It is a blessing that he did not know , for otherwise he would have lost faith in his power to fly , and the moment you doubt whether you can fly , you cease for ever to be able to do it . The reason birds can fly and we ca n't is simply that they have perfect faith , for to have faith is to have wings . Now , except by flying , no one can reach the island in the Serpentine , for the boats of humans are forbidden to land there , and there are stakes round it , standing up in the water , on each of which a bird-sentinel sits by day and night . It was to the island that Peter now flew to put his strange case before old Solomon Caw , and he alighted on it with relief , much heartened to find himself at last at home , as the birds call the island . All of them were asleep , including the sentinels , except Solomon , who was wide awake on one side , and he listened quietly to Peter 's adventures , and then told him their true meaning . ` Look at your nightgown , if you do n't believe me , ' Solomon said ; and with staring eyes Peter looked at his nightgown , and then at the sleeping birds . Not one of them wore anything . ` How many of your toes are thumbs ? ' said Solomon a little cruelly , and Peter saw , to his consternation , that all his toes were fingers . The shock was so great that it drove away his cold . ` Ruffle your feathers , ' said that grim old Solomon , and Peter tried most desperately hard to ruffle his feathers , but he had none . Then he rose up , quaking , and for the first time since he stood on the window ledge , he remembered a lady who had been very fond of him . -LSB- Illustration : Put his strange case before old Solomon Caw -LRB- missing from book -RRB- -RSB- ' I think I shall go back to mother , ' he said , timidly . ` Good-bye , ' replied Solomon Caw with a queer look . But Peter hesitated . ` Why do n't you go ? ' the old one asked politely . ' I suppose , ' said Peter huskily , ' I suppose I can still fly ? ' You see he had lost faith . ` Poor little half-and-half ! '
said XXXXX , who was not really hard-hearted , ` you will never be able to fly again , not even on windy days .
Caw Peter Solomon cold day feathers first half-and-half night nightgown