# XIII: Coming to the Isle of the Young and the Old, Birdalone Findeth It Peopled with Children explained — The Water of the Wondrous Isles > Chapter companion for The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris. ## What happens Birdalone arrives at the Isle of the Young and the Old, where she finds only children living without any adults. A tall lad of about fifteen leads her to their dwelling, offers her food, and explains how they sustain themselves through farming and herding. Despite the lad's invitation to stay, Birdalone feels driven to continue her quest and departs, leaving the children to watch her magical boat launch with wonder. ## Themes in this chapter ### Journey and Quest Birdalone's brief stop on the isle underscores her relentless drive to continue her quest toward the House under the Wood. ### Nature and the Wild The children live self-sufficiently from the land, farming, herding goats, and foraging grapes, highlighting a natural, untamed existence. ## Character check-ins ### Birdalone Arrives at the Isle of the Young and the Old, interacts with the children, and departs after a brief rest. ### The Stony Folk The children of the isle, living without adults, who swarm around Birdalone and watch her departure. ## Key lines > Midst all this had worn some hours, but yet it was barely noon; wherefore it was yet dark by then Birdalone made the Isle of the Young and the Old; so she stepped out of the boat, and lay down on the grass and abode the dawn sleeping. Though several hours had passed, it was still only noon; thus it was dark when Birdalone reached the Isle of the Young and the Old. She got out of the boat, lay on the grass, and slept until dawn. _Birdalone arrives at the isle under cover of darkness and rests._ > And she awoke with the clatter of shrill voices, and she rose up and looked, and lo a multitude of children all about her, both men and women children, and, as it seemed, from five years old upward to fifteen. She woke to the sound of high-pitched voices and saw a crowd of children around her, ranging from about five to fifteen years old, both boys and girls. _The isle is populated entirely by children._ > Quoth he: I neither know of an old man, nor rightly what it means, the word. Am not I old enough for thee? I am the oldest of these here. The lad replied that he did not know what an old man was, nor the meaning of the word 'old,' and asked if he himself was not old enough, being the eldest among them. _The children have no concept of age or adults._ > Said he: We dig the ground and sow it, and the wheat comes up, and we reap it in harvest, and make bread of it; and we have goats and kine, and we milk them, and turn the milk with a little blue flower, which is fair to see. The lad explained that they farm wheat, harvest it, and make bread; they also keep goats and cows, milk them, and curdle the milk using a blue flower. _The children sustain themselves through agriculture and animal husbandry._ > But if they were keen to see her doings before, how much keener were they when it came to the baring of her arm and the smearing of the Sending Boat. The children were already eager to watch her, but became even more excited when she bared her arm and anointed the Sending Boat. _The children are fascinated by Birdalone's magical boat._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se/chapters/xiii-coming-to-the-isle-of-the-young-and-the-old-birdalone-findeth-it-peopled-with-children - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se/chapters