List of Narnian creatures

Narnian creatures are any non-human inhabitants of Narnia, the fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as a setting for his The Chronicles of Narnia. This is a series of commentaries on the creatures of Narnia. Entries include information on physical, habitual, and behavioural elements of the creatures, as well as noting any important members of the species. Each commentary draws on specific references and citations from the books and officially sanctioned Disney films. Many animals that are found in our world are also present in Narnia, and some species include talking variations. At the birth of Narnia, Aslan the lion stares at certain animals and breathes upon them. This enabled them to think and talk in a manner similar to humans, and also altered their size (MN). Smaller talking beasts – such as rodents, birds and small mammals – are generally larger than their non-talking counterparts, whereas larger talking beasts are generally smaller than average. There is never any mention of talking fish or insects, although there are Naiads, or water-spirits. Lewis freely drew on various sources for inspiration; the creatures contained in this list include many from classical mythology and English folklore.^[1]

Contents :

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z
• Adaptations
• References
• External links

Narnia Abbreviation Key

LWW:	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
PC:	Prince Caspian
VDT:	The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
SC:	The Silver Chair
HHB:	The Horse and His Boy
MN:	The Magician's Nephew
LB:	The Last Battle
TL:	Narnian timeline

A

• Albatross - Aslan is shown as taking the form of an albatross in Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
• Ape - Apes are among the cleverest of talking beasts. As in our world, their diet seems to consist primarily of fruit and nuts (LB). There are evil apes present among the horde of the White Witch at the sacrifice of Aslan (LWW). Also an ape named Shift was a ringleader in the Tashlan conspiracy. (LB). It wasn't explained by C.S. Lewis on what type of apes appeared in his stories.

B

• Badger - Talking badgers are intelligent, kind, and steadfast. They side with Aslan and his followers whenever battle erupts. One of the badgers, Trufflehunter, has "a curiously earthy, husky voice". He refuses to wear armour, claiming instead that he can protect himself with his claws and teeth (PC).
• Bat - Giant bats are present among the horde of the White Witch at the sacrifice of Aslan (LWW).
• Bear - Talking bears are large, gentle, childlike creatures. A bear is traditionally one of the Marshals of the Lists. They are depicted as strong but gentle creatures, who pass their time napping and eating honey. One prominent family of bears are the Bulgy Bears, the elder of which is known to suck his paw at inopportune moments. At one point a non-talking grey bear is killed for its meat, and is referred to by the name Bruin (literally meaning "brown"), the time-honored poetic title for a bear (SC). In the 2005 film, a pair of polar bears pull the White Witch's chariot into battle with black bears fighting for Aslan. In the 2008, film brown bears fight for Prince Caspian (Prince Caspian).
• Beaver - Mr. and Mrs. Beaver are among the rebels who fight against the White Witch (LWW). It is they who explain the plight of Narnia to the Pevensies and first help them escape the Witch's minions. In Prince Caspian it is told that beavers had become extinct in Narnia, and this is attributed to the White Witch having exterminated them; however, in LWW there had been no mention of her having a specific animosity to beavers, beyond her general attitude to the various creatures opposing her, and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver had survived her downfall. The town of Beaversdam sits where the dam of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver was once situated (PC).
• Birds of the morning - Large white birds that fly from the sun and present fire-berries to a retired Star named Ramandu in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
• Black Dwarf - They are short humanoid with black short horsetail like beards. They are bad and selfish and follow the White Witch Jadis.
• Boar - Talking boars are fierce fighters, and use their tusks to gash enemies. A loyal boar is among the Narnian fighters in The Last Battle. Boars are also seen fighting on the side of Aslan's forces in both movie adaptations.
• Boggle - Boggles are followers of the White Witch (LWW). According to A Guide to Narnia,^[2] "boggle" is another name for a Hobgoblin. In the 2005 film, they are portrayed as troll-like imps with mole- and pig-like features.

C

• Cat - Cats are aloof, cunning, graceful creatures. A "cat-a-mountain" (or wildcat) is one of the creatures turned into stone by the White Witch (LWW). One talking cat named Ginger is in league with the evil Calormenes and Shift the ape (who had the Narnians and the Calormenes believe that Aslan and Tash are one being). When Tash arrives to take Rishda Tarkaan, Ginger is so terrified by the dark god that he loses his power of speech (LB).
• Cattle - Bulls are shown several times in the course of the series. In LWW they are shown fighting for Aslan, but in LB a bull is shown fighting against Tirian. No cows are shown in the series.
• Centaur - The centaurs of Narnia are noble beings and are one of the most loyal creatures to Aslan and to Narnia. They have the head, torso, and arms of a human but have the lower body of a horse joining at the human's waist. Their horse bodies are generally chestnut colored with human hair and beards of various colors. They are highly skilled in astronomy and divination, being able to read the stars and tell of future events. They are also proficient warriors and healers. It is said in Narnia that no one ever laughed at a centaur and that no one who valued his life would ever saddle a one (if offered the opportunity). They also have two stomachs—a human stomach and a horse stomach—which means they eat large quantities of both human and equine food. In the animated adaption of The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, they are portrayed as having blonde hair and clean-shaven faces or black haired and full bearded, with brown horse bodies. In the BBC adaptation, they are not seen in "The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" episodes, though a statue of a centaur could be seen near the White Witch's throne. In the "Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader" episodes, Glenstorm is portrayed as having a white horse body and golden-brown hair and beard. A centaur appears again in several scenes in "The Silver Chair" episodes, again having a white horse body but has white hair and beard. In the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, many centaurs are portrayed and they are seen throughout Aslan's camp and in the battle. Their leader is General Oreius, who has black fleece and hair. They use a variety of swords and lances in battle. Female centaurs are portrayed as members of Peter Pevensie's army, being positioned alongside the dwarfs as archers. They appear again in the 2008 film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, which depicts entire families of centaurs including centaur children. The centaurs of Narnia are based on the centaur Chiron who unlike the other centaurs was a noble, wise, and powerful being.
• Cruel - Cruels are followers of The White Witch, possibly a type of spirit (LWW).

