The children they followed him once to the wood,—
(They loved the good parson, because he was good!)
They followed him on for many a mile
To list to his voice, and to look at his smile.
At length the children cried “Oh,—dear me!
We’re tired! as tired as tired can be!
’Tis supper time, too, while afar we thus roam;
Now please, dear parson, to carry us home!”
The children were six, and the parson was one.