terb’s world: my thoughts on NARNIA

Prince Caspian introduced us to an unforgettable character, that of Trufflehunter the Badger. Though he did not get a lot of screen time in the movie, and his character was a bit underdeveloped, Trufflehunter is actually a model of unwavering faith in God (or in Aslan) regardless of how dark things may appear to be.

It has been 1300 years in Narnia when the Pevensies returned, although only one year has passed in England. In those 1300 years, the Narnians were invaded by the vicious Telmarines, who killed most of them and forced the few survivors to live in hiding. Not once in those 1300 years was there a sign or sighting of Aslan, causing some of the Narnians to begin thinking that the Lion has abandoned them. Some even began to doubt His existence altogether.

Not so with Trufflehunter. Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation) defines faith as the “confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.” This is what Trufflehunter showed all the way through. He believed that someday, Aslan will come and help the Narnians and set things right again. He was confident that this will happen sooner or later, in Aslan’s time and not theirs.

When Nikabrik voiced doubts about Aslan, he replied, “Don’t you go talking about things you don’t understand, Nikabrik. You dwarfs are as forgetful and changeable as the humans themselves. I’m a beast, I am, and a badger what’s more. We don’t change. We hold on.”

When it comes to having faith, it seems that there are two types of people, as Trufflehunter differentiated: those who are “forgetful and changeable” and those who “hold on.” I think it’s just the way people are wired – it’s easier for some to have great faith and to believe in God even when things go wrong, while some of us have a more difficult time with it. No matter the type of personality though, nothing excuses us from having faith. Puddleglum was the most pessimistic, most fatalistic creature there ever was, and he had faith.

The key, I think, is to strengthen whatever faith we may have. One way to do this is to keep on remembering the good things God has done. Glenstorm the centaur said something quite meaningful to Trufflehunter: “I watch the skies, badger, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember.” The phrases “it is mine to watch” and “it is yours to remember” give the impression of duty, or perhaps even purpose in life – that centaurs were meant to watch the skies (and in so doing, be able to wisely advise the Narnian leaders about wars and such) while badgers were meant to remember what happened in the past (and in so doing, be able to strengthen the faith of other Narnians).

Perhaps the reason why Trufflehunter had such an unshakeable faith in Aslan is because it was his duty – or at least, he felt that it was his duty – to remember the history of Narnia – how Aslan created their world, how he breathed life into the stars and the trees, how he chose some animals to be Talking Beasts, how Aslan defeated the White Witch in the Battle of Beruna, and how he crowned the four ancient kings and queens in Cair Paravel.

Trufflehunter was of course proven right when Aslan finally came to defeat the Telmarine armies and to crown Caspian the Tenth as king of Narnia, which brought peace to the land. His faith was rewarded when we see him again in The Last Battle among those who made it to Aslan’s country. A great compliment was also given to him by the High King Peter, who put his arm around Trufflehunter when they first met and said, “Best of badgers. You never doubted us all through.” To which, in all humility, he replied, “No credit to me, your Majesty. I’m a beast and we don’t change. I’m a Badger, what’s more, and we hold on.”