D

• Deer - (See Stag)
• Dog - The talking dogs of Narnia are intelligent creatures, although they retain much of their canine behaviour. For instance, one group of dogs is described as putting "their front paws on the shoulders of the humans and licking their faces". Dogs consider it a great offense to be called a "boy" or especially a "girl" by another dog. This is considered to be the same sort of insult as a human calling another human a "dog" (LB), and as a veiled reference to the English insult "bitch".
• donkey - Lewis portrays donkeys as kind but foolish beasts. Only one donkey named Puzzle is ever mentioned by name in the novels. He is a talking donkey who is tricked by Shift the ape and plays a key role in (LB). Although no other donkeys are mentioned by name, they do make occasional appearances such as when Silenus is seen riding upon a donkey during the Bacchanalia (PC), and when prince Rabadash is cursed to turn into one by Aslan in (HHB).
• Dragon - Dragons are scaly fire-breathing creatures with bat-like wings. They exist throughout various regions of the Narnian world. A dragon is recorded as having once lived on an island in the Eastern Sea where he guarded a hoard of treasure. It is possible for a person to turn into a dragon by sleeping on this pile of treasure (VDT). In the Underlands, there are "dozens of strange animals lying on the turf, either dead or asleep, Jill could not tell which. These were mostly of a dragonish or bat-like sort" (SC). At the end of time in The Last Battle, these creatures wake and begin "crawling and sliding down into Narnia" appearing as "great dragons and giant lizards". Dragons are generally sapient beings even though they cannot talk, for it is possible for a human to communicate with them (SC). There is also a stone statue of what appears to be a dragon in the courtyard of The White Witch (LWW). (See also Salamander)
• Dryad - (See Nymph)
• Duffer or Dufflepud - (See Monopod)
• Dwarf - Dwarfs, or "The Sons of Earth" exist in Narnia in two separate varieties: Black Dwarfs and Red Dwarfs. Black Dwarfs are so called for their dark beards that are "as thick and hard as horsehair", while Red Dwarfs have hair "rather like a Fox's" (PC). In Narnia, dwarfs are around 3 feet (0.91 m) tall. Throughout the books, the Black Dwarfs tend to side with the White Witch while the Red Dwarfs usually side with Aslan. An example of this is shown in Prince Caspian where a Black Dwarf, Nikabrik, defends the White Witch, saying that she is "not an enemy to the Dwarfs (PC)", while Trumpkin, a Red Dwarf, is loyal to the King. Prince Caspian's tutor, Doctor Cornelius, is said to be descended from Dwarfs and humans (in the 2008 film, he specifies that his mother was a Black Dwarf). There are also "evil dwarfs" present among the witch's horde at the sacrifice of Aslan (LWW) Their appearance and loyalties aside, the Red and Black Dwarfs seem to be otherwise similar. Dwarfs live in small, tight knit communities. There is never any mention of female dwarfs in the books, although it is possible for there to be females of dwarfish descent, as the males are said to occasionally mingle and reproduce with human women. However, female dwarfs are depicted in Walt Disney Pictures films, and feature prominently in Prince Caspian. There is also a deleted scene in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe where, while walking through Jadis's courtyard, Edmund glimpses a statue of a female dwarf in the arms of her husband. Dwarfs are prolific smiths, miners, and carpenters. In battle, they are renowned archers and can march all day and all night without becoming tired (LB). Late in the series the distinction between Black and Red Dwarfs begins to fade as they become increasingly uninterested in the dealings of men. Eventually nearly all of the Dwarfs adopt the mantra "the Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs" and kill anybody who crosses their path, be they good or evil. They are the only creatures to completely reject Aslan's return and thus become blinded to the paradise that Narnia has become (LB). In Narnia the plural for Dwarf is "dwarfs" rather than "dwarves".
  Note: In the original illustrations by Pauline Baynes, dwarfs were drawn very traditionally, with long beards, pointed caps, etc. while in more recent illustrations their appearance has varied.

E

• Eagle - Eagles are quick, keen hunters. Lewis writes that it is "a treat to watch their grace and ease", and that they have strange voices (LB). One notable eagle is Far-sight. Eagles also rescue Edmund in (LWW).
• Earthmen - Earthmen are the gnome-like natives of Bism, a land which lies far beneath the surface of the Narnian earth. In The Silver Chair, the Lady of the Green Kirtle places the Earthmen under an enchantment and forces them to dig a tunnel to the surface of Narnia in preparation for her invasion. They seem to take this duty very seriously, for when Eustace and Jill encounter them they "all carried three-pronged spears in their hands, and all were dreadfully pale, and all stood as still as statues." However, despite such uniform behaviour they vary greatly in appearance. Lewis states that they are "of all sizes, from little gnomes barely a foot high to stately figures taller than men." Later he remarks that "some had tails and others not, some wore great beards and others had very round, smooth faces, big as pumpkins. There were long, pointed noses, and long, soft noses like small trunks, and great blobby noses. Several had single horns in the middle of their foreheads". (SC).
• Efreet - are briefly mentioned in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
• Elephant - elephants are among the largest animals in Narnia. The talking elephants shrink noticeably however, when Aslan creates the talking beasts. The first elephant is present at the First Council of Narnia, and his wife vainly takes great pride in the length of her trunk (MN).
• Ettin - Ettins are followers of the White Witch (LWW). Historically they have been represented as similar to giants, but with two heads. It seems this connection may be shared in Narnia, as they lend their name to the Giant-inhabited land of Ettinsmoor (SC). (See Giant)

