Page:A child's own book of verse, (Vol. 3) (IA childsownbookofv03skin).pdf/99

 And after him the children pressed; Great was the joy in every breast.
 * "He never can cross that mighty top!

He's forced to let the piping drop,
 * And we shall see our children stop!"

When, lo, as they reached the mountain-side, A wondrous portal opened wide, As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed; And the Piper advanced and the children followed, And when all were in to the very last, The door in the mountain-side shut fast, Did I say, all? No! One was lame,
 * And could not dance the whole of the way;

And in after years, if you would blame
 * His sadness, he was used to say,—

"It 's dull in our town since my playmates left! I can't forget that I 'm bereft Of all the pleasant sights they see, Which the Piper also promised me, For he led us, he said, to a joyous land, Joining the town and just at hand, Where waters gushed, and fruit trees grew, And flowers put forth a fairer hue, And everything was strange and new; The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here, And their dogs outran our fallow deer, And honey-bees had lost their stings, And horses were born with eagles' wings: And just as I became assured