--He never bites!
He Wanted me, until it broke his heart,
And he was dead!
PIPER
[struggling with his emotion]
And then he went to heaven,
To chase the happy cats up all the trees;--
Little white cats! . . . He wears a golden collar . . .
And sometimes--[Aside]--I'd forgot about the dogs!
Well, dogs must suffer, so that men grow wise.
'T was ever so.
[He turns to give JAN a piping lesson]
CHILDREN
Oh, what a funny dream!
[Suddenly he lifts his hand. They listen, and hear a dim sound of distant
chanting, going by on some neighboring road. The PIPER is puzzled; the
Strollers are plainly depressed.
JAN
What is it?
PIPER
People; passing down below,
In the dark valley.
[He looks at the Children fixedly]
Do you want to see them?
CHILDREN
Don't let them find us! What an ugly noise.--
No, no--don't let them come!
PIPER
Hark ye to me.
Some day I'll take you out with me to play;
High in the sun,--close to the water-fall . . . .
And we will make believe--_We'll make believe
We're hiding_! . . .
[The Strollers rock with mirth.]
CHILDREN
Yes, yes! Oh, let us make believe!
STROLLERS
Oho, ho, ho!--A make-believe!--Ho, ho!
PIPER
But, if you're good,--yes, very, very soon
I'll take you, as I promised,--
CHILDREN
--Gypsies, oh!
PIPER
Yes, with the gypsies. We shall go at night,
With just a torch--
[Watching them.
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