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| Edition: | Barnes & Noble Classics Oct 2005 |
| Author: | J. M. Barrie |
| Published: | October 2005 |
| Pages: | 208 |
| ISBN 10: | 1593082134 |
| ISBN 13: | 2147483647 |
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Chapter 1 PETER BREAKS THROUGH
"All children, except one, grow up." Wendy knew this by the time she was two because her mother had sighed, wishing aloud that Wendy could remain a child forever. “You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.”
The Darlings lived humbly, but comfortably at number 14, a happy family of five (or six if you count Nana, and, of course, you must). Mr. George Darling, the head of the household and a businessman with great concern for his reputation as well as the finances of the family, was devoted to Mrs. Darling, who he won as his bride despite her other suitors’ attentions. Mrs. Darling, married in white and devoted to Mr. Darling, was of a romantic mind and possessed a mocking mouth.
After a few years of this happy arrangement, and despite Mr. Darling’s concern for the household finances and his ability to support such a situation—indeed, it was a grave discussion on whether any of the children could be kept—Wendy, then John, and finally Michael were brought, each in turn, into the world and Mrs. Darling’s loving arms.
It is important to note that Mr. Darling, conscious of his reputation and standing within the neighborhood, decided that it was necessary for the children to have a nurse. As they were a humble family, the nurse selected was a prim Newfoundland dog by the name of Nana. Do not, however, think that this meant the children were not well cared for. Nana was recruited from the walkways of Kensington Gardens, where she kept careful watch over the perambulators of children with careless nursemaids. An excellent nurse, Nana was a treasure—attentive at bath time, aware of the many agues and fevers of children, and a vigilant guardian to and from the nursery school, often carrying an umbrella in case of rain. All in all, “there never was a simpler happier family until the coming of Peter Pan.”
Mrs. Darling, while tidying up her children’s minds as they slumbered (a chore all mothers do even if you are not aware of it), discovered Peter Pan in the little Neverlands of her children’s’ minds. Each child had a similar, but quite different Neverland, and Peter was in each, to a varying degree. It should be noted that, after some thought, Mrs. Darling recalled her own memories, long since abandoned in her own adulthood, of Peter Pan, a boy who lived with fairies and escorted dead children to heaven in order to calm their fears.
One day, after finding leaves beneath the window of the nursery (which, it is important to know, was three whole stories above the ground), Mrs. Darling questioned Wendy. Wendy, of course, told Mrs. Darling that is was Peter Pan, who, on occasion came to her in the night to watch her sleep. Wendy had never actually seen Peter, but she instinctively knew he was there. Wendy then asked her mother if she, too, knew of Peter. Mrs. Darling admitted her knowledge, but cautioned it with the fact that the boy would be all grown up by now. Wendy laughed. "Oh no, he isn't grown up."
That evening, as the children slept in their beds and Mrs. Darling nodded over her mending in the chair by the fire, the adventure began. Peter slipped through the window (three stories above the ground), clad in leaves, and with a mouth full of first grown teeth, grinned at a very startled Mrs. Darling.
Chapter 2 THE SHADOW
As Mrs. Darling rose from her chair to scream, Nana (who had been out, as it was her night off) entered the room in time to slam the window shut on Peter’s retreat. As quick as he was, Nana was quicker and the window slammed down, capturing Peter’s shadow within the sill and tearing it from him. Mrs. Darling, after carefully examining the shadow (and finding no fault), hesitated on leaving it dangling from the window for Peter to find (the neighbors might consider it laundry and thereby lessen their good reputation on the street), finally folded it neatly, and placed it within a drawer until she could think of the proper thing to do {and also what to tell Mr. Darling).
It was the following Friday that the disaster occurred and Mr. and Mrs. Darling spent much time lamenting the course of events that led to the calamity. “Oh!” cried Mrs. Darling, “If only we had not gone out!” “Oh!” sighed Mr. Darling, “If only I had not played my joke with the medicine!” For, you see, many things happened on that Friday evening, which, without clairvoyance or foreknowledge, could not have been avoided.
It began with Michael, but ended with Mr. Darling. Michael (forgive him, for he was just a little boy) was making a fuss about taking his medicine, claiming, as all children do, that it’s taste was particularly nasty. Mr. Darling (who, of course, had always dutifully taken his medicine when he was a boy) first admonished Michael, and then offered up the information that HIS medicine was even nastier and he would take it but he had misplaced the bottle. Wendy, knowing where the bottle was, offered to and subsequently fetched it. After much debate as to who would take their medicine first, Wendy suggested they take it simultaneously. Unfortunately, Mr. Darling backed out of the agreement by only pretending to drink it, and, in an attempt to forestall argument, told the children he would pour his dose into Nana’s bowl—claiming it looked like milk and Nana would not know the difference.
