Mr Tumnus

Infobox Narnia character


caption =James McAvoy as Tumnus in the 2005 film ""
name =Tumnus
race =Faun
nation =Narnia
gender =Male
title =
birthplace =Narnia
major1 =The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
film1 =1988 BBC miniseries: Jeffrey Perry
film2 =: James McAvoy

Tumnus is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' series "The Chronicles of Narnia". He is featured prominently in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and also appears in "The Horse and His Boy" and "The Last Battle". He is close friends with Lucy Pevensie and is the first person she meets in Narnia, as well as the first Narnian to be introduced in the series. Lewis said that the first Narnia story, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", all came to him from a single picture he had in his head of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels through a snowy wood. In that way, Tumnus was the initial inspiration for all of the Narnia stories.

Description

Lewis describes Tumnus as having reddish skin, curly hair, a short pointed beard, horns on his forehead, cloven hooves, shiny black goat legs, and a long goat's tail.

In the 2005 film version "", Tumnus has lighter skin and brown legs.

Biography

Tumnus is first introduced to the Chronicles of Narnia in the first published book, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (1950).

He explains that he grew up in the forests of Narnia before the White Witch caused eternal winter. Before the winter, Tumnus enjoyed midnight dances, long hunting parties, feasting, and treasure seeking. His many friends included not only fauns, but also nymphs, dryads, Red Dwarfs, and talking animals, including Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.

By the year 1000, Tumnus is over 100 years old. His father had passed away and Tumnus lives in a cozy, furnished cave in Lantern Waste, not far from the lamppost. Despite his abhorrence of the White Witch, he becomes a paid kidnapper in her service. He takes orders to turn over any human children he finds in Narnia to the witch.

The first human that Tumnus meets is Lucy Pevensie, who finds her way into Narnia by a magic wardrobe. In an effort to gain her trust, Tumnus takes Lucy to his house where he serves her tea, sardines, and cakes. He tells her many stories of Narnia before the winter and plays his flute for her. His melody makes Lucy want to laugh and cry and dance and sleep, unaware of the danger that Tumnus intends. However, when Lucy announces a few hours later that she must go home, Tumnus begins to cry, and confesses what his intentions were. He tells Lucy that he cannot go through with the witch's orders, although he risks being turned to stone if he doesn't. Lucy forgives Tumnus, and then he takes her safely back to the lamppost from where she returns home to her own world. Lucy lets Tumnus keep her handkerchief.

Lucy pays Tumnus a second visit a short time later. At the same time, her brother Edmund meets the witch, and tells her that his sister has been in Narnia before and has met a faun. Soon thereafter, Tumnus is arrested by the witch's Secret Police and taken to her house. Before his arrest, he passes Lucy's handkerchief to his friend, Mr. Beaver, asking him to tell Lucy should the worst happen. Tumnus is turned to stone, but after Aslan's resurrection and his subsequent raid on the witch's castle with the Pevensie girls, Lucy finds the statue of Tumnus, who is then restored by Aslan's breath.

At the end of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", the Pevensies find their way back to their childhood after Tumnus reports that the White Stag, who grants wishes when caught, has been seen near his house. During the hunt for the White Stag, the children stumble back through the wardrobe into England.

In "The Horse and His Boy", set during the Golden Age of Narnia, Tumnus continues to live in Lantern Waste, and is still close with the Pevensie children. He accompanies Edmund and Susan on their trip to Tashbaan. When they realize they may be taken prisoner if Susan refuses to marry Prince Rabadash, Tumnus devises the escape plan.

He is reunited with Lucy at the end of "The Last Battle".

Other Media

Tumnus appears in the "Robot Chicken's Half-Assed Christmas Special" voiced by Seth Green. When he meets the nerd upon his arrival, the nerd beats him to death with a giant stick he dubs "Excalibur 2."

Tumnus also appears in an episode of "Family Guy", in which Peter Griffin falls in the dryer searching for a sock. The sock is then stolen by Tumnus, and he runs away from Peter, who gives chase shouting, "Hey, give me back my sock you goat bastard!"

Tumnus also appears in the South Park trilogy, Imaginationland.

ee also

*Pan (mythology)
*Puck (mythology)
*Satyr
*Faun

References

* Lewis, C. S. "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". 1950.
* Lewis, C. S. "The Horse and His Boy". 1954.