10 - Peter Pan by J M Barrie

Peter Pan returns to steal Wendy and her brothers away to a magical land. Together they encounter Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and countless fantastical challenges in this beloved fantasy classic.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Recording by Patrick Seville, Chapter ten, The Happy Home. One
important result of the brush with the pirates on the
lagoon was that it made the Redskins their friends. Peter
had saved Tiger Lily from a dreadful fate, and now
there was nothing she and her braves would not do
for him. All night they sat above, keeping watch over

(00:25):
the home under the ground and awaiting the big attack
by the pirates, which obviously could not be much longer delayed.
Even by day they hung about, smoking the pipe of Peace,
and looking almost as if they wanted tidbits to eat.
They called Peter the Great White Father, prostrating themselves before him,

(00:46):
and he liked this tremendously, so that it was not
really good for him. Footnote prostrating lying down and footnote
the Great White Father, He would say to them, in
a very lord manner, as they groveled at his feet,
is glad to see the piccaninny warriors protecting his wigwam

(01:06):
from the pirates. Me Tiger Lily, that lovely creature, would reply, Peter,
pan save me me? Is really nice? Friend me? No
let pirates hurt him. She was far too pretty to
cringe in this way, But Peter thought it his due,
and he would answer condescendingly, it is good Peter Pan

(01:27):
has spoken. Always when he said Peter Pan has spoken,
it meant that they must now shut up, and they
accepted it humbly in that spirit. But they were by
no means so respectful to the other boys, whom they
looked upon as just ordinary braves. They said, how do
to them? And things like that. And what annoyed the

(01:50):
boys was that Peter seemed to think this was all right. Secretly,
Wendy sympathized with them a little, but she was far
too loyal a housewife to this. To any complaints against father,
Father knows best, she always said, whatever her private opinion
must be, her private opinion was that the Redskins should

(02:10):
not call her a squaw. We have now reached the
evening that was to be known among them as the
Night of Nights because of its adventures and their upshot.
The day as if quietly gathering its forces had been
almost uneventful, And now the Redskins and their blankets were
at their posts above, while below the children were having

(02:34):
their evening meal, all except Peter, who had gone out
to get the time. The way you got the time
on the island was to find the crocodile and then
stay near him till the clock struck. The meal happened
to be a make believe tea, and they sat round
the board guzzling in their greed, and really what with

(02:55):
their chatter and recriminations. The noise, as Wendy said, was
possiblatively deafening. To be sure, she did not mind noise,
but she simply would not have them grabbing things and
then excusing themselves by saying that toodles had pushed their elbow.
There was a fixed rule that they must never hit

(03:16):
back at meals, but should refer the matter of dispute
to Wendy by raising the right arm politely and saying
I complain of so and so. But what usually happened
was that they forgot to do this, or did it
too much silence, cried Wendy for the twentieth time she
had told them that they were not all to speak

(03:38):
at once. Is your mug empty, slightly, darling, Not quite empty,
mummy slightly, said, after looking into an imaginary mug. He
hasn't even begun to drink his milk. Nibs interposed. This
was telling and slightly seized his chance. I complain of nibs,
he cried promptly. John, however, had held up his hand first. Well, John,

(04:05):
may I sit in Peter's chair? I see is not here?
Sit in father's chair? John. Wendy was scandalized. Certainly not
he is not really our father. John answered, he didn't
even know how a father does till they showed him.
This was grumbling, we complain of, John, cried the twins.

(04:26):
Toodles held up his hand. He was so much the
humblest of them. Indeed, he was the only humble one
that Wendy was specially gentle with him. I don't suppose,
Toodles said diffidently that I could be father. Footnote diffidently
bashfully or timidly and footnote no Toodles. Once Tootles began,

(04:51):
which was not very often, he had a silly way
of going on. As I can't be father, he said heavily.
I don't suppose, Michael you would let me be baby. No,
I won't. Michael rapped out. He was already in his basket.
As I can't be baby, Tootles said, getting heavier and

(05:11):
heavier and heavier. Do you think I could be a twin. No, indeed,
replied the twins. It's awfully difficult to be a twin,
as I can't be anything important, said Tootles. Would any
of you like to see me do a trick? No,
they all replied. Then at last he stopped. I hadn't

(05:36):
really any hope, he said. The hateful telling broke out again.
Slightly is coughing on the table. The twins begin with cheesecakes.
Curly is taking both butter and honey. Nibs is speaking
with his mouth full. I complain of the twins, I
complain of Curly, I complain of Nibs. Oh dear, Oh dear,

(05:58):
cried Wendy. I am sure. I sometimes think that spinsters
are to be envied. She told them to clear away
and sat down to her work basket, a heavy load
of stockings and every knee with a hole in it.
As usual, Wendy remonstrated, Michael, I'm too big for a cradle. Footnote, remonstrated, scolded,

(06:21):
and footnote, I must have somebody in a cradle, she said,
almost tartly, and you are the littlest. A cradle is
such a nice homely thing to have about a house.
While she sewed. They played about her. Such a group
of happy faces and dancing limbs, lit up by that
romantic fire. It had become a very familiar scene, this

