Пітер Пен у Кенсінгтонському Саді

           ’No.’

           ’WhatshallIbe?’

           ’YouwillbeaBetwixt-and-Between,’Solomonsaid,andcertainlyhewasawiseoldfellow,forthatisexactlyhowitturnedout.

           Thebirdsontheislandnevergotusedtohim.Hisodditiestickledthemeveryday,asiftheywerequitenew,thoughitwasreallythebirdsthatwerenew.Theycameoutoftheeggsdaily,andlaughedathimatonce;thenofftheysoonflewtobehumans,andotherbirdscameoutofothereggs;andsoitwentonforever.Thecraftymother-birds,whentheytiredofsittingontheireggs,usedtogettheyoungonestobreaktheirshellsadaybeforetherighttimebywhisperingtothemthatnowwastheirchancetoseePeterwashingordrinkingoreating.Thousandsgatheredroundhimdailytowatchhimdothesethings,justasyouwatchthepeacocks,andtheyscreamedwithdelightwhenheliftedthecruststheyflunghimwithhishandsinsteadofintheusualwaywiththemouth.AllhisfoodwasbroughttohimfromtheGardensatSolomon’sordersbythebirds.Hewouldnoteatwormsorinsects(whichtheythoughtverysillyofhim),sotheybroughthimbreadintheirbeaks.Thus,whenyoucryout,’Greedy!Greedy!’tothebirdthatfliesawaywiththebigcrust,youknownowthatyououghtnottodothis,forheisverylikelytakingittoPeterPan.

           Peterworenonightgownnow.Yousee,thebirdswerealwaysbegginghimforbitsofittolinetheirnestswith,and,beingverygood-natured,hecouldnotrefuse,sobySolomon’sadvicehehadhiddenwhatwasleftofit.But,thoughhewasnowquitenaked,youmustnotthinkthathewascoldorunhappy.