F

• Falcon - Lucy mentions how the Pevensies used falcons during their hunting parties back when they were kings and queens (VDT).
• Faun - Fauns, or the son of woods, are woodland creatures with the legs of a goat and the upper body of a human. They characteristically have curly hair, glossy black hair and fur, small horns resembling those of a goat, and long tails. They enjoy dancing and playing music, and their faces are simultaneously "mournful and merry". One faun, Mr Tumnus is the first character Lucy Pevensie meets when she enters Narnia. Dryads frequently join in their dances, while Naiads and Satyrs join in occasionally. In classical mythology of the sort that Lewis employs, there are never female fauns. Male fauns typically reproduce with nymphs, or sometimes, human women, although it is unknown if this point is shared in Narnia (LWW). In the 2005 Film, their fur and hair is brown or blondeish instead of black, have slender goat legs, and have regular goat tails instead of long tails. In the 2008 movie, faun children can be seen during the Old Narnians' parade through the Telmarine village.
• Fairy -Lore often portrayed Fairies as tiny specks of light with the ability to change their appearance. A common superstitious belief in the Middle Ages said that Fairies would sometimes secretly replace a human child with one of their own so that it could be nourished by a human mother.mentioned in The Magician's Nephew.
• Fish - The fish that inhabit the Narnian waterways are wide and varied, but are known to include earthly fish including trout (LWW) as well species indigenous to Narnia such as pavenders. In the books it is not specified whether or not there are talking fish in Narnia, although none are ever mentioned.
• Fox - Foxes are sly, intelligent creatures. A fox is present at the Christmas party where the White Witch turns the merry-makers into stone (LWW). Another fox bites the Giant Wimbleweather when he treads on its tail (PC). A fox called Slinky joins the Calormene side in the last battle. (LB). In the film version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a fox (voiced by Rupert Everett) saves the Pevensies by helping them escape from the White Witch's secret police and is the same fox whom the White Witch later turns to stone.

G

• Ghoul - Ghouls are followers of The White Witch (LWW). They live in Calormen as well as Narnia, where they are known to live among graves, such as the Tombs of the Ancient Kings (HHB). They are included in the 2005 film where they are portrayed as pale goblin-like creatures, with slit-nostrils, and long, skeletal arms and legs, and are sometimes confused with goblins and boggles.
• Giant - Giants are tall, ugly, and often dim-witted creatures. There is a clear distinction between the giants of Narnia itself and those living outside it, mainly to its north. Narnian giants tend to be good-natured, such as the Buffins, who are "one of the most respected of all the giant families in Narnia." (LWW). Notable Giants include Rumblebuffin (LWW), Wimbleweather (PC), and Stonefoot (LB), all of whom fight on the side of the Pevensies in their respective battles. When Prince Rilian went missing, there were "good giants" among the Narnians who were lost trying to find him. Conversely, the many Giants who live in the lands that lie North of Narnia are far more negative characters. The Giants of Ettinsmoor, directly north of the Narnian border, are moronic, disorganized, fight each other with stone hammers, and speak an incomprehensible language with long strings of syllables (they seem the only ones not to speak what is an otherwise universally spoken language in the Narnian world). Further north are the wicked Giants of Harfang (SC) who are better organized and speak comprehensibly but for whom humans (and talking animals) are often a source of amusement, entertainment, or occasionally sources of food. Harfang seems a remnant of an ancient big City of Giants, of which only ruins are left and whose King at one time had pretensions of universal power. The northern Giants occasionally invade Narnia - especially in periods when civil strife among the Narnians gives the Giants a feeling that their neighbor is in a weak condition. Both High King Peter and King Caspian X had to confront such incursions by Giants, in the aftermath of the respective wars in which they gained their power. A two-headed Giant named Pire is turned into a mountain as mentioned in The Horse and his Boy. (See also Ettin, Ogre)
• God - There are several sorts of "gods" that appear and are mentioned in the Chronicles. There are the wild people of Narnia, such as the nymphs, satyrs, fauns, and centaurs, the male Dryads and Naiads are called wood gods and river gods respectively, though these sorts of "gods" are not worshipped as deities and are probably not immortal. There are also gods such as Bacchus, Silenus, Pomona, and the maenads, though these too, are also not worshipped. Then there are the gods of the Calormene pantheon, such as Tash, Azaroth, and Zardeenah, though only Tash has appeared in living form, but is proven to be a demon, and the rest may simply be mythical or abstract entities worshipped in Calormen. Then there is Aslan himself; though he is never referred to as a "god", he is hailed and revered as such and has proven to be immortal and is the creator of the Narnian universe itself. It is noted that Aslan is the son of the Emperor Over-the-Sea (from beyond the sea who live in the east). However, Lewis probably meant Aslan as a reference to Jesus Christ and the Emperor Over-the-Sea being the Christian God himself.
• Gnome - (See Earthmen)
• Gryphon - Gryphons are winged creatures that are brown in appearance. They have head and wings of an eagle (with curved beaks) and the body of a lion. They are seen in the movies as followers of Aslan and helping him in battle in both Prince Caspian and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
• Gull - Mentioned in PC. Not known if they can talk.

