A week with Peter 6/17

So she went off on her own to try and find Fern. Norman pointed to the top of the brig’s mainmast in answer to her question. The foremast had just been stepped in the hull and Fern was pulling a rope from one mast to the other as a start in the rigging process.

“Saves a lot of time and trouble being able to use a fairy in the rigging,” said Norman, “we don’t have to use any safety harness, if she slips or falls, she can just fly down to the deck and no harm done.”
Fern saw them watching her and gave a quick wave. Jennifer Jane had a word with Norman and then walked over to the paddle steamer.

“Given your level of technology it’s very impressive,” Peter was saying, “but you’ve got a long way to go before the boat is really efficient.”

Barnacle Bill wasn’t quite sure whether he was being flattered or criticised. Fortunately Jennifer Jane arrived before he got upset.

“You realise that all the workers here are goblins,” she said to Peter, “but you may be surprised to know that one of them is a fairy.”

“Oh come on,” said Peter, ”I have to believe all your witches and giants because I’ve been introduced to them, but fairies are supposed to be able to fly. It isn’t possible to make people fly, they’re far too heavy and the muscles are all wrong.”

Jennifer Jane laughed and waved to Norman. Norman put his hands round his mouth and shouted up to Fern. She waved in answer and secured the ropes she was working on, then she stood up and jumped off the masthead.

She opened her wings and with a large grin on her face, glided down towards Peter and Jennifer Jane, making them cough in the cloud of dust she raised as she backwinged to land gently beside them.

Everyone laughed at Peter’s expression. He was shaking his head in disbelief.

“It just isn’t possible,” he muttered to himself and then shook hands as he was introduced to ‘our top rigger.’

Fern explained that fully-grown fairies could only glide and not very far at that.

“If you want to see fairies really flying, you ought to get Jennifer Jane to take you the Wish Warehouse. The babies in the creche really can fly.”

“We could do that tomorrow if you’d like,” said Jennifer Jane. “We could go there and watch some flying and at the same time arrange for some high speed transport so that we could go and have a chat with Clarence. He’s the dragon I told you about,” she added.

“Warehouses for wishes, chat to a dragon?” muttered Peter, “this place really is peculiar.”