River God

River Gods were powerful male water spirits (female water spirits were called Naiads). The most famous one is the one at the Fords of Berunan, known as the Berunan River God.

River Gods and Naids were created when Aslan gave the beasts speech, at the birth of Narnia.

Water spirits were the equivalent of Talking Beasts for bodies of water.

Notable River Gods
River Gods became husbands for the daughters of King Frank I and Queen Helen shortly after the creation of Narnia.

Another River God, who was the spirit of the Fords of Beruna, fell into a deep sleep for many centuries--along with all of the other spirits of trees and waters--while the Telmarines governed Narnia. When Aslan returned, during the War of Deliverance, he awoke and greeted Aslan: -

"Hail, Lord! Loose my chains."

- River God at the Fords of Beruna

Aslan sent Bacchus and the Maenads into the water, and ivy and hawthorn grew all about the bridge as quickly as a fire grows, and destroyed it.

Physical Description
River Gods were humanoid, lived in the water, had great bearded heads with crowns of rushes, and walked barefoot (at least, judging from a canonical illustration by Paulina Baynes).

Film Version
In the 2008 Prince Caspian film, the River God was composed entirely out of water, but was shaped like a giant man, with hair and a beard made of foam.

He rushed at the Telmarines, creating tidal waves, and destroying Beruna's Bridge.

Trivia
The defeat of the army of King Miraz by the onslaught of water appears to be a Biblical reference to Exodus. In Exodus, the armies of Pharaoh are similarly destroyed by the waters of the Nile River at the command of Moses. The film depiction of the River God of the Fords of Beruna is also bearded and resembles Moses.

Dieux de Rivières