157
Embora o luar clareasse tudo,
muitos traziam tochas, que ardiam
com sinistras chamas vermelhas e
fumo negro. Que bicharada! Ogres
de dentes monstruosos! Lobos!
Homens com cabeça de touro!
Espíritos de árvores más e de plan-
tas venenosas! Não falo de outros
seres porque, se fizesse isso, as
pessoas adultas não o deixariam
ler este livro: vulpinos, bruxas,
íncubos, fúrias, horrores, espec-
tros, sátiros, lobisomens... Estavam
ali todos os que eram do partido da
feiticeira, convocados pelo lobo.
No centro, em pé junto da mesa,
estava a própria feiticeira.
No momento em que viram o
enorme Leão dirigir-se para elas,
aquelas criaturas soltaram uivos e
grunhidos de terror. Até a feiticeira
pareceu por um instante paralisada
de medo. Mas dominou-se e deu
uma selvagem gargalhada.
– O louco! O louco está chegando!
Amarrem bem o louco!
and though the moon was shining
many of them carried torches
which burned with evil-looking
red flames and black smoke. But
such people! Ogres with mon-
strous teeth, and wolves, and bull-
headed men; spirits of evil trees
and poisonous plants; and other
creatures whom I won't describe
because if I did the grown-ups
would probably not let you read
this book – Cruels and Hags and
Incubuses, Wraiths, Horrors,
Efreets, Sprites, Orknies, Wooses,
and Ettins. In fact here were all
those who were on the Witch's
side and whom the Wolf had
summoned at her command. And
right in the middle, standing by
the Table, was the Witch herself.
A howl and a gibber of dismay
went up from the creatures when
they first saw the great Lion pac-
ing towards them, and for a mo-
ment even the Witch seemed to be
struck with fear. Then she recov-
ered herself and gave a wild fierce
laugh.
"The fool!" she cried. "The fool
has come. Bind him fast."
Lúcia e Susana pararam de respi-
rar, aguardando o rugido de Aslam
e o ataque ao inimigo. Mas nada!
Quatro bruxas, rindo zombeteiras
(a princípio, a uma certa distância,
receosas de cumprir sua missão),
aproximaram-se dele. – Amarrem
o louco, já disse! As bruxas corre-
ram para ele com um uivo de
triunfo, ao verem que não oferecia
Lucy and Susan held their breaths
waiting for Aslan's roar and his
spring upon his enemies. But it
never came. Four Hags, grinning
and leering, yet also (at first)
hanging back and half afraid of
what they had to do, had ap-
proached him. "Bind him, I say!"
repeated the White Witch. The
Hags made a dart at him and