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postman； but he never calls except at Christmas with his little
box； and though they have beautiful schools； nothing is taught in
them； the youngest child being chief person is always elected
mistress； and when she has called the roll； they all go out for a
walk and never come back。 It is a very noticeable thing that； in
fairy families； the youngest is always chief person； and usually
becomes a prince or princess； and children remember this； and
think it must be so among humans also； and that is why they are
often made uneasy when they come upon their mother furtively
putting new frills on the basinette。
You have probably observed that your baby…sister wants to do all
sorts of things that your mother and her nurse want her not to
do： to stand up at sitting…down time； and to sit down at
standing…up time； for instance； or to wake up when she should
fall asleep； or to crawl on the floor when she is wearing her
best frock； and so on； and perhaps you put this down to
naughtiness。 But it is not； it simply means that she is doing as
she has seen the fairies do； she begins by following their ways；
and it takes about two years to get her into the human ways。 Her
fits of passion； which are awful to behold； and are usually
called teething； are no such thing； they are her natural
exasperation； because we don't understand her； though she is
talking an intelligible language。 She is talking fairy。 The
reason mothers and nurses know what her remarks mean； before
other people know； as that 〃Guch〃 means 〃Give it to me at once；〃
while 〃Wa〃 is 〃Why do you wear such a funny hat？〃 is because；
mixing so much with babies； they have picked up a little of the
fairy language。
Of late David has been thinking back hard about the fairy tongue；
with his hands clutching his temples； and he has remembered a
number of their phrases which I shall tell you some day if I
don't forget。 He had heard them in the days when he was a
thrush； and though I suggested to him that perhaps it is really
bird language he is remembering； he says not； for these phrases
are about fun and adventures； and the birds talked of nothing but
nest… building。 He distinctly remembers that the birds used to
go from spot to spot like ladies at shop…windows； looking at the
different nests and saying； 〃Not my colour； my dear；〃 and 〃How
would that do with a soft lining？〃 and 〃But will it wear？〃 and
〃What hideous trimming！〃 and so on。
The fairies are exquisite dancers； and that is why one of the
first things the baby does is to sign to you to dance to him and
then to cry when you do it。 They hold their great balls in the
open air； in what is called a fairy…ring。 For weeks afterward
you can see the ring on the grass。 It is not there when they
begin； but they make it by waltzing round and round。 Sometimes
you will find mushrooms inside the ring； and these are fairy
chairs that the servants have forgotten to clear away。 The
chairs and the rings are the only tell…tale marks these little
people leave behind them； and they would remove even these were
they not so fond of dancing that they toe it till the very moment
of the opening of the gates。 David and I once found a fairy…ring
quite warm。
But there is also a way of finding out about the ball before it
takes place。 You know the boards which tell at what time the
Gardens are to close to…day。 Well； these tricky fairies
sometimes slyly change the board on a ball night； so that it says
the Gardens are to close at six…thirty for instance； instead of
at seven。 This enables them to get begun half an hour earlier。
If on such a night we could remain behind in the Gardens； as the
famous Maimie Mannering did； we might see delicious sights；
hundreds of lovely fairies hastening to the ball； the married
ones wearing their wedding…rings round their waists； the
gentlemen； all in uniform； holding up the ladies' trains； and
linkmen running in front carrying winter cherries； which are the
fairy…lanterns； the cloakroom where they put on their silver
slippers and get a ticket for their wraps； the flowers streaming
up from the Baby Walk to look on； and always welcome because they
can lend a pin； the suppertable； with Queen Mab at the head of
it； and behind her chair the Lord Chamberlain； who carries a
dandelion on which he blows when Her Majesty wants to know the
time。
The table…cloth varies according to the seasons； and in May it is
made of chestnut…blossom。 The ways the fairy…servants do is
this： The men； scores of them； climb up the trees and shake the
branches； and the blossom falls like snow。 Then the lady
servants sweep it together by whisking their skirts until it is
exactly like a table…cloth； and that is how they get their
table…cloth。
They have real glasses and real wine of three kinds； namely；
blackthorn wine； berberris wine； and cowslip wine； and the Queen
pours out； but the bottles are so heavy that she just pretends to
pour out。 There is bread and butter to begin with； of the size
of a threepenny bit； and cakes to end with； and they are so small
that they have no crumbs。 The fairies sit round on mushrooms；
and at first they are very well…behaved and always cough off the
table； and so on； but after a bit they are not so well…behaved
and stick their fingers into the butter； which is got from the
roots of old trees； and the really horrid ones crawl over the
table… cloth chasing sugar or other delicacies with their
tongues。 When the Queen sees them doing this she signs to the
servants to wash up and put away； and then everybody adjourns to
the dance； the Queen walking in front while the Lord Chamberlain
walks behind her； carrying two little pots； one of which contains
the juice of wall…flower and the other the juice of Solomon's
Seals。 Wall… flower juice is good for reviving dancers who fall
to the ground in a fit； and Solomon's Seals juice is for bruises。
They bruise very easily and when Peter plays faster and faster
they foot it till they fall down in fits。 For； as you know
without my telling you； Peter Pan is the fairies' orchestra。 He
sits in the middle of the ring； and they would never dream of
having a smart dance nowadays without him。 〃P。 P。〃 is written
on the corner of the invitation…cards sent out by all really good
families。 They are grateful little people； too； and at the
princess's coming…of…age ball （they come of age on their second
birthday and have a birthday every month） they gave him the wish
of his heart。
The way it was done was this。 The Queen ordered him to kneel；
and then said that for playing so beautifully she would give him
the wish of his heart。 Then they all gathered round Peter to
hear what was the wish of his heart； but for a long time he
hesitated； not being certain what it was himself。
〃If I chose to go back to mother；〃 he asked at last； 〃could you
give me that wish？〃
Now this question vexed them； for were he to return to his mot