H

• Hag - Hags are followers of The White Witch who help bind Aslan to the Stone Table in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. They appear extremely loyal to the Witch as one Hag later attempts to bring back the ghost of the Witch through sorcery. She is described as having a "shrill, whining voice", and calls herself a "poor old woman". Her nose and chin stick out "like a pair of nut-crackers", and she has dirty grey hair (PC). The old hag appears in Prince Caspian and with her evil sidekick a Werewolf. She and her bloodthirsty friend try to bring the White Witch back to life through black magic. Fortunately their plan is ruined when King Peter and his crew arrive and kill them both with Trumpkin behead her. In the Disney films, they are bird-like with beaks and talons. They are portrayed by Barbara Kellerman (in the BBC version) and Klara Issova (in the Disney version).
• Half-Breed - Half-Breeds are beings that have been born from parents who are not of the same species. The sons and daughters of King Frank and Queen Helen married Dryads and Naiads and had children with them, from these came the Archenlanders and later the Calormenes. Jadis and her race were said to be descendents from the unions of Giants and Jinn. During the reign of Miraz and the Telmarines, dwarfs disguised themselves as humans and interbred with humans, and from these unions came the Half-Dwarfs, including Dr. Cornelius and Caspian's nurse. Prince Rilian, and his descendents, are part-Star, since Prince Rillian's mother, Caspian's wife, was the daughter of the Star Ramandu.
• Hamadryad - (See Nymph)
• Hare - One of the Old Narnians Caspian is first introduced to is a hare called Camillo. (PC). Jewel the unicorn tells Jill about the legendary Hare Moonwood of old. (LB).
• Hedgehog - Hedgehogs are members of Caspian's army in (PC) One of the creatures Caspian is introduced to when he meets the Old Narnians is a hedgehog called Hogglestock. (PC) One of the first creatures Shasta meets in Narnia is a rather slow-witted hedgehog. (HHB).
• Horror - Creatures on the Witch's side present at the Stone Table when Aslan is to be bound. No further explanation is given.
• Horse - Both speechless and talking horses exist in Narnia. While the speechless variety are often used as mounts and pack animals, a talking horse will only allow itself to be ridden during desperate times, such as war. The Calormenes sometimes capture Narnian foals who consequently grow up in Calormen and live there in slavery. Bree and Hwin manage to escape. In the Battle of Anvard, the soldiers that fought the Calormen army rode talking horses and non-talking horses (HHB). When the Calormenes invade Narnia, they force grown talking horses to work for them. In the 2005 film, Edmund rides a talking horse named Phillip.
• Human - Humans are often seen as inhabitants of Earth. There were occasions throughout the series of children visiting Narnia. Narnia also has different kinds of humans.
  • Archenlander - A race of humans that reside in Archenland.
  • Calormene - A race of humans that resie in Calormen. The Calormen were mostly dark-skinned where the men were mostly bearded. The Calormenes have often made plans to invade Narnia and Archenland.
  • Telmarine - The Telmarines are a race of humans that originally came to Earth. They were originally a group of pirates who intermarried with women from islands in the Pacific and found an island with a cave that had an entrance to Narnian world. The pirates found the land of Telmar uninhabited, the original colony of Calormenes having been turned into dumb beasts by Aslan for their behaviour and destroyed each other. The Telmarines prospered for years until a famine struck their land. The Telmarines led by Caspian I then took over parts of Narnia for years. Caspian X (the son of the usurped Caspian IX) and the Pevensie children were able to defeat Miraz' forces and liberate Narnia. Some of the Telmarines chose to return to Earth while others chose to remain in Narnia.

I

• Incubus - Incubi are followers of the White Witch (LWW). In folklore, they are lusty male demons who cause nightmares and assume the form of handsome men and seduce women in their sleep. Their female counterparts are called Succubi.
• Insects - Bees, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and butterflies are each mentioned throughout the series.

J

• Jackal - Jackals are a variety of wild dogs. They are mentioned as living near the Tombs of the ancient Kings, near Tashbaan (HHB).
• Jackdaw - A jackdaw is a type of bird in northern Europe and Asia, related to the crow. They were also one of the first animals to be created by Aslan. It was a jackdaw that made the first joke in Narnia, to which Aslan replies: "You have not made the first joke; you have only been the first joke." (MN) Some sources say that this first jackdaw was named Joke.
• Jinn - Jinn are evil demonic creatures. They interbred with giants and from these unions came the race of Charn (whom Jadis is descended from).

K

• Kangaroo - A kangaroo is one of the stone statues in the castle of the White Witch (LWW).
• Kingfisher - A kingfisher is mentioned in (LWW).
• Kraken - In (VDT), the kraken is said to be one of the three most dangerous sea creatures in Narnia. The other two dangerous sea creatures are the squids and the sea serpents where all three of them are feared by the Sea People.

L

• Lamb - At one point, Aslan symbolically transforms into a lamb (VDT). Another lamb asks some searching questions of Shift the ape in The Last Battle.
• Leopard - Leopards are ferocious though honourable creatures. It is they who are entrusted with bearing Aslan's crown and sceptre in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Southern Cat Battalion, by some sources, was Queen Susan's royal guard during the Golden Age. In the 2005 film, Susan was crowned "Queen Susan the Gentle of the Radiant Southern Sun," and thus the Battalion was named after her title.
• Lion - Talking lions are among the most respected creatures in all Narnia. Aslan, the creator and ruler of Narnia, is a lion. At one point, a talking lion becomes boastful when Aslan refers to the two of them as "us lions" after it was restored from its petrified state. (LWW). It is mentioned that some Narnian hunters seek out non-talking lions, presumably for sport The Last Battle.

M

• Man-Headed Bull - There is a follower of Aslan who is described as a "bull with a man's head". With a "great bellowing voice" it openly defies the White Witch's claim that Edmund's blood is her property. This reverse version of the classical Minotaur stands in contrast to Lewis's Minotaurs, who follow the White Witch (LWW). The Man-Headed Bull is not mentioned in subsequent books, and in television and film adaptations it appears only in the 1979 animated film.

