Book Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Chronicles of Narnia – Book 1
- Jason Montero
- Aug 28
- 13 min read
Updated: Aug 29
Book summary by chapter of The Magician’s Nephew. Includes spoilers from the magical rings to the end of the book. Two children cross forbidden thresholds and accidentally awaken a perished queen, but it’s a singing lion who spins void into a universe and guilt into redemption; when the dutiful apple blossoms through tears, Narnia’s seed is planted to endure centuries of looming shadow.
Introduction – The Magician’s Nephew
The Magician’s Nephew, written by C. S. Lewis, serves as the chronological starting point of The Chronicles of Narnia, revealing the magical origins of the land and the first spark that set its destiny in motion. This chapter-by-chapter summary of The Magician’s Nephew offers an in-depth look at a story where magic, morality, and myth converge at the edge of childhood wonder and cosmic power. If you're following the full adventure, explore the official reading order of The Chronicles of Narnia ➤.
In this opening tale, a dying mother, a cruel magician, and two children caught between worlds set the stage for everything that follows. From the eerie silence of Charn to the tranquil Wood between the Worlds, and finally the sung creation of Narnia by Aslan himself, this is not just an origin story—it is a meditation on courage, temptation, and the choices that shape entire worlds.
What really happens when a word ends a civilization? And what does it mean to plant a tree that will protect generations? Follow along as each chapter uncovers the heart of a world you thought you knew.
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Chapter Navigation
Chapter 1 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – They Choose the Wrong Door
In old, rainy London, Polly Plummer meets Digory Kirke when he climbs into her garden from the neighboring house, where he lives with his eccentric Uncle Andrew Ketterley and Aunt Letty. Digory is distraught over his mother’s illness and the recent move to the city. Soon Polly shows him her secret hideout: an attic crawlspace connected by a tunnel running between houses. Together, they plan an exploration that leads them through dangerous beams to a mysterious door, believing it opens into an abandoned house. However, upon opening it, they find themselves in a study filled with books, a lit fire, and pairs of shimmering rings. Uncle Andrew suddenly appears, locks the door, and reveals that he has been waiting for children for a magical experiment. When Polly touches a yellow ring, she vanishes instantly, leaving Digory alone with his unsettling and smiling uncle.
Chapter 2 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – Uncle Andrew’s Experiment
Digory is stunned to see Polly vanish. Uncle Andrew, unmoved, explains his experiment: the rings are made with magical dust from another world, contained in an Atlantean box left to him by his godmother, Mrs. Lefay—a woman with fairy blood. Breaking his promise to destroy it, Andrew discovered its power through dark magical practices. The yellow rings transport to other worlds, but only the green rings can bring someone back. Since Polly didn’t have a green ring, she cannot return. To rescue her, Digory must use a yellow ring and take two green ones—one for himself and one for Polly. Outraged at his uncle’s cowardice and cruelty, Digory accepts the dangerous mission and, after a final warning and threat, grabs the yellow ring and vanishes from the study, determined to find Polly and face whatever awaits.
Chapter 3 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Wood Between the Worlds
Digory emerges in a mysterious forest bathed in calm green light. He feels peace, as if he has always been there. He finds Polly half-asleep near a pool like his own. Together they discover that this place is not a world itself, but an in-between space linking many others, with each pool serving as a portal to another universe. They also find the guinea pig Uncle Andrew had sent, still wearing its yellow ring. When they try to return through the same pool, they fail—until they realize they must use the green rings to go back. After confirming they can return home, curiosity sets in about exploring other worlds. Though Polly prefers caution, Digory insists. They mark their original pool to avoid getting lost. After a small quarrel, they hold hands, activate their yellow rings, and jump into a new pool, ready for another great adventure.
Chapter 4 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Bell and the Hammer
The children fall rapidly and arrive in a deserted city made of red stone, beneath a dark sky lit by a strange reddish glow. Exploring silent, cold ruins, they discover a hall full of still figures dressed in luxurious robes and wearing crowns. While Polly admires the clothing, Digory notices how the expressions on the figures shift from kind to cruel, ending with a majestic and terrifying woman. In the center of the hall stands a pillar with a golden bell and a hammer, and a plaque invites them to ring it—or forever live in doubt. Though Polly objects, Digory, driven by curiosity, forces the issue and rings the bell. The sound grows deafening and causes part of the ceiling to collapse. Terrified, the children look around and soon realize it’s not over: one of the figures is slowly rising. Something has awakened, and its presence is overwhelming.
