In C.S. Lewis's Narnia books, what kind of creature is Mr. Tumnus?

The story behind the answer

In C.S. Lewis's Narnia books, Mr. Tumnus is a faun. Lucy Pevensie meets him shortly after entering Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where he is described as a humanoid creature with the legs, tail, and ears of a goat.

Mr. Tumnus lives in a cave and carries an umbrella and parcels when Lucy encounters him in the snowy wood. Although he initially intends to report her to the White Witch, he changes his mind and helps her escape. His decision establishes him as one of the story's early examples of courage and moral change.

A faun is not exactly the same as a satyr, even though both creatures are associated with classical mythology and goat-like features. Lewis's Narnian fauns belong to his own literary world. Tumnus later appears in several adaptations, including the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: