Chapter 9: A Wish for Firumel

Mallory, Firumel and the Narnians spent the night in Father Christmas's House, with each of them having a cosy room all to themselves and of which Mallory was properly delighted, for she had had to share her room with her brother in London.

She was about to blow out the candle and turn in for the day (it had been a very exhausting one for she had been running about the House running small errands for the Christmas-Elves but which she didn't mind at all because it was great fun helping to make toys and clocks and letterboxes) when there was a knock at her door. She almost dropped her candle-holder in surprise.

"Do come in!"

The door opened and in came Hogswell the Christmas-Elf. "Can I get you anything, Daughter of Eve?"

Mallory laughed. "No, I'm quite all right. But really, we're friends now, so do call me Mallory."

Hogswell laughed as well. "All right then. Are you sure you don't need anything more? Is your bed warm enough? What about the fire? Or do you want a tin of crackers in case you can't sleep?"

"No, no, Hogswell. I don't need anything more."

"Right," he turned to leave, but suddenly he squealed and whirled around. "By Aslan! I almost forgot! Daughter of – I mean, Mallory, Father Christmas wishes me to tell you that he will be setting off for Narnia the very next morning as he is sure that the Witch's spell is weakening."

"Will he?" exclaimed Mallory, her eyes glittering with excitement. "That's wonderful! What time must I be up tomorrow?"

"As soon as the dawn breaks. Father Christmas wants to reach the two Sons of Adam and the two Daughters of Eve as soon as possible."

"Two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve?" repeated Mallory, for the image of the two boys and two girls that had come into her mind several days ago flashed through her mind again.

"Why, yes! They're the ones who will fulfil the Prophecy and break the Witch's spell, don't you know?"

"Of course I do," said Mallory. "So they're there already, in Narnia?"

"Father Christmas suspects so," Hogswell nodded.

"Am I to go alone?"

"Probably, because I'm sure that with all those presents to give out, there'll only be room left for you in his sleigh."

"I'd like Firumel to come with me," said Mallory miserably, for she had grown very fond of the good Eagle and she was terribly indebted to him too for leading her here. It would be a pity to leave him now, not when there was so much more to do.

"Well, if he could fly," said Hogswell slowly, "he might be able to go because he wouldn't need to take up any space in the sleigh. Well then, I am very tired: it's been a long day. So is there anything else that you need?"

Mallory opened her mouth to say 'goodnight', but she stopped just in time. "Say, Hogswell, have you fulfilled a wish in the past ten years?"

The Christmas-Elf frowned as he thought. "No, I don't think I have, why? Do you want a wish made?"

Mallory broke into a wide smile. "As a matter of fact, yes, I do."


Mallory was awaken by a rough shake of her shoulders the next morning.

"Oh! Oh! Stop it!" she flung her hand to slap whatever it was that was disturbing her sleep. Her palm made contact with a neck of smooth and lovely feathers and she heard a clicking of a beak and a furious ruffling.

She sat up at once. "Firumel!" She looked out the window and remembered. "Narnia!"

"Narnia indeed!" he echoed, but there was a treble of excitement in his voice. "Oh, oh, Mallory, the most wonderful thing has happened to me!"

Mallory leaned forward, thrilled. She remembered the wish she had made with Hogswell. Could it be true? Had it come true already? She found herself positively thrilled to bits. "What is it, Firumel? Oh, what, what, what is it?"

The Eagle clicked its beak rapidly and said slowly, "I – CAN – FLY!"

There was a still moment as Mallory came to slow realisation that it was true. Her – wish – was - fulfilled.

"I don't believe it!"

"So did I at first!" said Firumel. He flapped his wings happily and said, "But this morning, you know us Eagles, we like to sleep in high places, so I was sleeping in a loft in the barn, and, I was dreaming that I could fly, you know, and I rolled over the edge of my nest, by accident of course, and – and – my wings just opened automatically when I was falling, and – and, oh, and, I was flying!"

"Good for you!" exclaimed Mallory. "Really; I'm so happy for you! You can fly!"

"Why, thank you, Mallory! Just think about it, I can fly now! The Talking Animals in Stormness Head won't be able to laugh at me anymore. Ho-ho, they can't! And I can fly into Narnia and have a look at the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve! Oooh, how exciting!"

"You're coming with us?"

"Of course I am! Father Christmas said I could, because I could fly now and all," Firumel beamed, "This is the happiest day of my life! Really it is! I almost don't believe it! I can fly! I can FLY!"

To Firumel's surprise and to her own as well, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Oh, Firumel! Am I glad that you'll be coming with us!"

Firumel turned slightly pink, but he managed to croak out, "Yes, yes, I am glad too."


After a generous and filling breakfast with her Narnian comrades, Mallory and Firumel bid goodbye to them and went down to the stables where Father Christmas was adjusting the bells on the harness of the reindeers and the Christmas-Elves were putting sacks of presents onto the sleigh. He wore a striking red coat that fastened around his bulging waist with a large, silver belt. His curly beard fell in soft foams all the way down to the buckle of the belt.

Mallory gasped. "Reindeers!"

Father Christmas laughed heartily. "Yes, Mallory, reindeers!"

Mallory ran towards the front-most one and stood on tiptoes and stroked its nose as gently as possible so that it would not buck and kick her squarely on her chest. The reindeer had kind, hazel eyes that were fixed upon hers as soon as she touched it, and for a moment, Mallory just stood there, holding her breath, waiting to see what it was going to do to her.

She was startled by a loud chuckle from Father Christmas. He left his post and made his way towards her. "Don't be afraid, Mallory. It's a good reindeer, aren't you, Hazel?" He patted the reindeer's head and it responded by touching its nose with Father Christmas's bulging stomach. Father Christmas laughed again and said to Mallory, "Go on, Mallory! Stroke it!"

And Mallory did. Soon, she found herself liking the touch of soft reindeer fur very much and almost wished she could go on stroking it forever. Father Christmas watched her caress the reindeer's nose with misty eyes. Mallory noticed it and withdrew her hand from Hazel.

"What's the matter, Father Christmas?"

He looked at her with a sad smile on his face for a moment, and his smile was so sorrowful that it made her sad too.

Then he took her small hands in his big ones and squeezed it gently. "Mallory, I have something very important and shocking, I suppose, to tell you, even though I'm not supposed to tell you now, but I think Aslan wouldn't mind."

Mallory frowned. "What is it?"

Father Christmas smiled warmly. "Let's walk a bit, shall we? What I'm about to tell you is meant only for your ears."