.--Their laughter at the Children breaks out forlornly now
and then.--The PIPER shepherds the Children, but with watchful eyes and
ears toward the entrance always.
--His action grows more and more tense.

RUDI
[over his broth]
Oh, I remember now!--Before I woke. . .
Oh, what an awful dream!

ILSE
Oh, tell us, Rudi,--
Oh, scare us,--Rudi, scare us!--

RUDI
[bursting into tears]
. . . _Lump was dead_!
Lump, Lump!-- [The Children wail.

PIPER
[distracted]
Who's Lump?

RUDI
Our Dog!

PIPER
[shocked and pained]
The Dog!--No, no.
Heaven save us--I forgot about the dogs!

RUDI
He Wanted me;--and I always wasn't there!
And people tied him up,--and other people
Pretended that he bit.--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.]

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
M