Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
"Vegetable?" asked Hook. `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Mineral?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Animal?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Man?" `
` `
` "No!" This answer rang out scornfully. `
` `
` "Boy?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Ordinary boy?" `
` `
` "No!" `
` `
` "Wonderful boy?" `
` `
` To Wendy's pain the answer that rang out this time was "Yes." `
` `
` "Are you in England?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Are you here?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Hook was completely puzzled. "You ask him some questions," he `
` said to the others, wiping his damp brow. `
` `
` Smee reflected. "I can't think of a thing," he said `
` regretfully. `
` `
` "Can't guess, can't guess!" crowed Peter. "Do you give it up?" `
` `
` Of course in his pride he was carrying the game too far, and `
` the miscreants [villains] saw their chance. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," they answered eagerly. `
` `
` "Well, then," he cried, "I am Peter Pan." `
` `
` Pan! `
` `
` In a moment Hook was himself again, and Smee and Starkey were `
` his faithful henchmen. `
` `
` "Now we have him," Hook shouted. "Into the water, Smee. `
` Starkey, mind the boat. Take him dead or alive!" `
` `
` He leaped as he spoke, and simultaneously came the gay voice of `
` Peter. `
` `
` "Are you ready, boys?" `
` `
` "Ay, ay," from various parts of the lagoon. `
` `
` "Then lam into the pirates." `
` `
` The fight was short and sharp. First to draw blood was John, `
` who gallantly climbed into the boat and held Starkey. There was `
` fierce struggle, in which the cutlass was torn from the pirate's `
` grasp. He wriggled overboard and John leapt after him. The `
` dinghy drifted away. `
` `
` Here and there a head bobbed up in the water, and there was a `
` flash of steel followed by a cry or a whoop. In the confusion `
` some struck at their own side. The corkscrew of Smee got Tootles `
` in the fourth rib, but he was himself pinked [nicked] in turn by `
` Curly. Farther from the rock Starkey was pressing Slightly and `
` the twins hard. `
` `
` Where all this time was Peter? He was seeking bigger game. `
` `
` The others were all brave boys, and they must not be blamed for `
` backing from the pirate captain. His iron claw made a circle of `
` dead water round him, from which they fled like affrighted `
` fishes. `
` `
` But there was one who did not fear him: there was one prepared `
` to enter that circle. `
` `
` Strangely, it was not in the water that they met. Hook rose to `
` the rock to breathe, and at the same moment Peter scaled it on `
` the opposite side. The rock was slippery as a ball, and they had `
` to crawl rather than climb. Neither knew that the other was `
` coming. Each feeling for a grip met the other's arm: in `
` surprise they raised their heads; their faces were almost `
` touching; so they met. `
` `
` Some of the greatest heroes have confessed that just before `
` they fell to [began combat] they had a sinking [feeling in the `
` stomach]. Had it been so with Peter at that moment I would admit `
` it. After all, he was the only man that the Sea-Cook had `
` feared. But Peter had no sinking, he had one feeling only, `
` gladness; and he gnashed his pretty teeth with joy. Quick `
` as thought he snatched a knife from Hook's belt and was about to `
` drive it home, when he saw that he was higher up the rock that `
` his foe. It would not have been fighting fair. He gave the `
` pirate a hand to help him up. `
` `
` It was then that Hook bit him. `
` `
` Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. `
` It made him quite helpless. He could only stare, horrified. `
` Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated `
` unfairly. All he thinks he has a right to when he comes to you `
` to be yours is fairness. After you have been unfair to him he `
` will love you again, but will never afterwards be quite the same `
` boy. No one ever gets over the first unfairness; no one except `
` Peter. He often met it, but he always forgot it. I suppose that `
` was the real difference between him and all the rest. `
` `
` So when he met it now it was like the first time; and he could `
` just stare, helpless. Twice the iron hand clawed him. `
` `
` A few moments afterwards the other boys saw Hook in the water `
` striking wildly for the ship; no elation on the pestilent face `
` now, only white fear, for the crocodile was in dogged pursuit of `
` him. On ordinary occasions the boys would have swum alongside `
` cheering; but now they were uneasy, for they had lost both Peter `
` and Wendy, and were scouring the lagoon for them, calling them by `