• Marsh-wiggles - Marsh-wiggles are a race of frog-like humanoids that inhabit the marshes of northern Narnia, south of the River Shribble. They are described as having large ears and green-grey dreadlocks. They have strong leathery skin and very long limbs attached to short torsos. Both their hands and their feet are webbed, as it says in The Silver Chair, "like a duck's". Internally, they are evidently significantly different from humans, although the difference is not specified. For instance, when Puddleglum's hand was chewed by Golg (one of the Earthmen), it is not nearly as damaged as it would have been if Puddleglum had been a human. Marsh-wiggles are known for their pessimistic and depressed outlook on life. They live in large wigwams usually set apart from one another, as Marsh-wiggles like their privacy. They are not a very technologically advanced race, but they do possess both bows and swords. Marsh-wiggles fish for food. They usually catch and consume a creature known as a mudfish, but are very fond of eels when they can get them. The tobacco that they use gives off smoke that is heavier than air. It is said that they mix the tobacco with mud. They also consume a strong, unnamed alcoholic beverage. Marsh-wiggles do most of the work relating to water and fish in Narnia. Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb are ferried across the Fords of Beruna by a marsh-wiggle. Marsh-wiggles also help dock ships at Cair Paravel. The only Marsh-wiggle named in the series is Puddleglum who appears in The Silver Chair.^[3]
• Maenad - (See Nymph)
• Merpeople - Merpeople are half human and half fish. They sing at the coronation of the four Pevensie children (LWW). Merpeople can thus breathe both air and water, unlike the more human but completely aquatic Sea People. In the 2005 Disney film, they are shown to have long, blueish, silvery tails with pinkish fins. An illustration by Pauline Bayes shows them as blonde-haired men and women, with rosy pale skin and green tails and fins, adorned with seaweed and pearls and carrying tridents.
• Minotaur - Minotaurs have the head of a bull and the body of a man. They are followers of the White Witch, and are present both at Aslan's death and at the ensuing battle (LWW). In the movies, they are more bull-like with bull legs, tails and body fur. In the film, the general of the White Witch's army is a minotaur called Otmin. In the 2008 adaption of Prince Caspian, Minotaurs join the Old Narnians in fighting the Telmarines. In the old animated version, they fought for Aslan despite the White Witch mentioning that she had Minotaur minions.
• Mole - The talking moles of Narnia are excellent tunnelers and gardeners. During the reign of the Pevensie children, the chief mole, Lilygloves, plants an apple orchard which the Pevensies partake of when they return hundreds of years later. In Prince Caspian, the moles are keen to propose digging trenches. Later in the same book, Clodsley Shovel and his moles dig up turf for the treepeople to eat.
• Monopod (also called Dufflepud) - Monopods are a variety of one-legged dwarf. Lewis specifies that this leg is directly under their torso and "not to one side like the leg of a one-legged man". Their feet are described as "enormous... with the toes curling up a little". They occasionally use their foot as a boat and row themselves around with paddles. They were once normal dwarfs ruled by the fallen star Coriakin. However, they rejected him in favor of their Chief and were transformed into their present state as punishment. They are not as clever as the other dwarfs and follow the word of their Chief to the letter. (VDT).
• Mouse - Unlike the other talking animals, mice did not gain the gift of speech during Narnia's creation. Instead they were given it as a gift for their kindness, after a group of them chewed Aslan free from his bonds as he lay dead on the Stone Table. The talking mice, including Reepicheep and Peepiceek, are larger than normal mice. They are loyal, brave, and noble creatures, and excellent with swords (PC).

