magic rings

I recently skimmed thru MN (The Magician's Nephew). Maybe the group can
clarify some questions about the magic rings used by Digory and Polly
to cross into the Wood between the Worlds.

(I'm trying to iron out what seem to be some important internal
inconsistencies in the Narnia books.)

1) After Digory retrieves a magic apple for Aslan, he asks what would
have happened if he ate one himself (against Aslan's explicit orders).
Aslan proceeds to tell him "what would have been." But elsewhere in the
book series, Lewis makes a big deal about Aslan never telling "what
would have been."

2) Digory sees the potential horrific effects of magic after Aslan
tells him that the Witch Jadis will get long life from eating the magic
apple. Aslan later tells Digory to bury the magic rings so that nobody
can use them again. Flashforward to LB - Digory suggests using the
magic rings to tranport Eustace and Jill to Narnia.

I don't think these are nitpicks, but I could be mistaken

In article <1140926485.075832.310840.RemoveThis@t39g2000cwt.googlegroups.com>,
"mike_in_the_west" <mhcole.RemoveThis@mac.com> wrote:

> 1) After Digory retrieves a magic apple for Aslan, he asks what would
> have happened if he ate one himself (against Aslan's explicit orders).
> Aslan proceeds to tell him "what would have been." But elsewhere in the
> book series, Lewis makes a big deal about Aslan never telling "what
> would have been."

I _think_ the effective rule here is that if you make the right choice,
you might get told (or come to realise) what the consequences of the
wrong one would have been; but if you make the wrong one you don't get
to know what the precise consequences of the right one would have been.

> 2) Digory sees the potential horrific effects of magic after Aslan
> tells him that the Witch Jadis will get long life from eating the magic
> apple. Aslan later tells Digory to bury the magic rings so that nobody
> can use them again. Flashforward to LB - Digory suggests using the
> magic rings to tranport Eustace and Jill to Narnia.
>
> I don't think these are nitpicks, but I could be mistaken

Trying to use the rings in direct response to a request for assistance
from the King of Narnia is perhaps a little different from leaving them
lying around for anyone who wants to dabble in 'research' in the style
of Uncle Andrew. After all, the request would not even have been
received without the approval (in fact, intervention) of Aslan. OTOH,
the rings weren't actually needed, so maybe Digory was indeed in error
to suggest their use.

Best wishes,
Matthew

--
Those who assert that the mathematical sciences have nothing to say
about the good or the beautiful are mistaken. -- Aristotle