Only The Beginning of the Song
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The inspiration for this story is a scene in the movie "Zulu" where British soldiers, surrounded and outnumbered 4000 to 140, start singing the song "Men of Harlech." The song gives them the courage to face the last onslaught. If you look up 'Zulu Final Battle' on Youtube that scene will be the first item.
Based on the traditional British song 'Men of Harlech,' movie 'Zulu' adaptation.
I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia.
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Eustace Scrubb had never been so miserable in his life. The handful of water he gathered in his hands, tricking down the side of the rock, might as well have been a thimbleful as far as he was concerned.
He thought of the adventure stories he had begun to read after discovering Narnia, tales full of heroes and damsels in distress. The adventures always seemed to end well, with the evil knight or magician defeated in glorious combat and the good folk living happily ever after. He felt sure that would not be the case, in this world at least. Eustace had witnessed and faced death before, but never with this grim inevitability. He briefly wondered whether dying stabbed by a spear or slashed by a scimitar would be less painful.
Jill Pole and he had been brought back into Narnia four days before, and it seemed everything that could go wrong had happened. They had heard the dreadful news that Cair Paravel had fallen to the Calmorenes; most of the Narnians were too frightened of the false Aslan to fight on the side of their King Tirian; and now, with a handful of faithful Narnians, they waited by a white rock for the Calmorenes to attack. Worst of all, it seemed Tash himself had arrived. The world was ending, and they were caught in the maelstrom.
"I'm shaking like a leaf," whispered Jill as she knelt beside him to take a drink. "I'm so ashamed of myself. I wonder what the other Friends of Narnia would think of me if they saw me now…"
Eustace, in reply, took her hand and set it on his own shaking knee. Since his adventure on the Dawn Treader, he had taken care not to show his weakness. If it had been any other than Pole, he would never have dreamed of doing it. But the two looked at each other and drew comfort from knowing the same thoughts were running through the other's minds.
"You don't happen to have a peppermint, do you, Scrubb?" Jill asked after a moment's silence.
Usually Eustace would have told Jill not to be silly. But he could not bring himself to refuse her, not at a time like this. It was one of those beautiful, simple gestures of friendship, and he felt much warmer inside afterwards. Reaching under his tunic into the almost-forgotten pockets, he dug until he found one of the confectioneries. Alberta insisted that he have a supply on him for fresh breath, and this was the only one of her prescriptions that he still actually enjoyed.
"I say, remember how you gave me one before our first adventure in Narnia together?" Jill asked.
"Tis fitting, since this will likely be our last," Eustace said, matter-of-factly.
"Oh, do adventures always end so horridly?" Jill asked no one in particular.
Eustace in answer looked away. To Jill's surprise, he seemed almost to be crying. Seven years of knowing him had taught Jill not to bother him at times like this, so she leaned against the rock and sucked her peppermint. The mint seemed to calm her as it passed down her dry throat. Thoughts of her life in two worlds passed before her, but not like they had before. Earlier, they had been fleeting, panicked images. There had been no order, no logic, just wild thoughts. Now, they were solemn, beautiful panoramas. She thought of Puddleglum, and how pleasant it had been to feel the sun again after their adventures in the Underworld. She thought of how Experiment House had become quite a good school. She thought of how frightened she had been of meeting the Pevensies and how they had turned out to be jolly pleasant chaps and girls. She thought of Eustace, and regretted every moment she had spent hating and despising him, even that very morning…
Jill did not know what it was that made her think of the song. Maybe it had touched her in a special way before, even though she barely remembered it. Or maybe, as Eustace was sure, Aslan had put it into her head. She did not even realize at first when she was humming it, and then singing.
Men of Harlech, stop your dreaming,
At first it was more of a croak, but at each word Jill's voice grew fuller and fuller.
Can't you see the spearpoints gleaming,
The Calmorenes were advancing, a mass of men and spears, intent on the destruction of the life the Narnians had known. Their fury matched that of their big, bull's hide drum, which was beating out a frenzied cadence. Boom, boom, ba ba boom it went. But Jewel and Poggin and the other faithful Narnians heard Jill, and to them it seemed like a draught of the freshest water. The drum was forgotten as they listened to the song.
See the warrior pennants streaming o'er the battle field
"Bother!" thought Eustace. "What does Pole have to sing about at a time like this?" Then the words of the song passed in front of him, like a gust of wind breaking through fog, the fog of his mind. "Good old Pole!" he exclaimed, and he tried to sing as well. His hoarse throat would not cooperate; Eustace was sure that what was coming out resembled a dragon trying to talk. He swallowed hard. "Aslan, please," he whispered.
