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A Note on the Names and Creatures :
ANIMALS like moles, badgers, and squirrels have very descriptive names:
Pattertwig (squirrel), Trufflehunter and Hardbiter (badgers). The names Hwin and
Bree are based on horse sounds. Dogs speak in "doggy" language: "We'll help,
we'll help, help, help. Show us how to help, show us how, how. How-how-how?"
CENTAURS are based on Greek mythology and are a race of creatures having the
head, arms, and trunk of a man and the body and legs of a horse. In Narnia, they
have both a man-stomach and horse-stomach, as well. They are portrayed as
majestic and solemn, not easily made merry or angry but when aroused, their
anger is terrible. They are supposed to be prophets, stargazers, and healers and
have names like Cloudbirth, Glenstorm, and Roonwit.
FAUNS are from Roman mythology, where they were deities having a man's body from
the waist up and the horns, legs, and tail of a goat. In Narnia, they have
reddish skin, too. They have appropriately Latin names: Dumnus, Girbius, Mentius,
Nausus, Nimienus, Obentinus, Orruns, Oscuns, Tumnus, Urnus, Voltinus, Voluns.
DWARFS of at least 2 kinds live in Narnia: black and red. In Norse mythology,
there were black and white dwarfs, and the black were usually evil and
associated with the earth and metal craftsmanship. Red dwarfs in Narnia have
names like Duffle, Rogin, Trumpkin, and Bricklethumb; Nikabrik, an evil dwarf,
is a Black Dwarf.
OTHER CREATURES mentioned in the books are based on tradition or classical
mythology:
GHOULS: evil spirits that rob graves WRAITHS: ghosts of dead people SPRITES:
elves or pixies BOGGLES: hobgoblins OGRES: man-eating giant monsters MINOTAURS:
half man, half bull
DRYADS: wood nymphs who live in trees and preside over woods NAIADS: nymphs who
preside over brooks, springs, fountains SATYRS: wood gods or demons with the
pointed ears, legs, and short horns of a goat, or tail of goat or horse;
associated with Bacchus
HAGS: evil spirits, usually female, associated with Furies and Harpies
UNICORN: usually white and resembling a horse with one horn in center of
forehead, symbol for purity
NARNIAN NAMES (of royalty) seem to have -ian, endings (perhaps deriving from the
name Aslan): Caspian, Rilian, Tirian, Drinian, Erlian.
ARCHENLAND NAMES are predominantly monosyllabic, and brothers have similar
names: Nain, Lune (Kings): Dar/Darrin, Col/Colin, Cor/Corin (brothers).
CALORMENE NAMES have a Persian or Turkish ring to them: Tash, Tashbaan, Ahoshta,
Tarkaan, Lasaraleen, Shasta, Rabadash, Ahoshta, Arsheesh, Ardeeb, Alimash (many
"s" and "sh" sounds).
EXPERIMENT HOUSE children have derogatory names: Eustace Clarence Scrubb (Scrubb
means "an insignificant person," and Lewis says he half deserved the name);
Jackle (Jackal?), Sorner (meaning "sponger"), Winterblott.
