The White Stag

Here is another Lewis image I am really glad they included in the Narnia movie, although maybe they could have explained it a little more (I forget how much Lewis explains about the White Stag's place in Narnia in the book) At the end of the story the four chase a white stag through the woods, BUT it is never stated anywhere that they are seeking him in order to kill him. I think they hunt him for other reasons ... I think he is a talking stag and one of great wisdom. This is a traditional Christ symbol, so they hunt him as we strive to become Christ-like. But here is what I would like to emphasize: It is the White Stag that leads them back to the lamp-post from whence they come back to our world. Narnia is the magic, but (contrary to the beliefs of Salazar, Voldy and Lucius) that magic is not meant only for itself, there is the Incarnation in which the magic of God breaks into and saves and heals the world of we "muggles." The 4 have become kings and queens in Narnia, but this was never the end in itself, their job now is to take that magic and who they have become through it and "take it to the street," so to speak. They have seen the mountaintop and now it is time to go back down and walk the valley and help others. This is where the White Stag as a Christ symbol leads them, back to the mundane world of muggles like "The MacReady." To quote what you might think a very odd source indeed (but one which Pauli turned me on to, so to quote Sparrow in the upcoming Deadman's Chest, "All I was was an almost innocent bystander") - The Chorus of the last song on the Meat Puppets album "Too High to Die" goes: I'm comin' down from the mountain I have seen the high and mighty I will go again someday But for now I'm comin' down