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Originally Posted by Bęthberry
Doesn't the story require, on some level, a meeting between Lucy and a Narnian who can explain some of the land and context to her and to readers? We we have a creature who at first contemplates a terrible act of kidnap and who then repents of the thought, never actually fulfilling the deed. I think Mr. Tunmus' role is pretty much set by those parameters. Now, this might be narrative fate or Authorial omnipotence, but it does suggest that Mr. Tumnus had a certain role to play. Maybe not bearing a ring, but certainly bearing some plot.
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*Fordim looms over
Bethberry's shoulder and nods in complete agreement*
Interesting conversation here about the role of Fate in M-E and Narnia. First, I don't see Fate as operative in either but Providence (the difference being that Fate is the world directed toward a determined end, with Providence being the world directed toward a determined GOOD end). Second, I see really little difference between them in this regard. To my view, Aslan is very much a Gandalf-figure: one who knows more than everyone else, but who is still capable of being surprised. Just as Eru is guiding things in M-E, so too is the Emperor across the Sea guiding things in Narnia.
In fact, I would suggest that it's a lot more clear that the Emperor is in charge of things in Narnia than Eru in M-E (at least LotR M-E) insofar as it is explicitly the fulfillment of the Emperor's Law that allows Aslan to come back to life and save the day!