(06:45):
in the home under the ground, but we are looking
on it for the last time. There was a step above,
and Wendy, you may be sure, was the first to
recognize it. Children, I hear your father's step. He lay
makes you to meet him at the door above. The
redskins crouched before Peter, watch well, braves, I have spoken,

(07:09):
and then, as so often before, the gay children dragged
him from his tree, as so often before, but never again.
He had brought nuts for the boys, as well as
the correct time for Wendy. Peter, you just spoil them,
you know. Wendy simpered footnote simpered, exaggerated, a smile and

(07:31):
a footnote. Ah, old lady, said Peter, hanging up his gun.
It was me, told him. Mothers are called old lady.
Michael whispered to Curly. I complain of Michael, said Curly.
Instantly the first twin came to Peter. Father. You want
to dance, dance away, my little man, said Peter, who

(07:55):
was in high good humor. But we want you to dance.
Peter was really the best dancer among them, but he
pretended to be scandalized. Me my old bones would rattle,
and mummy too, What cried Wendy, the mother of such
an armful dance? But on a Saturday night? Slightly insinuated

(08:22):
it was not really Saturday night. At least it may
have been, for they had long lost count of the days,
but always if they wanted to do anything special, they said,
this was Saturday night, and then they did it. Of course,
it is Saturday night, Peter, Wendy said, relenting people of

(08:43):
our figure, Wendy, But it is only among our own
progeny footnote progeny children and footnote true true. So they
were told they could dance, but they must put on
their nighties first, Ah, lady, Peter said, aside to Wendy,

(09:04):
warming himself by the fire and looking down at her
as she sat turning a heel, there is nothing more
pleasant of an evening for you and me, when the
day's toil is over, than to rest by the fire
with the little ones near by. It is sweet, Peter,
isn't it, Wendy said, frightfully gratified Peter, I think curly

(09:26):
has your nose, Michael takes after you. She went to
him and put her hand on his shoulder. Dear Peter,
she said, with such a large family, of course, I
have now passed my best. But you don't want to
exchange me, do you, no, Wendy, certainly he did not

(09:48):
want a change, but he looked at her uncomfortably, blinking,
you know, like one not sure whether he was awake
or asleep. Peter, what is it? I was just thinking,
he said, a little scared. It is only make believe,
isn't it that I am their father? Oh? Yes, said Wendy.
Primly footnote primly, formally and properly, and footnote you see,

(10:15):
he continued apologetically. It would make me seem so old
to be their real father. But they are ours, Peter,
yours and mine, But not really, Wendy, he asked, anxiously,
Not if you don't wish it, she replied, and she
distinctly heard his sigh of relief. Peter, she asked, trying

(10:38):
to speak firmly, What are your exact feelings about me?
Those of a devoted son? Wendy, I thought so, she said,
and went and sat by herself at the extreme end
of the room. You are so queer, he said, frankly, puzzled,
and Tiger Lily is just the same. There is something

(11:00):
she wants to be to me, but she says it
is not my mother. No, indeed it is not, Wendy
replied with frightful emphasis. Now we know why she was
prejudiced against the Redskins. Then what is it? It isn't for
a lady to tell. Oh, very well, Peter said, a

(11:21):
little nettled. Perhaps tinker Bell will tell me. Oh, yes,
tinker Bell will tell you. Wendy retorted scornfully. She is
an abandoned little creature. Here. Tink, who was in her
bedroom eavesdropping, squeaked out something imprudent. She says she glories
in being abandoned. Peter interpreted he had a sudden idea.

(11:44):
Perhaps Tink wants to be my mother here, silly ass,
cried tinker Bell in a passion. She had said it
so often that Wendy needed no translation. I almost agree
with her, Wendy snapped. Fancy Wendy snap. But she had
been much tried, and she little knew what was to

(12:04):
happen before the night was out. If she had known,
she would not have snapped none of them knew perhaps
it was best not to know. Their ignorance gave them
one more glad hour, and as it was to be
their last hour on the island, let us rejoice that
there were sixty glad minutes in it. They sang and

(12:28):
danced in their night gowns. Such a deliciously creepy song
it was, in which they pretended to be frightened at
their own shadows, while witting that so soon shadows would
close in about them, from whom they would shrink in
real fear. So uproariously gay was the dance, and how

(12:49):
they buffeted each other on the bed and out of it.
It was a pillow fight rather than a dance, And
when it was finished, the pillows insisted on one bout more,
like partners who know that they may never meet again.
The stories they told before it was time for Wendy's
good night story. Even slightly tried to tell a story

(13:12):
that night, But the beginning was so fearfully dull that
it appalled not only the others but himself, And he said, gloomily, yes,
it is a dull beginning, I say, let us pretend
that it is the end. And then, at last, they
all got into bed for Wendy's story, the story they

(13:33):
loved the best, the story Peter hated. Usually, when she
began to tell this story, he left the room or
put his hands over his ears. And possibly if he
had done either of those things this time, they might
all still be on the island. But to night he
remained on his stool, and we shall see what happened.

(13:57):
End of chapter ten, Stoop Stop Stoo