Edmund's First Visit to Narnia

Edmund Pevensie's first visit to Narnia is a pivotal event in which he enters the magical land through the wardrobe, encounters the White Witch, and is seduced by enchanted Turkish Delight, setting in motion his betrayal of his siblings and the central conflict of the story.

Entry and Discovery

Edmund's entry into Narnia occurred during a game of hide-and-seek on a rainy day. He had followed Lucy into the wardrobe room, intending to tease her about her supposed imaginary country, and when he saw her vanish inside, he decided to get in himself. He jumped in and shut the door, forgetting how foolish it is to shut oneself into a wardrobe. Inside, he found no sign of Lucy, and the door seemed to have disappeared. Instead of the expected wooden back, he stepped out from the shadow of thick fir trees into an open place in the middle of a wood. There was crisp, dry snow under his feet, a pale blue sky overhead, and the sun just rising, very red and clear. Everything was perfectly still, as if he were the only living creature in that country. He shivered.

Encounter with the White Witch

Edmund heard a sound of bells in the distance, and soon a sledge drawn by two white reindeer swept into sight. On the sledge sat a fat dwarf dressed in polar bear's fur, and behind him, on a higher seat, a great lady taller than any woman Edmund had ever seen. She was covered in white fur, held a long straight golden wand in her right hand, and wore a golden crown. Her face was white like snow or paper, except for her very red mouth—beautiful but proud, cold, and stern. The Lady stopped the sledge and demanded to know what he was. Edmund, awkward and confused, gave his name. The Lady frowned and asked if that was how he addressed a Queen. She revealed herself as the Queen of Narnia. When she learned he was human, a Son of Adam, she spoke to herself about a door from the world of men, saying, "This may wreck all. But he is only one, and he is easily dealt with." She raised her wand, and Edmund felt sure she was going to do something dreadful, but then she changed her mind. In a different voice, she called him "my poor child," invited him onto the sledge, and wrapped her fur mantle around him.

The Temptation of Turkish Delight

The Queen offered Edmund a hot drink from a small copper bottle, which produced a jewelled cup of steaming liquid. Then she asked what he would like best to eat. Edmund requested Turkish Delight. The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle, and instantly a round box appeared, containing several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre, and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious. While he ate, the Queen questioned him. She learned that he had one brother and two sisters, that one sister had already been in Narnia and met a Faun, and that no one else knew about Narnia. She seemed especially interested that there were four of them—two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve. Edmund, with his mouth full, kept confirming this. The Turkish Delight was enchanted: anyone who once tasted it would want more and more, and would even go on eating it till they killed themselves. But the Queen did not offer him any more. Instead, she said she would like to see his brother and sisters, and promised that if he brought them, she would give him more Turkish Delight. She spoke of her house as a lovely place with whole rooms full of Turkish Delight, and said she wanted a nice boy to bring up as a Prince who would be King of Narnia when she was gone. She told Edmund he was the cleverest and handsomest young man she had ever met, and that she would make him the Prince—some day, when he brought the others. Edmund, his face red and his mouth and fingers sticky, wanted to go immediately, but the Queen insisted he must bring the others. She gave him directions to her house, telling him to find the lamp-post and look for two hills, and to keep the river on his right. She also told him to keep their meeting a secret, saying it would be fun to surprise the others, and that Fauns told nasty stories about her that might make his sister afraid.

Aftermath and Return

As the sledge drove away, Edmund heard Lucy calling him. She was overjoyed to find him in Narnia and told him about her lunch with Mr. Tumnus and how the White Witch was a terrible person who had made it always winter. Edmund, already feeling uncomfortable from eating too many sweets, felt even more uncomfortable hearing that the Lady he had made friends with was a dangerous witch. But he still wanted to taste that Turkish Delight again more than anything else. He tried to dismiss Lucy's warnings, saying you can't always believe what Fauns say. They returned through the wardrobe together. Lucy was excited that the others would now have to believe in Narnia, but Edmund secretly thought it would not be as good fun for him. He would have to admit Lucy had been right, and he felt sure the others would all be on the side of the Fauns and the animals, while he was already more than half on the side of the Witch. He did not know what he would say or how he would keep his secret once they were all talking about Narnia.