Chapter 5 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Deplorable Word
The figure that awakens is Jadis, a tall, strong, and beautiful queen who examines Digory with disdain and accuses him of being a magician’s servant. She ignores Polly and leads the children through the destroyed city’s halls as ceilings and walls crumble. Coldly, Jadis shows them old torture chambers and blood-stained banquet halls, recounting her past without remorse. Then, with a spell, she reduces massive doors to dust. Outside on a terrace, the children see a dead city beneath an old red sun. Jadis reveals how, after a war with her sister, she used the Deplorable Word—a magic that annihilated all life in Charn but her own. She claims it was her royal duty and explains she had been sleeping under enchantment, waiting to be awakened. Now, she demands the children take her to their world, convinced she will rule it. Seizing a moment of distraction, the children touch their rings and escape.
Chapter 6 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Beginning of Uncle Andrew’s Troubles
Polly and Digory emerge from the pool into the Wood between the Worlds, believing they’ve escaped the chaos in Charn. However, to their horror, they discover that Queen Jadis has followed them, clinging to Polly’s hair. Though weakened by the forest’s air, the Queen manages to intimidate them before they break free and escape using the rings. But back in Uncle Andrew’s study, they find that Jadis has come with them to London. In our world, Jadis appears more imposing than ever: her height, strength, and beauty are overwhelming, and Uncle Andrew, terrified, immediately submits to her. He attempts to flatter her, but she scorns him as a pitiful magician and forces him to serve her. Jadis demands transport, slaves, and riches to begin her conquest. Meanwhile, the children are left worried and alone. Polly leaves, but Digory fears that the Witch might approach his ailing mother.
Chapter 7 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – What Happened at the Front Door
Jadis, impatient, storms into the sitting room demanding her carriage. Aunt Letty, believing her to be a shameless circus woman, firmly confronts her. But the Witch lifts her as if she weighed nothing and hurls her through the air just as the cab arrives. Without delay, Jadis drags Uncle Andrew out of the house, and Digory watches them leave in fear. Luckily, Aunt Letty lands on a mattress, avoiding serious injury. Once she recovers, she orders someone to alert the police about a dangerous lunatic on the loose. Digory has lunch with her, but his thoughts are consumed by the problem of how to rid the world of the Witch without endangering his mother. As he watches out the window, he waits for their return. He then remembers words about the Land of Youth and begins to dream of finding a cure in another world.
Chapter 8 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Fight at the Lamp-post
Jadis reappears standing atop the cab like a wild force, driving the horse through London with unstoppable energy. Upon reaching the Ketterleys’ house, the cab crashes into a lamp-post and shatters, but Jadis leaps down and mounts the horse like a warrior. Policemen, merchants, and a crowd gather amid the chaos. A cabby tries to calm her, but she scorns him and declares herself Empress Jadis. She frees the horse with a knife and fights off the officers with an iron bar torn from the lamp-post. Digory, in the crowd, struggles to reach her. With Polly’s help and using the magic rings, he manages to touch the Witch’s heel, transporting everyone—including the cabby, the horse, and Uncle Andrew—back to the Wood between the Worlds. Jadis is once again weakened, but the horse, now free from the human world’s influence, appears joyful and full of energy.
Chapter 9 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The Founding of Narnia
The travelers land in a silent and completely dark world. Suddenly, a majestic Voice begins to sing, and the sky bursts into light, revealing stars. It is the Lion, a great being who sings the world into being. With his song, the sun rises, the valley brightens, and rivers begin to flow. As he walks, the Lion blankets the land with grass, trees, and flowers. Uncle Andrew, terrified, tries to convince Digory to escape, but Jadis threatens them if they do. The Lion continues singing, creating life with each step. Animals rise from the ground, birds fill the sky, and elephants, deer, and panthers take shape before their eyes. The Lion selects certain animal pairs and grants them the ability to think and speak. Creation is underway, and the chosen animals gather around the Lion, while the others disperse, beginning the story of Narnia.