` name. They found the dinghy and went home in it, shouting `
` "Peter, Wendy" as they went, but no answer came save mocking `
` laughter from the mermaids. "They must be swimming back or `
` flying," the boys concluded. They were not very anxious, because `
` they had such faith in Peter. They chuckled, boylike, because they `
` would be late for bed; and it was all mother Wendy's fault! `
` `
` When their voices died away there came cold silence over the `
` lagoon, and then a feeble cry. `
` `
` "Help, help!" `
` `
` Two small figures were beating against the rock; the girl had `
` fainted and lay on the boy's arm. With a last effort Peter `
` pulled her up the rock and then lay down beside her. Even as he `
` also fainted he saw that the water was rising. He knew that they `
` would soon be drowned, but he could do no more. `
` `
` As they lay side by side a mermaid caught Wendy by the feet, `
` and began pulling her softly into the water. Peter, feeling her `
` slip from him, woke with a start, and was just in time to draw `
` her back. But he had to tell her the truth. `
` `
` "We are on the rock, Wendy," he said, "but it is growing `
` smaller. Soon the water will be over it." `
` `
` She did not understand even now. `
` `
` "We must go," she said, almost brightly. `
` `
` "Yes," he answered faintly. `
` `
` "Shall we swim or fly, Peter?" `
` `
` He had to tell her. `
` `
` "Do you think you could swim or fly as far as the island, `
` Wendy, without my help?" `
` `
` She had to admit that she was too tired. `
` `
` He moaned. `
` `
` "What is it?" she asked, anxious about him at once. `
` `
` "I can't help you, Wendy. Hook wounded me. I can neither fly `
` nor swim." `
` `
` "Do you mean we shall both be drowned?" `
` `
` "Look how the water is rising." `
` `
` They put their hands over their eyes to shut out the sight. `
` They thought they would soon be no more. As they sat thus `
` something brushed against Peter as light as a kiss, and stayed `
` there, as if saying timidly, "Can I be of any use?" `
` `
` It was the tail of a kite, which Michael had made some days `
` before. It had torn itself out of his hand and floated away. `
` `
` "Michael's kite," Peter said without interest, but next moment `
` he had seized the tail, and was pulling the kite toward him. `
` `
` "It lifted Michael off the ground," he cried; "why should it `
` not carry you?" `
` `
` "Both of us!" `
` `
` "It can't lift two; Michael and Curly tried." `
` `
`
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Mineral?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Animal?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Man?" `
` `
` "No!" This answer rang out scornfully. `
` `
` "Boy?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Ordinary boy?" `
` `
` "No!" `
` `
` "Wonderful boy?" `
` `
` To Wendy's pain the answer that rang out this time was "Yes." `
` `
` "Are you in England?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "Are you here?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Hook was completely puzzled. "You ask him some questions," he `
` said to the others, wiping his damp brow. `
` `
` Smee reflected. "I can't think of a thing," he said `
` regretfully. `
` `
` "Can't guess, can't guess!" crowed Peter. "Do you give it up?" `
` `
` Of course in his pride he was carrying the game too far, and `
` the miscreants [villains] saw their chance. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," they answered eagerly. `
` `
` "Well, then," he cried, "I am Peter Pan." `
` `
` Pan! `
` `
` In a moment Hook was himself again, and Smee and Starkey were `
` his faithful henchmen. `
` `
` "Now we have him," Hook shouted. "Into the water, Smee. `
` Starkey, mind the boat. Take him dead or alive!" `
` `
` He leaped as he spoke, and simultaneously came the gay voice of `
` Peter. `
` `
` "Are you ready, boys?" `
` `
` "Ay, ay," from various parts of the lagoon. `
` `
` "Then lam into the pirates." `
` `
` The fight was short and sharp. First to draw blood was John, `
` who gallantly climbed into the boat and held Starkey. There was `
` fierce struggle, in which the cutlass was torn from the pirate's `
` grasp. He wriggled overboard and John leapt after him. The `
` dinghy drifted away. `
` `
` Here and there a head bobbed up in the water, and there was a `
` flash of steel followed by a cry or a whoop. In the confusion `
` some struck at their own side. The corkscrew of Smee got Tootles `
` in the fourth rib, but he was himself pinked [nicked] in turn by `
` Curly. Farther from the rock Starkey was pressing Slightly and `
` the twins hard. `
` `
` Where all this time was Peter? He was seeking bigger game. `
` `
` The others were all brave boys, and they must not be blamed for `
` backing from the pirate captain. His iron claw made a circle of `
