“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I'm dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I - could I - would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to - do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.
"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.
"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."
"There is no other stream," said the Lion.
- C. S. (Jack) Lewis, The Silver Chair – Chapter 2
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." - John 7:37 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. - Revelation 22:17 (NIV) |
Photo Courtesy: flickr - Peter Harrison
Ilove C.S. Lewis! The Silver Chair is a favourite but I must say I really love The Last Battle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this up. :)
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I enjoyed this post and it really made me think. I wish you a wonderful rest of the first week of the year.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen the new movie yet...looking forward to making it a special occasion. I read the chronicles with my boys when they were younger and wonderful scenes like this make me want to re-read. Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteExquisite. The words are so beautiful - so deep and compelling.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the gift of them.
Oh how I love the precious treasures like this one that can be found throughout the Narnia series. Thank you for seeing this.... thank you for sharing this. What a beautiful picture of our Father.
ReplyDeleteNo way! We listened to 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' book on CD on our 1000 mile trip up north as my hubby had never read it and we saw the movie too (it was my favorite...i've read it many times) but then listened to 'the silver chair' coming back south and I forgot how beautiful the scene is that you put here...it was so fresh for me because we'd listened to it a couple of times...i love it!!
ReplyDelete"There is no other stream," said the Lion.
ReplyDeleteI remember the impact that sentence had the first time I ever read it. It's good that we not forget that.