Peter Pan - The Mermaid's Lagoon

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Lizzie old Father Peter
Pan by J. M.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Barry, Chapter eight, The Mermaid's Lagoon. If you shut your
eyes and are a lucky one, you may see at
times a shapeless pool of lovely, pale colors suspended in
the darkness. Then if you squeeze your eyes tighter, the
pool begins to take shape, and the colors become so

(00:40):
vivid that with another squeeze they must go on fire.
But just before they go on fire, you see the lagoon.
This is the nearest you ever get to it on
the mainland, just one heavenly moment. If there could be
two moments, you might see the surf and hear the
mermaids singing. The children often spent long summer days on
this lagoon, swimming or floating, most of the time, playing

(01:02):
the mermaid games in the water, and so forth. You
must not think from this that the mermaids were on
friendly terms with them. On the contrary, it was among
Wendy's lasting regrets that all the time she was on
the island. She never had a civil word from one
of them. When she stole softly to the edge of
the lagoon. She might see them by the score, especially
on Marooner's Rock, where they loved to bask, combing out

(01:25):
their hair in a lazy way that quite irritated her.
Or she might even swim on tiptoe, as it were,
to within a yard of them. But then they saw
her and dived, probably splashing her with their tails, not
by accident but intentionally. They treated all the boys in
the same way, except, of course Peter, who chatted with
them on Marooner's Rock by the hour and sat on

(01:47):
their tails. When they got cheeky, he gave Wendy one
of their combs. The most haunting time at which to
see them is at the turn of the moon, when
they utter strange wailing cries. But the lagoon is dangerous
for mortals. Then and until the evening, of which we
now have to tell, Wendy had never seen the lagoon
by moonlight, less from fear, for of course Peter would

(02:10):
have accompanied her than because she had strict rules about
every one being in bed by seven, she was often
at the lagoon. However, on sunny days after rain when
the mermaids come up in extraordinary numbers to play with
their bubbles. The bubbles of many colors made in the
rainbow water they treat as balls, hitting them gaily from
one to another with their tails and trying to keep

(02:32):
them in the rainbow until they burst. The goals are
at each end of the rainbow, and the keepers only
are allowed to use their hands. Sometimes a dozen of
these games will be going on in the lagoon at
a time, and it is quite a pretty sight. But
the moment the children tried to join in, they had
to play by themselves, for the mermaids immediately disappeared. Nevertheless,

(02:54):
we have proof that they secretly watched the interlopers and
were not above taking an idea from them, for John
introduced a new way of hitting the bubble with the
head instead of the hand, and the mermaids adopted it.
This is the one mark that John has left on
the Neverland. It must also have been rather pretty to
see the children resting on a rock for half an

(03:14):
hour after their midday meal. Wendy insisted on their doing this,
and it had to be a real rest, even though
the meal was make believe so they lay there in
the sun and their bodies glistened in it, while she
sat beside them and looked important. It was one such day,
and they were all on Marooner's Rock. The rock was
not much larger than their great bed, but of course

(03:37):
they all knew how not to take up much room,
and they were dozing, or at least lying with their
eyes shut, and pinching occasionally when they thought Wendy was
not looking. She was very busy stitching. While she stitched,
a change came to the lagoon. Little shivers ran over it,
and the sun went away, and shadows stole across the water,

(03:59):
turning it cold. Wendy could no longer see to thread
her needle, and when she looked up, the lagoon that
had always hitherto been such a laughing place seemed formidable
and unfriendly. It was not She knew that night had come,
but something as dark as night had come, no worse

(04:19):
than that it had not come, but it had sent
that shiver through the sea to say that it was coming.
What was it? There crowded upon her all the stories
she had been told of Marooner's Rock, so called because
evil captains put sailors on it and leave them there
to drown. They drown when the tide rises, for then

(04:40):
it is submerged. Of course, she should have roused the
children at once, not merely because of the unknown that
was stalking towards them, but because it was no longer
good for them to sleep on a rock grown chilly.
But she was a young mother, and she did not
know this. She thought, you simply must stick to your rule.
About half an hour after the midday meal. So though

(05:03):
fear was upon her, and she longed to hear male voices,
she would not waken them. Even when she heard the
sound of muffled oars. Though her heart was in her mouth,
she did not waken them. She stood over them to
let them have their sleep out. Was it not brave
of Wendy? It was well for those boys then, that
there was one among them who could sniff danger even

(05:24):
in his sleep. Peter Sprang erect as wide awake at
once as a dog, and with one warning cry, he
roused the others. He stood motionless, one hand to his ear.
Pirates he cried. The others came closer to him. A
strange smile was playing about his face, and Wendy saw
it and shuddered. While that smile was on his face,

(05:48):
no one dared address him. All they could do was
stand ready to obey. The order came sharp and incisive. Dive.
There was a gleam of legs, and instantly theagoon seemed deserted.
Marooner's Rock stood alone in the forbidding waters, as if
it were itself marooned. The boat drew nearer. It was