Nana, after lapping up a tiny portion, did know the difference and gave Mr. Darling a very aggrieved look. Mr. Darling, overcome with his failure to rectify the situation, (and we must say, falling back on his personal feelings that he should never have allowed his children’s nurse to be a dog—what did the neighbors really think, after all?), covered his gaffe by blaming Nana and banishing her to the yard before he and Mrs. Darling set out for their dinner party. Thus, the children were quite alone when Peter came to fetch his shadow.
Chapter 3 COME AWAY, COME AWAY!
As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Darling had set out to their dinner party, a small light—much brighter than the three small nightlights left for the children—began flitting about the nursery. The light, as you must know, was a small, female fairy named Tinker Bell, elegantly gowned in a skeleton leaf and searching frantically for Peter’s shadow. Soon after Tinker Bell’s appearance, the window blew open and Peter Pan came in to join the search. Calling to Tink softly, Peter inquired if she had found his shadow. Tink, her language like the tinkling of small bells, told him it was in the drawer of the dresser.
Peter, who was a very cocky and forgetful boy, retrieved his shadow and in swiftly shutting the drawer, locked poor Tinker Bell in. Now, it must be realized that Peter, having never lost his shadow before, assumed that it would just stick itself back to him. Alas, it did not. He found some soap on the washstand and tried to glue it back, but as you can guess, soap is not very good glue. At a loss, Peter sat upon the floor and began to sob.
Wendy awoke to the sound of his crying, and unafraid said “Boy. Why are you crying?” She then asked his name, although she knew it was Peter Pan. And, as she was a well brought up child, she proceeded to introduce herself, ascertain his address ("Second to the right and then straight on till morning."), find out that he did not have a mother, understand that boys can be very ignorant of some things, and to gently chide him for thinking that soap could glue on a shadow. “It must be sewn,” she said, and began to sew the shadow to Peter’s foot.
Peter, being cocky and forgetful, began to leap around the room congratulating himself on his cleverness and Wendy, affronted that he should not recognize her contribution, jumped into her bed and drew the covers over her head. Peter, not really ashamed of himself at all, but not yet tired of talking with Wendy, coaxed her out of bed by telling her that he ran away from home on the day he was born because he never wanted to grow up. He told her that he spent many years living with the fairies in Kensington Park, and, of course, Wendy begged him to tell her of the fairies.
"You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies." He also told her that the reason people do not see many fairies is that children grow up and stop believing. “Every time a child says, `I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead."
It was at this moment Peter, tired of talking of fairies, called for Tink and Wendy, not quite daring to dream, asked him if there was actually a fairy in the room. Peter acknowledged that there was, but he could not figure out where Tinker Bell was. Finally, and fortunately, he heard her small ringing bell voice and released her from the drawer.
Now Peter began to have the glimmering of an idea. He began to tell Wendy of Neverland and the Lost Boys. He touched her loving heart by telling her that nobody told them stories, or tucked them in, or made them pockets, or darned their socks. Wendy, due to her loving heart, and also because she was a girl and girls know that boys need mothers to take care of these small things (and even though she was a young girl, she was eminently a very motherly soul), told Peter that although she would love to mother the Lost Boys, she could not—she could not fly. Of course, Peter said he would teach her.
Wendy, who was generous as well as loving and motherly, immediately woke John and Michael so that they, too, could learn to fly. They leapt, they jumped, they flung themselves about with abandon, but did not fly. "You just think lovely wonderful thoughts," Peter explained, "and they lift you up in the air." And they leapt, they jumped, they flung themselves about with abandon, but did not fly. Now Peter, who sometimes was a very thoughtless boy, knew that is was more than good thoughts; they needed a good dose of fairy dust to fly and he had a great deal of it on his hand from holding Tink. Laughing, he liberally sprinkled Wendy, John, and Michael—and they began to fly. For several minutes, they flew around the room, happy and laughing. Peter, seeing his chance, darted out the window, calling the children to follow. Which, of course, they did.
Chapter 4 THE FLIGHT
"Second to the right, and straight on till morning."
“That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you see, just said anything that came into his head.”