N

• Naiad - (See Nymph)
• Nymph - Nymphs are nature spirits that live in the trees and waters. They are capable of leaving their tree or watery domains and assuming a physical body resembling human form. They are so spiritually tied to their places of nature that, if it is destroyed, the nymph bound to that place dies with it. Nymphs are originally from classical mythology, and although there are no male nymphs in mythology, Lewis does mention male wood gods and river gods as being related to nymphs in his books. Wood nymphs and water nymphs were present at Aslan's camp playing harps upon the arrival of the Pevensies and the Beavers.
  • Dryads - Dryads are tree nymphs that are capable of leaving their trees and assuming a physical body similar to human form. Each individual dryad is bound to a specific tree and if that tree dies, its dryad will die as well. Dryads are fond of dancing and often dance with fauns. They are described as having heads crowned with leaves, wearing garments matching the colors of their specific trees and as having their trees' physical characteristics (i.e. pale, slender birch girls; queenly, graceful beeches; melancholy elms). In addition to dryads, hamadryads, silvans and tree people are also mentioned, but it is unknown if they are a separate species of nymph or if they are just synonymous titles for dryads. (MN), (LWW), (PC), (SC), and (LB).
  • Hamadryads - Hamadryads are tree nymphs similar to dryads, but the books do not establish whether they are a separate kind of tree spirit or simply dryads with a synonymous nickname. In Greek tales, they are sometimes described as the nymphs of oak trees, or as dryads who simply live in their trees, but are unable to leave, or as the dryads who die with their trees. (PC).
  • Sylvans - Sylvans are tree spirits, although Lewis does not tell the reader whether they are a separate kind of tree spirit or if they are simply dryads with a synonymous nickname. Silvan means "related to trees".
  • Wood gods - Wood gods are male tree spirits. They inhabit and are spiritually tied to trees like, oaks, elms, hollies, and rowans. Like the wood nymphs, they are capable of leaving their trees and assuming physical bodies or using their trees as their bodies. They also are spiritually bound to their trees, and die if their trees are cut down. (MN), (PC), and (LB)
  • Tree People - Tree People are wood gods and goddesses who use their trees as their physical bodies. Lewis doesn't specify whether they are the same as any of the other spirits or a unique species. They are described as beautiful giants and giantesses who have branch-like hair and fingers. They have roots for feet and wade in the earth like humans do in water. A whole swarm of trees dance sleepily around Lucy and Aslan when they are reunited, and even aid the Old Narnian army in defeating the Telmarines. During the Hundred Years' Winter, many tree spirits turned evil and joined the White Witch's side; however, generations later, they aid the Old Narnian army in defeating the Telmarines. Lewis states that tree people usually eat a variety of soils, such as loam or bits of silver sand and the like (PC).
  • Naiads - Naiads are nymphs of the rivers, wells, and streams. They can leave their watery domains and assume physical bodies resembling human form. When a stone bridge is built over a river, the naiads in it will become imprisoned in the river. They have been known to dance with fauns and dryads occasionally. Four river nymphs are mentioned as being train bearers for Queen Helen. Although no specific description is given, Pauline Baynes does draw them as pretty women wearing gowns in various shades of blue and sometimes wearing rushes on their heads like the river gods. They were omitted from the first two films, but are portrayed in the 2010 film. They take the place of the Sea People and are portrayed as having bodies made entirely out of water, and were intended to have legs, but were given tails like fish or dolphins instead when diving over the waves. (MN), (LWW), and (PC).
  • River Gods - River Gods are male water spirits. As their name states, they only inhabit rivers while water nymphs may inhabit other bodies of water also. One River God is mentioned rising out of the Great River of Narnia with his nymph daughters, and other river gods are mentioned as becoming husbands to the daughters of King Frank and Queen Helen. Another River God is mentioned lifting his head from the river with the river nymphs upon hearing Aslan's roar. He appears again and asks Aslan to "loose his chains," i.e. destroy the bridge that crosses his river at Beruna (MN) (PC). In the 2008 film of Prince Caspian, the river god is digitally portrayed as a giant man made entirely out of water with hair and beard made of foam, who rushes at the Telmarines, creating tidal waves and even destroying the bridge. In an illustration in Prince Caspian, the River God is depicted as a giant man with his head crowned with rushes, and covered with swampy muck and moss; however, the River God in The Magician's Nephew is depicted as a normal-sized, elderly man, his head still crowned with rushes, but dressed in a blue robe and a green cloak.
  • Maenads - The Maenads are followers of Bacchus, and are described as "wild, madcap young girls". They are physically identical to human girls, and are not proper nymphs, such as Dryads and Naiads. They were omitted from the 2008 film. (PC).
  • Silenus - Silenus is the tutor of Bacchus and part of his entourage, depicted as a portly drunk riding a donkey. In classical mythology, Silenus is one of the Sileni, represented as fat men or as part men, part donkeys similar to Fauns. Silenus was omitted from the 2008 film.
  • People of the Toadstools - The People of the Toadstools are followers of the White Witch. No physical description is ever given of them. In illustrations of the battle and Aslan's sacrifice, they are drawn as large toadstools that have roots that are used as limbs. (LWW)
  • Nymphs of Poisonous Plants - The nymphs of poisonous plants are mentioned as followers of The White Witch during Aslan's sacrifice at the Stone Table.

O

• Ogre - Ogres are followers of the White Witch. They have great strength and "monstrous teeth" (LWW). Female ogres are called "Ogresses". (See also Giant)
• Orkny - Orknies are followers of the White Witch. No further description is ever given of them.
• Owl - An owl is present at the first Council of Narnia (MN). The birds are later described as gathering in a Parliament of Owls when important matters arise (SC). This is a play on words by Lewis, as in nature a group of owls is called a "parliament".

P

• Panther - Panthers are mentioned as troops in the Narnian army during the siege at Anvard (HHB). A panther also is mentioned in aiding the dwarfs and moles in getting Eustace, Jill, Puddleglum, Rilian, and the horses out from underground (SC). A black panther is shown fighting with Prince Caspian in the Disney adaption of the book.
• Pantherbird - A pantherbird is a panther with wings, shown in the BBC version of (LWW)
• Pavender - A pavender is a small, rainbow-colored fish native to Narnia. The Pevensie children catch and eat pavenders on the island of Cair Paravel in Prince Caspian. The pavenders are also part of a centaur's breakfast for his "human-stomach" in The Silver Chair. (See Fish)
• Peacock - No talking peacocks are mentioned in the books, however peacock feathers decorate the Western Wall of the Great Hall in Cair Paravel (LWW), and peacock is one of the dishes served at feasts in the royal castle (SC).
• Pegasus - (See Winged horse)
• Pelican - A pelican is mentioned as a member of Aslan's army. Was present in the BBC miniseries. (LWW).
• People of the Toadstools: (See Nymph)
• Phoenix - A phoenix resides in an apple orchard on the green hill in the Western Wilds. It is "larger than an eagle, its breast saffron, its head crested with scarlet, and its tail purple" (TMN). In the 2005 film, a phoenix aids Aslan's army at the Battle of Beruna Ford, by creating fire, which is a magical ability that fire phoenixes have.

R

• Rabbit - Rabbits and hares are mentioned throughout the Narnian stories. Camillo the hare serves as their representative in Prince Caspian.
• Reindeer - Reindeer are shown pulling both Father Christmas's sled and the White Witch's sleds.
• Raven - Of the seven who sit at the First Council of Narnia, two of them are ravens (MN). Another raven called Sallowpad later provides advice on the best route from Calormen to Archenland (HHB).
• River God: (See Nymph)
• Robin - A robin is portrayed as understanding speech when it leads the Pevensie children to Mr. Beaver, although it shows no sign of having the ability to speak itself (LWW).

