Peter Pan measured Wendy Darling, John Darling, and Michael Darling for their trees. He used hollow (empty inside) trees for this. Every boy needed a tree that fit his body perfectly. This was important because the boys used the trees to go into their home.
If the tree fit you, you could move up and down easily. To go down, you took a deep breath. Then you fell down at the right speed. To go up, you breathed in and out. Then you moved your body up the tree.
Peter Pan was very careful with the measurements. He measured the children like a tailor makes a suit. Sometimes a child wore more clothes to fit the tree. Other times, Peter Pan changed the shape of the child. Wendy Darling and Michael Darling fit their trees quickly, but John Darling needed some changes.
After a few days, the children could move very fast. They loved their home under the ground. It was one large room. The floor was made of dirt, and you could dig in it. Large mushrooms (a type of fungus that looks like a small umbrella) grew from the floor. The children used these mushrooms as chairs.
A tree tried to grow in the middle of the room. Every morning, the boys sawed the tree trunk. By the afternoon, it was two feet high. They put a flat door on top of the trunk. This was their table. After they finished their tea, they sawed the tree again to make more space for play.
There was a large fireplace in the room. Wendy Darling put strings across the room to dry the clothes. During the day, the bed was against the wall. At half past six, they put the bed on the floor. It was very big and filled half the room.
All the boys slept in the big bed together. They were very close like fish in a tin. They could not turn over until someone gave a signal. Michael Darling was the smallest boy, so he was different. He slept in a basket on the wall.
There was a small hole in the wall. This was the private room of Tinker Bell. It was very small and beautiful. She had a tiny curtain for privacy. She always closed the curtain when she changed her clothes.
Tinker Bell was very proud of her room. She had a small bed and a mirror. She had a tiny chandelier (a beautiful light that hangs from the ceiling). Tinker Bell thought the rest of the house was ugly and simple.
Wendy Darling was very busy because she looked after the boys. She stayed under the ground for many weeks. She cooked every day. Sometimes the food was real, but sometimes it was make-believe (not real, only part of a game).
Peter Pan loved games. If the food was part of a game, Peter Pan ate a lot. If the food was real but not a game, he did not want to eat. Wendy Darling watched the boys carefully. She wanted them to stay the same size so they could fit in their trees.
Wendy Darling liked to sew when the boys were asleep. She fixed the holes in their socks. She fixed the knees of their trousers. Sometimes she felt very tired. She said she was lucky to have her boys, but she also wanted to rest.
Wendy Darling had a pet wolf. The wolf found Wendy Darling on the island. Now the wolf followed Wendy Darling everywhere. It loved Wendy Darling very much and stayed near her.
Wendy Darling did not worry about her father and mother. She was sure the window at home was always open. She thought she could fly back any time she wanted. But John Darling began to forget their parents. Michael Darling even thought Wendy Darling was his real mother.
This made Wendy Darling worried. She wanted the boys to remember their old life. She gave them examinations (school tests with questions). The boys sat at the table and wrote on slates (small boards for writing with a special pencil).
Wendy Darling asked many questions about their home. What was the color of Mother’s eyes? Who was taller, Father or Mother? Describe Mother’s party dress. Many boys could not answer the questions. They put a cross on the board because they forgot.
Slightly tried to answer every question. But his answers were very silly. He was the last boy in the class. Peter Pan did not do the tests. He did not like mothers. Also, Peter Pan could not read or write a single word.
Peter Pan often had adventures. But sometimes he invented a new game. He pretended that they were not on an island. They sat on chairs and played with balls. They went for walks and did not fight anyone. Peter Pan looked very serious during this game.
Peter Pan often went out alone. When he came home, Wendy Darling did not know if his stories were true. Sometimes he had a bandage (a piece of cloth for an injury) on his head. Wendy Darling washed his head with warm water. He told a great story, but she was never sure about it.
There were many adventures on the island. One time, they fought with the Indians (the native people of the island). Peter Pan changed sides in the middle of the fight. He wanted the fight to be more exciting for everyone.
We could tell many stories about the boys. We could talk about the attack on the house. We could talk about how Peter Pan saved Tiger Lily. We could also talk about the poison cake from the pirates (bad men who rob ships at sea).
There was a story about a bird on a nest in the water. There was also a story about Tinker Bell. She tried to send Wendy Darling away on a large leaf. But the leaf broke and Wendy Darling swam back. Peter Pan also fought lions on the island.
We must choose one story to tell next. I will throw a coin to decide. The lagoon (a lake of salt water near the sea) won the choice. So, the next story is about the lagoon.