Part 2 — THE FAIRY ISLAND
Reading edition
I told you that Robert Louis Stevenson wrote many poems for children.
Once a mother gave a book of Mr. Stevenson’s poems to her little son Willie for a birthday present.
His father gave Willie a little boat.
It was a beautiful boat with large white sails.
A little doll dressed like a sailor stood at the helm.
Willie’s mother read him the little poem you have just read, “My Ship and I.”
Willie thought it was the best poem he had ever heard.
He said, “Mr. Stevenson means me and my boat, I know.”
One warm summer afternoon he went down to the pond to sail his new boat.
He tied his boat by a long string to a tree near the water.
Then he pushed it out from the shore and lay down under the tree to watch it sail.
As he watched, he said over and over to himself the words of Mr. Stevenson’s poem.
“Wouldn’t it be fine,” he thought, “if the doll at the helm of my ship could become alive?
Then if I could grow as small as he is, what fun we would have sailing on the pond.
We could sail to that island and land upon it.
I believe fairies live there.
But there is no use wishing, for such things cannot come true.”
“Why not?” asked a small voice near by.
Willie looked down.
There near the shore was his ship; and—could it be true?—Yes, the doll at the helm was steering the boat!
“It can’t be true! It can’t be true!” said Willie to himself.
“Why not?” asked the voice again.
Willie was looking right at the doll and saw that he was the one who said, “Why not?”
“Are you really alive?” asked Willie.
“Alive!” answered the doll-sailor. “Who says I am not? Of course I am alive!
Are you alive yourself, you big boy?”
“I—I—I think so,” answered Willie.
“Then come for a sail, big boy.
The water is fine to-day.”
“But how can I?” asked Willie. “I am too large.
I should sink the boat.”
“That’s so; so you would,” said the doll-sailor.
“Wait here till I come back.”
Quickly he turned the ship about and sailed over to the little island.
Willie saw him land, then go on board again, and turn his ship toward the shore.
Soon he sailed back to where Willie stood.
In his hand he held a tiny leaf.
“Eat this,” he said, handing the leaf to Willie.
As soon as he put the leaf into his mouth, the ground seemed to rise with a rush.
At first Willie thought he was falling; but no! he was still standing firmly.
“How do you feel now?” asked a voice at his ear.
Willie turned toward the voice.
There stood the doll-sailor; but how different he looked!
“Why, you are as tall as I am!” said Willie.
“No, you are as short as I,” answered the doll-sailor.
“The leaf you ate was a fairy leaf and made you grow small.
Now will you come for a sail with me?”
Sure enough! Willie was now the same size as the doll-sailor.
The ship seemed very large to him now.
“Thank you,” answered Willie, “I shall be pleased to sail with you.”
As soon as they went aboard, the doll-sailor said, “Where shall we go?”
“To the island where you found the fairy leaf,” said Willie.
“Very well! I’ll take the helm.
You fire that penny cannon at the bow to let the fairies know we are coming.”
Willie did as he was told.
“Bang! Bang!” Dear me! What a noise that cannon made!
And how it set the ship rocking!
Willie had never heard such a din, or felt so badly shaken up.
Shake! Shake! Shake!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He rubbed his eyes and looked up.
He was still under the tree beside the pond.
His mother was bending over him and shaking him, and saying, “Wake up! wake up! It is supper-time.”
His dog was barking loudly at the toy-boat, still sailing on the pond.
“Oh!” said Willie, as he rose from the ground. “I dreamed it all. But it was a lovely dream!”
