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inside。 Every day we were in the Gardens we paid a call at the
nest； taking care that no cruel boy should see us； and we dropped
crumbs； and soon the bird knew us as friends； and sat in the nest
looking at us kindly with her shoulders hunched up。 But one day
when we went； there were only two eggs in the nest； and the next
time there were none。 The saddest part of it was that the poor
little chaffinch fluttered about the bushes； looking so
reproachfully at us that we knew she thought we had done it； and
though David tried to explain to her； it was so long since he had
spoken the bird language that I fear she did not understand。 He
and I left the Gardens that day with our knuckles in our eyes。
XIV
Peter Pan
If you ask your mother whether she knew about Peter Pan when she
was a little girl she will say； 〃Why； of course； I did； child；〃
and if you ask her whether he rode on a goat in those days she
will say； 〃What a foolish question to ask； certainly he did。〃
Then if you ask your grandmother whether she knew about Peter Pan
when she was a girl； she also says； 〃Why； of course； I did；
child；〃 but if you ask her whether he rode on a goat in those
days； she says she never heard of his having a goat。 Perhaps she
has forgotten； just as she sometimes forgets your name and calls
you Mildred； which is your mother's name。 Still； she could
hardly forget such an important thing as the goat。 Therefore
there was no goat when your grandmother was a little girl。 This
shows that； in telling the story of Peter Pan； to begin with the
goat （as most people do） is as silly as to put on your jacket
before your vest。
Of course； it also shows that Peter is ever so old； but he is
really always the same age； so that does not matter in the least。
His age is one week； and though he was born so long ago he has
never had a birthday； nor is there the slightest chance of his
ever having one。 The reason is that he escaped from being a
human when he was seven days' old； he escaped by the window and
flew back to the Kensington Gardens。
If you think he was the only baby who ever wanted to escape； it
shows how completely you have forgotten your own young days。
When David heard this story first he was quite certain that he
had never tried to escape； but I told him to think back hard；
pressing his hands to his temples； and when he had done this
hard； and even harder； he distinctly remembered a youthful desire
to return to the tree…tops； and with that memory came others； as
that he had lain in bed planning to escape as soon as his mother
was asleep； and how she had once caught him half…way up the
chimney。 All children could have such recollections if they
would press their hands hard to their temples； for； having been
birds before they were human； they are naturally a little wild
during the first few weeks； and very itchy at the shoulders；
where their wings used to be。 So David tells me。
I ought to mention here that the following is our way with a
story： First； I tell it to him； and then he tells it to me； the
understanding being that it is quite a different story； and then
I retell it with his additions； and so we go on until no one
could say whether it is more his story or mine。 In this story of
Peter Pan； for instance； the bald narrative and most of the moral
reflections are mine； though not all； for this boy can be a stern
moralist； but the interesting bits about the ways and customs of
babies in the bird…stage are mostly reminiscences of David's；
recalled by pressing his hands to his temples and thinking hard。
Well； Peter Pan got out by the window； which had no bars。
Standing on the ledge he could see trees far away； which were
doubtless the Kensington Gardens； and the moment he saw them he
entirely forgot that he was now a little boy in a nightgown； and
away he flew； right over the houses to the Gardens。 It is
wonderful that he could fly without wings； but the place itched
tremendously； and； perhaps we could all fly if we were as dead…
confident…sure of our capacity to do it as was bold Peter Pan
that evening。
He alighted gaily on the open sward； between the Baby's Palace
and the Serpentine； and the first thing he did was to lie on his
back and kick。 He was quite unaware already that he had ever
been human； and thought he was a bird； even in appearance； just
the same as in his early days； and when he tried to catch a fly
he did not understand that the reason he missed it was because he
had attempted to seize it with his hand； which； of course； a bird
never does。 He saw； however； that it must be past Lock…out Time；
for there were a good many fairies about； all too busy to notice
him； they were getting breakfast ready； milking their cows；
drawing water； and so on； and the sight of the water…pails made
him thirsty； so he flew over to the Round Pond to have a drink。
He stooped； and dipped his beak in the pond； he thought it was
his beak； but； of course； it was only his nose； and； therefore；
very little water came up； and that not so refreshing as usual；
so next he tried a puddle； and he fell flop into it。 When a real
bird falls in flop； he spreads out his feathers and pecks them
dry； but Peter could not remember what was the thing to do； and
he decided； rather sulkily； to go to sleep on the weeping beech
in the Baby Walk。
At first he found some difficulty in balancing himself on a
branch； but presently he remembered the way； and fell asleep。 He
awoke long before morning； shivering； and saying to himself； 〃I
never was out in such a cold night；〃 he had really been out in
colder nights when he was a bird； but； of course； as everybody
knows； what seems a warm night to a bird is a cold night to a boy
in a nightgown。 Peter also felt strangely uncomfortable； as if
his head was stuffy； he heard loud noises that made him look
round sharply； though they were really himself sneezing。 There
was something he wanted very much； but； though he knew he wanted
it； he could not think what it was。 What he wanted so much was
his mother to blow his nose； but that never struck him； so he
decided to appeal to the fairies for enlightenment。 They are
reputed to know a good deal。
There were two of them strolling along the Baby Walk； with their
arms round each other's waists； and he hopped down to address
them。 The fairies have their tiffs with the birds； but they
usually give a civil answer to a civil question； and he was quite
angry when these two ran away the moment they saw him。 Another
was lolling on a garden…chair； reading a postage…stamp which some
human had let fall； and when he heard Peter's voice he popped in
alarm behind a tulip。
To Peter's bewilderment he discovered that every fairy he met
fled from him。 A band of workmen； who were sawing down a
toadstool； rushed away； leaving their tools behind them。 A
milkmaid turned her pail upside down and hid in it。 Soon the
Gardens were in an uproar。 Crowds of fairies were running this
away and that； asking each other stoutly； who was afraid； lights
were extinguished； doors barricaded； and from the grounds of
Queen Mab's palace came the rubadub of drums； showing that the
royal guard had been called out。 A regiment of Lancers came
charging down the Broad Walk； armed with holly…leaves； with which
they jog the enemy horribly in passing。 Peter heard the little
people crying everywhere that there was a human in the Gardens
after Lock…out Time； but he never thought for a moment that he
was the human。 He was feeling stuffier and stuffier； and more
and more wistful to learn what he wanted done to his nose； but he
pursued them with the vital question in vain； the timid creatures
ran from him； and even the Lancers； when he approached them up
the Hump； turned swiftly into a side…walk； on the pretence that
they saw him there。
Despairing of the fairies； he resolved to consult the birds； but
now he remembered； as an odd thing； that all the birds on the
weeping beech had flown away when he alighted on it； and though
that had not troubled him at the time； he saw its meaning now。
Every living thing was shunning him。 Poor little Peter Pan； he
sat down and cried； and even then he did not know that； for a
bird； he was sitting on his wrong part。 It is a blessing that he
did not know； for otherwise he would have lost faith in his power
to fly； and the moment you doubt whether you can fly； you cease
forever to be able to do it。 The reason birds can fly and we
can't is simply that they have perfect faith； for to have faith
is to have wings。
Now； except by flying； no one can reach the island in the
Serpentine； for the boats of humans are forbidden to land there；
and there are stakes round it； standing up in the water； on each
of which a bird…sentinel sits by day and night。 It was to the
island that Peter now flew to put his strange case before old
Solomon Caw； a