ChapterI.PETERBREAKS
Durch
THROUGHAllchildren,exceptone,grow
auf
up.Theysoonknowthatthey
werden
willgrowup,andtheweise
wayWendyknewwasthis.Oneday
als
whenshewastwoyearsalt
oldshewasplayinginagarden,und
andshepluckedanotherflowerund
andranwithittohermutter
mother.Isupposeshemust
haben
havelookedratherdelightful,forMrs.Darlingputherhand
handtoherheartandcried,“Oh,warum
whycan’tyouremainlikethisforever!”Thiswasall
dass
thatpassedbetweenthemondas
thesubject,buthenceforthWendyknewdass
thatshemustgrowup.Youalwaysknowafteryouare
zwei
two.Twoisthebeginningof
der
theend.Ofcoursethey
lebten
livedat14,anduntilWendykam
camehermotherwasthechiefone.Shewas
eine
alovelylady,witharomanticverstand
mindandsuchasweetmockingmouth.Herromantic
geist
mindwaslikethetinyboxes,eine
onewithintheother,thatkommen
comefromthepuzzlingEast,howeverviele
manyyoudiscoverthereisalwayseine
onemore;andhersweetmockingmouthhadonekissonitthatWendy
konnte
couldneverget,thoughthereitwas,perfectlyconspicuousintheright-handcorner.Die
ThewayMr.Darlingwonherwasdiese
this:themanygentlemenwhohadbeenboys
als
whenshewasagirldiscoveredsimultaneouslythattheylovedihr
her,andtheyallrantoherhaus
housetoproposetoherexceptMr.Darling,whotookein
acabandnippedinzuerst
first,andsohegotihr
her.Hegotallof
ihr
her,excepttheinnermostboxund
andthekiss.Heneverknewabout
der
thebox,andintimehegaveauf
uptryingforthekiss.Wendy
dachte
thoughtNapoleoncouldhavegotes
it,butIcanpicturehimversuchte
trying,andthengoingoffinapassion,slammingdie
thedoor.Mr.
DarlingusedtoboasttoWendy
dass
thathermothernotonlylovedhimsondern
butrespectedhim.Hewas
einer
oneofthosedeeponeswhoknowaboutstocksandshares.Ofcoursenoone
wirklich
reallyknows,buthequiteseemedtowissen
know,andheoftensaidstockswereupund
andsharesweredowninaweise
waythatwouldhavemadejede
anywomanrespecthim.Mrs.
Darlingwas
verheiratet
marriedinwhite,andatfirstshekeptdie
thebooksperfectly,almostgleefully,asob
ifitwereagame,notsosehr
muchasaBrusselssproutwasmissing;aber
butbyandbywholecauliflowersdroppedout,und
andinsteadofthemtherewerepicturesofbabiesohne
withoutfaces.Shedrewthem
als
whensheshouldhavebeentottingup.TheywereMrs.Darling’sguesses.
Wendy
kam
camefirst,thenJohn,thenMichael.Foraweekor
zwei
twoafterWendycameitwasdoubtfulwhethertheywouldbein der lage
abletokeepher,asshewasanothermouthtofeed.Mr.Darlingwasfrightfullyproudof
ihre
her,buthewasveryhonourable,und
andhesatontheedgeofMrs.Darling’sbed,hielt
holdingherhandandcalculatingexpenses,während
whileshelookedathimimploringly.Shewantedtorisk
es
it,comewhatmight,butthatwasnothisart
way;hiswaywaswithapencil
und
andapieceofpaper,und
andifsheconfusedhimwithsuggestionshehadtobeginatthebeginningwieder
again.“Nowdon’tinterrupt,”hewouldbegofher.
“Ihaveonepoundseventeen
hier
here,andtwoandsixatthebüro
office;Icancutoffmy
kaffee
coffeeattheoffice,sayzehn
tenshillings,makingtwonineund
andsix,withyoureighteenund
andthreemakesthreenineseven,withfünf
fivenaughtnaughtinmycheque-bookmakeseightnineseven—whoisthatmoving?—eightnineseven,dotund
andcarryseven—don’tspeak,myown—andthepoundyoulenttothatmann
manwhocametothedoor—quiet,child—dotund
andcarrychild—there,you’vedoneit!—didIsagen
sayninenineseven?yes,Isaidninenineseven;
die
thequestionis,canwetryitforein
ayearonninenineseven?”“Ofcoursewe
können
can,George,”shecried.ButshewasprejudicedinWendy’sfavour,
und
andhewasreallythegrandercharacterofder
thetwo.“Remembermumps,”hewarnedher
fast
almostthreateningly,andoffheging
wentagain.“Mumpsonepound,
so
thatiswhatIhaveputdown,aber
butIdaresayitwillbemehr
morelikethirtyshillings—don’tspeak—measlesonefünf
five,Germanmeasleshalfaguinea,makeszwei
twofifteensix—don’twaggleyourfinger—whooping-cough,sagen
sayfifteenshillings”—andsoonitwent,und
anditaddedupdifferentlyeachtime;aber
butatlastWendyjustgotdurch
through,withmumpsreducedtotwelvesechs
six,andthetwokindsofmeaslestreatedaseine
one.Therewasthesameexcitement
über
overJohn,andMichaelhadsogar
evenanarrowersqueak;but
beide
bothwerekept,andsoon,youmighthavesehen
seenthethreeofthemgehen
goinginarowtoMissFulsom’sKindergartenschool,accompaniedbytheirnurse.Mrs.
Darlinglovedtohave
alles
everythingjustso,andMr.Darlinghadeine
apassionforbeingexactlylikehisneighbours;so,ofcourse,theyhad
eine
anurse.Astheywere
arm
poor,owingtotheamountofmilkthekinder
childrendrank,thisnursewasein
aprimNewfoundlanddog,calledNana,whohadbelongedtonooneinparticularuntiltheDarlingsengagedher.Shehadalwaysthought
kinder
childrenimportant,however,andtheDarlingshadbecomeacquaintedwithherinKensingtonGardens,wo
whereshespentmostofhersparetimepeepingintoperambulators,und
andwasmuchhatedbycarelessnursemaids,whomshefolgte
followedtotheirhomesandcomplainedoftotheirmistresses.Sheprovedtobequite
ein
atreasureofanurse.Howthoroughshewasatbath-time,
und
andupatanymomentofthenacht
nightifoneofherchargesmadetheslightestcry.Ofcourseherkennelwasinthenursery.
Shehad
ein
ageniusforknowingwhenein
acoughisathingtohaben
havenopatiencewithandwhenitneedsstockingaroundyourthroat.She
glaubte
believedtoherlastdayinold-fashionedremedieslikerhubarbleaf,und
andmadesoundsofcontemptoveralldieses
thisnew-fangledtalkaboutgerms,und
andsoon.Itwas
eine
alessoninproprietytosehen
seeherescortingthechildrentoschule
school,walkingsedatelybytheirseite
sidewhentheywerewellbehaved,und
andbuttingthembackintolineiftheystrayed.OnJohn’sfooterdaysshe
nie
neveronceforgothissweater,und
andsheusuallycarriedanumbrellainhermouthincaseofrain.Thereisa
raum
roominthebasementofMissFulsom’sschule
schoolwherethenurseswait.Theysatonforms,
während
whileNanalayonthefloor,aber
butthatwastheonlydifference.Theyaffectedtoignoreherasofaninferiorsocialstatustothemselves,
und
andshedespisedtheirlighttalk.SheresentedvisitstothenurseryfromMrs.Darling’sfriends,
aber
butiftheydidcomeshezuerst
firstwhippedoffMichael’spinaforeund
andputhimintotheonewithbluebraiding,und
andsmoothedoutWendyandmadeadashatJohn’shair.Kein
Nonurserycouldpossiblyhavebeenconductedmorecorrectly,und
andMr.Darlingknewit,doch
yethesometimeswondereduneasilywhetherdie
theneighbourstalked.Hehadhispositionin
der
thecitytoconsider.Nana
auch
alsotroubledhiminanotherweise
way.Hehadsometimesafeeling
dass
thatshedidnotadmireihn
him.“Iknowsheadmiresyoutremendously,George,”Mrs.Darlingwouldassure
ihm
him,andthenshewouldsigntoden
thechildrentobespeciallynett
nicetofather.Lovelydances
folgten
followed,inwhichtheonlyandere
otherservant,Liza,wassometimesallowedtojoin.Such
ein
amidgetshelookedinherlongskirtund
andmaid’scap,thoughshehadsworn,als
whenengaged,thatshewouldnie
neverseetenagain.Thegaietyofthoseromps!