Chapter 10 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The First Joke and Other Matters
Aslan grants the chosen animals individuality and appoints them as guardians of Narnia. He warns them not to behave like Dumb Beasts or they will lose their gift. A jackdaw accidentally interrupts with a humorous comment, and Aslan, instead of scolding it, welcomes laughter by marking the first joke in Narnian history. He then announces that evil has entered this world and calls for a council. Digory, determined, wants to speak with Aslan to save his mother. The cabby joins him and recognizes the horse Strawberry, now transformed into a Talking Beast. As they talk, Strawberry recalls his past life in London and agrees to carry Digory to the Lion. Meanwhile, the animals notice Uncle Andrew, who has been hiding. To him, everything is bewildering and terrifying, as he cannot understand Narnian speech. Frightened and confused, he tries to flee, but the animals surround him with curious delight.
Chapter 11 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – Digory and Uncle Andrew Get Into Trouble
The Narnian animals watch Uncle Andrew with confusion, unable to recognize him as human due to his appearance and silence. After he faints in fear, some think he is a tree, while others insist he’s a strange kind of animal. The confusion leads them to literally plant him in the ground like a withered tree. An elephant waters him several times until Andrew awakens, soaked and bewildered. Meanwhile, Digory arrives with Fledge to speak to Aslan, determined to tell the truth. In the Lion’s majestic presence, he shamefully confesses that he was the one who awakened the Witch Jadis in Charn, and that her arrival in Narnia is his fault. Aslan listens silently and tells the beasts that evil has come too early to Narnia, but he himself will bear the heaviest part of the burden. He then calls Polly and the Cabby, who is chosen by Aslan to be the first King of Narnia, along with his wife, magically brought from our world.
Chapter 12 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – Fledge’s Adventure
Aslan asks Digory to repair the harm caused by bringing the Witch and to protect Narnia by planting a magical tree. Digory agrees without hesitation, though he pleads for his mother’s health. Seeing tears in Aslan’s eyes gives him comfort and strength. The Lion instructs him to travel west, beyond Narnia, and bring back an apple from a garden in a hidden valley surrounded by snowy mountains. To help him, Aslan transforms Fledge into a winged horse, who eagerly accepts the mission. Polly also joins the journey. Aslan warns them to avoid the mountain peaks and look for safe passes through the valleys. Fledge takes flight with the children on his back. During the journey, they enjoy views of mountains, sparkling rivers, and green valleys. At dusk, they descend into a warm valley to rest. They have sticky toffees for dinner, their last food supply, and sleep under the horse’s wings, who remains alert to strange noises.
Chapter 13 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – An Unexpected Meeting
At dawn, Polly discovers the buried toffee has sprouted into a small tree with tasty fruit, and they enjoy a magical breakfast. They then fly westward, surrounded by snowy mountains, blue rivers, and green meadows. A heavenly scent signals they are close to the garden. Upon arrival, they find a hill enclosed by a high wall with a central tree. Digory enters alone, respecting the garden’s sacred atmosphere. A golden gate bears an inscription warning to take fruit only for others. He picks an apple without tasting it but feels strong temptation. As he leaves, he is horrified to see that the Witch has eaten a stolen apple. She tries to convince him to use the fruit to heal his mother, but when she suggests abandoning Polly, Digory regains clarity and rejects her offer. They mount Fledge and escape swiftly as the Witch flees northward.
Chapter 14 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – Planting the Tree
Digory gives the apple to Aslan, who praises him for resisting temptation. He instructs him to plant it by the river, where a splendid tree soon grows. Aslan crowns Frank and Helen as King and Queen of Narnia. Meanwhile, Uncle Andrew—still confused—is freed from his “vegetable prison.” Aslan puts him to sleep with a breath, as he can no longer understand words. The dwarfs forge beautiful crowns from the gold and silver that sprouted from the soil where Andrew’s coins fell. The planted apple grows into Narnia’s Protective Tree, whose scent will be unbearable to Jadis, keeping her away for centuries. Polly and Digory, both joyful yet concerned, confess to Aslan that the Witch also ate from the fruit. The Lion explains that this will only bring her ruin. He then tells Digory the fruit can heal his mother if given properly. With Aslan’s permission, the boy picks a new apple and prepares to return home.