` dead water round him, from which they fled like affrighted `
` fishes. `
` `
` But there was one who did not fear him: there was one prepared `
` to enter that circle. `
` `
` Strangely, it was not in the water that they met. Hook rose to `
` the rock to breathe, and at the same moment Peter scaled it on `
` the opposite side. The rock was slippery as a ball, and they had `
` to crawl rather than climb. Neither knew that the other was `
` coming. Each feeling for a grip met the other's arm: in `
` surprise they raised their heads; their faces were almost `
` touching; so they met. `
` `
` Some of the greatest heroes have confessed that just before `
` they fell to [began combat] they had a sinking [feeling in the `
` stomach]. Had it been so with Peter at that moment I would admit `
` it. After all, he was the only man that the Sea-Cook had `
` feared. But Peter had no sinking, he had one feeling only, `
` gladness; and he gnashed his pretty teeth with joy. Quick `
` as thought he snatched a knife from Hook's belt and was about to `
` drive it home, when he saw that he was higher up the rock that `
` his foe. It would not have been fighting fair. He gave the `
` pirate a hand to help him up. `
` `
` It was then that Hook bit him. `
` `
` Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. `
` It made him quite helpless. He could only stare, horrified. `
` Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated `
` unfairly. All he thinks he has a right to when he comes to you `
` to be yours is fairness. After you have been unfair to him he `
` will love you again, but will never afterwards be quite the same `
` boy. No one ever gets over the first unfairness; no one except `
` Peter. He often met it, but he always forgot it. I suppose that `
` was the real difference between him and all the rest. `
` `
` So when he met it now it was like the first time; and he could `
` just stare, helpless. Twice the iron hand clawed him. `
` `
` A few moments afterwards the other boys saw Hook in the water `
` striking wildly for the ship; no elation on the pestilent face `
` now, only white fear, for the crocodile was in dogged pursuit of `
` him. On ordinary occasions the boys would have swum alongside `
` cheering; but now they were uneasy, for they had lost both Peter `
` and Wendy, and were scouring the lagoon for them, calling them by `
` name. They found the dinghy and went home in it, shouting `
` "Peter, Wendy" as they went, but no answer came save mocking `
` laughter from the mermaids. "They must be swimming back or `
` flying," the boys concluded. They were not very anxious, because `
` they had such faith in Peter. They chuckled, boylike, because they `
` would be late for bed; and it was all mother Wendy's fault! `
` `
` When their voices died away there came cold silence over the `
` lagoon, and then a feeble cry. `
` `
` "Help, help!" `
` `
` Two small figures were beating against the rock; the girl had `
` fainted and lay on the boy's arm. With a last effort Peter `
` pulled her up the rock and then lay down beside her. Even as he `
` also fainted he saw that the water was rising. He knew that they `
` would soon be drowned, but he could do no more. `
` `
` As they lay side by side a mermaid caught Wendy by the feet, `
` and began pulling her softly into the water. Peter, feeling her `
` slip from him, woke with a start, and was just in time to draw `
` her back. But he had to tell her the truth. `
` `
` "We are on the rock, Wendy," he said, "but it is growing `
` smaller. Soon the water will be over it." `
` `
` She did not understand even now. `
` `
` "We must go," she said, almost brightly. `
` `
` "Yes," he answered faintly. `
` `
` "Shall we swim or fly, Peter?" `
` `
` He had to tell her. `
` `
` "Do you think you could swim or fly as far as the island, `
` Wendy, without my help?" `
` `
` She had to admit that she was too tired. `
` `
` He moaned. `
` `
` "What is it?" she asked, anxious about him at once. `
` `
` "I can't help you, Wendy. Hook wounded me. I can neither fly `
` nor swim." `
` `
` "Do you mean we shall both be drowned?" `
` `
` "Look how the water is rising." `
` `
` They put their hands over their eyes to shut out the sight. `
` They thought they would soon be no more. As they sat thus `
` something brushed against Peter as light as a kiss, and stayed `
` there, as if saying timidly, "Can I be of any use?" `
` `
` It was the tail of a kite, which Michael had made some days `
` before. It had torn itself out of his hand and floated away. `
` `
` "Michael's kite," Peter said without interest, but next moment `
` he had seized the tail, and was pulling the kite toward him. `
` `
` "It lifted Michael off the ground," he cried; "why should it `
` not carry you?" `
` `
` "Both of us!" `
` `
` "It can't lift two; Michael and Curly tried." `
` `
`