Und
AndgayestofallwasMrs.Darling,whowouldpirouettesowildlythatallyoukonnte
couldseeofherwasthekiss,und
andthenifyouhaddashedatheryoumighthavebekommen
gotit.Thereneverwas
eine
asimplerhappierfamilyuntilthecomingofPeterPan.Mrs.
DarlingfirstheardofPeter
als
whenshewastidyingupherchildren’sminds.Itisthenightlycustomof
jeder
everygoodmotherafterherkinder
childrenareasleeptorummageintheirmindsund
andputthingsstraightfornextmorgen
morning,repackingintotheirproperplacesthemanyarticlesthathavewanderedduringtheday.Wenn
Ifyoucouldkeepawake(butofcourseyoucan’t)youwürdest
wouldseeyourownmothertun
doingthis,andyouwouldfinden
finditveryinterestingtobeobachten
watchher.Itisquiteliketidyingupdrawers.
You
würdest
wouldseeheronherknees,Iexpect,lingeringhumorouslyüber
oversomeofyourcontents,wonderingwo
whereonearthyouhadpickeddieses
thisthingup,makingdiscoveriessüß
sweetandnotsosweet,pressingdieses
thistohercheekasifitwereasschön
niceasakitten,andhurriedlystowingso
thatoutofsight.Whenyouwakeinthemorning,thenaughtiness
und
andevilpassionswithwhichyougegangen
wenttobedhavebeenfoldedupsmallund
andplacedatthebottomofyourmindund
andonthetop,beautifullyaired,arespreadoutyourprettierthoughts,bereit
readyforyoutoputon.Idon’tknowwhetheryou
haben
haveeverseenamapofeine
aperson’smind.Doctorssometimesdrawmapsofotherpartsofyou,
und
andyourownmapcanwerden
becomeintenselyinteresting,butcatchthemversuchen
tryingtodrawamapofeine
achild’smind,whichisnotnur
onlyconfused,butkeepsgoingroundallthezeit
time.Therearezigzaglineson
es
it,justlikeyourtemperatureonacard,und
andtheseareprobablyroadsintheisland,fortheNeverlandisalwaysmehr
moreorlessanisland,withastonishingsplashesofcolourhier
hereandthere,andcoralreefsund
andrakish-lookingcraftintheoffing,und
andsavagesandlonelylairs,und
andgnomeswhoaremostlytailors,und
andcavesthroughwhichariverruns,und
andprinceswithsixelderbrothers,und
andahutfastgoingtodecay,und
andoneverysmallolddame
ladywithahookednose.It
wird
wouldbeaneasymapwenn
ifthatwereall,butda
thereisalsofirstdayatschule
school,religion,fathers,theroundpond,needle-work,murders,hangings,verbsso
thattakethedative,chocolatepuddingtag
day,gettingintobraces,sayninety-nine,three-penceforpullingoutyourtoothyourself,und
andsoon,andeithertheseareteil
partoftheislandortheyarenoch eine
anothermapshowingthrough,anditisallratherconfusing,especiallyasnichts
nothingwillstandstill.Ofcourse
die
theNeverlandsvaryagooddeal.John’s,forinstance,had
eine
alagoonwithflamingoesflyingoveritatder
whichJohnwasshooting,whileMichael,whowassehr
verysmall,hadaflamingowithlagoonsflyingoverit.John
lebte
livedinaboatturnedupsidedownonthesands,Michaelinawigwam,Wendyinahaus
houseofleavesdeftlysewntogether.Johnhadnofriends,Michaelhadfriendsat
nacht
night,Wendyhadapetwolfforsakenbyitsparents,aber
butonthewholetheNeverlandshaben
haveafamilyresemblance,andwenn
iftheystoodstillineine
arowyoucouldsayofthemthattheyhaben
haveeachother’snose,andsoforth.Onthesemagicshores
kinder
childrenatplayareforeverbeachingtheircoracles.We
auch
toohavebeenthere;we
können
canstillhearthesoundofthesurf,obwohl
thoughweshalllandnomore.OfalldelectableislandstheNeverlandisthesnuggest
und
andmostcompact,notlargeund
andsprawly,youknow,withtediousdistanceszwischen
betweenoneadventureandanother,aber
butnicelycrammed.Whenyouplayatitbydaywith
den
thechairsandtable-cloth,itisnotinden
theleastalarming,butinden
thetwominutesbeforeyougotosleepitbecomessehr
veryreal.Thatiswhytherearenight-lights.
