The other boys waited outside the room. They wanted Wendy to talk to her parents first. Then the boys counted to five hundred and went inside. They walked up the stairs because they wanted to look like good boys. They stood in a row in front of Mrs. Darling. They took off their hats. They were wearing pirate clothes and they felt a little bit silly. They did not speak. Their eyes asked Mrs. Darling for a home. They forgot to look at Mr. Darling.
Mrs. Darling said yes immediately. She wanted to keep all the boys. But Mr. Darling felt a little bit sad. He thought that six boys was a large number.
"You do not do things in a small way, Wendy," Mr. Darling said. He did not sound very happy.
The twins were a little bit proud. They felt bad because of Mr. Darling’s words. One twin asked if they were too much work. He said they could leave if Mr. Darling wanted.
Wendy was very shocked. She looked at Mr. Darling. Mr. Darling knew he was not being kind. But he could not stop. He was in a bad mood.
"We can sleep in small spaces," Nibs said.
"I will cut their hair myself," Wendy said.
Mrs. Darling was pained. She did not like to see Mr. Darling act this way. Then Mr. Darling began to cry. He told the truth to everyone. He was happy to have the boys. But he wanted the boys to ask him for permission. He felt that he was not important in his own house.
"I think you are important!" Tootles cried.
All the boys agreed with Tootles. Mr. Darling was very happy now. He said they could all stay in the house. He said he would find a place for them in the drawing-room (a large room for sitting and talking with guests).
"We will fit in the room, sir!" the boys said.
Mr. Darling began to dance through the house. The boys cheered and danced after him. They looked for the room. They found corners in the house and they all lived there.
Peter Pan saw Wendy one more time before he flew away. He flew past the window. Wendy opened the window and called to him.
"Hello, Wendy. Goodbye," Peter Pan said.
"Are you going away?" Wendy asked.
Wendy felt very sad. She asked Peter Pan to talk to her parents. She wanted to stay with him. But Peter Pan said no.
Mrs. Darling came to the window. She watched Wendy very closely. She told Peter Pan that she adopted the other boys. She wanted to adopt Peter Pan too.
"Will you send me to school?" Peter Pan asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Darling said.
"Will I work in an office?" Peter Pan asked.
"I think so," Mrs. Darling said.
"Will I be a man soon?" Peter Pan asked.
"Very soon," Mrs. Darling said.
"I do not want to go to school," Peter Pan said. "I do not want to be a man."
Peter Pan did not want to have a beard on his face. Wendy said she would love him even with a beard. Mrs. Darling reached out her arms to him. But Peter Pan moved away. He did not want to grow up.
Peter Pan said he would live with Tinker Bell. They would live in the little house. The fairies would put the house in the trees. Wendy wanted to go with him. But Mrs. Darling held Wendy’s hand tightly.
Mrs. Darling thought that all the fairies were dead. But Wendy explained the truth. A new fairy is born when a baby laughs for the first time. There are always new babies, so there are always new fairies. They live in nests at the tops of trees.
Wendy said Peter Pan would be lonely in the evenings. Peter Pan said he had Tinker Bell. But Tinker Bell was very small. Then Tinker Bell said something mean from around the corner.
"Come with me to the little house," Peter Pan said to Wendy.
"May I go, mother?" Wendy asked.
"No," Mrs. Darling said. "You are home now. I will keep you here."
Wendy said Peter Pan needed a mother. Mrs. Darling said Wendy needed a mother too. Peter Pan looked a little bit sad.
Mrs. Darling made a kind offer. Wendy could visit Peter Pan for one week every year. She could help him with his spring cleaning (a big cleaning of the house when the weather gets warm).
Peter Pan was happy again. He had no sense of time. He was always looking for new adventures. He promised to remember Wendy. Then he flew away into the night. He took a kiss from Mrs. Darling with him.
All the boys went to school. Soon they were like ordinary people. They began to forget how to fly. They did not practice anymore. But the real reason was that they stopped believing.
Michael believed for a long time. He was with Wendy when Peter Pan came back after one year. Wendy flew away with Peter Pan. She wore her dress made of leaves. She was afraid the dress was too short. But Peter Pan did not notice. He only talked about himself.
Wendy wanted to talk about the old times. But Peter Pan had many new adventures. He forgot about the old ones.
"Who is Captain Hook?" Peter Pan asked.
"Do you not remember?" Wendy asked. "You killed him and you saved us."
"I forget people after I kill them," Peter Pan said.
Wendy asked about Tinker Bell. Peter Pan did not remember Tinker Bell. He said there were many fairies. He thought she was dead. Fairies do not live for a long time.
Wendy was sad because Peter Pan forgot so much. But he was still a very interesting boy. They had a lovely time in the house in the trees.
The next year, Peter Pan did not come. Wendy waited in a new dress. But he never arrived. Michael thought that perhaps Peter Pan was not real. They both cried.
Peter Pan came the next year. But he did not know that he missed a year. That was the last time Wendy ever saw him.
The years passed. Wendy grew up and got married. She was a happy woman. All the boys were men now. They worked in offices and carried umbrellas. Michael was an engine-driver (a person who drives a train).
John was a man with a beard. Tootles was a judge (an important person who decides if someone broke the law). Wendy was married in a white dress.
Many years passed. Wendy had a daughter. Her name was Jane. Jane asked many questions about Peter Pan. Wendy told Jane the stories in the nursery.
Mrs. Darling was dead now. Nana the dog was dead too. Nana died of old age. There were only two beds in the nursery now.
One night, Wendy told Jane the story of Peter Pan’s shadow. Jane knew the story very well. She loved to hear about the Neverland.
Wendy told Jane that Peter Pan said, "Wait for me." But Wendy said Peter Pan forgot her. Jane said she heard Peter Pan in her sleep. Wendy was very surprised.
One night in the spring, Wendy sat by the fire. Jane was asleep in her bed. Wendy heard a noise. The window opened. Peter Pan flew into the room.
Peter Pan looked exactly the same. He was still a little boy. But Wendy was a grown woman. She was afraid to move.
"Hello, Wendy," Peter Pan said. He did not see a difference in the dark room.
"Hello, Peter," Wendy said quietly.
Peter Pan asked for John. Wendy said John was not there. Peter Pan looked at Jane in the bed. He thought Jane was Michael.
Wendy told Peter Pan the truth. She was old now. She was a grown woman. Peter Pan was very angry.
"You promised not to grow up!" Peter Pan cried.
Wendy said she could not help it. She was a married woman. She said the girl in the bed was her daughter.
Peter Pan was very sad. He sat on the floor and began to cry. Wendy did not know how to comfort him. She was only a woman now. She went out of the room to think.
Peter Pan continued to cry. The noise woke Jane up. Jane sat up in her bed.
"Boy, why are you crying?" Jane asked.
Peter Pan looked at Jane. He told Jane his name. He said he wanted his mother. He wanted to take her to the Neverland.
"I know," Jane said. "I have been waiting for you."
Wendy came back into the room. She saw Jane flying around the room. Jane was very happy.
"She is my mother now," Peter Pan said to Wendy.
Jane said Peter Pan needed a mother. Wendy was sad, but she understood.
"Goodbye," Peter Pan said to Wendy.
Peter Pan flew out the window. Jane flew with him. Jane said she was going to do the spring cleaning.
Wendy rushed to the window. She watched them fly away. They looked like small stars in the sky.
This happened a long time ago. Jane grew up and had a daughter named Margaret. Every year, Peter Pan comes for Margaret. He takes her to the Neverland. This will happen for a long time. Children will always be happy and innocent.
THE END