Narnia Trivia

[Midge]

I completely forgot about this one. Let me see if I can find seven. I'm sure I can.

[hectorberlioz]

Ok . And then I can ask my trivia question? . I have a really good one.

[Midge]

I vote we nix the answer-the-current-question-before-posting-a-new-one idea and post all round. Just make sure to quote the question in your answer. Sound good? Or is that breaking convention?

[hectorberlioz]

Sounds good to me . Here we go:

What item does Mr. Beaver say to keep close when you meet someone "who is going to be human but isn't yet, or used to be human but isn't now, or ought to be human but isn't..."

[Varnafindë]

Your axe?
Yes, good one, hector

And we would be changing convention, you know, not merely breaking it.

[hectorberlioz]

Varnafinde,

Close enough. He says hatchet, but that's nitpicky

Your turn!

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

Varnafinde,

Close enough. He says hatchet, but that's nitpicky

Your turn!

I guess I remember the LWW quotes mostly in Norwegian, because I had read it in translation for years before ever coming across the English version (and the whole series! )

And so I'm back-translating the Norwegian quote rather than quoting the English
It's basically, "Keep your eyes open and your weapon ready" ...

Ok, next:
When the Pevensies grew up in Narnia, Susan and Lucy became young women, and it is said about one of them that "all princes in those parts desired her to be their Queen". Which one of them?

(Bonus question - what along the same lines is said about the other?)

[Midge]

Huh. I don't remember that at all. I remember the quote, and I'm assuming he's talking about the White Witch, but I don't remember him mentioning keeping a hatchet close.

Weird. Can I answer my own question, or change it to "think of as many disasters" instead of just seven? He predicted a LOT of them.

-A thunderstorm or flood would come and knock down his wigwam while the children were trying to sleep in it.

[hectorberlioz]

The answer is Susan! And 'The Horse And His Boy' might be said to be an example of it ;-). Can't remember about Lucy...

[Varnafindë]

Tricky that, perhaps - it is not about Susan!

The book says something else about who wanted to marry Susan, though.

[hectorberlioz]

Ooh! It's Lucy.

And kings over the sea send their ambassadors over (I'm cheating now) to ask Susan's hand in marriage. For the kings that is, not for the ambassadors . Now THAT would be a generous king.

[Midge]

Thought-provoking trivia question:

What does the difference in the wording of their suitors have in common with their titles?

i.e., Queen Lucy the Valiant - all princes in those parts desired her to be their Queen
Queen Susan the Gentle - kings over the sea send their ambassadors over to ask Susan's hand in marriage.

I think I've wondered that often enough before. Maybe this should go in the Narnia discussion.. Oh well. I think Puddleglum also predicted something about dragons getting into Narnia while they were gone and before they'd found the giant bridge, he predicted that they would break their necks climbing down the gorge to ford the river.

[hectorberlioz]

My attempt at it:

Lucy was always the more tomboy-ish of the two, so she will no doubt be known around the country having been seen (presumably) riding on her horse and so on. So it makes a bit of sense that the more local princes would be eyeing her.

With Susan, there's no reason why the local princes might not also want to marry her--but her queenliness is so famous as to make news across the sea. Kings looking for an ideal queen would no doubt have her first in mind. And let's not get into the issue of which girl is the prettier. I mean, Rabadash decided to invade Archenland AND Narnia for Susan's sake . I think the local princes probably figured they'd have no luck getting her attention.

[Midge]

But the wording of the actual phrases. The princes DESIRED Lucy, but the Kings just wanted her because of her beauty and diplomacy. Who would you rather be? Hm... thought provoking questions in the trivia thread...

When they were underground, Puddleglum predicted more than once that they would never get out.

[Valandil]

Interesting thought. I wonder if it means that Susan was more beautiful, and those who wanted to have a beautiful queen beside them would put her at the top of their list.

But... those who lived closer and knew them both better might have preferred Lucy. Perhaps it was the opportunity to compare them and judge their characters. Maybe those who knew them better considered Susan a little less desireable once they got to know her...??? (though I never had anything particularly against her... except that she sometimes rubbed things in a bit much)

Sort of ties in maybe with the 'Lament for Susan Pevensie' thread...???

[Midge]

I always got the impression that Lucy was an exceptional person. From things said in other books, and based on her absolute faith in Aslan, I feel like she would be an infinitely better bride for anyone, even if she was not as pretty as Susan. My favorite picture of Lucy is in the Last Battle in the Stable, when everyone is telling how things came about and Lucy doesn't say anything for such a long time because she's too happy to speak.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

And let's not get into the issue of which girl is the prettier. I mean, Rabadash decided to invade Archenland AND Narnia for Susan's sake .

By that time it wasn't about her beauty any more. By that time he was so angry with her that she would have been his slave rather than a cherished wife. It wasn't for Susan's sake, it was for the sake of his own wounded pride.

Originally Posted by Midge

My favorite picture of Lucy is in the Last Battle in the Stable, when everyone is telling how things came about and Lucy doesn't say anything for such a long time because she's too happy to speak.

Yes, that is a truly lovely scene. It speaks volumes of Lucy's attitude.

[hectorberlioz]

Well yeah, Rabadash was an all-around nincompoop to start with .

Shall we try another question?

What is the first time in "The Silver Chair" that Jill and Eustace call each other by their Christian names?

[Midge]

When they're about to die... or they think they are. It's right before they loose Prince Rilian "in the name of Aslan". Right?

[hectorberlioz]

Alas, no. It's right before they leave the underground house and get ready to face the underground people whom they think are still on the witch's side.

But that was a nit-picky question, so you're free to proceed with the next question ;-)