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Chapter 14
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Horse and His Boy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Freedom and Justice
Bravery vs. Recklessness
Christianity
Gender Roles
Summary
Analysis
King Lune happily welcomes Aravis when she arrives at his court. She tells the King about how Cor saved her life from a lion. At the castle, Edmund and some lords discuss what to do with Prince Rabadash and agree not to kill him. Lucy goes further, saying that Rabadash should have a chance to go free if he promises to repent for his actions and agree not to do anything like that again.
The Narnians show mercy for their enemies, contrasting yet again with the Calormenes. Although Rabadash promised to kill as few Narnians as possible in his attack, this was a selfish promise based on strategic calculations. What Edmund and Lucy suggest here is true mercy for Rabadash, again showing how the Narnians embody Christian values.
Themes
At his trial, Prince Rabadash is defiant, and Corin taunts him. All of a sudden everyone rises, and Cor realizes that Aslan himself has appeared. Aslan warns Rabadash that he will soon be doomed unless he changes his ways. But Rabadash just curses Aslan as a demon. At last, Aslan says the time has come, and all of a sudden, Rabadash starts turning into a donkey. He loses the ability to talk like a human and suddenly just brays.
Rabadash refuses to act repentant at his trial, showing how unlike Bree, he is unable to learn from his mistakes. Rabadash also contrasts himself with Cor, who is able to overcome his initial fear of Aslan and understand that Aslan is ultimately a benevolent figure. Rabadash proves that he is evil because he has a chance to redeem himself but rejects it, which is why Aslan punishes him.
Themes
Aslan says there is mercy for Rabadash—if he goes to the temple of Tash, he can be healed, but he can never go more than 10 miles from the temple, or else he’ll be turned back into a donkey forever. With that, Aslan leaves. King Lune promises to send Rabadash back to Tashbaan in comfort.
One of the original stories of a person getting turned into a donkey is The Golden Ass by Apuleius, and this plot point also features in the famous story of Pinocchio. Donkeys often symbolize stubbornness or ignorance, and so Rabadash’s transformation into a donkey is a fitting punishment for his refusal to reform his ways.
Themes
Rabadash gets restored to human form, and after the death of the old Tisroc, Rabadash becomes the most peaceful Tisroc that Calormen has ever seen (since he can’t go outside his 10-mile radius and doesn’t want any potential rivals to achieve glory in war). Because everyone remembers that Rabadash was a donkey, people privately call him Rabadash the Ridiculous, even after his death.
Because Rabadash is not virtuous enough to be a good leader in his own right, Aslan puts restrictions on him to that indirectly force him to be peaceful. The fact that the Calormenes ridicule Rabadash for his peaceful reign is yet another sign of how corrupt the culture of Calormen can be and how it differs from the peaceful Narnia.
Themes
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Back at Anvard, shortly after Rabadash is sent off, a feast begins. At the feast, King Lune tells Cor that he is next in line for the throne. Cor would rather Corin get the crown, but King Lune insists that because Cor is 20 minutes older, he is the only lawful successor. Corin himself is glad to never have the responsibility of being king.
Cor learns that he can’t be like Rabadash and that he must accept the responsibilities that come with being a prince rather than simply using the power to fulfill his own desires. Cor’s acceptance of these duties completes his coming-of-age arc, as after learning his identity, he now learns what it means to act like an adult.
Themes
As Cor and Corin grow up, they fight like brothers often do, with Corin usually winning, but Cor is stronger on the battlefield. They each achieve a reputation for their feats in battle. Aravis and Cor also quarrel sometimes, but when they’re older, they get married. After King Lune’s death, the two of them become King and Queen of Archenland. Bree and Hwin also get married, but not to each other. They live in Narnia but often come back to visit Anvard.
Despite being a fantasy adventure, the ending of the story has a few nods towards realism, such as the fact that Cor and Corin continue to argue sometimes and the fact that Bree and Hwin don’t marry each other. These more realistic details help emphasize the idea that living a good Christian life is not like a fairy tale and still requires hard work, even after achieving success.
Themes
