It was merely that the fairies took him . Some people think that there are no fairies . Cousin Cramchild tells little folks so in his Conversations . Well , perhaps there are none -- in Boston , U.S. , where he was raised . There are only a clumsy lot of spirits there , who ca n't make people hear without thumping on the table : but they get their living thereby , and I suppose that is all they want . And Aunt Agitate , in her Arguments on political economy , says there are none . Well , perhaps there are none -- in her political economy . But it is a wide world , my little man -- and thank Heaven for it , for else , between crinolines and theories , some of us would get squashed -- and plenty of room in it for fairies , without people seeing them ; unless , of course , they look in the right place . The most wonderful and the strongest things in the world , you know , are just the things which no one can see . There is life in you ; and it is the life in you which makes you grow , and move , and think : and yet you ca n't see it . And there is steam in a steam-engine ; and that is what makes it move : and yet you ca n't see it ; and so there may be fairies in the world , and they may be just what makes the world go round to the old tune of `` C'est l'amour , l'amour , l'amour Qui fait la monde a la ronde : '' and yet no one may be able to see them except those whose hearts are going round to that same tune . At all events , we will make believe that there are fairies in the world . It will not be the last time by many a one that we shall have to make believe . And yet , after all , there is no need for that . There must be fairies ; for this is a fairy tale : and how can one have a fairy tale if there are no fairies ? You do n't see the logic of that ? Perhaps not . Then please not to see the logic of a great many arguments exactly like it , which you will hear before your beard is gray . The kind old dame came back at twelve , when school was over , to look at Tom : but there was no Tom there . She looked about for his footprints ; but the ground was so hard that there was no slot , as they say in dear old North Devon .
And if you grow up XXXXX be a brave healthy man , you may know some day what no slot means , and know too , I hope , what a slot does mean -- a broad slot , with blunt claws , which makes a man put out his cigar , and set his teeth , and tighten his girths , when he sees it ; and what his rights mean , if he has them , brow , bay , tray , and points ; and see something worth seeing between Haddon Wood and Countisbury Cliff , with good Mr. Palk Collyns to show you the way , and mend your bones as fast as you smash them .
At between by for in like of on that to