This is an odd thing for even a child to cry about, however, the speaker believes he can see the root of the problem. She is not crying about the leaves changing, she is crying because she is beginning to understand mortality. She sees that the leaves die and is now wondering if people die as well. The narrator is here to explain to her that, yes, people do in fact die. Side note: the word “unleaving” is used, a word that Hardy made up, something he was notorious for doing.

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