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The Thrush’s Nest
nevertheless,havingfoundajollyharbour,hewasinnotempertodrawofftherefrom,andhewarnedthemiftheysoughttomischiefhimtostandtotheirharms.
Sosaying,heboldlyleaptashore,andtheygatheredaroundhimwithintenttoslayhim,buttherethenaroseagreatcryamongthewomen,anditwasbecausetheyhadnowobservedthathissailwasababy’snightgown.Whereupon,theystraightwaylovedhim,andgrievedthattheirlapsweretoosmall,thewhichIcannotexplain,exceptbysayingthatsuchisthewayofwomen.Themen-fairiesnowsheathedtheirweaponsonobservingthebehaviouroftheirwomen,onwhoseintelligencetheysetgreatstore,andtheyledhimcivillytotheirqueen,whoconferreduponhimthecourtesyoftheGardensafterLock-outTime,andhenceforthPetercouldgowhitherhechose,andthefairieshadorderstoputhimincomfort.
SuchwashisfirstvoyagetotheGardens,andyoumaygatherfromtheantiquityofthelanguagethatittookplacealongtimeago.ButPeternevergrowsanyolder,andifwecouldbewatchingforhimunderthebridgeto-night(but,ofcourse,wecan’t),IdaresayweshouldseehimhoistinghisnightgownandsailingorpaddlingtowardsusintheThrushesNest.Whenhesails,hesitsdown,buthestandsuptopaddle.Ishalltellyoupresentlyhowhegothispaddle.
Longbeforethetimefortheopeningofthegatescomeshestealsbacktotheisland,forpeoplemustnotseehim(heisnotsohumanasallthat),butthisgiveshimhoursforplay,andheplaysexactlyasrealchildrenplay.Atleasthethinksso,anditisoneofthepatheticthingsabouthimthatheoftenplaysquitewrongly.
