，aweakdshortlyafter，thetidebroughttothelandalittleboatinwhichtherewasnothingbutamahextremehuhirstwhoseemedtohavediedbutafewmomentsbefore（forhewasstilltywater-skin，andachild，stillliving。“Doubtless，”saidI，“theseunfortunateshaveesthewreckofagreatship，butbytheadmirabledesigheelderhasstarvedhimselftokeepthechildaliveandhasperishedinsightofland。”Agly，rememberinghowthegodsorewardthosewhobefriee，andbeingmovedbypassion（foryourservantisama）—”
&alltheseidlewordsinyourowerruptedtheTarkaan。“Itisenoughtoknowthatyoutookthedhavehadteheworthofhisdailybreadoutofhiminlabour，asanyonesee。Aopriceyouputonhim，forIamweariedwithyourloquacity。”
“Youyourselfhavewiselysaid，”answeredArsheesh，“thattheboy'slabourhasbeeimablevalue。Thismustbetakenintoafixingtheprice。ForifIselltheboyImustuherbuyorhireaodohiswork。”
“I'llgiveyoufifteesforhim，”saidtheTarkaan。
“Fifteen!”criedArsheeshiwassomethiweenawhineaeen!Forthepropofmyoldageaofmyeyes!Donotmockmygraybeard，Tarkaanthoughyoube。Mypriceisseventy。”
AtthispointShastagotupandtiptoedaway。Hehadheardallhewanted，forhehadopenlistenedwhenmenwerebargaininginthevillageawasdoethatArsheeshwouldsellhimintheendforsomethingmuchmorethanfifteesahathatheaarkaanwouldtakehettingtoa。
YoumustnotimagiShastafeltatallasyouandIwouldfeelifwehadjustoverheardourparentstalkingaboutsellingusforslaves。Forohing，hislifewasalreadylittlebetterthanslavery;forallhekhelerohhtbekiohimthanArsheesh。Foraoryabouthisowheboathadfilledhimwithextandwithasenseofrelief。Hehadoftenbeenuryashemight，hehadolovethefishermahataboyoughttolovehisfather。Andnoarently，hewasoArsheeshatall。Thatthtoffhismind。“Why，Imightbeahought。“ImightbethesonofaTarkaahesoisroc（mayheliveforever）od!”
&andingoutinthegrassyplacebeforethecottagewhilehethoughtthesethings。Twilightwasingoarortwowasalreadyout，buttheremaicouldstillbesee。Notfarawaythestranger'shorse，looselytiedtinthewallofthedonkey'sstable，wasgrazing。Shastastrolledovertoitaswentupthegrassandtooknonoti。
&herthoughttoShasta'smind。“IwosortofamanthatTarkaaloud。“Itwouldbesplendidifhewaskiheslavesilord'shousehavehingtodo。Theywearlovelydeatmeateveryday。Perhapshe'dtakemetothewarsandI'dsavehislifeihenhe'dsetmefreeandadoptmeashissonandgivemeapaladadasuitofarmor。Butthebeahorrid。Hemightseoworkonthefieldsins。IwishIknew。Howow?Ibetthishorseknows，ifoellme。”
TheHorsehadlifteditshead。Shastastrokeditssmooth-as-satinnoseandsaid，“Iwishyoucouldtalk，oldfellow。”
Andthehoughthewasdreaming，forquitedistinctly，thoughinalowvoice，theHorsesaid，“ButI。”
Shastastaredintoitsgreateyesandhisowasbig，withasto。
“Howeverdidyoulearntotalk?”heasked。
“Hush!Notsoloud，”repliedtheHorse。“WhereI，nearlyalltheanimalstalk。”
“Whereveristhat?”askedShasta。
“Narnia，”aheHorse。“ThehappylandofNarnia—Narherymountaihymydowns，NarniaofthemaheplashihemossydthedeepfwiththehammersoftheDwarfs。OhthesweetairofNarnia!Anhour'slifethereisbetterthanathousandyearsiehawhinnythatsoundedverylikeasigh。
“Howdidyougethere?”saidShasta。
“Kidnapped，”saidtheHorse。“Orstolen，orcapturedwhicheveryouliketocallit。Iwasonlyafoalatthetime。MymotherwaretheSoutheroArdaIwouldn'theedher。AndbytheLion'sManeIhavepaidformyfolly。AlltheseyearsIhavebeeohumans，hidiureaobedumbaheirhorses。”
“Whydidn'tyoutellthemwhoyouwere?”
“Notsuchafool，that'swhy。Ifthey'dondoutIcouldtalktheywouldhavemadeashowofmeatfairsandguardedmemorecarefullythanever。Mylastceofescapewouldhavebeengone。”
“Andwhy—”beganShasta，buttheHorseiedhim。
“Nowlook，”itsaid，“wemustn'twastetimeoions。YouwanttoknowaboutmymastertheTarkaanAnradin。Well，he'sbad。Nottoobadtome，forawarhorseuchtobetreatedverybadly。Butyou'dbetterbelyionightthangotobeahumanslaveinhishousetomorrow。”
“ThenI'dbetterrunaway，”saidShasta，turningverypale。
“Yes，youhad，”saidtheHorse。“Butwhynotrunawaywithme?”
“Areyougoingtorunawaytoo?”saidShasta。