It was so lovely that it made you want to cry. This， at last， was the sort of thing they had been hoping for. And when， a moment later， several little animals （mice and moles and a squirrel or so） came pattering up， squealing with joy， and saying “See， see. We’re here，” and when， after that， the Bear and the Boar came too， Eustace began to feel that perhaps， after all， everything might be going to come right. But Tirian gazed round and saw how very few of the animals had moved.
“To me！ To me！” he called. “Have you all turned cowards since I was your King？”
“We daren‘t，” whimpered dozens of voices. “Tashlan would be angry. Shield us from Tashlan.”
“Where are all the Talking Horses？” said Tirian to the Boar.
“We’ve seen， we‘ve seen，” squealed the Mice. “The Ape has made them work. They’re all tied.down at the bottom of the hill.”
“Then all you little ones，” said Tirian， “you nibblers and gnawers and nutcrackers， away with you as fast as you cancamper and see if the Horses are on our side. And if they re， get your teeth into the ropes and gnaw till the Horses re free and bring them hither.”