(06:09):
the pirate dinghy, with three figures in her smee and Starkey,
and the third a captive no other than tiger Lily.
Her hands and ankles were tied, and she knew what
was to be her fate. She was to be left
on the rock to perish, an end to one of
her race more terrible than death by fire or torture.
For is it not written in the book of the

(06:29):
tribe that there is no path through water to the
happy hunting ground. Yet her face was impassive. She was
the daughter of a chief. She must die as a
chief's daughter. It is enough they had caught her boarding
the pirate ship with a knife in her mouth. No
watch was kept on the ship, it being Hook's boast
that the wind of his name guarded the ship for

(06:50):
a mile around. Now her fate would help to guard it. Also,
one more whale would go round in that wind by night.
In the gloom that they brought with them, the two
pirates did not see the rock till they crashed into it.
Luff you lubber, cried an Irish voice that was Smee's.
Here's the rock now, then what we have to do

(07:10):
is hoist the red skin on to it and leave
her here to drown. It was the work of one
brutal moment to land the beautiful girl on the rock.
She was too proud to offer a vain resistance. Quite
near the rock, but out of sight, two heads were
bobbing up and down, Peter's and Wendy's. Wendy was crying,

(07:31):
for it was the first tragedy she had seen. Peter
had seen many tragedies, but he had forgotten them all.
He was less sorry than Wendy for Tiger Lily. It
was two against one that angered him, and he meant
to save her. An easy way would have been to
wait until the pirates had gone, but he was never
one to choose the easy way. There was almost nothing

(07:51):
he could not do. He now imitated the voice of Hook. Ahoy,
there you lubbers, he called. It was a marvelous imitation,
the captain said, the pirates staring at each other in surprise.
He must be swimming out to us, Starkey said, when
they had looked for him in vain. We are putting

(08:11):
the red skin on the rock. Smee called out, set
her free. Came the astonishing answer free, yes, cut her
bonds and let her go. But captain, at once, d'ye hear,
cried Peter, or I'll plunge my hook, and to you
this is queer. Smee gasped. Better do what the captain orders,

(08:35):
said Starkey nervously. Ay ay, Smee said, and he cut
Tiger Lily's cords at once. Like an eel, she slid
between Starkey's legs into the water. Of course, Wendy was
very elated over Peter's cleverness, but she knew that he
would be elated also, and very likely crow and thus
betray himself. So at once her hand went out to

(08:56):
cover his mouth, but it was stayed even in the act.
For boat a hoy rang over the lagoon in Hook's voice,
and this time it was not Peter who had spoken
Peter may have been about to crow, but his face
puckered in a whistle of surprise instead. Boat A hoy, again,
came the voice. Now Wendy understood the real hook was

(09:18):
also in the water. He was swimming to the boat,
and as his men showed a light to guide him,
he had soon reached them. In the light of the lantern,
Wendy saw his hook grip the boat's side. She saw
his evil, swarthy face as he rose, dripping from the
water and quaking. She would have liked to swim away,
but Peter would not budge. He was tingling with life

(09:40):
and also top heavy with Conceit. Am I not a wonder?
Oh I am a wonder, he whispered to her, And
though she thought so also, she was really glad for
the sake of his reputation, that no one heard him
except himself. He signed to her to listen. The two
pirates were very curious to know what had brought their
captain to them, but he sat with his head on

(10:00):
his hook in a position of profound melancholy. Captain is
all well, they asked timidly, but he answered with a
hollow moan. He sighs, said Smee He sighs, again, said Starkey,
And yet a third time he sighs, said Smee. Then
at last he spoke passionately. The game's up, he cried.

(10:24):
Those boys have found a mother. Affrighted though she was,
Wendy swelled with pride. Oh, evil day, cried Starkey. What's
a mother, asked the ignorant Smee. Wendy was so shocked
that she exclaimed, he doesn't know. And always after this
she felt that if you could have a pet pirate,

(10:44):
Smee would be her one. Peter pulled her beneath the water,
for Hook had started up, crying, what was that? I heard? Nothing,
said Starkey, raising the lantern over the waters. And as
the pirates looked, they saw a strange sight. It was
the nest I have told you of, floating on the lagoon,
and the never bird was sitting on it. See, said

(11:06):
Hook in answer to Smee's question, that is a mother?
What a lesson? The nest must have fallen into the water.
But would the mother desert her eggs?

Speaker 1 (11:14):
No?

Speaker 2 (11:15):
There was a break in his voice, as if for
a moment he recalled innocent days when, but he brushed
away this weakness with his Hook. Smee, much impressed, gazed
at the bird as the nest was borne past. But
the more suspicious Starkey said, if she is a mother,
perhaps she is hanging about here to help Peter. Hook
winced aye, he said, that is the fear that haunts me.