Of course, Tirian had never heard the song. It was not like any of the ditties of the fauns and dryads, or even the ballads of the Archenlanders and Telmarines. But Tirian felt like he had known it his whole life and he looked at Jill and Eustace in wonder.
Men of Harlech,
Creatures of Narnia,
Eustace finally found his voice, only to realize that Jill had changed the words. "Bother Pole!" he thought for a moment, then caught himself. Of course she was right to say Narnia and not the name of a Welsh castle. He looked apologetically at Pole and wondered how and why he ever thought poorly of her.
Stand ye steady; it can not be ever said ye, for the battle were not ready –
Jill looked round and saw the others were forcing themselves back on their feet. Tears came to her eyes as she thought of how the faithful bear had died, still not understanding what was happening. But she felt strong again, seeing the others willing to die for Narnia and the true Aslan. Her words were at least bringing courage to them, if not hope.
Narnians never yield!
This time Eustace and Jill sang in unison, and they looked at each other and smiled grimly. Their voices were cracking with thirst, but it was as if they were driving each other to finish. Yes, they would fight to the very bitter end, for Aslan and Narnia.
From the hills rebounding, let this war cry sounding, summon all at Narnia's call,
The song brought back memories of the glory days of Narnia to Tirian. He thought of the host the High King Peter had commanded at Beruna and of that which followed his ancestor Caspian at Aslan's How. He thought of how King Edmund and Queen Lucy had led an army to save Anvard from these very Calmorenes. He thought of the army his father had led out the gates of Cair Paravel to war. He thought of all the battles in which he himself had fought, and the times he and Jewel had saved each others' lives. Looking around him, he then saw his own miserable force. But suddenly Tirian felt strength flowing through him again. If it was Aslan's will for this to be the end of the Kings of Narnia, he would make the Calmorenes pay a dear price. And if those beside him-Jill and Eustace, Jewel and Poggin, and the boar and the dogs- were all those at his call, he was especially proud that he and they would die side by side.
The mighty foe surrounding.
The Calmorenes heard the singing and stopped in wonder. Some felt respect for the northern barbarians, or even fear. But Rishda Tarkaan would have none of it. "Fools!" he exclaimed. "Do you want to taste the steel of my scimitar? Forward, warriors of the Tisroc, may he live forever, and deliver the barbarians to Tash!"
Creatures of Narnia, on to glory, this will ever be your story. Keep these burning words before ye –
Narnians will not yield!
Eustace's voice died completely on the last line. "That was perfectly gorgeous, Pole," he whispered, taking her hands in his own and pulling her closer. He realized he had stopped shaking and paused for a moment. "I'm really sorry for all the times I've been an ass to you," he finally admitted.
"Oh, I should be the one apologizing," exclaimed Jill. "I pushed you off the cliff, and got Aslan's signs all muddled, and thought you were horrible, even this morning…but it doesn't matter now, does it? Let's just get on with dying." She had never felt so helpless and so strong at the same time as she hung on to Eustace. "You've really been such a good friend."
"This morning?" Eustace was puzzled. "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you? O lor, stop blubbering, Jill!"
"Oh, no," said Jill, drying her face. "This morning you were just...so matter of fact about dying. But you were right, Eustace." She suddenly felt shy again.
Eustace blushed. "You know, I was wrong. I felt like a hero then, till things started really happening and lor, I was as frightened as Puzzle. But not anymore, thanks to you."
"Neither am I, anymore. You'll stay with me, won't you?"
"To the death. I swear, by Aslan. Jill..."
For seven years, Eustace had looked after and cared for his best friend. But now, at the end of Narnia, there were so many things he wanted to tell her, and there was no time.
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Long before, Aslan had called Narnia into being with a song, a loud, triumphant song. Next to it the most beautiful songs of creatures were but a whisper. That song now seemed to be fading. But in His country, Aslan smiled. His faithful servants would be with Him at long last, and they were leaving the Shadowlands one last moment of hope. The swansong of Narnia would echo forever, just like the first song.
"Fair friends," called Tirian, "Tonight we will be with Aslan!" It was time for the last fight. But Jill's song had restored life to them, and they faced death with a smile.
Eustace Scrubb never spoke the words he wanted to in that age of the world. But for Jill and him it was only the beginning of the real song. All their life in this world and their adventures in Narnia had only been the title and first note. Now they at last were beginning the Great Song which no one on earth has heard; which goes on forever; in which each stanza is better than the one before.
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The End and The Beginning
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