C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew

• If he had heard that bit about the land of youth a few days ago he would have thought Aunt Letty was just talk­ing without meaning anything in particular, the way grown-ups do, and it wouldn't have interested him. He almost thought so now. But suddenly it flashed upon his mind that he now knew (even if Aunt Letty didn't) that there really were other worlds and that he himself had been in one of them. At that rate there might be a real Land of Youth somewhere. There might be almost any­thing. There might be fruit in some other world that would really cure his mother! And oh, oh - Well, you know how it feels if you begin hoping for something that you want desperately badly; you almost fight against the hope because it is too good to be true; you've been dis­appointed so often before. That was how Digory felt.
• The Lion was pacing to and fro about that empty land and singing his new song. It was softer and more lilting than the song by which he had called up the stars and the sun; a gentle, rippling music. And as he walked and sang­ the valley grew green with grass. It spread out from the Lion like a pool. It ran up the sides of the little hills like a wave. In a few minutes it was creeping up the lower slopes of the distant mountains making that young world every moment softer.
• All this time the Lion's song, and his stately prowl, to and fro, backwards and forwards, was going on. What was rather alarming was that at each turn he carne a little nearer. Polly was finding the song more and more in­teresting because she thought she was beginning to see the connection between the music and the things that were happening. When a line of dark firs sprang up on a ridge about a hundred yards away she felt that they were con­nected with a series of deep, prolonged notes which the Lion had sung a second before. And when he burst into a rapid series of lighter notes she was not surprised to see primroses suddenly appearing in every direction.
• We must now go back a bit and explain what the whole scene had looked like from Uncle Andrew's point of view. It had not made at all the same impression on him as on the Cabby and the children. For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it aIso depends on what sort of person you are.
• Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often you succeed.
• “But do not be cast down," said Aslan, still speaking to the Beasts. "Evil will come of that evil, but it is still a long way off, and I will see to it that the worst falls upon myself. In the meantime, let us take such order that for many hundred years yet this shall be a merry land in a merry world. And as Adam's race shall help to, heal it. Draw here you other two.
• You shall rule and name all these creatures, and do justice among them, and protect them from their enemies when enemies arise. And enemies will arise, for there is an evil Witch in this world.
• Alas, said Aslan, shaking his head. “It will”. Things always work according to their nature. She has won her heart’s desire; she has unwearyingly strength and endless days like a goddess. But length of days with an evil heart is only length of misery and already she begins to know it. All what they want; they do not always like it.
• “Yes, Aslan,” said both the children. But Polly added, “But we’re not quite as bad as that world, are we, Aslan?
  “Not yet, Daughter of Eve,” he said. “Not yet. But you are growing more like it. It is not certain that some wicked one of your race will not find out a secret as evil as the Deplorable Word and use it to destroy all living things. And soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for Joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis. Let your world be aware.