The Horse and His Boy, published in 1954, is the fifth of the seven books that comprise C. S. Lewis’s young readers series The Chronicles of Narnia. The first of the books, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, was published in 1950. Lewis published an additional book in the series each year through 1956. The Horse and His Boy was published in 1954. Lewis later requested the reading order of the books be changed so that The Horse and His Boy became the third entry in the series.

Lewis intended his fantasy novels to introduce Christian theology and perspectives to a generation of young readers. He wrote many additional fiction and nonfiction books that were meant to expound Christianity for adult readers. Readers should be advised that The Horse and His Boy depicts death in battle, slavery, and problematic depictions of people who might be characterized as Arab or Middle Eastern—though the novel is set in a fantasy realm. There are several occasions in which characters drink wine. This summary uses the 2002 Harper Collins edition of the text.

Plot Summary

Shasta, a boy being raised in isolation by a coastal fisherman named Arsheesh in the mythical land of Calormen. Shasta knows that his appearance (fair hair and skin) set him apart from those around him. He would like to know more about the wider world. Arsheesh, however, punishes him for asking too many questions, particularly about the mysterious northern lands.

When a visiting Tarkaan—Calormene nobleman—insists on a night’s hospitality, Shasta overhears his conversation with Arsheesh. He learns he is not the Arsheesh’s son ,and the Tarkaan intends to buy him. As Shasta muses aloud in the stable, the Tarkaan’s horse introduces himself as Bree, a horse kidnapped from the land of Narnia. He has been looking for a means of escaping to his homeland. Bree proposes the two of them run away to Narnia.

They escape by pretending to head south, the direction in which Bree’s Tarkaan lives, then turning north. As they approach Tashbaan, they meet another horse and human pair, a royal Calormen girl named Aravis, and a horse named Hwin. They discover they are all bound for Narnia and decide to travel there together.

The four travelers make their way to Tashbaan. They agree to meet on the far side of the city if they become separated.

As they approach the city, a group of foreigners see Shasta and mistake him for Corin, a boy in their group who has gone missing. They take Shasta to a palace, where they feed him and compel him to rest, believing he is overcome with the heat. Shasta learns they are Narnians visiting Tashbaan so one of their queens, Susan, can consider the marriage proposal of Rabadash, the crown prince of Calormen. Susan has decided that she will refuse his proposal.

Susan’s brother, King Edmund, has heard that their group will be captured if Susan refuses. They discuss Rabadash’s underlying goals and try to decide how to escape. Shasta falls asleep and is awakened by someone climbing the outside wall into the stateroom. It is his double, Corin, for whom the Narnian’s had mistaken him. Corin tells Shasta how to escape from the palace.

Shasta eventually reunited with Aravis, who has learned of Rabadash’s plan to take 200 cavalrymen through the Archenland capital of Anvard and on to Narnia to kidnap Susan. On their way to the north, they are chased by a lion. Then they meet the Hermit of the Southern March, who instructs Shasta to run out the other side of the enclosure toward Anvard so he can warn King Lune about Rabadash.

Shasta runs toward Anvard and encounters the hunting party of King Lune, who assumes Shasta is Corin. Shasta warns them of Rabadash. They provide a horse for Shasta and gallop toward Anvard. Shasta is distanced and eventually lost in fog. He overhears Rabadash counseling his soldiers to kill all the males in Anvard. Riding higher up the mountain, Shasta is aware someone is walking beside him. Aslan, the lion, speaks, explains how he has been with Shasta from the beginning.

The Narnians eventually defeat and capture Rabadash. Aslan departs and Shasta, now recognized as Prince Cor, Corin’s twin kidnapped in infancy, arrives with an entourage, to escort the travelers to Anvard, where Aravis will become the lady of the court. Aslan turns Rabadash into a donkey. Cor will become the king of Archenland, marry Aravis, and their son Ram will become the country’s great king. Bree and Hwin return to Narnia.