S

• Salamander - In The Silver Chair, there are salamanders that live far beneath the Narnian earth. They are "too white-hot to look at. But they are most like small dragons." They possess the ability of speech and are "very witty and eloquent". Some salamanders were seen assisting the dragons in destroying the fake Narnia (LB).
• Satyr - Satyrs are woodland folk who are part human and part goat. They are similar to fauns, except that they are wilder and have reddish fur, longer horns, and more goat-like characteristics. They occasionally join in dances with fauns (LWW). In the 2005 film, satyrs' faces resembles goats, whereas fauns are human from the waist up, they also have shaggy, frizzy hair and fur all over their bodies, and have thick, hardy goat legs. They can also be seen fighting with Prince Caspian in the 2008 film. In the Disney film, a Satyr is shot by Lord Glozelle when it tries to kill King Miraz.
• Sea horse - The Sea People ride the ocean depths on giant sea horses (VDT). It is not specified to what extent which they resemble their earthly counterparts. Concept art for the film adaption of Voyage of the Dawn Treader showed the sea horses as hippocampus.
• Sea People - The Sea People are an aquatic race who live in the Last Sea. They are bipedal and more human-like unlike the more amphibious Merpeople who live near Narnia. They have ivory coloured skin and dark purple hair. They wear no clothes although they adorn themselves with "coronets of some kind and many had chains of pearls." They are ruled by their king whom Lucy briefly glimpses while aboard the Dawn Treader. He and his knights ride large sea horses as mounts. Sea People often fear krakens, sea serpents, and squids. Their kingdom is an underwater version of Narnian society and geography ((VDT)). In the 2010 film, the sea people were omitted and replaced by naiads. However, there was concept art for the Sea People.
• Sea serpent - A sea serpent attacks the ship in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The head of the serpent is said to be "all greens and vermilions with purple blotches - except where shell fish clung to it - and shaped rather like a horse's, though without ears. It had enormous eyes, eyes made for staring through the dark depths of the ocean, and a gaping mouth filled with double rows of sharp fish-like teeth. It came up on what they first took to be a huge neck, but as more and more of it emerged everyone knew that this was not its neck but its body ... " Besides the Krakens and Squids, the Sea Serpents are feared by the Sea People ((VDT)).
• Serpent - The Lady of the Green Kirtle transforms into a giant, poisonous green serpent when preying on innocents.
• Silenus - (See Nymph)
• Spectre - Spectres are followers of the White Witch. In folklore, spectres were malevolent ghosts. (LWW)
• Sprite - Evil sprites are followers of the White Witch (LWW).
• Squid - A squid is mentioned as a beast that lives in the Narnian Sea. Besides the krakens and sea serpents, the squids are feared by the Sea People. (VDT)
• Squirrel - In Prince Caspian, Pattertwig the squirrel acts as a messenger as he can travel "nearly everywhere without setting foot to ground". It is bad manners among squirrels to watch where another squirrel keeps his store of nuts.
• Stag - Stags are the names given to male deer. A talking stag is captured and eaten by wicked Giants (SC). Stags can be seen fighting with the Old Narnians in the 2008 film.
  • White Stag - The White Stag can grant wishes to the person who catches him (LWW).
• Star - Narnian Stars resemble "glittering people, all with long hair like burning silver and spears like white-hot metal" (LB). Centaurs study their dances and constellations. It is possible for a Star to become fallen from grace and set to perform a menial task until Aslan permits it to rise once more, such as Coriakin. It is also possible for a Star to become too old, such as Ramandu. In these instances, it needs to eat fire-berries from the sun to regain its youth (VDT). King Caspian marries Ramandu's daughter, named as Liliandil in the 2010 film of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
• Sylvan - (See Nymph)

T

• Tapir - In The Magician's Nephew, a tapir is mentioned as one of the animals debating about what to do with Uncle Andrew.
• Tree People - (See Nymph)

U

• Unicorn - Unicorns are noble white horse-like creatures with a single blue horn on their foreheads. They use their horns in battle, and may be ridden when necessary. They are portrayed as white horses with a horn in Pauline Baynes's original illustrations for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In her illustrations for The Last Battle, however, they are portrayed in a more traditional manner with goat-like beards, cloven hooves, and lionesque tails. Jewel the unicorn is present during the last moments of Narnia. Peter is shown riding on a unicorn in the 2005 film.

V

• Vulture - Vultures are present among the horde of the White Witch at the sacrifice of Aslan.

W

• Water rat - A water rat was shown pulling a boat for Shift (LB)
• Werewolf - Werewolves appeared as the White Witch's followers. In the first film, they are represented as large humanoid wolves. In the second book, only one appears along with the Hag and Nikabrik the Black Dwarf attempting to bring back the White Witch, but they are killed by Caspian and the Pevensies before it happens. Unlike traditional werewolves, they don't need silver to be killed.
• Winged horse - In The Magician's Nephew, Aslan transforms Strawberry the cab horse into Fledge the winged horse. Aslan says that all the winged horses in Narnia will descend from Fledge. A winged horse is mentioned among the petrified creatures Edmund Pevensie finds in the courtyard of the castle of the White Witch.
• Wolf - Wolves are first represented as the White Witch's followers and members of her secret police. They have appeared in later books with the other Narnians.
• Wood gods - (See Nymph)
• Woose - The Wooses were followers of the White Witch. There were big, hairy humanoids.
• Wraith - The Wraiths were followers of the White Witch.

Illustrations

Narnian creatures that are not mentioned in The Magician's Nephew but can be seen in the original ink illustrations by Pauline Baynes include bison, camels, Cape buffaloes, chickens, cobras, crocodiles, ducks, ferrets, frogs, gazelles, giraffes, goats, hippopotamuses, moose, otters, raccoons, rats, shrews, skunks, storks, weasels, and zebras. An Ipotane that was meant to be a Centaur can be seen in one of the illustrations in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Unidentifiable mythical creatures are listed below.

