>my father used to warn us about it when we wandered around the fields and streams.

No one ever warned us, about anything :)) Except to stay out of trouble.  My brother was the scout, the woodsman.  I thought he was indestructible. If my brother said it was OK, then it was OK.  I guess we were lucky

The children are white for two reason: one, I was trying to make them symbolic, not specific. So, even though two of them are me, you can't tell.  Also, I wanted to suggest the somber, sort of ghost-like atmosphere that prevailed. The kids do look a little ghosty :)
 Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience up there in Canada.  Thank you for your generosity!