Source: Peter and Wendy (1911), Ch. 17
Context: As you look at Wendy, you may see her hair becoming white, and her figure little again, for all this happened long ago. Jane is now a common grown-up, with a daughter called Margaret; and every spring cleaning time, except when he forgets, Peter comes for Margaret and takes her to the Neverland, where she tells him stories about himself, to which he listens eagerly. When Margaret grows up she will have a daughter, who is to be Peter's mother in turn; and thus it will go on, so long as children are gay and innocent and heartless.
“"Why can't you fly now, mother?"
"Because I am grown up, dearest. When people grow up they forget the way."
"Why do they forget the way?"
"Because they are no longer gay and innocent and heartless. It is only the gay and innocent and heartless who can fly."”
Source: Peter and Wendy (1911), Ch. 17
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J. M. Barrie 49
Scottish writer 1860–1937Related quotes
“The birds can fly,
An' why can't I?”
" Darius Green and his Flying-Machine http://books.google.com/books?id=GwsaAQAAMAAJ&q=%22The+birds+can+fly+An'+why+can't+I%22&pg=PA115#v=onepage," Our Young Folks: an illustrated magazine ( March 1867 http://books.google.com/books?id=4eOvXvxRjZYC&q=%22The+birds+can+fly+An'+why+can't+I%22&pg=PA130#v=onepage).
"Aubade", line 38; cited from John Haffenden (ed.) The Complete Poems (London: Allen Lane, 2000) p. 70.
The Complete Poems
“Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow,
Why then, oh why can't I?”
'"Over the Rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Context: Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow,
Why then, oh why can't I?
Source: When the Snow Fell
“Beautiful as sweet!
And young as beautiful! and soft as young!
And gay as soft! and innocent as gay.”
Source: Night-Thoughts (1742–1745), Night III, Line 81.
“But I don't give up; I forget why not.”
[I Break a Record and have a Swell Time Besides, Flying magazine, http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Eddie_August_Schneider_October_1931_Flying_magazine_page_1_of_5.png, October 1, 1930, Eddie August Schneider]