Peter's sword and shield

Peter's sword and shield are the first weapons given to a human in Narnia, marking his transition from a boy to a warrior and king, and they play a decisive role in his first battle and knighthood.

Gift from Father Christmas

Father Christmas presented Peter with a shield and a sword, emphasizing that they were "tools not toys" and that the time to use them was perhaps near at hand. The shield was the color of silver and across it there ramped a red lion, as bright as a ripe strawberry at the moment when you pick it. The hilt of the sword was of gold and it had a sheath and a sword belt and everything it needed, and it was just the right size and weight for Peter to use. Peter was silent and solemn as he received these gifts, for he felt they were a very serious kind of present.

First Use in Battle

Peter drew his sword from its sheath to show it to Mr. Beaver shortly after receiving it. The weapon's first true test came when Susan was attacked by a wolf. Peter rushed straight up to the monster and aimed a slash of his sword at its side. That stroke never reached the Wolf; quick as lightning it turned round, its eyes flaming, and its mouth wide open in a howl of anger. Peter had just time to duck down and plunge his sword, as hard as he could, between the brute's forelegs into its heart. After a horrible, confused moment, he found that the monster lay dead and he had drawn his sword out of it.

Knighthood and Symbolism

After the battle, Aslan instructed Peter to clean his sword, which was smeared with the Wolf's hair and blood. Peter stooped down and wiped it quite clean on the grass, and then wiped it quite dry on his coat. Aslan then took the sword, struck Peter with the flat of the blade, and said, "Rise up, Sir Peter Fenris–Bane. And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword." The sword and shield thus became the instruments of Peter's knighthood and the symbols of his new role as a protector and leader in Narnia.