"
Most children have wanted to fly ever since "Peter Pan" began, and, as I
dare say you have heard, some have tried from the nursery window, with
perfectly awful results, having neglected to have their shoulders first
touched magically; but Gregory Bruce Avory wanted to fly in a more regular
and scientific manner. He wanted to fly like an engineer. To his mind,
indeed, the flying part of "Peter Pan" was the least fascinating; he
preferred the underground home, and the fight with the Indians, and the
mechanism of the crocodile. For a short time, in fact, his only ambition
had been to be the crocodile's front half.
Janet, on the other hand, liked Nana and the pathetic motherly parts the
best; Robert's favourite was Smee, and often at meal times he used to say,
"Woe is me, I have no knife"; while Hester was happiest in the lagoon
scene. This difference of taste in one small family shows how important it
is for anyone who writes a play to put a lot of variety into it.
Janet, the eldest, was also the most practical. She was, in fact, towards
the others almost more of a younger mother than an elder sister. Not that
Mrs. Avory neglected them at all; but Janet relieved her of many little
duties. She always knew when their feet were likely to be wet, and Robert
had once said that she had "stocking changing on the brain.
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