Occasionallyinhertravels
durch
throughherchildren’smindsMrs.Darlingfoundthingsshekonnte
couldnotunderstand,andofthesequitethemostperplexingwasthewort
wordPeter.SheknewofnoPeter,
und
andyethewashereund
andthereinJohnandMichael’sminds,während
whileWendy’sbegantobescrawledalloverwithihm
him.Thenamestoodoutinbolderlettersthananyofthe
andere
otherwords,andasMrs.Darlinggazedshefeltdass
thatithadanoddlycockyappearance.“Yes,heisrathercocky,”Wendyadmittedwithregret.
Her
mutter
motherhadbeenquestioningher.“Butwhoishe,mypet?”
“HeisPeterPan,youknow,mother.”
At
zuerst
firstMrs.Darlingdidnotknow,aber
butafterthinkingbackintoherchildhoodshejustrememberedaPeterPanwhowassaidtolebte
livewiththefairies.Therewereoddstories
über
abouthim,asthatwhenkinder
childrendiedhewentpartofthewaywiththem,sothattheysollten
shouldnotbefrightened.Shehad
geglaubt
believedinhimatthetime,aber
butnowthatshewasverheiratet
marriedandfullofsensesheganz
quitedoubtedwhethertherewasanysolche
suchperson.“Besides,”shesaidtoWendy,“he
würde
wouldbegrownupbydieser
thistime.”“Ohno,heisn’tgrownup,”Wendyassuredherconfidently,“andheisjustmysize.”
She
meinte
meantthathewashersizeinbothgeist
mindandbody;shedidn’tknowhowsheknew,she
einfach
justknewit.Mrs.
DarlingconsultedMr.Darling,
aber
buthesmiledpooh-pooh.“Markmywords,”hesaid,“itissomenonsenseNanahasbeenputtingintotheirheads;
just
die
thesortofideaahund
dogwouldhave.Leaveitalone,
und
anditwillblowover.”Aber
Butitwouldnotblowoverund
andsoonthetroublesomeboygaveMrs.Darlingquiteashock.Kinder
Childrenhavethestrangestadventuresohne
withoutbeingtroubledbythem.Forinstance,theymayremembertomention,
eine
aweekaftertheeventhappened,dass
thatwhentheywereinthewoodtheyhadmettheirdeadvater
fatherandhadagamewithihm
him.Itwasinthiscasual
weise
waythatWendyonemorningmadeadisquietingrevelation.Einige
Someleavesofatreehadbeenfoundondie
thenurseryfloor,whichcertainlywerenotda
therewhenthechildrenwenttobett
bed,andMrs.Darlingwaspuzzlingüber
overthemwhenWendysaidwithatolerantsmile:.“Ido
glaube
believeitisthatPeteragain!”“Whateverdoyoumean,Wendy?”
“Itissonaughtyofhimnottowipehisfeet,”Wendysaid,sighing.