At first, the children didn’t even care where they were going, they were so busy enjoying the sensations of flying. They circled, they raced, they flew up, they flew down. Peter, who of course flew expertly, led the games like Follow the Leader, and Catch the Bird. Soon, however, the children grew sleepy, and, of course, if they fell asleep while flying they stopped flying altogether and just fell. Michael was the first. Wendy cried for Peter to catch him, which he did, but not until Michael had almost fallen into the sea. How far did they fly? Sometimes it was light. Sometimes it was dark. They flew over land and over the sea. They flew and flew and flew.
Peter would sometimes fly high into the sky and out of sight, or fly low and return with mermaid scales sticking to him. One thing frightened Wendy. Many times when Peter returned from his distant flights, he would not remember the children. “Indeed, sometimes when he returned he did not remember them, at least not well. Wendy was sure of it. She saw recognition come into his eyes as he was about to pass them the time of day and go on; once even she had to call him by name.” Peter was very sorry for this and told Wendy that if it seemed he had forgotten, she need only say her name, and he would remember. Wendy thought it very odd that Peter should be so forgetful.
Finally, Peter, Tinker Bell, and the children approached Neverland. “Wendy and John and Michael stood on tip-toe in the air to get their first sight of the island. Strange to say, they all recognized it at once, and until fear fell upon them they hailed it, not as something long dreamt of and seen at last, but as a familiar friend to whom they were returning home for the holidays.” (In fact, if Mrs. Darling had been there, she would have recognized many of the features of the real Neverland as those she had seen in the minds of her children).
It was getting dark, and a real Neverland is much “present” than an imaginary one. The children began to feel more than a little apprehensive, especially when Peter, who seemed to be listening intently, told them "They don't want us to land." Who? The children asked. “The pirates, led by Hook,” Peter told them. He then told them that not only would he kill Hook if he bothered him, but that he had already cut off his right hand in a previous fight. Now Tinker Bell, who was flying in circles around them, informed Peter that the pirates were aiming Long Tom (the big gun) at them, sighting on her fairy light. Knowing that Tink could not extinguish her light unless she was sleeping (and, of course, could not sleep and fly at the same time), Peter suggested that she crawl into John’s hat to hide her light from the pirates. This was done and on they flew.
Suddenly, Peter and the children were flung awry by the concussion of air caused by the firing of Long Tom. Peter was flung far out to sea and Wendy, who was holding Tinker Bell in John’s hat, was flung upward and found herself quite alone. It was then that Tink did a bad thing. “Tink was not all bad; or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time. They are, however, allowed to change, only it must be a complete change. At present she was full of jealousy of Wendy. What she said in her lovely tinkle Wendy could not of course understand, and I believe some of it was bad words, but it sounded kind, and she flew back and forward, plainly meaning, "Follow me, and all will be well." You must remember that Wendy knew very little about fairies so she did not realize her peril. Unable to find Peter, John, or Michael, Wendy followed Tink.
Chapter 5 THE ISLAND COME TRUE
When Peter Pan was gone, not much of anything happened on the Island, but sensing that he was soon to return, it began to awaken and come to life. As such, the four primary forces of the Island began to occupy themselves according to their function. The Lost Boys, of course, were marching around the island looking for Peter. The pirates were marching around, hoping to find the Lost Boys. The redskins were hunting the pirates, and the wild beasts were hunting the redskins.
All were looking for blood, except the Lost Boys, who enjoyed it, but were focused on finding their captain (Peter). The boys counted six and were as follows. First there was Tootles, who while brave, was most unfortunate in always being in the wrong place when brave things needed to be done. Tootles was a sweet, humble, happy boy and for the moment was unaware that it was him who Tink would use as a tool for her mischief. Next was Nibs, who was gay and debonair, and Slightly, a conceited boy who made whistles from the trees. Then came Curly, a most unfortunate boy who always seemed to find himself predicaments. He had been in so many, in fact, that when Peter demanded to know who had done such-and-such, Curly had gotten into the habit of standing forward whether he had caused the predicament or not. Last were the twins, who were so alike no one could tell them apart.
