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The lions that Shasta encounters on his journey seem at first to be dangerous, but they end up guiding him on his journey to maturity, symbolizing how in Christianity, God works in mysterious ways to guide his followers. Shasta’s biggest test of courage in the book is when, despite the frightening lion pursuing him, he willingly goes back to try to save Aravis and Hwin from the lion. Despite Shasta’s fear, the lion leaves when Shasta orders it to go, showing Shasta that he is more powerful than he realizes. This lion episode also plays a role in Bree’s character journey, as his experience with the lion humbles him: though he initially fled due to cowardice, he learns that he can be forgiven for his mistakes. Rather than just being an obstacle, this lion teaches the characters things about themselves—most notably that they can rise above and become better people (or horses) through their interactions with this lion.
The most significant lion in the story is the giant Talking Lion Aslan, who within the world of Narnia plays a role similar to God or Jesus. Aslan is the one who reveals to Shasta that the lions he has encountered on his journey were meant to guide and teach him. Aslan himself can appear fearsome and strange, but he also leads Shasta through a difficult part of his journey that crosses a mountain pass. And so, lions in The Horse and His Boy represent how following a virtuous path can be challenging, but how ultimately, as people follow their faith through these challenges, those experiences can lead to personal growth.
Lion Quotes in The Horse and His Boy
The The Horse and His Boy quotes below all refer to the symbol of Lion. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2
Quotes
“What is it?” gasped Shasta.
“Lions!” said Bree, without checking his pace or turning his head.
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“Why, it’s only a girl!” he exclaimed.
“And what business is it of yours if I am only a girl?” snapped the stranger. “You’re probably only a boy: a rude, common little boy—a slave probably, who’s stolen his master’s horse.”
“That’s all you know,” said Shasta.
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Chapter 6
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“It’s a lion, I know it’s a lion,” thought Shasta. “I’m done. I wonder will it hurt much. I wish it was over. I wonder does anything happen to people after they’re dead. O-o-oh! Here it comes!” And he shut his eyes and teeth tight.
But instead of teeth and claws he only felt something warm lying down at his feet. And when he opened his eyes he said, “Why, it’s not nearly as big as I thought! It’s only half the size. No, it isn’t even quarter the size. I do declare it’s only the cat!! I must have dreamed all that about its being as big as a horse.”
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Chapter 10
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“Stop,” bellowed Shasta in Bree’s ear. “Must go back. Must help!”
Bree always said afterward that he never heard, or never understood this; and as he was in general a very truthful horse we must accept his word.
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“Go home! Go home!” For a fraction of a second he was staring right into its wide-opened, raging mouth. Then, to his utter astonishment, the lion, still on its hind legs, checked itself suddenly, turned head over heels, picked itself up, and rushed away.
Shasta did not for a moment suppose it had gone for good.
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Chapter 11
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“I was the lion.” And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. “I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.”
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Chapter 12
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“I see,” said Shasta to himself. “Those are the big mountains between Archenland and Narnia. I was on the other side of them yesterday. I must have come through the pass in the night. What luck that I hit it!—at least it wasn’t luck at all really, it was Him. And now I’m in Narnia.”
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Chapter 14
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“Aslan,” said Bree in a shaken voice, “I’m afraid I must be rather a fool.”
“Happy the Horse who knows that while he is still young. Or the Human either. Draw near, Aravis my daughter. See! My paws are velveted. You will not be torn this time.”
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Chapter 15
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“You have appealed to Tash,” said Aslan. “And in the temple of Tash you shall be healed. You must stand before the altar of Tash in Tashbaan at the great Autumn Feast this year and there, in the sight of all Tashbaan, your ass’s shape will fall from you and all men will know you for Prince Rabadash. But as long as you live, if ever you go more than ten miles away from the great temple in Tashbaan you shall instantly become again as you now are. And from that second change there will be no return.”
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Get the entire The Horse and His Boy LitChart as a printable PDF.
Lion Symbol Timeline in The Horse and His Boy
The timeline below shows where the symbol Lion appears in The Horse and His Boy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
As Shasta and Bree are traveling the deserted road, Bree thinks he hears lions and crosses a stream to cover up their scent. But on the other side, Bree...
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Chapter 6
...jackals, a big four-legged creature comes to his defense. Shasta figures it must be a lion and fears it will attack him next. But when the creature makes its way back...
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Chapter 10
...ahead with Shasta and Aravis on their backs. Just as the horses are tiring, a lion starts running toward them. Shasta begs Bree to turn around as the lion closes on...
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...stumbles back to help Aravis and Hwin, who are both trying to fend off the lion’s claws. Shasta shouts at the lion to stop, talking to it like a dog, and...
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...see the future, he predicts to Hwin that Aravis will survive her injuries from the lion. The Hermit takes Aravis and the Horses to his cave dwelling, where Aravis regains consciousness...
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...Prince Rabadash. But Bree is depressed, saying that he acted like a coward when the lion came and suggesting that he should return south and enter slavery again. The Hermit encourages...
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Chapter 11
...to prove it isn’t a ghost. Shasta complains about his bad luck and how many lions he’s run into. But the Large Voice says there was only one lion. The Large...
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Shasta turns and sees a lion taller than a horse. Shasta has never heard of the Narnian Talking Lion Aslan, who...
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Chapter 14
...“By the Lion’s Mane.” Bree starts explaining about Aslan, whom he says isn’t really a lion. But as Bree is talking, Hwin and Aravis see an enormous lion jump up and...
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Hwin pleads to the lion not to eat her, but the lion, who is indeed Aslan, promises Hwin that she’ll...
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Chapter 15
...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...
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