I’ll tell you how the leaves came down,
The great tree to his children said.
You’re getting sleepy, yellow and brown,
Yes very sleepy, little red.
It’s quite time to go to bed.
“Ah,” begged each silly pouting leaf,
Let us a littler longer stay.
Dear Father Tree, behold our grief,
‘Tis such a very pleasant day.
We do not want to go away.”
So for one more day
The great tree to his children clung.
Frolicked and danced and had their way,
Among the autumn breezes swung.
Whispering all their thoughts among.
“Perhaps the great tree will forget,
And let us stay until the Spring,
If we all beg and coax and fret.”
But the great tree did no such thing,
He smiled to hear their whispering.
Come children all to bed, he cried,
And e’er the leaves could urge their prayer.
He shook his head, and far and wide
Fluttering and dancing through the air
Down came the leaflets – everywhere.
I saw them – on the ground they lay
Golden and red – a huddled swarm
Waiting for one, from far away
White bed-clothes heaped upon her arm
Should come to keep them safe and warm.
The great bare tree looked down and smiled,
“Good-night dear little leaves,” he said.
And from below each sleepy child
Looked up and murmured
“It is so nice to go to bed.”