One sunny day a child went Maying—

When lo, while ’mid the zephyrs playing,

He saw his shadow at his back!

He turned and fled, but on his track

The seeming goblin came apace,

And step for step gave deadly chase!

Weary at last, with desperate might

The urchin paused and faced the fright,

When lo, the demon, thin and gray,

Faded amid the grass away!