The Last Battle (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 7)

184 pp. "The story of The Last Battle begins with a donkey, Puzzle, and an old ape, Shift, sitting on the banks of Caldron Pool on the Western Edge of Narnia beyond Lantern Waste. Puzzle has been convinced that he is not a clever donkey and that Shift should make all decisions in every matter of life. As the two sit, a strange object rolls over the falls falling into Caldron Pool. Using guilt tactics, Shift manipulates Puzzle into jumping into the pool and retrieving the item. Puzzles struggles to bring the object back and delivers a lion skin (a remnant from a hunting excursion beyond the edge of Narnia) to Shift. Immediately, Shift states that Aslan has sent this skin and that Puzzle should wear it. Narnians would believe that Puzzle is Aslan and would obey his every command (as Shift gave them). Puzzle does not like the idea but is convinced that he is not clever enough to see the benefit of such an idea. Shift sends Puzzle to town for food and commences working on the skin."