• Dragon/bull creature - In one of the illustrations of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, there is a monster with a bull's body, webbed dragon forepaws, and large dragon wings. It fights in the White Witch's army.
• Minotaur/centaur creatures - In two illustrations of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, In Aslan's camp, the bull with the man's face appears as more of a reversed minotaur-like creature with possibly a centaur-like frame. In the Witch's courtyard, there is a centaur creature with bull's horns when Aslan frees the statues back into Narnians.
• Hamadryad creatures - In illustrations of Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, respectively, the oak, requested by Aslan to attend the council, appears as a walking tree with a human face; and in the scene when Aslan revives the statues, there are several tree women who appear as trees with human shaped heads on their trunks and branches for arms, and branches growing out of their heads. These may have been meant to be hamadryads.
• Vulture/dragon/man monster - In one of the illustrations of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, a faun fights an odd sort of monster from the White Witch's army. It has the body and stature of a man, but has the head of a vulture and the hind legs and tail of a dragon. It may be an inspiration for the physical appearance of the character Tash.

Adaptations

Narnian creatures that are not mentioned in Lewis' books but that appear in film or game adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia include the following:

Animated Adaptation

The following creatures appear in the animated adaption that was made by Children's Television Workshop:

• Bat-winged bird - Fights with the White Witch's army.
• Eagle man - A stone prisoner in the White Witch's courtyard. It was freed and assisted Aslan's army.
• Ghost witch - One was present when Aslan is sacrificed.
• Jaguar - Fights with Aslan's army.
• Hippotaur - A hippopotamus-headed creature that fights with the White Witch's army.
• Humanoid gator - They are humanoid alligators. Fuchsia humanoid gators are present when Aslan is sacrificed by the Witch. Purple humanoid gators are part of the White Witch's army. There is even one that is green with horns.
• Magdorhag - One is part of White Witch's army was laughing after Aslan is sacrificed.
• Pignoid - Creatures resembling a bipedal pig. They are present when Aslan is sacrificed. They later appear in the battle fighting with the White Witch's army.
• Kirin - A stone prisoner in the White Witch's courtyard. It was freed and assisted Aslan's army.
• Moose - Fights with Aslan's army.
• Munkrat - A minion of the White Witch. He shaved Aslan's mane.
• Neanderthal/ogre - A monstrous humanoid, fights with the White Witch's army. It looks like a primitive tribesman or orge with a bone in its nose.
• One-horned tiger - A stone prisoner in the White Witch's courtyard.
• Purple iguana - A humanoid iguana-like creature. One is a Member of the Witch's army. It was battling a unicorn before it was turned to stone by the White Witch.
• Quetzalstrich - An ostrich-like creature that fights with the White Witch's army.
• Sasquatch-like creature - Fight with the White Witch's army.
• Swamp moose - A green humanoid moose who was a Member of the Witch's army.
• Winged tiger - A stone prisoner in the White Witch's courtyard. It was freed and assisted Aslan's army.

BBC miniseries adaptations

The following creatures appear in the mini-series adaption that was made by BBC:

• Bat woman - Fights with the White Witch's army.
• Blood-armored barbarian - Fights with the Witch's army.
• Black-armored samurai - Fights with the Witch's army.
• Lich - Fights with the White Witch's army. One lich stepped on a stick while waiting for the White Witch's signal to attack and was turned to stone by her.
• Lizardfolk - Fights with the White Witch's army. One lizard stepping on a stick while waiting for the White Witch's signal around the Stone Table.
• Wizard-like humans - Fights with the White Witch's army.

Disney movie adaptations

• Ankle slicer - These creatures were created for the Disney film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and do not appear in Lewis's works. They are small reptilian creatures with parrot-like heads. They average about a foot in height. True to their name, Ankle Slicers bring down their enemies by slicing through their ankles with sharp hand-scythes.
• Cheetah - These fast cat-like creatures have the ability to run at speeds so high that out ran most of the army. Fights on Aslan's side.
• Cyclops - Gigantic one-eyed creatures who fight on the side of the White Witch.
• Goblin - Goblins can be seen fighting on the side of the White Witch.
• Gorilla - Giant apes that are so strong that they can drag minotaurs to the ground. Fights with Aslan's army.
• Griffin - Magnificent creatures, part-eagle and part-lion with large ears. They fight alongside the Pevensies in both "LWW" and "PC." One also appear in the BBC miniseries in animated form.
• Harpy - Depicted as bat-like creatures that serve the White Witch. They attacked the flying creatures that dropped rocks on the White Witch's army.
• Jaguar - Fights in Aslan's army just like in the Animated Version.
• Minoboar - Part man, part boar. They are part of the White Witch's army.
• Polar bear - Two polar bears can be seen pulling the White Witch's chariot.
• Rhinoceros - They fight with Aslan's army at the Battle of Beruna Ford in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."
• Tiger - In LWW, white tigers fight with the White Witch's army. In PC, regular tigers fight on Caspian's side.

In concept art for the Disney version of LWW, some unused creatures include Naiads, Sprites, People of the Toadstool, Gorgons, Succubus, Manticores, Rhinotaurs, and the Tree Spirits that are on the White Witch's side.

Notes and references

1. K. M. Briggs, The Fairies in English Tradition and Literature, p. 209 University of Chicago Press, London, 1967
2. A Guide to Narnia by Martha C Sammons,published 1979 by Hodder Christian Paperbacks, ISBN 0-340-24800-9
3. The now defunct American folk-rock band, The Marshwiggles (of whom David Wolfenberger was a founding member) took their name from this Narnian character.

External links

Original text for this article provided by Joshua Bell of NarniaMUSH.