The Peter Pan Picture Book by Alice B. Woodward

Author:Alice B. Woodward [Daniel O’Connor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2015-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

The baying of a Wolf

* * *

1 This is a good way of scaring away mad bulls and wild animals, bat it is always safer to practise on cows or in the Zoo first.

PART III

THE MERMAIDS’ LAGOON

She was combing her long Tresses

THE MERMAIDS’ LAGOON

ONE fine summer evening Peter, with Wendy and their little family, went down to the Lagoon where the Mermaids lived. The Never-Never-Never-Land, as you see, is full of the most strange and interesting creatures; some of them terrible, like the Pirates, wolves, and crocodiles; others like the fairies and the mermaids altogether beautiful and charming. Wendy and her brothers, who had never seen a real mermaid with a tail, were very much excited, and as luck would have it, just as they arrived at the lagoon, one of them, seated on a rock, was combing her long tresses, on which the sunlight gleamed, until they shone like a mixture of gold and bronze, for they had a beautiful greenish tinge. As she combed her hair, she sang such a wonderful melody that the boys longed to catch her. They instantly dashed into the water, but with a piercing cry of “Mortals !” the Mermaid dived out of their reach into the lowest depths.

“But look ! here is another little mermaid ! Surely we can catch her !” said John Napoleon Darling, and he very nearly did. Mermaids, however, are hard to catch, and when caught, are still harder to hold, John succeeded in getting the little sprite in his hands, but wrigging like an eel, she slipped out of his grasp. Breathless with excitement, the whole band of children clambered on to the rocks, when all at once a cry went up : “The Pirates !” Sure enough a boat was approaching, and in it were seated the two pirate lieutenants, Smee and Starkey. The boys were already swimming to the shore as fast as they could, when to his horror Peter recognized Tiger Lily sitting in the stern tightly bound with ropes. In a flash he guessed what was their intention. The wretches meant to leave her all bound as she was, upon the rock, until the tide came up and drowned her.

Determined to save her, Peter thought of a clever trick. Imitating the wicked Captain’s voice he called out: “Cut her bonds and let her go !” The effect was marvellous : the astonished buccaneers, fearing to disobey their Captain, instantly released Tiger Lily, who leapt into the water and swam towards the boys.

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