The Mermaids’ Lagoon

           Ifyoushutyoureyesandarealuckyone,youmayseeattimesashapelesspooloflovelypalecolourssuspendedinthedarkness;thenifyousqueezeyoureyestighter,thepoolbeginstotakeshape,andthecoloursbecomesovividthatwithanothersqueezetheymustgoonfire.Butjustbeforetheygoonfireyouseethelagoon.Thisisthenearestyouevergettoitonthemainland,justoneheavenlymoment;iftherecouldbetwomomentsyoumightseethesurfandhearthemermaidssinging.

           Thechildrenoftenspentlongsummerdaysonthislagoon,swimmingorfloatingmostofthetime,playingthemermaidgamesinthewater,andsoforth.Youmustnotthinkfromthisthatthemermaidswereonfriendlytermswiththem;onthecontrary,itwasamongWendy’slastingregretsthatallthetimeshewasontheislandsheneverhadacivilwordfromoneofthem.Whenshestolesoftlytotheedgeofthelagoonshemightseethembythescore,especiallyonMarooners’Rock,wheretheylovedtobask,combingouttheirhairinalazywaythatquiteirritatedher;orshemightevenswim,ontiptoeasitwere,towithinayardofthem,butthentheysawheranddived,probablysplashingherwiththeirtails,notbyaccident,butintentionally.

           Theytreatedalltheboysinthesameway,exceptofcoursePeter,whochattedwiththemonMarooners’Rockbythehour,andsatontheirtailswhentheygotcheeky.HegaveWendyoneoftheircombs.