In C.S. Lewis’s fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Edmund Pevensie craves Turkish delight after meeting the White Witch.
The White Witch gives Edmund an enchanted version of the sweet during their first meeting in Narnia. Its taste is so compelling that he continues wanting more, making the confection a symbol of temptation and manipulation in the story.
Turkish delight is a real confection traditionally made from starch and sugar, often flavored with rosewater and containing nuts. Lewis’s description helped make the food especially recognizable to English-speaking readers, although the magical effect belongs to the fictional world.
Edmund’s desire is not simply a matter of hunger. The Witch uses the treat to flatter him, gather information about his siblings, and encourage betrayal. The episode is often remembered as one of the novel’s clearest examples of temptation disguised as generosity.