Following the boys were the pirates and “a more villainous-looking lot never hung in a row on Execution dock.” Ear to the ground came Cecco, a handsome Italian who wore pieces of eight as earrings. The ”gigantic black behind him has had many names since he dropped the one with which dusky mothers still terrify their children on the banks of the Guadjo-mo. Here is Bill Jukes, every inch of him tattooed, the same Bill Jukes who got six dozen on the WALRUS from Flint before he would drop the bag of moidores [Portuguese gold pieces]; and Cookson, said to be Black Murphy's brother (but this was never proved), and Gentleman Starkey, once an usher in a public school and still dainty in his ways of killing; and Skylights (Morgan's Skylights); and the Irish bo'sun Smee, an oddly genial man who stabbed, so to speak, without offence, and was the only Non-conformist in Hook's crew; and Noodler, whose hands were fixed on backwards; and Robt. Mullins and Alf Mason and many another ruffian long known and feared on the Spanish Main.”
Amongst them, in a wheeled chariot drawn by the men, was the evilest of them all—Captain James Hook. Despite a cadaverous and dark face, he was a handsome man, possessing long black curls and eyes as blue as forget-me-nots. Renowned as a storyteller, his voice and diction were educated, his dress was fashionable, and in his mouth there was a contrivance that allowed him to smoke two cigars at once. “But undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw.” Behind the pirates are the redskins, naked save for paint and oil, and carrying tomahawks and knives. Around them are the scalps of many boys and pirates and the brave with the most, Great Big Little Panther, is almost impeded by their weight. At the end of the line, the most dangerous position, is Tiger Lily—beautiful, coquettish, warm and cold by turn, and known to hold at bay with a hatchet any brave foolish enough to think she would take him as husband.
Behind them all are the beasts, lions, tigers, bears, and any other creature who seeks the nourishment of blood, for they were all man-eaters. The last is a crocodile, and she seeks only one.
Returning to the Lost Boys, they are talking of mothers. It is a subject of which they speak only when Peter is gone, for he has forbidden the subject entirely. They are in their own territory at this point, so when they hear the marching song of the pirates, they silently slip into their home through six different holes in six different hollow trees—for, you see, their home is underground, which is why the pirates have never been able to find it.
As the pirates searched again for the Lost Boys’ home, Capt. Hook shook the iron hook attached to his arm and swore his vengeance on Peter Pan, for, as you remember, it was Peter who had cut it off. Hook told Smee that Peter had thrown his arm to a crocodile, and that very same crocodile now sought him unceasingly, for it wanted the rest of him. He explained how fortunate it was that at some time, the crocodile had swallowed a clock, and it was the ticking of that clock that always warned Hook before the crocodile could catch him. While Hook was speaking of this, he had seated himself on a rather large mushroom, and suddenly rose to his feet, exclaiming that the mushroom was extraordinarily hot. His men moved the mushroom and thereby discovered it had been placed over the chimney of the Lost Boys’ underground home.
He then told him men that they would go back to the ship and bake a great cake, which they would place at the Mermaid Lagoon, a place where the boys often swam. Hook noted that the boys, not having a mother, would think nothing of gorging themselves without a thought of the dangers of eating food that they did not know the origin of. Of course, the cake would be poisoned.
The boys were unaware of Hook’s discovery and soon came out from underground. In the sky they saw a large, white, flying something that kept moaning “Poor Wendy.” They watched this strange creature until they recognized Tinker Bell, who by this time had given up being Wendy’s friend (for, of course, the white thing was Wendy in her nightgown) and was flitting around the poor girl pinching and biting. On seeing the boys, Tink swooped down, telling them to fetch their bow and arrows and that Peter wanted them to shoot Wendy. All the boys but Tootles, who had his bow with him, ran to fetch their own.
"Quick, Tootles, quick," she screamed. "Peter will be so pleased."
“Tootles excitedly fitted the arrow to his bow. "Out of the way, Tink," he shouted, and then he fired, and Wendy fluttered to the ground with an arrow in her breast.”
Chapter 6 THE LITTLE HOUSE
Tootles stood over Wendy’s body and when the other boys came out with their bows, told them they were too late, he had shot Wendy, and exclaimed how proud Peter would be. The other boys stood around Wendy and noted that she was not a bird. Sadly, Curly announced that Peter must have brought Wendy to them to be their mother. Horrified at this revelation, Tootles drew away from the group and it was then they heard Peter crow—for this was always the signal of his return.
Peter landed and although disconcerted that the boys had not cheered his arrival, announced that he had brought them a mother at last. Tootles, always the unfortunate, arose and led Peter to Wendy’s body, telling him that he had killed her. Peter withdrew the arrow from Wendy’s breast and raised it as a dagger to strike Tootles dead when Wendy raised her arm and said “Poor Tootles.”
