The Ship that Flew

"I wonder what's really underneath that cloud?" asked Sandy. "I mean, if we could look through it, what would we see?" "The past, spread out like a map," Sheila answered.

— The Ship that Flew

I had thought you were a dream, all of you. Or that you had forgotten me. And I do not know which thought I liked least. And now you are here at last!

— The Ship that Flew

Nobody must know where it has come from. It is my secret … We must slip it in through the vicarage door when it is dark!

— The Ship that Flew

She walked silent between the chattering children. This was their world, their own real world. But friendly and happy though it was, it wasn't her world. Hers was a world of cold stone castles and grim fighting; of hardship and courage. Of courage! She was suddenly impatient of this pleasant easy world of theirs, where life flowed so smoothly. She was so tired that it was almost as though she moved in a dream. Nothing seemed quite real any longer.

— The Ship that Flew

I must live my life in my own way and in my own time.

— The Ship that Flew

"Did you hear that? gasped Humphrey. "The villain in the greenwood!" Peter clapped his hands together. "Robin Hood!" he cried.

— The Ship that Flew

At first Robin was too dumbfounded to think clearly, but soon the thought of his man in danger put all other ideas out of his head; he sat there, a hand pulling impatiently at his beard. Round and round went his thoughts. More than once, his plan almost complete, he would discover some detail that would endanger the whole thing.

— The Ship that Flew

You must must make your way with all speed to the castle rock and take you stand upon the highest place, that is to the left hand as you face the river. There you must stand with the ship ready in hand, awaiting the signal. And having received the signal, you must not delay a second.

— The Ship that Flew

You … shall give the signal. You must press as close to the stake as you dare … The signal must be plain to him who watches.

— The Ship that Flew

Now do you understand right well the parts you must play?

— The Ship that Flew

Now remember — the signal given, you must delay not an instant. It is a man's life you work for, and maybe your own and mine too! And so farewell and good luck go with us!

— The Ship that Flew

That afternoon the four children went round to the potting-shed to make the acquaintance of the new gardener — after all, a lot of the fun you can have in the garden depends upon what sort of man the gardner is.

— The Ship that Flew

Time was slipping away. The children were growing up little by little, even Sandy was quite big. And it was five years since Peter had seen the magic ship in the old dark window. And very good use they made of it, too. Backwards and forewords through history they went, until the story of their country became a living growing world to them.

— The Ship that Flew

They went further back in time, till it seemed the time-cloud would never lift. They walked in the hanging gardens of Babylon, they watched beside Leonidas in the pass of Thermopylae, they stood with Horatius, when he kept the bridge, and stepped beside Hannibal over the frozen Alps when he marched for Rome.

— The Ship that Flew

It was all so wonderful and so magical that sometimes they got a little confused by their adventures, so that their memories were like painted patterns that some one has left out in the rain. And sometimes they began to wonder if it was really true — all of them except Peter, who had no doubts whatsoever.

— The Ship that Flew

And then Peter began to wonder what would happen if he, too, grew like the others and didn't believe. His boat, is own little boat, would be neglected and forgotten. And the magic would work no longer — for when you no longer believe, then the magic stops.

— The Ship that Flew

Suddenly Peter knew what he must do. He must return the boat before he grew like the others. He must find the little dark shop and give back the flying-boat before it was too late.

— The Ship that Flew

You have used it much … and you have used it well.

— The Ship that Flew

You have forgotten," said the old man. "And you will forget still more!" "Of course you must forget," he said kindly. "You must make room for all the new things you have to learn.

— The Ship that Flew

And every one who know Peter and Sheila and Humphrey and Sandy when they were grown-up called them The Lucky Grants. So there does seem to be something in it after all.

— The Ship that Flew

It all began with Peter's toothache. You wouldn't think anything really nice could come out of having a toothache, would you? Well, this time it did.

— The Ship that Flew

It was a narrow little street and rather dark, with old houses set close together. Peter was rather surprised. He didn't remember this street, and what is more, he hadn't known there were any old houses in new little Radcliff-on-the-sea. "But then," he told himself sensibly, "I don't know everything!"

— The Ship that Flew

They don't make ships like that nowadays," he said, a little sadly. The old man nodded. "Older than any one would believe.

— The Ship that Flew

All the money in the world wouldn't have bought this once… no not if it were prince nor king nor emperor himself." Then the old man said a strange thing. "It would cost all the money you have in the world —\xa0and a bit over.

— The Ship that Flew

Magic. Magic had happened to him. He knew it would one day. He had always believed in magic, even whe the others had laughed at him, laughed because he was the eldest and ought to know better.

— The Ship that Flew

Earth and fire and water and air Earth and fire and water and air!

— The Ship that Flew

You don't believe me… Well I don't expect you to! I wouldn't myself unless I saw it with my own eyes. But I wish, I wish it would happen. I wish the ship would take us somewhere — anywhere!

— The Ship that Flew

Humphrey said in a funny little voice, "It's a dream. I'm dreaming it. You've all come into my dream!" "It isn't a dream," Peter said happily. "It's happening. And it's real."

