Prince Caspian Chapter 3 Summary

The Dwarf

  • They wake up dreadfully early to a breakfast of, hmm, apples.
  • Deciding they need to leave the island, they head for the beach. Their first thought is to swim the channel, but Peter claims only Susan will make it.
  • That's when Edmund has a light bulb moment. He realizes that time passes differently in Narnia than it does outside of Narnia.
  • Meaning that one year went by for them while hundreds went by for Narnia. By Jove, he's onto something there.
  • A boat comes into view, and the children watch two soldiers drop a very lively bundle overboard. The bundle turns out to be a dwarf.
  • Susan shoots an arrow, hitting the soldier holding the dwarf. Both soldier and dwarf go overboard, and the second soldier bails when he realizes he's under attack.
  • Peter and Susan jump into the water to snatch up the boat and the dwarf.
  • The dwarf is thankful for them to have saved his life, even if they might be ghosts on a haunted island. You never know.
  • The children wonder what's up with the drowning attempt, and the dwarf agrees to tell them his story. But first: breakfast. And no apples. They're going fishing.
  • They grab the gear from the boat and catch them some pavenders (fish native to Narnia).
  • The dwarf thinks the castle smells of ghosts but cooks the fish all the same.
  • He tells them he is a messenger for King Caspian, true king of Narnia. Well, Old Narnians, not New Narnians, though Caspian is one of them, too.
  • Perhaps we'd better take a step back and start from the beginning.