Recently I fell in love with beavers. Apparently North America used to have approximately one zillion beavers that created a ton of biodiversity with the mere power of their dams. And they have the power to bring much of that biodiversity back.
But more importantly, it stirred an earlier love for beavers that I had forgotten: Mr. Beaver, resident of Beaver Dam, in Narnia. That immaculate little buck-toothed hero of my childhood. And I am here to either convince or remind you that he IS the hero you have been looking for. The reasons are:
1. The man’s heroic deeds are downplayed by him being the very embodiment of polite middle age. He speaks with phrases such as “Merely a trifle! Merely a trifle!” at every turn. I have never known a more classically British man than Mr. Beaver. Yet while he is shuffling around in his middle-aged suburban beaver dam, he is also sneaking through the woods in a land where the very trees are spies. And if one of them betrays him, he will indeed be turned to stone (that man puts sneaking through the woods to break curfew to shame).
2. His costuming in the 1980s BBC version of the movie is inspiring. If you have not seen it, I will personally mail you my DVD copy of this masterpiece. Envision adults in full-body beaver suits, and you have only begun to grasp the glory. I once entertained my fellow orientation leader for a full twenty-five minutes by showing him clips of this film on repeat.
3. He treats the children like adults. What every nine-year-old yearns for is for adults to explain things about their jobs and invite them on fishing trips and baking adventures. So when you are curled up on your bunk bed reading about Mr. Beaver, who brings Peter along to go fishing and shares with the children about the savior of Narnia, you want to cheer. Finally, a man who understands you.
4. The beavers throw a tea party, in the woods, inside a cave. They are with the children on their way to meet Aslan at the stone table. But since it’s finally Christmas, they insist upon having ham sandwiches and hot tea before moving on with the journey. I will now be bringing thermoses full of tea wherever I go, just in case.
5. I can never seem to get his little Aslan prophecy out of my brain. The chant ends with the line “And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.” Even though it doesn’t properly rhyme, you can’t be upset when you hear Mr. Beaver utter these solemn words.
6. He embodies the significance of those who slowly work towards good each and every day. Mr. Beaver doesn’t make any grand gestures. But through a series of small and caring braveries, he brings the children to be Kings and Queens of Narnia.
Whether you encounter him in his terrifying 1980s yellow teeth, his cute 2000s little tales, or his beloved book presence, Mr. Beaver is a perfectly lovely hero. And I would do anything to eat fresh trout and “gloriously sticky marmalade roll” with him.
Susannah currently lives in New Jersey and works as a 7th grade ELA teacher in East Harlem. When she is not teaching or writing, she can be found exploring independent bookstores, going backpacking, and trying to roller-skate on all the cool trails in the city. She is also recently experienced in the art of citrus skunk repellent (I know you’re impressed).
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Have you read EAGER: THE SURPRISING, SECRET LIFE OF BEAVERS AND WHY THEY MATTER? I’ve been obsessed with the creatures ever since picking that book up at the library a few summers ago. Highly recommend reading about the real ones as well as the fictional ones :).
Mr. Beaver is a charmer, and I also have an affection for his terrifyingly enormous 1980s incarnation. Bless him.