— The Ship that Flew

You've got to wish!

— The Ship that Flew

Magic doesn't happen often — not once in a blue moon … I expect there isn't another magic ship like this one in the whole world.

— The Ship that Flew

No one sells a magic ship for three shillings,"' Peter said slowly. "And he was an old man — poor. He was blind in one eye, too. He couldn't see properly.

— The Ship that Flew

I think you were meant to keep it Peter … I think that's part of the magic.

— The Ship that Flew

From the garden came a dozen sweet smells. Sheila closed her eyes and wondered whether she could distinguish them. She was sure she could smell roses and night-scented stock.

— The Ship that Flew

We all seem to want something different … let's leave it to the ship.

— The Ship that Flew

"We flew," said Peter, hoping the questions would now stop.

— The Ship that Flew

We would not dream of telling you lies, sir, and we are grateful for all your kindness to us, really we are, but if we told you the truth you wouldn't believe it.

— The Ship that Flew

It is true that no one had found either sapphires or diamonds or rubies on this particular stretch of beach, but that, Sandy was convinced, was because they hadn't looked hard enough.

— The Ship that Flew

It is the best of ships. When her sails are hoisted a breeze springs up and carries her swift and safe to whatever place the gods choose. She is made of thousands of little pieces fitted together withs such cleverness that when she is not wanted Frey can fold her up and put her in his pocket.

— The Ship that Flew

The light deepened in broad bands. Suddenly the sun burst through, fierce and bright as after a storm. The sky was clear and blue about them.

— The Ship that Flew

Before them stood an old man, very tall and upright, carrying a staff as though it were a king's sceptre. There was something so noble about the old man that the children knew, in spite of his simple tunic and broad-brimmed hat, that he must be a king at the very least.

— The Ship that Flew

This thing is beyond your understanding, my child. Think no further on the matter and maybe you will read the riddle in the end. Who knows? Meanwhile the air is fresh and the day golden and my palace is near at hand. The young should enjoy themselves while they may, so come!

— The Ship that Flew

Yes," she said, reading their thoughts, "it is a cloud. I spin the clouds into the finest linen for the gods to wear. I am the mother of the gods and I am called The Spinner in the Clouds.

— The Ship that Flew

I am older than the stars.

— The Ship that Flew

Let these strangers tell us whence they have come, and why they have come, and how!

— The Ship that Flew

To the Peace Stead, for this thing must be settled in friendship.

— The Ship that Flew

I must never leave Asgard and my work of watching all growing things … Frey must not seek his own, lest famine fall upon Asgard and the world of men starve.

— The Ship that Flew

Where did this child find so great a sum to purchase the ship Skidbladnir? There is no treasure in the whole world can buy it.

— The Ship that Flew

Frey, it is very clear that Skidbladnir has passed out of your hands. It was yours and you lost it. Now it has come to this child by right of purchase, and it is his until he, of his own free will, shall give it up!

— The Ship that Flew

Frey… men come and go. The years pass with them more swiftly than the flight of an arrow. But with the gods it is not so. Ages must pass, the sea may grow dry and the mountains crumble, but our hair is not less bright, nor our strength less, nor our wits more dim. The gods endure. Now let us strike a bargain. This child shall keep your ship until such a time as he no longer desires it, then he shall return it to you!

— The Ship that Flew

What man is born who would not desire Skidbladnir?

— The Ship that Flew

There is no magic when one no longer believes.

— The Ship that Flew

We'll forget … Being grown-up does that to you.

— The Ship that Flew

On the day you send back Skidbladnir, I will grant each one his heart's desire.

— The Ship that Flew

Guard my ship well. And now I will tell you a secret concerning Skidbladnir that no soul knows, save Father Odin and me. When you alight from the ship and set foot in a foreign land whose tongue you can neither speak nor understand, pass each one of you a hand over the boar's head and the secret of foreign speech shall be made clear. And more, you shall look like the dwellers in the land and no man shall know that you are strangers. And so, brother, farewell!

— The Ship that Flew

You can't help troubles popping up now and then, even when you don't expect them. I mean, even if we stayed here on this spot without moving, something would happen!

— The Ship that Flew

These are bad times. One day you live in peace in the house you have built for yourself, and the next, who knows, but the house is burnt about your head, and you wander forth, starving.

— The Ship that Flew

These days no man knows who may be his friend, nor who his enemy.

— The Ship that Flew

Don't be silly … It isn't witchcraft at all. Just plain straightforward magic!

— The Ship that Flew

Usertsen ordered that an inscription be made testifying to the truth of the story, and placed it in his coffin. He also ordered that it should be carved into the rock so that it would endure for all time. Odd isn't it?

— The Ship that Flew

The children stood speechless, staring at the picture of their own ship. It was a faithful picture, the colours bright and the shape true.

— The Ship that Flew

It was just possible that the magic had run out, as Peter said. After all, you knew a lot less about magic than you did about an electric torch.

— The Ship that Flew

This is no time for anger … nor for any talk of punishment. First we must fight. And when we return in victory, then I shall deal justly with the traitors.

— The Ship that Flew