Shewas
ein
atidychild.Sheexplainedin
ziemlich
quiteamatter-of-factwaythatshedachte
thoughtPetersometimescametothenurseryinthenacht
nightandsatonthefootofherbedund
andplayedonhispipestoher.Unfortunatelyshe
nie
neverwoke,soshedidn’tknowhowsheknew,sheeinfach
justknew.“Whatnonsenseyoutalk,precious.
Noone
kann
cangetintothehouseohne
withoutknocking.”“Ithinkhecomesinby
das
thewindow,”shesaid.“My
liebe
love,itisthreefloorsup.”“Werenot
die
theleavesatthefootofdie
thewindow,mother?”Itwas
ganz
quitetrue;theleaveshadbeenfound
sehr
verynearthewindow.Mrs.
Darlingdidnotknowwhatto
denken
think,foritallseemedsonaturaltoWendythatyoukonnte
couldnotdismissitbysayingshehadbeendreaming.“Mychild,”the
mutter
mothercried,“whydidyounottellmeofthisbefore?”“Iforgot,”saidWendylightly.
Shewasinahurrytogetherbreakfast.
Oh,surelyshe
muss
musthavebeendreaming.But,ontheother
seite
hand,thereweretheleaves.Mrs.Darlingexaminedthem
sehr
verycarefully;theywereskeletonleaves,
aber
butshewassuretheydidnotcomefromanytreedass
thatgrewinEngland.Shecrawled
über
aboutthefloor,peeringatitwithacandleformarksofastrangefoot.Sherattledthepokerupthechimney
und
andtappedthewalls.She
ließ
letdownatapefromden
thewindowtothepavement,und
anditwasasheerdropofthirtyfeet,ohne
withoutsomuchasaspouttoclimbupby.CertainlyWendyhadbeendreaming.
Aber
ButWendyhadnotbeendreaming,astheverynächste
nextnightshowed,thenightonwhichtheextraordinaryadventuresofthesekinder
childrenmaybesaidtohaben
havebegun.Onthenightwe
sprechen
speakofallthechildrenwereoncemoreinbett
bed.IthappenedtobeNana’seveningoff,
und
andMrs.Darlinghadbathedthemund
andsungtothemtilleine
onebyonetheyhadletgoherhand
handandslidawayintothelandofsleep.Alle
Allwerelookingsosafeund
andcosythatshesmiledatherfearsjetzt
nowandsatdowntranquillybythefeuer
firetosew.Itwas
etwas
somethingforMichael,whoonhisbirthdaywasgettingintoshirts.The
feuer
firewaswarm,however,andthenurserydimlylitbydrei
threenight-lights,andpresentlythesewinglag
layonMrs.Darling’slap.Thenher
kopf
headnodded,oh,sogracefully.Shewasasleep.
Lookat
die
thefourofthem,Wendyund
andMichaeloverthere,Johnhier
here,andMrs.Darlingbydie
thefire.Thereshouldhavebeen
ein
afourthnight-light.Whileshesleptshehada
traum
dream.ShedreamtthattheNeverlandhadcometoonear
und
andthatastrangeboyhadbrokenthroughfromit.Hedidnotalarmher,forshe
dachte
thoughtshehadseenhimbeforeinthefacesofmanywomenwhohavenicht
nochildren.Perhapsheistobefoundin
den
thefacesofsomemothersauch
also.Butinherdreamhehadrentthe
film
filmthatobscurestheNeverland,und
andshesawWendyandJohnund
andMichaelpeepingthroughthegap.The
traum
dreambyitselfwouldhavebeenatrifle,aber
butwhileshewasdreamingthewindowofthenurseryblewöffnete
open,andaboydiddroponthefloor.Hewasaccompaniedby
ein
astrangelight,nobiggerals
thanyourfist,whichdartedabouttheraum
roomlikealivingthingund
andIthinkitmustsein
havebeenthislightthatwakenedMrs.Darling.Shestartedupwithacry,
und
andsawtheboy,andsomehowsheknewateinmal
oncethathewasPeterPan.Wenn
IfyouorIorWendyhadbeendort
thereweshouldhaveseendass
thathewasverylikeMrs.Darling’skiss.Hewas
ein
alovelyboy,cladinskeletonleavesund
andthejuicesthatoozeaus
outoftreesbutthemostentrancingthingabouthimwasdass
thathehadallhisfirstteeth.ChapterII.
