Белая птичка
The Thrush’s Nest
Nevertheless,hewasnotyetinsafety;for,onpretendingtodisembark,hefoundamultitudeofsmallpeopledrawnupontheshoretocontesthislanding,andshoutingshrillytohimtobeoff,foritwaslongpastLock-outTime.This,withmuchbrandishingoftheirholly-leaves,andalsoacompanyofthemcarriedanarrowwhichsomeboyhadleftintheGardens,andthistheywerepreparedtouseasabattering-ram.
ThenPeter,whoknewthemforthefairies,calledoutthathewasnotanordinaryhumanandhadnodesiretodothemdispleasure,buttobetheirfriend;nevertheless,havingfoundajollyharbour,hewasinnotempertodrawofftherefrom,andhewarnedthemiftheysoughttomischiefhimtostandtotheirharms.
Sosaying,heboldlyleaptashore,andtheygatheredaroundhimwithintenttoslayhim,buttherethenaroseagreatcryamongthewomen,anditwasbecausetheyhadnowobservedthathissailwasababy’snight-gown.Whereupon,theystraightwaylovedhim,andgrievedthattheirlapsweretoosmall,thewhichIcannotexplain,exceptbysayingthatsuchisthewayofwomen.Themen-fairiesnowsheathedtheirweaponsonobservingthebehaviouroftheirwomen,onwhoseintelligencetheysetgreatstore,andtheyledhimcivillytotheirqueen,whoconferreduponhimthecourtesyoftheGardensafterLock-outTime,andhenceforthPetercouldgowhitherhechose,andthefairieshadorderstoputhimincomfort.
SuchwashisfirstvoyagetotheGardens,andyoumaygatherfromtheantiquityofthelanguagethatittookplacealongtimeago.
