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A Horse and His Boy

Teaser: Shasta, aided by the Tarkheena Aravis and two Talking Horses (Hwin and Bree), helps save Archenland from invasion.

The Horse and His Boy takes place even before the adventures in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe have ended. It begins in Calormen, a land far to the south of Narnia, beyond Archenland, where animals cannot talk and humans can still be treated as slaves.

A poor fisher-boy called Shasta, badly treated by his father, Arsheesh, dreams of travelling to the north, beyond the grassy hills where he lives. Then one day, a Calormene nobleman arrives and demands to buy Shasta from his father. While the two men argue about the price, Shasta wonders what life will be like as a slave in a rich man's house. Then, amazingly, the Calormene's horse speaks to him. Shasta's eyes open wide with astonishment.

"How ever did YOU learn to talk?" he asked.
    "Hush! Not so loud," replied the Horse. "Where I come from, nearly all the animals talk."
    "Wherever is that?" asked Shasta.
    "Narnia," answered the Horse.

The horse explains that he was stolen from his own country when he was a foal. He also says his master is cruel and evil, and persuades Shasta to run away with him to Narnia. The horse, whom Shasta calls Bree, is very proud and, to begin with, makes it clear that he doesn't think much of his new friend.

"By the way, I suppose you know how to ride?"
    "Oh, yes, of course," said Shasta. "At least, I've ridden the donkey."
    "Ridden the WHAT?" retorted the Horse with extreme contempt. (At least, that is what he meant. Actually it came out as a sort of neigh - "Ridden the wha-ha-ha-ha-ha?" Talking horses always become more horsy in accent when they are angry.)

Their journey together is full of danger and amazing twists and turns of fortune. They meet Aravis, a young Calormene girl who is also running away, but can they trust her? First they must outwit the terrifying Tisroc in the city of Tashbaan. And then it is a race against time to cross the desert to reach revengeful enemy ...