“That is well,” answered the bird. She took Jack on her back, and in three minutes they were floating among the clouds.
As Jack’s feet were lifted up from Fairyland he felt a little consoled. He began to have a curious feeling, as if this had all happened a good while ago, and then half the sorrow he had felt faded into wonder, and the feeling still grew upon him that these things had passed some great while since, so that he repeated to himself, “It was a long time ago.”
Then he fell asleep, and did not dream at all, nor know anything more till the bird woke him.
“Wake up now, Jack,” she said; “we are at home.”
“So soon!” said Jack, rubbing his eyes. “But it is evening; I thought it would be morning.”
“Fairy time is always six hours in advance of your time,” said the bird. “I see glow-worms down in the hedge, and the moon is just rising.”
They were falling so fast that Jack dared not look; but he saw the church, and the wood, and his father’s house, which seemed to be starting up to meet him. In two seconds more the bird alighted, and he stepped down from her back into the deep grass of his father’s meadow.
“Good-bye!” she said; “make haste and run in, for the dews are falling;” and before he could ask her one question, or even thank her, she made a wide sweep over the grass, beat her magnificent wings, and soared away.
It was all very extraordinary, and Jack felt shy and ashamed; but he knew he must go home, so he opened the little gate that led into the garden, and stole through the shrubbery, hoping that his footsteps would not be heard.
Then he came out on the lawn, where the flower-beds were, and he observed that the drawing-room window was open, so he came softly towards it and peeped in.