For, you see, the arrow had struck the button (that Peter had given her) that she wore on a string around her neck and thus failed to penetrate her young body. From the treetop, the boys heard Tink cursing and weeping, and, of course, Tootles told Peter of Tink’s message (supposedly from Peter) to kill Wendy. Peter banished Tink from his presence for a week and although Tink wailed and pleaded over this punishment, she was not sorry she tried to kill Wendy. In fact, she was sorrier that Wendy lived.
Presently, deciding that Wendy would certainly die if she remained in the open, Peter decided that the boys must build a house around her. He also decided that a doctor must see Wendy. Slightly, who was the boy told to fetch the doctor, put on John’s hat (for John and Michael had stumbled sleepily into the camp soon after Peter’s decision to build a house) and “became” the doctor.
“"Please, sir," said Peter, going to him, "are you a doctor?"
The difference between him and the other boys at such a time was that they knew it was make-believe; while to him make-believe and true were exactly the same thing. This sometimes troubled them, as when they had to make-believe that they had had their dinners.
If they broke down in their make-believe he rapped them on the knuckles.”
Slightly performed his pretend doctor tasks (thermometer and admonishments to feed her beef tea) and withdrew. Gratified that Wendy was well on the way to recovery, Peter directed the building of the house. The boys built a small house with red walls and moss on the roof around Wendy as she slept. They used John’s hat as a chimney, pretended roses climbing up the walls, and provided a knocker made from the sole of Tootles shoe.
When the house was finished, they knocked upon the door and waited for the lady to come out, and, of course, Wendy did. The boys told her that she was their new mother and when Wendy told that she as only a little girl, Peter reassured her that they really meant that they needed a “motherly person.” Wendy, knowing that she was a very motherly person, invited them in and told them the story of Cinderella before she tucked them into their bed in their own home under the trees.
Chapter 7 THE HOME UNDER THE GROUND
The following day, and indeed, for many days after, Wendy, John, and Michael explored and grew to love the home under the ground. “It consisted of one large room, as all houses should do, with a floor in which you could dig [for worms] if you wanted to go fishing, and in this floor grew stout mushrooms of a charming color, which were used as stools. A Never tree tried hard to grow in the centre of the room, but every morning they sawed the trunk through, level with the floor. By tea-time it was always about two feet high, and then they put a door on top of it, the whole thus becoming a table; as soon as they cleared away, they sawed off the trunk again, and thus there was more room to play. There was an enormous fireplace which was in almost any part of the room where you cared to light it, and across this Wendy stretched strings, made of fiber, from which she suspended her washing. The bed was tilted against the wall by day, and let down at 6:30, when it filled nearly half the room; and all the boys slept in it, except Michael, lying like sardines in a tin. There was a strict rule against turning round until one gave the signal, when all turned at once. Michael should have used it also, but Wendy would have a baby, and he was the littlest, and you know what women are, and the short and long of it is that he was hung up in a basket.”
Wendy kept herself busy mending and sewing and cooking (even, if sometimes, it was only pretend) and darning and cleaning and minding the boys. As time passed, she thought of her parents, although she did not worry over them. She was more concerned that both John and Peter were gradually forgetting them. She set up exercises (kind of like the tests she had done in school) to prod their memories and encourage them to remember. The questions consisted of simple things like “What was the color of Mother’s eyes?” and “Who was taller? Mother or Father?” As you can see by the use of the words, “were” and “was”, Wendy, too, was forgetting too.
At this time, Peter (with Wendy’s help) invented a new game. Unfortunately, it was not very fun for John and Michael, for the game consisted of doing what they had done for most of their lives—tossing balls, pushing contests, and taking walks in the woods and coming back without ever once killing something. Of course, as with all of Peter’s games, Peter soon tired of it (or, most likely forgot it) and the children and the lost boys went on to grander adventures. It occurred at the Mermaid’s Lagoon.
Chapter 8 THE MERMAID'S LAGOON
The children often spent long, lazy days at the lagoon, swimming, picnicking, and playing mermaid ball with the iridescent bubbles that abound after rainstorms. One afternoon after the mid-day meal, Wendy watched over the boys as they took a rest (which was inviolate—a half-hour nap after lunch even if lunch was only make-believe) on Marooner’s rock (called so because pirates often marooned their captives on it as was daily covered and uncovered by the tide). As she stitched, a darkness and gloom seemed to approach from the sea, blackening the sky and pervading the air.
