Bree (Narnia)
Encyclopedia
Bree is a fictional character
in C. S. Lewis
's The Chronicles of Narnia
. He is one of the title characters, and is featured prominently in the fifth book, The Horse and His Boy
, (the third book chronologically.)
Bree was born as a free talking beast in the Land of Narnia
, but was captured as a colt by the Calormen
es, and has lived his life as a war horse in Calormen, owned by humans, and hiding his true nature as a talking horse. Living as the only talking beast among "dumb and witless" horses, Bree has come to be both proud and vain. In The Horse and His Boy, Bree and the boy Shasta
become companions on a journey to escape from Calormen and find freedom in the northern countries of Archenland
and Narnia. On their journey, they are joined by a talking mare, Hwin
, and a Calormene Tarkheena, Aravis
. In the course of their adventures, they thwart an attempted invasion of Archenland and Narnia, and Bree learns to face up to and surrender his pride and vanity in order to truly enter into a free life in Narnia.
and into Calormen
, where he was captured and either enslaved by or eventually sold to the Tarkaan Anradin. He spent many years pretending to be a dumb and witless horse to hide his origins, and became one of the Tarkaan's prized possessions. Bree developed a very high opinion of himself with only non-talking horses to compare himself to, further enhanced by his status as the prized steed of a Calormene lord and his training as a war charger. Furthermore, having spent less time in Narnia than most talking horses, he had certain incorrect notions of Narnian behaviour and culture. In particular, he asserts that Aslan
, Narnia's creator and patron, is not an actual lion, and is only referred to as an analogy of the fierceness and power of a lion; part of his reason for believing this is that he secretly fears lions.
When the Tarkaan Anradin stays at Arsheesh's hut, Bree and Shasta
plan to run away to Narnia together, Shasta having overheard Anradin's intention to buy him from Arsheesh. They set out north immediately, despite the fact that Shasta had never ridden a horse in his life; Bree is obliged to teach him as they go. Before long, they come upon another pair of runaways after being herded together by a pursuing lion: the Tarkheena Aravis
, and her talking Narnian mare, Hwin
. Aravis, who is headed for Narnia in order to escape an odious arranged marriage, is at first reluctant to join forces with Shasta, but Bree and Hwin eventually convince her to do so, and the four continue on to Tashbaan. Though Bree is glad for the company of a fellow Narnian horse, his self-important personality tends to overpower the meeker Hwin's.
In the crowded capital city, the group is split up: Shasta is mistaken for the visiting prince of Archenland
, Corin
and is bustled off by the Narnian embassy, while Aravis and the horses become the guests of the bubbly Tarkheena Lasaraleen. Eventually, Aravis persuades Lasaraleen to help them find a way out of the city so that they can meet Shasta at the prearranged rendezvous point. Lasaraleen arranges for a groom to take the horses to the meeting place while she herself takes Avaris down to the river via the palace, where they accidentally overhear Prince Rabadash and his father the Tisroc
planning to lay siege to Anvard
, the stronghold of Archenland's king, as a prelude to invading Narnia.
After finally meeting up again with Shasta, the foursome sets off across the desert to Archenland to warn of the impending attack. Though the need is urgent, Bree tends to set a slower pace than he is truly capable of, his years of enslavement making him lazy without spur
s to egg him on. As the group nears the dwelling of the Hermit of the Southern March, they suddenly find a lion in close pursuit. Bree flees in mindless terror, forcing Shasta to dismount at full gallop in an attempt to aid Aravis and Hwin. This incident deflates much of Bree's ego, as he feels intense shame for leaving the two females behind while a boy raised as a peasant found the courage to go back.
Shasta continues on, eventually finding King Lune of Archenland
and telling of him of the impending attack. However, while returning to Anvard with the King's party, Shasta is separated from them in a thick fog and accidentally passes through Archenland into Narnia, where he warns the Narnians about the attack on Anvard, and ends up fighting with the forces of Narnia against the Calormenes, while the horses (exhausted from the chase with the lion) and Aravis (injured by the lion) remain behind under the Hermit's care. The battle is a decisive victory for the Narnians and Archenlanders, and the Hermit describes it (and Shasta's participation) to the others as he views it in his magic pool. The last of Bree's preconceived notions is then shattered when Aslan himself visits the hermitage; while Hwin submits meekly to the great lion, Bree retreats and cowers until ordered forward. Aslan reveals that he was not only the lion who brought the group together, but also the lion who chased them across the desert, the latter act done to force the horses, Bree in particular, to the speed necessary for warning of the Calormene attack to reach Archenland and Narnia in time. Aslan admonishes Bree for his hubris, but says that Bree can change his ways as long as he realizes that he will be "nothing special" once he returns to Narnia, where he will be only one talking animal among many.