Chapter 15 Summary – The Magician’s Nephew – The End of This Story and the Beginning of All the Others
Aslan sends the children and Uncle Andrew back to the Wood between the Worlds. He shows them that Charn has vanished and warns of the dangers of power in their world. He instructs them to bury the magic rings. Suddenly, they find themselves back in London, where nothing has changed. They return Uncle Andrew home without anyone noticing. Digory rushes to his mother and gives her the apple, which she eats before falling into a peaceful, natural sleep. The next day, her health begins to improve. Digory buries the apple core in the garden, where a special tree grows. Soon, his father inherits a fortune, and the family moves to the countryside. Polly and Digory remain lifelong friends. In Narnia, the protective tree ensures peace for centuries. The garden tree is later blown down by a storm and used to build a magical wardrobe—the gateway to future Narnian adventures.
Conclusion – The Magician’s Nephew
The Magician’s Nephew stands out not only as a tale of beginnings but as a reflection on responsibility, desire, and redemption. It shows how a single decision—made in grief, guilt, or hope—can ripple across universes. Lewis crafts a narrative where myth meets emotion, and where even a stolen apple carries the weight of eternity.
From the awakening of a sleeping evil to the planting of the tree that will guard Narnia, this book lays the spiritual and mythical groundwork for the entire saga. Digory’s silent pain, Polly’s steady courage, and Aslan’s sung creation are etched into every corner of the story, resonating far beyond the last page.
To continue this journey through eternal winter and deeper magic, read the chapter-by-chapter summary of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the next book in The Chronicles of Narnia ➤.
FAQs – Chapter by Chapter Summary – The Magician’s Nephew
Where does The Magician’s Nephew fit in Narnia’s timeline, and what key mysteries does it explain?
It’s the chronological starting point: Aslan sings Narnia into being, Talking Beasts awaken, and a protective tree is planted to keep the Witch at bay for centuries. This book answers how the lamp-post appeared, why a wardrobe can breach worlds, and why Narnian magic has moral “rules.” Reading it first reframes later choices—allegiance, temptation, and sacrifice—as ripples of what Digory and Polly set in motion here. It’s not background lore; it’s the hinge that makes the later wonders and dangers make sense.
What exactly is the Deplorable Word, and how does it shape our view of Jadis?
The Deplorable Word is a spell that wipes out all life in Charn except the speaker. Jadis invokes it and calls it royal duty—choosing absolute power over a dead world rather than shared rule over a living one. That choice brands her evil as principled nihilism, not mere temper. The moral fallout reaches Narnia: evil arrives “too early,” forcing Aslan to respond and Digory to repair harm he helped unleash. The spell turns personal ambition into planetary consequence.
Why must Digory fetch the apple himself instead of Aslan solving things instantly?
The quest is pedagogy, not logistics. Digory must face beauty, fear, and persuasion inside the walled garden, obey the gate’s inscription, and refuse Jadis’s “shortcut” to heal his mother at Polly’s expense. Only then can the fruit plant a tree that protects without corrupting, and only then can the remedy for his mother be given “the right way.” Aslan doesn’t shortcut growth; he dignifies the child with real agency so redemption is rooted in freely chosen obedience.
How does the Wood between the Worlds work, and why does its mood matter?
The Wood is a tranquil in-between realm of pools to other universes. Its green hush weakens overbearing wills (Jadis fades there) and restores the children’s ability to choose without intimidation. As motif, it’s a map of thresholds: each pool is possibility; each jump, responsibility. Seeing this clarifies the book’s ethics of place—some worlds heighten appetite, others invite quiet discernment. The Wood’s neutrality isn’t blankness; it’s mercy, giving characters space to decide who they’ll be before they leap.
Why does Narnia’s first joke matter in a story about guilt and repair?
When a jackdaw blurts the first joke, Aslan welcomes laughter. That moment doesn’t deny the incoming threat; it frames the world as fundamentally good and free. In that safety, Digory can own his fault, receive a task, and move from shame to service. The rhythm—joy, confession, commission—sets Narnia’s emotional key: redemption isn’t dour. It is serious and light at once, so the new King and Queen can rule, and the child can plant what he once imperiled.
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