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〃weve got to start by finding a ruined city of giants；〃 said jill。 〃aslan said so。”
〃got to start by finding it； have we？〃 answered puddleglum。 〃not allowed to start by looking for it； i suppose？”
〃thats what i meant； of course；〃 said jill。 〃and then； when weve found it…”
〃yes； when！〃 said puddleglum very drily。
〃doesnt anyone know where it is？〃 asked scrubb。
〃i dont know about anyone；〃 said puddleglum。 〃and i wont say i havent heard of that ruined city。 you wouldnt start from the fountain； though。 youd have to go across ettinsmoor。 thats where the ruined city is； if its anywhere。 but ive been as far in that direction as most people and i never got to any ruins； so i wont deceive you。”
〃wheres ettinsmoor？〃 said scrubb。
〃look over there northward；〃 said puddleglum； pointing with his pipe。 〃see those hills and bits of cliff？ thats the beginning of ettinsmoor。 but theres a river between it and us； the river shribble。 no bridges； of course。”
〃i suppose we can ford it； though；〃 said scrubb。
〃well； it has been forded；〃 admitted the marsh…wiggle。
〃perhaps we shall meet people on ettinsmoor who can tell us the way；〃 said jill。
〃youre right about meeting people；〃 said puddleglum。
〃what sort of people live there？〃 she asked。
〃its not for me to say they arent all right in their own way；〃 answered puddleglum。 〃if you like their way。”
〃yes； but what are they？〃 pressed jill。 〃there are so many queer creatures in this country。
i mean； are they animals； or birds； or dwarfs； or what？”
the marsh…wiggle gave a long whistle。 〃phew！〃 he said。 〃dont you know？ i thought the owls had told you。 theyre giants。”
jill winced。 she had never liked giants even in books； and she had once met one in a nightmare。 then she saw scrubbs face； which had turned rather green； and thought to herself； 〃i bet hes in a worse funk than i am。〃 that made her feel braver。
〃the king told me long ago；〃 said scrubb … 〃that time when i was with him at sea…that hed jolly well beaten those giants in war and made them pay him tribute。”
〃thats true enough；〃 said puddleglum。 〃theyre at peace with us all right。 as long as we stay on our own side of the shribble； they wont do us any harm。 over on their side； on the moor … still； theres always a chance。 if we dont get near any of them； and if none of them forget themselves； and if were not seen； its just possible we might get a long way。”
〃look here！〃 said scrubb； suddenly losing his temper； as people so easily do when they have been frightened。 〃i dont believe the whole thing can be half as bad as youre making out； any more than the beds in the wigwam were hard or the wood was wet。 i dont think aslan would ever have sent us if there was so little chance as all that。”
he quite expected the marsh…wiggle to give him an angry reply； but he only said； 〃thats the spirit； scrubb。 thats the way to talk。 put a good face on it。 but we all need to be very careful about our tempers； seeing all the hard times we shall have to go through together。
wont do to quarrel； you know。 at any rate； dont begin it too soon。 i know these
expeditions usually end that way： knifing one another； i shouldnt wonder； before alls done。 but the longer we can keep off it…”
〃well； if you feel its so hopeless；〃 interrupted scrubb； 〃i think youd better stay behind。
pole and i can go on alone； cant we； pole？”
〃shut up and dont be an ass； scrubb；〃 said jill hastily； terrified lest the marsh…wiggle should take him at his word。
〃dont you lose heart； pole；〃 said puddleglum。 〃im ing； sure and certain。 im not going to lose an opportunity like this。 it will do me good。 they all say … i mean； the other wiggles all say…that im too flighty； dont take life seriously enough。 if theyve said it once； theyve said it a thousand times。 puddleglum； theyve said； ‘youre altogether too full of bobance and bounce and high spirits。 youve got to learn that life isnt all fricasseed frogs and eel pie。 you want something to sober you down a bit。 were only saying it for your own good； puddleglum。 thats what they say。 now a job like this … a journey up north just as winters beginning； looking for a prince that probably isnt there； by way of a ruined city that no one has ever seen … will be just the thing。 if that doesnt steady a chap； i dont know what will。〃 and he rubbed his big frog…like hands together as if he were talking of going to a party or a pantomime。 〃and now；〃 he added； 〃lets see how those eels are getting on。”
when the meal came it was delicious and the children had two large helpings each。 at first the marsh…wiggle wouldnt believe that they really liked it； and when they had eaten so much that he had to believe them； he fell back on saying that it would probably disagree with them horribly。 〃whats food for wiggles may be poison for humans； i shouldnt wonder；〃 he said。 after the meal they had tea； in tins （as youve seen men having it who are working on the road）； and puddleglum had a good many sips out of a square black bottle。 he offered the children some of it； but they thought it very nasty。
the rest of the day was spent in preparations for an early start tomorrow morning。
puddleglum； being far the biggest； said he would carry three blankets； with a large bit of bacon rolled up inside them。 jill was to carry the remains of the eels； some biscuit； and the tinder…box。 scrubb was to carry both his own cloak and jills when they didnt want to wear them。 scrubb （who had learned some shooting when he sailed to the east under caspian） had puddleglums secondbest bow； and puddleglum had his best one； though he said that what with winds； and damp bowstrings； and bad light； and cold fingers； it was a hundred to one against either of them hitting anything。 he and scrubb both had swords scrubb had brought the one which had been left out for him in his room at cair paravel； but jill had to be content with her knife。 there would have been a quarrel about this； but as soon as they started sparring the wiggle rubbed his hands and said； 〃ah； there you are。
i thought as much。 thats what usually happens on adventures。〃 this made them both