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o the doorway duffle called out； 〃hey； brothers！ a visitor for breakfast。鈥�
and immediately； mixed with a sizzling sound； there came to shasta a simply delightful smell。 it was one he had never smelled in his life before； but i hope you have。 it was； in fact； the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan。
〃mind your head； lad；〃 said duffle a moment too late； for shasta had already bashed his forehead against the low lintel of the door。 〃now；〃 continued the dwarf； 〃sit you down。
the tables a bit low for you； but then the stools low too。 thats right。 and heres porridge … and heres a jug of cream … and heres a spoon。鈥�
by the time shasta had finished his porridge； the dwarfs two brothers （whose names were rogin and bricklethumb） were putting the dish of bacon and eggs and mushrooms； and the coffee pot and the hot milk； and the toast； on the table。
it was all new and wonderful to shasta for calormene food is quite different。 he didnt even know what the slices of brown stuff were； for he had never seen toast before。 he didnt know what the yellow soft thing they smeared on the toast was； because in calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter。 and the house itself was quite different from the dark； frowsty； fish…smelling but of arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of tashbaan。 the roof was very low； and everything was made of wood； and there was a cuckoo…clock and a red…and…white checked table…cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick…paned windows。 it was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks。 this meant that helpings were very small； but then there were a great many helpings； so that shastas plate or cup was being filled every moment； and every moment the dwarfs themselves were saying； 〃butter please〃； or 〃another cup of coffee；〃 or 〃id like a few more mushrooms；〃 or 〃what about frying another egg or so？〃 and when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing…up； and rogin was the unlucky one。 then duffle and bricklethumb took shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall； and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two dwarfs lit their pipes。 the dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm； indeed； if there hadnt been a light breeze； it would have been too hot。
〃now； stranger；〃 said duffle； 〃ill show you the lie of the land。 you can see nearly all south narnia from here； and were rather proud of the view。 right away on your left；
beyond those near hills； you can just see the western mountains。 and that round hill away on your right is called the hill of the stone table。 just beyond …鈥�
but at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from shasta who； what with his nights journey and his excellent breakfast； had gone fast asleep。 the kindly dwarfs； as soon as they noticed this； began making signs to each other not to wake him； and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and …tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired。
he slept pretty well …nearly all day but woke up in time for supper。 the beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor； and he never stirred nor dreamed all night。 next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill； exciting sound from outside。
〃trumpets！〃 said all the dwarfs； as they and shasta all came running out。
the trumpets sounded again： a new noise to shasta； not huge and solemn like the horns of tashbaan nor gay and merry like king lunes hunting horn； but clear and sharp and valiant。 the noise was ing from the woods to the east； and soon there was a noise of horse…hoofs mixed with it。 a moment later the head of the column came into sight。
first came the lord peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of narnia … a red lion on a green ground。 shasta knew him at once。 then came three people riding abreast； two on great chargers and one on a pony。 the two on the chargers were king edmund and a fair…haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side。 （〃the queen lucy；〃 whispered duffle。） but the one on the pony was corin。 after that came the main body of the army： men on ordinary horses； men on talking horses （who didnt mind being ridden on proper occasions； as when narnia went to war）； centaurs； stern； hard…bitten bears； great talking dogs； and last of all six giants。 for there are good giants in narnia。 but though he knew they were on the right side shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them； there are some things that take a lot of getting used to。
just as the king and queen reached the cottage and the dwarfs began making low bows to them； king edmund called out； 〃now； friends！ time for a halt and a morsel！〃 and at once there was a great bustle of people dismounting and haversacks being opened and conversation beginning when corm came running up to shasta and seized both his hands and cried； 〃what！ you here！ so you got through all right？ i am glad。 now we shall have some sport。
and isnt it luck！ we only got into harbour at cair paravel yesterday morning and the very first person who met us was chervy the stag with all this news of an attack on anvard。 dont you think …鈥�
〃who is your highnesss friend？〃 said king edmund who had just got off his horse。
〃dont you see； sire？〃 said corin。 〃its my double： the boy you mistook me for at tashbaan。鈥�
〃why； so he is your double；〃 exclaimed queen lucy。 〃as like as two twins。 this is a marvellous thing。鈥�
〃please； your majesty；〃 said shasta to king edmund； 〃i was no traitor； really i wasnt。
and i couldnt help hearing your plans。 but id never have dreamed of telling them to your enemies。鈥�
〃i know now that you were no traitor； boy；〃 said king edmund； laying his hand on shastas head。 〃but if you would not be taken for one； another time try not to hear whats meant for other ears。 but alls well。鈥�
after that there was so much bustle and talk and ing and going that shasta for a few minutes lost sight of corin and edmund and lucy。 but corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasnt very long before shasta heard king edmund saying in a loud voice： 〃by the lions mane； prince； this is too much！ will your highness never be better？ you are more of a hearts…scald than our whole army together！ id as lief have a regiment of hornets in my mand as you。鈥�
shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw edmund； looking very angry indeed； corin looking a little ashamed of himself； and a strange dwarf sitting on the ground making faces。 a couple of fauns had apparently just been helping it out of its armour。
〃if i had but my cordial with me；〃 queen lucy was saying； 〃i could soon mend this。 but the high king has so strictly charged me not to carry it monly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities！鈥�
what had happened was this。 as soon as corin had spoken to shasta； corins elbow had been plucked by a dwarf in the army called thornbut。
〃what is it； thornbut？〃 corin had said。
〃your royal highness；〃 said thornbut； drawing him aside； 〃our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal fathers castle。 we may be in battle before night。鈥�
〃i know；〃 said corin。 〃isnt it splendid！鈥�
〃splendid or not；〃 said thornbut； 〃i have the strictest orders from king edmund to see to it that your highness is not in the fight。 you will be allowed to see it； and thats treat enough for your highnesss little years。鈥�
〃oh what nonsense！〃 corin burst out。 〃of course im going to fight。 why； the queen lucys going to be with the archers。鈥�
〃the queens grace will do as she pleases；〃 said thornbut。 〃but you are in my charge。
either i must have your solemn and princely word that youll keep your pony beside mine … not half a neck ahead … till i give your highness leave to depart： or else … it is his majestys word … we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners。鈥�
〃ill knock you down if you try to bind me；〃 said corm。
〃id like to see your highness do it；〃 said the dwarf。
that was quite enough for a boy like corin and in a second he and the dwarf were at it hammer and tongs。 it would have been an even match for； though corin had longer arms and more height； the dwarf was older and tougher。 but it was never fought out （thats the worst of fights on a rough hillside） for by very bad luck thornbut trod on a loose stone； came flat down on his nose； and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained his ankle： a real excruciating sprain which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight。
〃see what your highness has done；〃 said king edmund。 〃deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle。鈥�
〃ill take his place； sire；〃 said corin。
〃pshaw；〃 said edmund。 〃no one doubts your courage。 but a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side。鈥�
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