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.]

Children
  Oh!

Piper
Like fire-flies!  Will-o’-the-wisps! 
And make believe we’re hiding, all the way,
Till we come out into a sunny land,—­
All vines and sunlight, yes, and men that sing! 
Far, far away—­forever.
[Gives Ilse a bowl to feed the other children]
[Jan pipes a measure of the Kinder-spell, brokenly.  The piper turns. 
  So!  Thou’lt be
My master, some day.  Thou shalt pipe for me.

Jan
[piping]
Oh, wasn’t that one beautiful?—­Now you!

Piper
[taking the pipe]
  The rainbow-bridge by day;
     —­And borrow a shepherd-crook! 
  At night we take to the Milky Way;
    And then we follow the brook!

  We’ll follow the brook, whatever way
  The brook shall sing, or the sun shall say,
    Or the mothering wood-dove coos! 
  And what do I care, what else I wear,
    If I keep my rainbow shoes!

[He points to the little row of bright shoes.  The Children scream with joy.  Ilse and Hansel run back.

Children
Oh dear!  What lovely shoes!  Oh, which are mine? 
Oh!  Oh!—­What lovely shoes!  Oh, which are mine?

Piper
Try, till you see.
[Taking up a little red pair]
  But these,—­these are for Jan.
[Jan is perched on the tree-stump, shy and silent with pleasure.