Hwin

"I heard you, I did. There's no good pretending, Ma'am. I heard you. You're a talking horse, a Narnian horse just like me."

- Bree talking to Hwin

Hwin was a Narnian talking horse and friend of Aravis. Her name is reminiscent of the 'whinny' noise horses make. She was captured at a young age and spent years in captivity in Calormen before returning home to Narnia.

Biography
Hwin grew up in Narnia, spending her days as a foal on the green hills. She apparently had many horse relatives of whom she was quite fond. At some point, she was captured and forced to serve in the southern land of Calormen. In all her years there she did not speak for fear of suffering a worse fate.

She was given into the service of Kidrash Tarkaan, a lord in souther Calormen. He gave her to his daughter the young Aravis Tarkeena as a riding mare. One day, Aravis rode Hwin away from her father's estate, dismounted, and drew a knife to kill herself. Hwin attempted to knock the knife from her mistress's hand, at last breaking her silence to beg the girl not to kill herself.

Aravis' distress was caused by a marriage her father had arranged between her and Ahoshta Tarkaan, a much older man whom she had never even met. When Hwin revealed that she was a Northern horse, the two set out a plan to escape together to Narnia, where both would be free. A few nights later, Aravis disguised herself as a man and the two rode away with their absence undetected. They stopped after four days at the city of Azim Balda.

A few nights later, they became aware of a horse and rider not far away. Afraid of being found out, they tried to ride away, but were stopped by a lion, and forced to join with the other horse and rider. In the midst of their wild race to escape the roaring lion, Hwin complained aloud of being 'so tired'. When at last they shook off thier pursuer, the other horse stopped as well, revealing that he, too was a talking beast called Bree. His rider was a Northern boy called Shasta, and both were escaping to Narnia just as Aravis was. Despite their differences, the four decided to join in their escape.

When they reached the capital city of Tashbaan, the four were separated and Shasta was taken away by a visiting embassy of Narnians who mistook him for their prince. Aravis took both Hwin and Bree to the home of her friend a noblewoman and was again forced to plan a way out. A few days later, Hwin and Bree were led out of the city by one of the groomsmen, where Aravis met them and the three were reunited with Shasta.

Shasta revealed that the Narnian ambassadors had escaped from Tashbaan, afraid for their lives, and Aravis corroborated his account by telling that the Calormene Prince Rabadash intended to launch an attack on the Northern countries. With this in mind, the four raced across the desert to warn the Northerners. Once they reached the mountains, they were attacked by another lion who wounded Aravis. Hwin and Bree being too exhausted to go on, Shasta was sent ahead with the message as the others rested in the home of an Archenlander hermit.

Later, the hermit told the three of the great battle between Rabadash and the Northerners, and of Rabadash's defeat and capture. Shortly thereafter they are visited by Aslan the Great Lion, who told them that he was the lion that had drawn them together and had wounded Aravis. Though afraid, Hwin welcomed Him and said, "I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else." Aslan instead kisses her fondly and praises her for her part in their adventures.

A few days later Shasta returned for his companions and took them to stay at Anvard, where Aravis and Shasta remained. Bree and Hwin traveled on to Narnia a few days later, where they both lived for the rest of their lives. After returning to Narnia, Hwin married–though not to Bree–and would visit Cor and Aravis every few months. When she died, Hwin went to Aslan's Country.

Character
Hwin's logical thinking and humility serve as the counter to Bree. Hwin is generally very clear-thinking and reasonable, and though she seems a bit shy at times, her advice is usually the smartest of the group's; it is she, for example, who devises the best plan for getting through Tashbaan (though it doesn't work well for reasons beyond their control). Her wisdom is to be compared to Bree, who is somewhat less sensible and not quite as wise. He also seems to be more concerned than her with what others would think of him—for example, that the other Talking Horses might think his rolling in the grass is silly, while she replies she enjoys it and doesn't care what others think.

Appearances

 * The Horse and His Boy (book appearance)
 * The Last Battle (book, appearance)