Peter, always alert even when asleep, leaped to his feet and sniffed the air. “Pirates! Dive!” he cried and the boys woke and leaped into the water. Sure enough, out of the gloom came a small dinghy containing Smee and Starkey, pirates off of Captain Hooks Jolly Roger. With them in the boat was Tiger Lily, bound at both hand and foot.
Now Peter (along with Wendy) had remained at Marooner’s rock, and floated in the water at the far side away from the approaching pirates. Sensing an adventure, and angered not so much that Tiger Lily was to die, but that it was two against one, he mimicked Hook’s voice and ordered Smee to release Tiger Lily. Smee, slightly confused, but unwilling to disobey his Captain, cut Tiger Lily’s bonds.
Wendy was quite pleased to see Tiger Lily freed (for she did not like tragedies) but knew in her heart that Peter would not leave well enough alone. Before Peter could crow with exultation (so proud of his cleverness was he), the sound of “Ahoy, boat” was heard from out of the gloom. The voice was that of Captain Hook, and this time it was not Peter aping it. Indeed, Captain Hook had swum from the ship and soon crawled into the boat with Smee and Starkey. Hook sighed. And sighed twice more. Smee and Starkey were less perplexed than frightened. Finally, Hook explained that his worst fears had been realized. Peter Pan and the Lost Boys had found themselves a mother. At that moment, Smee had a clever idea himself—kidnap Wendy and let her be the pirates’ mother instead. So the pirates, hand to hand to hook, swore that this would be done. It was also at that moment that Hook noticed Tiger Lily was gone (for she had quickly slipped into the water after Smee freed her bonds) and heard the story of the voice ordering them to free her.
Hook, now himself quite frightened, spoke into the darkness, asking for the name of the voice. After much parrying and name calling (both by Peter), Hook ascertained that the voice was indeed Peter. Peter called for the boys, who had lain in wait for his orders, and a fight ensued—the boys tackling Smee and Starkey and Peter taking on Hook himself.
Hook and Peter met at the top of Marooner’s Rock and the fight was not fair. In the end, Hook had not only bitten Peter, but had clawed him twice with his hook before retreating into the water and back to the Jolly Roger.
Peter and Wendy were now alone on the rock (for the boys had headed home, assuming Peter and Wendy had already swum or flown to shore). Peter explained to Wendy that he could not help her either fly or swim as he had been wounded. Suddenly, over the rock appeared a kite with a long tail—the same kite Michael had made that same day and lost. Peter quickly tied the kite tail around Wendy and allowed her to be drawn aloft to safety.
Peter, left alone on the rock now shrinking from the rising tide, was afraid. “Next moment he was standing erect on the rock again, with that smile on his face and a drum beating within him. It was saying, "To die will be an awfully big adventure."
Chapter 9 THE NEVER BIRD
Peter lay alone on the rock, listening to the bells on the mermaids’ doors close as they retired for the night. In the distance, he spotted a white something floating on the water. Amazingly, it seemed to be fighting the tide and coming towards him! Suddenly, he realized it was the Never Bird (whose nest had fallen from its tree into the lagoon but she had not abandoned her eggs and continued to sit them in the rocking waves, for she was a true mother). As the Never Bird used her wings to valiantly reach Peter (for Peter had been kind to her and she desired to help him) she quacked to him, telling him of her exhaustion and asking him to swim to her nest so he could sit in it and drift to shore. Peter, of course, could not understand her quacking and said so, “What are you quacking about?”
This went on, back and forth, for some time, until, with great effort, the Never Bird reached Marooner’s Rock and jumped onto it, indicating with her head for Peter to get into the nest.
Keep in mind that while the Never Bird wanted to help Peter, she was also quite concerned for her two eggs—for Peter had not always been very nice and had sometimes taunted her. Peter, once he realized what the bird was up to, snatched up Starkey’s hat, which he had left on the rock. It was deep and waterproof and had a wide brim and Peter gently placed the eggs into it. Surprised and happy with Peter’s cleverness, the Never Bird jumped into the nest and floated away. (It should be noted that the Never Bird never went back to her old nest and for the rest of eternity all Never Bird nests were made in the shape of that hat for its wide brim allowed the chicks a sunning space).
Peter came to shore and immediately went to the underground home to tell of his adventures, arriving there just as Wendy did, for she had drifted aimlessly on the tail of the kite for quite some time. Everyone had an adventure to tell and it was some time before Wendy realized it was long past bedtime so she firmly put them all to bed.
