For me, the Bulgy Bear is without a doubt the funniest character in Prince Caspian. Of course, I’m talking of the book Bulgy Bear and not the movie Bulgy Bear, who I think had only one line in the entire film, which was a husky “For Aslan!” For some reason, I couldn’t help giggling when he said that.

Anyway, since his character was underdeveloped in the movie, I’m putting here some classic bulgy bear moments from the book:

On a fine summer morning when the dew lay on the grass he set off with the badger and the two dwarfs, up through the forest to a high saddle in the mountains and down on to their sunny southern slopes where one looked across the green wolds of Archenland. “We will go first to the three bulgy bears,” said Trumpkin.

They came in a glade to an old hollow oak tree covered with moss, and Trufflehunter tapped with his paw three times on the trunk and there was no answer. Then he tapped again and a woolly sort of voice from inside said, “Go away. It’s not time to get up yet.” But when he tapped the third time there was a noise like a small earthquake from inside and a sort of door opened and out came three brown bears, very bulgy indeed and blinking their little eyes. And when everything had been explained to them (which took a long time because they were so sleepy) they said, just as Trufflehunter had said, that a son of Adam ought to be king of Narnia and all kissed Caspian – very wet, snuffly kisses they were – and offered him some honey. Caspian did not really want honey, without bread, at that time in the morning, but he thought it polite to accept. It took him a long time afterwards to get unsticky.

Here we find out that the bulgy bears have a “woolly sort of voice”, are “very bulgy indeed,” and gives “wet, snuffly kisses.” Aren’t they adorable?

The next scene happened during the feast and council on Dancing Lawn where all the old Narnians gathered to meet with Prince Caspian. The creatures were debating how to go about the council, and the chapter starts by saying: “The bulgy bears were very anxious to have the feast first and leave the council till afterwards: perhaps till tomorrow.”

“Is there time for this foolery?” asked Nikabrik. “What are our plans? Battle or flight?”

“Battle if need be,” said Trumpkin. “But we are hardly ready for it yet, and this is no very defensible place.”

“I don’t like the idea of running away,” said Caspian.

“Hear him! Hear him!” said the bulgy bears. “Whatever we do, don’t let’s have any running. Especially not before supper; and not too soon after it neither.“

The last scene was when they were discussing the duel of Peter and Miraz, and choosing who the three marshals should be.

Peter was just explaining to Caspian that he could not be one, because his right to the throne was what they were fighting about, when suddenly a thick, sleepy voice said, “Your majesty, please.”

Peter turned and there stood the eldest of the bulgy bears. “If you please, your majesty,” he said, “I’m a bear, I am.”

“To be sure, so you are, and a good bear too, I don’t doubt,” said Peter.

“Yes,” said the bear. “But it was always a right of the bears to supply one marshal of the lists.”

“Don’t let him,” whispered Trumpkin to Peter. “He’s a good creature, but he’ll shame us all. He’ll go to sleep and he will suck his paws. In front of the enemy too.”

“I can’t help that,” said Peter. “Because he’s quite right. The bears had that privilege. I can’t imagine how it has been remembered all these years, when so many other things have been forgotten.”

“Please, your Majesty,” said the bear.

“It is your right,” said Peter. “And you shall be one of the marshals. But you must remember not to suck your paws.”

“Of course not,” said the bear in a very shocked voice.

“Why, you’re doing it this minute!” bellowed Trumpkin.

The bear whipped his paw out of his mouth and pretended he hadn’t heard.

Well what can I say? You’ve got to love the bulgy bears, even when they’re sucking their paws!