Mr. Tumnus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tumnus
Narnia character
James McAvoy as Tumnus in the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Information
Race	Faun
Nationality	Narnia

Tumnus is a faun (a creature that is half-human, half-goat) from the famous Narnia books. These books were written by C. S. Lewis. Tumnus first appears in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He also has small parts in The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle.

Tumnus is the very first creature that Lucy Pevensie meets when she enters Narnia. They quickly become good friends. C.S. Lewis once said that the idea for the first Narnia story came from a picture in his mind. It was a picture of a faun carrying an umbrella and packages through a snowy forest. So, Tumnus was the first spark for the whole Narnia series!

Who is Tumnus?

C.S. Lewis describes Tumnus as having reddish skin and curly hair. He has brown eyes and a short, pointed beard. Tumnus also has small horns on his forehead. His legs are like a goat's, with shiny black hair and hooves. He has a long tail and a "strange but pleasant little face." Tumnus is only a little bit taller than Lucy herself.

Tumnus's Story in Narnia

Meeting Lucy

Tumnus first appears when Lucy steps into Narnia near a lamp-post. He invites her to his cozy cave for tea. They talk about Narnia, and Tumnus plays a beautiful tune on his flute. When Lucy says she needs to leave, Tumnus starts to cry.

He tells Lucy a secret: he works for the White Witch (named Jadis). The White Witch rules Narnia and has made it always winter, but never Christmas. She had ordered Tumnus and other Narnians to capture any humans they found. These humans were called "Sons of Adam" or "Daughters of Eve."

Tumnus quickly realizes he cannot give Lucy to the Witch. Even though he knows the Witch will be very angry, he helps Lucy. He guides her back to the lamp-post to make sure she returns safely to her own world.

Trouble with the White Witch

When Lucy returns to Narnia a few days later, Tumnus is still safe. The White Witch has not found out about his disobedience yet. However, Lucy's brother Edmund enters Narnia soon after. He tells the White Witch that his sister had visited Narnia and met a faun. Edmund does not say Tumnus's name.

Later, when Lucy and her siblings come to Narnia, they find Tumnus has been arrested. Maugrim, the leader of the White Witch's secret police, took him. Tumnus was accused of a serious crime: helping spies and being friends with humans.

Before his arrest, Tumnus had told Mr. Beaver about his fears. He asked Mr. Beaver to guide the four children if he found them in Narnia. The children meet Mr. Beaver right after leaving Tumnus's empty cave.

Freedom and New Adventures

Later in the story, the long winter finally ends. Aslan prepares an army to fight the White Witch. Lucy and Susan find Tumnus as a stone statue in the Witch's castle. Aslan brings him back to life. Tumnus then joins the other Narnians in the battle. The White Witch is defeated and killed.

Years later, Tumnus is the one who tells the Kings and Queens of Narnia about the White Stag. This special stag was seen near his home. Their hunt for it leads them out of Narnia. This event marks the end of Narnia's Golden Age.

Later Appearances

In The Horse and His Boy, Tumnus serves as a royal adviser. He helps the four Pevensie monarchs (Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter). He plans a clever way to escape from Calormen. This plan saves Queen Susan from being forced to marry Prince Rabadash. It also saves other Narnians from danger.

Tumnus and Lucy meet again in Aslan's Country in the book The Last Battle.

Tumnus in Films and TV

• Tumnus appeared in the 1967 TV series. He was played by Angus Lennie.
• He was also in the 1988 BBC miniseries. Actor Jeffrey Perry played him.
• In the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Tumnus has light skin and blue eyes. He has brown legs and a small, stubbly tail. In this movie, he is the character who crowns the four Pevensie children at Cair Paravel. James McAvoy played Tumnus in this film.
• Philip Sherlock voiced Tumnus in the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre adaptations.