(11:41):
He was roused from this dejection by Smee's eager voice.
Captain said, smee, could we not kidnap these boys mother
and make her our mother. It is a princely scheme,
cried Hook, and at once it took practical shape in
his great brain. We will seize the children and carry
them to the boat. The boys we will make walk

(12:02):
the plank, and Wendy shall be our mother again. Wendy
forgot herself never She cried and bobbed. What was that?
But they could see nothing. They thought it must have
been a leaf in the wind. Do you agree, my bullies,
asked Hook. There's my hand on it, they both said,
and there's my hook swear, they all swore. By this

(12:27):
time they were on the rock, and suddenly Hook remembered
tiger lily. Where's the redskin? He demanded abruptly. He had
a playful humor at moments, and they thought this was
one of the moments. That's all right, Captain Smee answered complacently.
We let her go. Let her go, cried Hook. Twas

(12:49):
your own orders. The bowsun faltered. You called over the
water to us to let her go, said Starkey. Brimstone
and Gall thundered Hook, what couzining going on here? His
face had gone black with rage, but he saw that
they believed their words, and he was startled. Lads, he said,

(13:09):
shaking a little. I gave no such order. It is passing, queer,
Smee said, and they all fidgeted uncomfortably. Hook raised his voice,
but there was a quiver in it, spirit that haunts
this dark lagoon to night. He cried, dost hear me?

(13:30):
Of course Peter should have kept quiet, but of course
he did not. He immediately answered, in Hook's voice, odds, bobs,
hammer and tongs, I hear you. In that supreme moment,
Hook did not blanch even at the gills, but Smee
and Starkey clung to each other in terror. Who are you, stranger, speak,

(13:50):
Hook demanded, I am James, Hook replied the voice captain
of the Jolly Roger. You are not you are not,
Hook cried, hoarsely, brimstone and gall. The voice retorted, Say
that again, and I'll cast anchor in you. Hook tried
a more ingratiating manner. If you are hook, he said,

(14:13):
almost humbly, Come tell me who am I? A codfish?
Replied the voice, Only a codfish? A codfish? Hook echoed blankly.
And it was then, but not till then, that his
proud spirit broke. He saw his men draw back from him.
Have we been captained all this time by a codfish?

(14:35):
They muttered? It is lowering to our pride. They were
his dogs, snapping at him. But tragic figure though he
had become, he scarcely heeded them against such fearful evidence.
It was not their belief in him that he needed.
It was his own. He felt his ego slipping from him.
Don't desert me, bully, he whispered hoarsely to it. In

(14:58):
his dark nature, there was a touch of the fe
as in all the great pirates, and it sometimes gave
him intuitions. Suddenly he tried the guessing game. Hook. He called,
have you another voice? Now? Peter could never resist a game,
and he answered, blithely, in his own voice, I have

(15:19):
and another name, Ay Ay, vegetable, asked Hook, No, mineral,
no animal? Yes, man no. This answer rang out scornfully boy, yes,

(15:39):
ordinary boy, no, wonderful boy. To Wendy's pain, the answer
that rang out this time was yes. Are you in England?

Speaker 1 (15:52):
No?

Speaker 2 (15:54):
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

(16:17):
was carrying the game too far, and the miscreants 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,

(16:40):
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?

Speaker 1 (16:51):
Ay?

Speaker 2 (16:51):
From various parts of the lagoon, the lamb 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 left
after him. The dinghy drifted away. Here and there a

(17:13):
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 and turned by Curly. Further up
the rock, Starkey was pressing slightly in the twins hard,
where all this time was Peter. He was seeking bigger game.

(17:36):
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 fish's. 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,

(17:58):
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

(18:21):
greatest heroes have confessed that just before they fell too,
they had a sinking. 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.

(18:42):
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 than 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

(19:03):
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,

(19:23):
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

(19:45):
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

(20:06):
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

(20:27):
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

(20:48):
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 maid 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

(21:10):
had to tell her the truth. We're 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,

(21:34):
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.

(21:55):
Do you mean we shall both be drowned? Look how
the water's 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

(22:16):
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?

(22:37):
I can't lift two Michael, and curly tried let us
draw lots. Wendy said, bravely, and you a lady. Never
already he had tied the tail round her. She clung
to him. She refused to go without him, but with
a good bye Wendy, he pushed her from the rock
and In a few minutes, she was borne out of
his sight. Peter was alone on the lagoon. The rock

(23:02):
was very small now soon it would be submerged. Pale
rays of light tiptoed across the waters, and by and
by there was to be heard a sound, at once
the most musical and the most melancholy in the world,
the mermaids calling to the moon. Peter was not quite
like other boys, but he was afraid. At last, A

(23:24):
tremor ran through him, like a shudder passing over the sea.
But on the sea, one shudder follows another till there
are hundreds of them, and Peter felt just the one.
Next moment, he was standing erect on the rock again,
with that smile on his face and a drum beating
within him. It was saying, to die will be an
awfully big adventure.

Speaker 1 (23:46):
End of Chapter eight