Der
THESHADOWMrs.
Darlingscreamed,
und
and,asifinanswertoabell,die
thedooropened,andNanaentered,returnedfromhereveningout.Shegrowled
und
andsprangattheboy,wholeaptlightlydurch
throughthewindow.AgainMrs.Darlingscreamed,thistimeindistressfor
ihn
him,forshethoughthewaskilled,und
andsherandownintodie
thestreettolookforhislittlebody,aber
butitwasnotthere;und
andshelookedup,andinder
theblacknightshecouldsehen
seenothingbutwhatshethoughtwasashootingstar.Shereturnedtothenursery,
und
andfoundNanawithsomethinginhermouth,whichprovedtobetheboy’sshadow.AsheleaptatthewindowNanahad
geschlossen
closeditquickly,toolatetofangen
catchhim,buthisshadowhadnothadzeit
timetogetout;slam
ging
wentthewindowandsnappeditab
off.YoumaybesureMrs.Darlingexamined
den
theshadowcarefully,butitwasganz
quitetheordinarykind.Nanahadnodoubtofwhatwas
das
thebestthingtodowiththisshadow.Shehungitoutatthewindow,meaning“Heis
sicher
suretocomebackfores
it;letusputit
wo
wherehecangetiteasilyohne
withoutdisturbingthechildren.”ButunfortunatelyMrs.Darling
konnte
couldnotleaveithangingaus
outatthewindow,itlookedsolikethewashingund
andloweredthewholetoneofthehouse.She
dachte
thoughtofshowingittoMr.Darling,aber
buthewastottingupwintergreat-coatsforJohnund
andMichael,withawettowelaroundhiskopf
headtokeephisbrainklar
clear,anditseemedashametotroubleihn
him;besides,sheknewexactlywhathe
würde
wouldsay:“Itallcomesofhavinga
hund
dogforanurse.”Shedecidedtoroll
den
theshadowupandputitawaycarefullyineine
adrawer,untilafittingopportunitykam
camefortellingherhusband.Ahme!
Die
Theopportunitycameaweekspäter
later,onthatnever-to-be-forgottenFriday.Ofcourseitwas
ein
aFriday.“Ioughtto
sein
havebeenspeciallycarefulonaFriday,”sheusedtosayafterwardstohermann
husband,whileperhapsNanawasonder
theothersideofher,hielt
holdingherhand.“No,no,”Mr.Darlingalwayssaid,“Iamresponsibleforitall.
Ich
I,GeorgeDarling,didit.Meaculpa,meaculpa.”
Hehadhad
eine
aclassicaleducation.Theysatthus
nacht
nightafternightrecallingthatfatalFriday,tilleverydetailofitwasstampedontheirbrainsund
andcamethroughontheotherseite
sidelikethefacesonabadcoinage.“If
nur
onlyIhadnotacceptedthatinvitationtodineat27,”Mrs.Darlingsaid.“If
nur
onlyIhadnotpouredmymedicineintoNana’sbowl,”saidMr.Darling.“If
nur
onlyIhadpretendedtolikedie
themedicine,”waswhatNana’sweteyessaid.“Mylikingforparties,George.”
“Myfatalgiftofhumour,dearest.”
“Mytouchiness
über
abouttrifles,dearmasterandmistress.”Then
einer
oneormoreofthemwürde
wouldbreakdownaltogether;Nanaatthe
dachte
thought,“It’strue,it’strue,theyoughtnottohaben
havehadadogforanurse.”ManyatimeitwasMr.DarlingwhoputthehandkerchieftoNana’seyes.
“Thatfiend!”
Mr.Darlingwouldcry,
und
andNana’sbarkwastheechoofit,aber
butMrs.DarlingneverupbraidedPeter;therewas
etwas
somethingintheright-handcornerofhermouthdass
thatwantedhernottocallPeternames.Theywouldsitthereintheemptynursery,recallingfondlyeverysmallestdetailofthatdreadfulevening.