After the defeat of the Calormenes, and the discovery that Shasta is really Prince Cor, the long-lost son of King Lune of Archenland, Bree is finally able to return to Narnia. As he and Hwin say their goodbyes to Shasta/Cor and Aravis (who is invited to stay at Archenland by King Lune), Bree's former self emerges in a frantic moment of uncertainty as to whether real Narnian talking horses roll in the grass, or if rolling is a low habit he has picked up from the Calormen horses. Hwin, in a rare moment of assertiveness, says that she will roll whether or not it's acceptable in Narnia, and Bree reluctantly follows her lead (though he takes one last roll, just to be safe).
At the books close, the author notes that Bree and Hwin live happy lives in Narnia, both eventually marrying (though not to each other). They are said to make frequent trips to Archenland to visit Cor and Aravis, who do end up married to each other and later become the rulers of Archenland.
in C. S. Lewis
's lifetime friend J. R. R. Tolkien
's book The Fellowship of the Ring
, where there is an inn called The Prancing Pony.
In the MMORPG
RuneScape
, Bree is known as a war horse General
defending a general of one of the RuneScape gods.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
's The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
. He is one of the title characters, and is featured prominently in the fifth book, The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is a novel by C. S. Lewis. It was published in 1954, making it the fifth of seven books published in Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia. The books in this series are sometimes ordered chronologically in relation to the events in the books as opposed to the dates of their...
, (the third book chronologically.)
Bree was born as a free talking beast in the Land of Narnia
Narnia (country)
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Narnia is the country around which the books revolve. It is one of several lands in the Narnian world.-Geography:...
, but was captured as a colt by the Calormen
Calormen
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Calormen is a large country to the southeast of Narnia. Lewis derived its name from the Latin calor, meaning "heat". When used as an adjective Lewis spelled the name with an 'e' at the end . Narnia and Calormen are separated by a large desert...
es, and has lived his life as a war horse in Calormen, owned by humans, and hiding his true nature as a talking horse. Living as the only talking beast among "dumb and witless" horses, Bree has come to be both proud and vain. In The Horse and His Boy, Bree and the boy Shasta
Shasta (Narnia)
Shasta, later known as Cor of Archenland, is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. He is the principal character in the fifth book published in the series, The Horse and His Boy, which is the third book chronologically...
become companions on a journey to escape from Calormen and find freedom in the northern countries of Archenland
Archenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
and Narnia. On their journey, they are joined by a talking mare, Hwin
Hwin
Hwin is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. She is prominent in the book The Horse and His Boy...
, and a Calormene Tarkheena, Aravis
Aravis
Aravis is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. She is a main character in The Horse and His Boy.Aravis is a young Tarkheena, a female member of the ruling nobility of Calormen...
. In the course of their adventures, they thwart an attempted invasion of Archenland and Narnia, and Bree learns to face up to and surrender his pride and vanity in order to truly enter into a free life in Narnia.
Biographical Summary
Bree, an adventurous and inquisitive colt, was born in Narnia. He disregarded the warnings of his mother and ventured south past ArchenlandArchenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
and into Calormen
Calormen
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Calormen is a large country to the southeast of Narnia. Lewis derived its name from the Latin calor, meaning "heat". When used as an adjective Lewis spelled the name with an 'e' at the end . Narnia and Calormen are separated by a large desert...
, where he was captured and either enslaved by or eventually sold to the Tarkaan Anradin. He spent many years pretending to be a dumb and witless horse to hide his origins, and became one of the Tarkaan's prized possessions. Bree developed a very high opinion of himself with only non-talking horses to compare himself to, further enhanced by his status as the prized steed of a Calormene lord and his training as a war charger. Furthermore, having spent less time in Narnia than most talking horses, he had certain incorrect notions of Narnian behaviour and culture. In particular, he asserts that Aslan
Aslan
Aslan, the "Great Lion," is the central character in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. He is the eponymous lion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and his role in Narnia is developed throughout the remaining books...
, Narnia's creator and patron, is not an actual lion, and is only referred to as an analogy of the fierceness and power of a lion; part of his reason for believing this is that he secretly fears lions.
When the Tarkaan Anradin stays at Arsheesh's hut, Bree and Shasta
Shasta (Narnia)
Shasta, later known as Cor of Archenland, is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. He is the principal character in the fifth book published in the series, The Horse and His Boy, which is the third book chronologically...
plan to run away to Narnia together, Shasta having overheard Anradin's intention to buy him from Arsheesh. They set out north immediately, despite the fact that Shasta had never ridden a horse in his life; Bree is obliged to teach him as they go. Before long, they come upon another pair of runaways after being herded together by a pursuing lion: the Tarkheena Aravis
Aravis
Aravis is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. She is a main character in The Horse and His Boy.Aravis is a young Tarkheena, a female member of the ruling nobility of Calormen...
, and her talking Narnian mare, Hwin
Hwin
Hwin is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. She is prominent in the book The Horse and His Boy...