Chapter 10 THE HAPPY HOME
One important result of the adventure at the Mermaid Lagoon was that the redskins were now friendly with Peter and his band. Consequently, the redskins, knowing that Hook and his crew would soon seek revenge on Peter for saving Tiger Lily, the tribe dutifully kept watch over the underground home every night.
One evening, which was later to be called the Night of Nights, (for although they did not know it yet, it would be the last night in Neverland) the happy group was settled down for a pretend tea and Wendy was making the most of her motherhood. The boys were noisy, constantly grabbing, complaining, and settling into what modern people would call a “general whine fest.”
Presently they heard Peter speaking to the redskins above and Wendy, who had placed Peter into the role of “Father”, told the boys to “meet Father at the door” which they did (not knowing that after that evening, Peter would be Father no more). Later, they danced and played. At one point Peter questioned Wendy, who was full force into her role as mother and housewife, if it wasn’t, after all, only make-believe that he was Father.
""Oh yes," Wendy said primly.
"You see," he continued apologetically, "it would make me seem so old to be their real father."
"But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine."
"But not really, Wendy?" he asked anxiously.
"Not if you don't wish it," she replied; and she distinctly heard his sigh of relief. "Peter," she asked, trying to speak firmly, "what are your exact feelings to [about] me?"
"Those of a devoted son, Wendy.""
Peter went on to tell Wendy that Tiger Lily seemed to want something from him, but it was not to be his mother. Although Wendy was disturbed by this, she was mindful of bedtime and soon tucked the boys into their bed (and Michael into his cradle), and began to tell them a story.
Peter, still perplexed, sat in the corner to contemplate the strangeness of girls. He also stayed in the corner for although the story Wendy was about to tell was the boys’ favorite, it was the one Peter hated the most. “Usually when she began to tell this story he left the room or put his hands over his ears; and possibly if he had done either of those things this time they might all still be on the island. But to-night he remained on his stool; and we shall see what happened.”
Chapter 11 WENDY'S STORY
With many interruptions, Wendy’s story was about a gentleman and a lady named Mr. & Mrs. Darling, (“"I knew them," John said, to annoy the others. “ I think I knew them," said Michael rather doubtfully”) and they had three children. The children had a faithful nurse named Nana who unfortunately angered Mr. Darling one evening so he tied her up outside. It was that night that the children flew away.
“Now I want you to consider the feelings of the unhappy parents with all their children flown away", Wendy went on. This was hard for the boys for they were not only unaccustomed to thinking about other people’s feelings, but they had very little experience in thinking about parents at all. They told Wendy that they did not think the story could have a happy ending.
“"If you knew how great is a mother's love," Wendy told them triumphantly, "you would have no fear.” She had now come to the part that Peter hated.”
Wendy explained that the heroine of the story knew that a mother’s love always caused the mother to leave a window open for the children to fly home to. She went on to say that the children stayed away for years and years and did not return until they were full grown, but even then, when they returned to London, there was the window, open and ready for them. They rejoined their parents and all was good and happy.
At the end of the story, Peter was heard to give a low groan. Wendy immediately asked him what was wrong, thinking that he was ill. Peter told her she was wrong about mothers. “"Long ago," he said, "I thought like you that my mother would always keep the window open for me, so I stayed away for moons and moons and moons, and then flew back; but the window was barred, for mother had forgotten all about me, and there was another little boy sleeping in my bed."” True or not, we cannot say, but the children were frightened and John and Michael begged Wendy to take them home immediately.
Wendy agreed, despite the Lost Boys cries and asked Peter to make the arrangements. She thought this implied an invitation but Peter did not, as we shall see, and went off to arrange with the redskins to take her and her brothers across the island to the sea where Tinker Bell would fly them home. The Lost Boys continued to wail and whine, expressing their opinion that life would be better if Wendy had never come. Wendy admonished them and told them that they were all to come with her—her parents would surely welcome all of them.
Peter returned and informed Wendy that he would not go with them. Disappointed, the others picked up their packs and prepared to leave. “Tink darted up the nearest tree; but no one followed her, for it was at this moment that the pirates made their dreadful attack upon the redskins. Above, where all had been so still, the air was rent with shrieks and the clash of steel. Below, there was dead silence. Mouths opened and remained open. Wendy fell on her knees, but her arms were extended toward Peter. All arms were extended to him, as if suddenly blown in his direction; they were beseeching him mutely not to desert them. As for Peter, he seized his sword, the same he thought he had slain Barbecue with, and the lust of battle was in his eye.”
