Come Little Children

Here are the meanings.

Come Little Children / I'll take thee away / Into a land of enchantment

The singer is luring children. Not to death, but to safety.

Come Little Children / Times come to play / Here in my garden of shadows

I believe the children are lost in a dark forest with danger all around, and the "garden of shadows" is a safe clearing tucked away.

Follow sweet children / I'll show thee the way / Through all the pain and the sorrows

"The pain and the sorrows" are the dark depressing nature of the woods, naturally scaring them.

Weep not poor children / For life is this way, / Murdering Beauty and Passions

I believe now she is comforting one of the children who may have had a nightmare, possibly about the death of a loved one.

Hush now my children / It must be this way / Too wary of life and deception

She's explaining the way of the forest, and how you can never be too careful

Rest now my children / For soon we'll away / Into the calm and the quiet

"The calm and the quiet" refers to the meadow outside the forest by the children's homes.

And then the chorus repeats.

Most of this is my own interpretation, but the first time I heard this was in "Children of the Night" by Duo Cartoonist.

The song was originally written for a movie named Hocas Pocus. In this certain part of the movie, this song is sung by the "beautiful" witch when her and her two sisters are trying to lure children to their deaths.

Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away Into A Land Of Enchantment"

I guess she's telling the children to follow her and all of their troubles will be taken away from them. They won't have to deal with the horrors of the world and will get to stay in their own little Wonderland. She's hypnotizing them into thinking she's there to help but she really just wants to suck the life out of them to benefit her.

"Come Little Children The Time's Come To Play Here In My Garden Of Shadows"

Garden of shadows probably refers to the darkness or shade she's throwing over their true judgement because she's manipulating them into thinking she wants to help. The garden could be symbolism for all of the souls she's taken to stay young.

"Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way Through All The Pain And The Sorrows"

She's offering to take them away from any pain they're suffering in exchange for a happy life.

"Weep Not Poor Children For Life Is This Way Murdering Beauty And Passions"

The children are probably scared and afraid to leave with her. They know something is wrong and start crying but the witch is telling the kids that life has always been about destroying the beautiful things that are supposed to be appreciated and she wants to save them from that. Again, she's only manipulating them into thinking she's their friend and will do anything for them.

"Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way To Weary Of Life And Deceptions"

It must be this way is basically saying, "I have no other choice but to take you away from all of this pain and suffering. I must end your sad life to make you happy."

"Rest Now My Children For Soon We'll Away into The Calm And The Quiet

The children are now probably dead and she's taken their souls. Like in the movie, after signing the song, the witches led the little girl to their cabin and drained the life from her (without her being conscious of what's happening). It was a quiet and peaceful way to go and ultimately what the witch wanted.

I think that the singer of this song has a dark intention, though I could see how it could be interoperated as otherwise.

Come little children, I'll take thee away, Into a land of enchantment.

The singer is enticing the children possibly into a trance or at the very least with a promise of a land of enchantment, which sounds like a good place but what that really means is a place that has been changed from it's normal or original nature.

Come little children, The time's come to play, Here in my garden of shadows.

The children are now in the singer's garden of shadows. meaning a land of deception/lies or a place where things are not as they appear. Also they are going to play a game. What are the rules of the game, is it a nice game or a mean game?

Follow sweet children, I'll show thee the way, Through all the pain and the sorrows.

The singer is leading the way, either through the pains of the game mentioned earlier.

Weep not poor children, For life is this way, Murdering beauty and passions.

Singer is either saying to not bother weeping because she will not be swayed from her intentions.

Hush now dear children, It must be this way, To weary of life and deceptions.

Quieting the little children for she must use them to get what she wants after they grow weary of the deceptions of the game and succumb.

Rest now my children, For soon we'll away, Into the Calm and the quiet.

A promise of an end to the game maybe, or perhaps a promise of entering the land of enchantment and of shadows.

Sorry folks, I know this is from Hocus Pocus, but this song reminds me of a child molester’s anthem. Luring them “here in my garden of shadows.” “I’ll show thee the way, through all the pain and the sorrows.” “Weep not sweet children for life is way.” Convincing a child that “life is this way, murdering beauty and passion.” “Hush now sweet children it must be this way to weary of life and deceptions”—having to keep the lie. “Come little children, the time’s come to play, here in my garden of shadows.” Very creepy! Can’t believe it’s in a children’s movie.

Alright. So everyone is saying that it’s the singer that’s leading them through a forest. Yes, that’s the literal definition but there’s definitely a story way bigger her that no one is seeing. I believe that this piece of talking about death. The luring tone definitely entrances the listener into obeying the speaker. I believe the speaker is a voice from beyond our mundane world. Stanza 3 and 4 are great indicators of this. They reflect that this world is full of pain and sorrow far to great for these pure children and they will soon be in a world where the belong.

To me this song sounds like a song being sung in the place of a woman with a mental disorder that believes the world is an awful place and she needs to get all innocent and beautiful children away. The only way to protect the children from this world is to kill them.

(Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land Of Enchantment)

Calming the children by making them think good things are to come.

(Come Little Children The Time's Come To Play Here In My Garden Of Shadows)

Again calming them by making them believe fun and games are ahead.

(Follow Sweet Children I'll Show Thee the Way Through All The Pain And The Sorrow)

She's leading them and telling them that they don't have to endure all the pain and sorrow of this world.

(Weep Not Poor Children For Life Is This Way Murdering Beauty And Passions)

Telling the children who are scared that because they are beautiful and passionate they don't belong in this bad world. Everything beautiful must die.

(Hush Now Dear Children It Must Be This Way Too Weary Of Life And Deceptions)

She explains that they must die to excape because this world will make you tired of life and all it's deceptions.

(Rest Now My Children For Soon We'll Away Into The Calm And The Quiet)

Calming them to sleep first before she kills them and when they are dead it will be calm and quiet.

(Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land Of Enchantment

Come Little Children The Time's Come To Play Here In My Garden Of Shadows)

Repeat verses. Garden of shadows could mean that she has done this before so she's going to add them to her garden and shadows are the spirits of past children.