. Aravis, who is headed for Narnia in order to escape an odious arranged marriage, is at first reluctant to join forces with Shasta, but Bree and Hwin eventually convince her to do so, and the four continue on to Tashbaan. Though Bree is glad for the company of a fellow Narnian horse, his self-important personality tends to overpower the meeker Hwin's.
In the crowded capital city, the group is split up: Shasta is mistaken for the visiting prince of Archenland
Archenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
, Corin
Corin
-First name:*Corin Hewitt , American sculptor and photographer*Corin Forshaw , British reality TV star*Corin Mellor , British designer*Corin Nemec , American actor...
and is bustled off by the Narnian embassy, while Aravis and the horses become the guests of the bubbly Tarkheena Lasaraleen. Eventually, Aravis persuades Lasaraleen to help them find a way out of the city so that they can meet Shasta at the prearranged rendezvous point. Lasaraleen arranges for a groom to take the horses to the meeting place while she herself takes Avaris down to the river via the palace, where they accidentally overhear Prince Rabadash and his father the Tisroc
Tisroc
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, a Tisroc is a ruler of Calormen. His position is most like that of a Pharaoh, in that he is an absolute monarch, and is believed to be descended from the Calormen god Tash. Whenever a Calormen citizen speaks of the Tisroc, he adds "may he live for ever," and...
planning to lay siege to Anvard
Anvard
Anvard the moatless castle is where King Lune of Archenland resides. It is made of red-brown stones and sits on a green lawn in front of a high woody ridge...
, the stronghold of Archenland's king, as a prelude to invading Narnia.
After finally meeting up again with Shasta, the foursome sets off across the desert to Archenland to warn of the impending attack. Though the need is urgent, Bree tends to set a slower pace than he is truly capable of, his years of enslavement making him lazy without spur
Spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids . The spur is used in every equestrian discipline...
s to egg him on. As the group nears the dwelling of the Hermit of the Southern March, they suddenly find a lion in close pursuit. Bree flees in mindless terror, forcing Shasta to dismount at full gallop in an attempt to aid Aravis and Hwin. This incident deflates much of Bree's ego, as he feels intense shame for leaving the two females behind while a boy raised as a peasant found the courage to go back.
Shasta continues on, eventually finding King Lune of Archenland
Archenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
and telling of him of the impending attack. However, while returning to Anvard with the King's party, Shasta is separated from them in a thick fog and accidentally passes through Archenland into Narnia, where he warns the Narnians about the attack on Anvard, and ends up fighting with the forces of Narnia against the Calormenes, while the horses (exhausted from the chase with the lion) and Aravis (injured by the lion) remain behind under the Hermit's care. The battle is a decisive victory for the Narnians and Archenlanders, and the Hermit describes it (and Shasta's participation) to the others as he views it in his magic pool. The last of Bree's preconceived notions is then shattered when Aslan himself visits the hermitage; while Hwin submits meekly to the great lion, Bree retreats and cowers until ordered forward. Aslan reveals that he was not only the lion who brought the group together, but also the lion who chased them across the desert, the latter act done to force the horses, Bree in particular, to the speed necessary for warning of the Calormene attack to reach Archenland and Narnia in time. Aslan admonishes Bree for his hubris, but says that Bree can change his ways as long as he realizes that he will be "nothing special" once he returns to Narnia, where he will be only one talking animal among many.
After the defeat of the Calormenes, and the discovery that Shasta is really Prince Cor, the long-lost son of King Lune of Archenland, Bree is finally able to return to Narnia. As he and Hwin say their goodbyes to Shasta/Cor and Aravis (who is invited to stay at Archenland by King Lune), Bree's former self emerges in a frantic moment of uncertainty as to whether real Narnian talking horses roll in the grass, or if rolling is a low habit he has picked up from the Calormen horses. Hwin, in a rare moment of assertiveness, says that she will roll whether or not it's acceptable in Narnia, and Bree reluctantly follows her lead (though he takes one last roll, just to be safe).
At the books close, the author notes that Bree and Hwin live happy lives in Narnia, both eventually marrying (though not to each other). They are said to make frequent trips to Archenland to visit Cor and Aravis, who do end up married to each other and later become the rulers of Archenland.
In other works
Bree's shortened name is the same as the townBree (Middle-earth)
Bree is a fictional village in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, east of the Shire and south of Fornost Erain. It is thought to have been inspired by the Buckinghamshire village of Brill, which Tolkien visited regularly in his early years at Oxford...
in C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
's lifetime friend J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's book The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom...
, where there is an inn called The Prancing Pony.
In the MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
RuneScape
RuneScape
RuneScape is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in January 2001 by Andrew and Paul Gower, and developed and published by Jagex Games Studio. It is a graphical browser game implemented on the client-side in Java, and incorporates 3D rendering...
, Bree is known as a war horse General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
defending a general of one of the RuneScape gods.