When they had seen their dear parents and their dear preceptress politely off the premises they got a cabbage-leaf full of raspberries from the gardener , and a Wild Tea from Ellen . They ate the raspberries to prevent their squashing , and they meant to divide the cabbage-leaf with Three Cows down at the Theatre , but they came across a dead hedgehog which they simply had to bury , and the leaf was too useful to waste . Then they went on to the Forge and found old Hobden the hedger at home with his son , the Bee Boy , who is not quite right in his head , but who can pick up swarms of bees in his naked hands ; and the Bee Boy told them the rhyme about the slow-worm : -- ` If I had eyes as I could see , No mortal man would trouble me . ' They all had tea together by the hives , and Hobden said the loaf-cake which Ellen had given them was almost as good as what his wife used to make , and he showed them how to set a wire at the right height for hares . They knew about rabbits already . Then they climbed up Long Ditch into the lower end of Far Wood . This is sadder and darker than the Volaterrae end because of an old marlpit full of black water , where weepy , hairy moss hangs round the stumps of the willows and alders . But the birds come to perch on the dead branches , and Hobden says that the bitter willow-water is a sort of medicine for sick animals . They sat down on a felled oak-trunk in the shadows of the beech undergrowth , and were looping the wires Hobden had given them , when they saw Parnesius . ` How quietly you came ! ' said Una , moving up to make room . ` Where 's Puck ? ' ` The Faun and I have disputed whether it is better that I should tell you all my tale , or leave it untold , ' he replied . ' I only said that if he told it as it happened you would n't understand it , ' said Puck , jumping up like a squirrel from behind the log . ' I do n't understand all of it , ' said Una , ` but I like hearing about the little Picts . ' ` What I ca n't understand , ' said Dan , ` is how Maximus knew all about the Picts when he was over in Gaul . ' ` He who makes himself Emperor anywhere must know everything , everywhere , ' said Parnesius . ` We had this much from Maximus 's mouth after the Games . ' ` Games ? What Games ? '
said XXXXX .
Boy Dan Picts Volaterrae Wood alders hives marlpit oak-trunk willow-water