Chapter 12 THE CHILDREN ARE CARRIED OFF
Hook’s attack was a complete surprise—a matter which deeply affronted the redskins for surprise attacks were their own personal province. Nevertheless, the redskins valiantly leapt to their weapons to begin the battle—but they were too late. The pirates won the battle, although not without some serious losses and thanks to the tomahawk of Panther, who cut through the pirates, Tiger Lily and a handful of braves managed to escape.
The battle had been won, but the attack was not over for the redskins were only a minor hindrance to Hook’s true desire. He wanted Wendy. He wanted the Lost Boys. Most of all, he wanted Peter Pan for, above all else, he hated Peter’s cockiness.
In the underground home, the children still looked to Peter, awaiting his move. He told them that if the redskins had won, they would beat the tom-tom in victory. The pirates overhead, heard this of course and Hook signaled to Smee (who was sitting on the tom-tom) to beat it.
Hearing this, the children cheered for the victory of the redskins. After the cheer, to the amazement of the pirates, the children repeated their goodbyes to Peter, and once again took up their packs. Hook, realizing that his quarry was going to simply walk into his capture, he stationed men around each tree.
Chapter 13 DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES?
“The first to emerge from his tree was Curly. He rose out of it into the arms of Cecco, who flung him to Smee, who flung him to Starkey, who flung him to Bill Jukes, who flung him to Noodler, and so he was tossed from one to another till he fell at the feet of the black pirate. All the boys were plucked from their trees in this ruthless manner; and several of them were in the air at a time, like bales of goods flung from hand to hand.”
The last to come was Wendy. She was not thrown like a bale of goods but approached by Hook, who offered her his arm as escort. He appeared such a gentleman that Wendy was entranced. She was, after all, just a little girl.
It must be revealed now that Slightly had a secret, and that secret was soon to put Peter in grave danger. As you know, each boy had his own hollow tree by which to enter the secret underground home. Each tree had been perfectly fitted for each boy so that no other could fit inside. Slightly, who drank great amounts of water when he was hot (which was often), had avoided Peter’s displeasure by whittling his tree to fit him rather than whittling himself to fit the tree. As a result, Slightly’s hollow tree entrance was no longer just the right fit for a slender boy—it was large enough to admit a full-grown man.
Hook, while watching the pirates tie up the Lost Boys, noticed the difficulty they had in securing Slightly and realized that Slightly’s secret entrance must be much larger than the others. It was this one small observation that sealed Peter’s doom. Hook sent the pirates on with the captives, found Slightly’s tree, climbed inside, and entered the underground home. There he found Peter fast asleep for Peter, in his anxious need to appear unconcerned about Wendy leaving, had gone to bed (on top of the coverlet because he knew that would vex Wendy) and was now in a deep and dreamless sleep. Hook, in watching Peter, felt his hate grow for Peter, even in sleep, looked cocky and impertinent, and formulated a devious plan.
Hook carried with him a vial of bitter and deadly poison. He put five drops of this poison in Peter’s cup, which sat innocently on the table by the sleeping boy, and left the underground home. Sometime later, Peter awoke a soft tapping on his tree. Grabbing his dagger, he demanded the name of the tapper who revealed herself to be Tink.
Tinker Bell flew into the underground home and in a rush told Peter of the massacre of the redskins and the capture of Wendy and the Lost Boys. “I’ll rescue her!” Peter cried and grabbed his cup to take a drink. Tinker Bell, who had heard Hook muttering about his cleverness as he passed through the wood back to his ship, screamed to Peter that it was full of poison and in a flash, flew between Peter and the cup and drank the poison herself.
“Already she was reeling in the air.
"What is the matter with you?" cried Peter, suddenly afraid.
"It was poisoned, Peter," she told him softly; "and now I am going to be dead."”
Her light grew fainter and Peter carried her gently to her little home on the wall and placed her in her bed. He beseeched her not to die. Tink spoke softly and told him that she thought she would not die if children would believe in her.
“Peter flung out his arms. There were no children there, and it was night time; but he addressed all who might be dreaming of the Neverland, and who were therefore nearer to him than you think: boys and girls in their nighties, and naked papooses in their baskets hung from trees.”
“Do you believe?” he cried. “Clap your hands if you believe!” he sent into the quite whispers of children’s’ dreams. And across the world, children clapped (although some did not) and mother’s rushed to bedsides to hush them. It was enough. Tink rose from her bed and blazed in fairy light, as merry and impudent as she had ever been.
“And now to rescue Wendy!” Peter cried as he ran into the forest.
