"
Collected Poems by Alfred Noyes.
And "The Forest of Wild Thyme" is full of the echos of fairy tales and
childhood rhymes heard the world over. Little Peterkin, who went with
the children to "Old Japan," is dead now:
"Come, my brother pirates, I am tired of play;
Come and look for Peterkin, little brother Peterkin,
Our merry little comrade that the fairies took away."
Collected Poems by Alfred Noyes.
And so, they go to the last place they saw him, the old God's Acre, and
fall asleep amid the wild thyme blooming there. As they dream the thyme
grows to the size of trees, and they wander about in the forest hunting
for Peterkin.
As they hunted they found out who killed Cock Robin. They appeal to
Little Boy Blue to help them hunt for Peterkin:
"Little Boy Blue, you are gallant and brave,
There was never a doubt in those clear, bright eyes.
Come, challenge the grim, dark Gates of the Grave
As the skylark sings to those infinite skies!"
Collected Poems by Alfred Noyes.
The King of Fairyland gives command to Pease-Blossom:
"And cried, Pease-blossom, Mustard-Seed! You know the old command;
Well; these are little children; you must lead them on to Peterkin!"
Collected Poems by Alfred Noyes.
They even discovered, as they were led on by Pease-Blossom and Mustard-
Seed, how fairies were born:
"Men upon earth
Bring us to birth
Gently at even and morn!
When as brother and brother
They greet one another
And smile--then a fairy is born!"
Collected Poems by Alfred Noyes.
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