It was a child 's spade which he had found near St. Govor 's Well , and he thought it was a paddle . Do you pity Peter Pan for making these mistakes ? If so , I think it rather silly of you . What I mean is that , of course , one must pity him now and then , but to pity him all the time would be impertinence . He thought he had the most splendid time in the Gardens , and to think you have it is almost quite as good as really to have it . He played without ceasing , while you often waste time by being mad-dog or Mary-Annish . He could be neither of these things , for he had never heard of them , but do you think he is to be pitied for that ? Oh , he was merry ! He was as much merrier than you , for instance , as you are merrier than your father . Sometimes he fell , like a spinning-top , from sheer merriment . Have you seen a greyhound leaping the fences of the Gardens ? That is how Peter leaps them . -LSB- Illustration : Fairies are all more or less in hiding until dusk -RSB- And think of the music of his pipe . Gentlemen who walk home at night write to the papers to say they heard a nightingale in the Gardens , but it is really Peter 's pipe they hear . Of course , he had no mother -- at least , what use was she to him ? You can be sorry for him for that , but do n't be too sorry , for the next thing I mean to tell you is how he revisited her . It was the fairies who gave him the chance . -LSB- Illustration : Tailpiece to ` The Thrush 's Nest ' -RSB- -LSB- Illustration : Headpiece to ` Lock-out Time ' -RSB- IV LOCK-OUT TIME It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies , and almost the only thing known for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are children . Long ago children were forbidden the Gardens , and at that time there was not a fairy in the place ; then the children were admitted , and the fairies came trooping in that very evening . They ca n't resist following the children , but you seldom see them , partly because they live in the daytime behind the railings , where you are not allowed to go , and also partly because they are so cunning .
They are not a bit cunning after XXXXX , but until Lock-out , my word !
Gardens Headpiece Lock-out Pan Peter evening impertinence merrier night railings