The Chronicles of Narnia, #1
The Magician's Nephew
by C. S. Lewis
Contents
FIFTEEN: THE END OF THIS STORY AND THE BEGINNING OF ALL THE OTHERS
Overview
Aslan returns the children and Uncle Andrew to London, warning them about tyranny and commanding them to bury the rings. Digory heals his mother with the Apple and buries the core, which grows into a tree; the rings are buried around it. The family’s fortunes rebound, and wood from the tree later becomes the wardrobe that enables future journeys to Narnia. Narnia enjoys long peace, and Uncle Andrew reforms.
Summary
In the Wood between the Worlds, Aslan tells Digory and Polly they need no rings with him. He shows the vanished pool of Charn as a warning about destructive power and foresees tyrannies in their world. Aslan commands them to take Uncle Andrew’s rings and bury them so none can use them again.
They tumble back to London amid the unchanged street chaos. Unrecognized, they hustle Uncle Andrew indoors, where he hides to drink. Digory hurries to his mother and gives her the Apple, whose beauty and fragrance eclipse the room. She eats, falls into natural, healing sleep, and Digory buries the core in the garden.
The next day the Doctor calls her recovery extraordinary. Polly brings all the rings, and together they bury them in a circle around the sprouting apple core. Over the following weeks, Mother steadily improves; the house fills with light, music, and play. A letter arrives: Digory’s father has inherited wealth and will return from India; they will move to a great country house.
Time passes. The garden tree, born of the Apple, bears exceptionally good fruit but no longer fully magical; its wood still holds a memory of Narnia. Years later a storm fells it, and Digory, now a professor, has a wardrobe made from its timber—one that will be used to enter Narnia in the future.
In Narnia, King Frank and Queen Helen’s realm knows long peace, and their line spreads to Archenland. Digory and Polly remain close friends. Uncle Andrew comes to live with the family, abandons magic, and grows somewhat kinder, though he boasts of his encounter with a formidable “foreign” lady.
Who Appears
- Digory KirkeHeals his mother with Aslan’s Apple, buries the core and the rings, later makes a wardrobe from the storm-felled tree.
- Polly PlummerRetrieves all the rings, helps bury them around the sprouting apple core; remains Digory’s lifelong friend.
- AslanWarns about coming tyrannies, commands the burial of the rings, returns them to London.
- Digory’s MotherEats the Apple, falls into restorative sleep, and steadily recovers her health.
- Uncle AndrewReturned to London disheveled; later reforms, gives up magic, and lives with Digory’s family.
- Aunt LettyManages the household as Digory’s mother recovers; later relieved when Uncle Andrew moves out.
- The DoctorFinds the recovery extraordinary, calling it like a miracle.
- Digory’s FatherInherits wealth, returns from India, and moves the family to a country estate.