But you ought to see the rest with as little doubt!
Human beings are very odd!
Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all and
they never suspect it.
Luckily, I always carry with me all that is
wanted to give new light to dimmed eyes.
What am I taking out of my bag?
Oh, what a dear little green hat!
What's that shining in the cockade?
That's the big diamond that makes people see.
Really?
Yes; when you've got the hat on your head,
you turn the diamond a little; from right to left, for instance, like this; do you see?
Then it presses a bump which nobody knows of and which opens your eyes.
Doesn't it hurt?
On the contrary, it's enchanted.
You at once see even the inside of things: the soul of bread, of wine, of pepper, for instance.
Can you see the soul of sugar, too?
Of course you can! I hate unnecessary questions.
The soul of sugar is no more interesting than the soul of pepper.
There, I give you all I have to help you in your search for the Blue Bird.
I know that the flying carpet or the ring which makes its wearer invisible would be more useful to you.
But I have lost the key of the cupboard in which I locked them.
Oh, I was almost forgetting!
Pointing to the diamond
When you hold it like this, do you see?
One little turn more and you behold the past.
Another little turn and you behold the future.
It's curious and practical and it's quite noiseless.
Daddy will take it from me.
He won't see it; no one can see it as long as it's on your head.
Will you try it?
She puts the little green hat on TYLTYL'S head.
Now, turn the diamond.
One turn and then....
TYLTYL has no sooner turned the diamond than a sudden and wonderful change comes over everything.
The old FAIRY alters then and there into a princess of marvellous beauty; the flints of which the cottage walls are built light up, turn blue as sapphires, become transparent and gleam and sparkle like the most precious stones.
The humble furniture takes life and becomes resplendent; the deal table assumes as grave and noble an air as a table made of marble; the face of the clock winks its eye and smiles genially, while the door that contains the pendulum opens and releases the Hours, which, holding one another by the hand and laughing merrily, begin to dance to the sound of delicious music.
TYLTYL displaying a legitimate bewilderment and pointing to the Hours
Who are all those pretty ladies?
Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be free and visible for a moment.
And why are the walls so bright?
Are they made of sugar or of precious stones?
All stones are alike, all stones are precious; but man sees only a few of them.
While they are speaking, the scene of enchantment continues and is completed.
The souls of the Quartern-loaves, in the form of little men in crust-coloured tights, flurried and all powdered with flour, scramble out of the bread-pan and frisk round the table, where they are caught up by FIRE, who, springing from the hearth in yellow and vermilion tights, writhes with laughter as he chases the loaves.
Who are those ugly little men?
Oh, they're nothing; they are merely the souls of the Quartern-loaves, who are taking advantage of the reign of truth to leave the pan in which they were too tightly packed.
And the big red fellow, with the nasty smell?
Hush! Don't speak too loud; that's Fire.
He's dangerous.
This dialogue does not interrupt the enchantment.
The DOG and the CAT, lying rolled up at the foot of the cupboard, utter a loud and simultaneous cry and disappear down a trap; and in their places rise two persons, one of whom has the face of a bull-dog, the other that of a tom-cat.
Forthwith, the little man with the bull-dog face, whom we will henceforward call the DOG, rushes upon TYLTYL, kisses him violently and overwhelms him with noisy and impetuous caresses; while the little man with the face of a tom-cat, whom we will simply call the CAT, combs his hair, washes his hands and strokes his whiskers before going up to MYTYL.
The DOG yelling, jumping about, knocking up against everything, unbearable
My little god! Good-morning, good-morning, my dear little god!
At last, at last we can talk!
I had so much to tell you!
Bark and wag my tail as I might, you never understood!
But now! Good-morning, good-morning!
I love you!
Shall I do some of my tricks?
Shall I beg?
Would you like to see me walk on my front paws or dance on my hind-legs?
TYLTYL to the FAIRY
Who is this gentleman with the dog's head?
Don't you see?
It's the soul of TYLÔ whom you have set free.
The CAT going up to MYTYL and putting out his hand to her, with much ceremony and circumspection
Good-morning, Miss.
How well you look this morning!
Good-morning, sir.
To the FAIRY
Who is it?
Why, don't you see?
Its the soul of Tylette offering you his hand.
Kiss him.
The DOG hustling the CAT
Me, too! I've kissed the little god!
I've kissed the little girl!
I've kissed everybody!
Oh, grand!
What fun we shall have!
I'm going to frighten Tylette I Bow, wow, wow!
The CAT
Sir, I don't know you.
The FAIRY threatening the DOG with her stick
Keep still, will you, or else you'll go back into silence until the end of time.
Meanwhile, the enchantment has pursued its course: the spinning-wheel has begun to turn madly in its corner and to spin brilliant rays of light; the tap, in another corner, begins to sing in a very high voice and, turning into a luminous fountain, floods the sink with sheets of pearls and emeralds, through which darts the soul of WATER, like a young girl, streaming, dishevelled and tearful, who immediately begins to fight with FIRE.
TYLTYL
And who is that wet lady?
Don't be afraid.
It's Water just come from the tap.
The milk-jug upsets, falls from the table and smashes on the floor; and from the spilt milk there rises a tall, white, bashful figure who seems to be afraid of everything.
TYLTYL
And the frightened lady in her nightgown?
That's Milk; she has broken her jug.
The sugar-loaf, at the foot of the cupboard, grows taller and wider and splits its paper wrapper, whence issues a mawkish and hypocritical being, dressed in a long coat half blue and half white, who goes up to MYTYL with a sanctimonious smile.
MYTYL greatly alarmed
What does he want?
Why, he is the soul of Sugar!
MYTYL reassured
Has he any barley-sugar?
His pockets are full of it and each of his fingers is a sugar-stick.
The lamp falls from the table and, at the same moment, its flame springs up again and turns into a luminous maid of incomparable beauty.
She is dressed in long transparent and dazzling veils and stands motionless in a sort of ecstasy.
TYLTYL
It's the Queen!
MYTYL
It's the Blessed Virgin!
The FAIRY
No, my children; it's Light.
Meanwhile, the saucepans on the shelves spin round like tops; the linen-press throws open its folding-doors and unrolls a magnificent display of moon-coloured and sun-coloured stuffs, with which mingles a no less splendid array of rags and tatters that come down the ladder from the loft.
But, suddenly, three loud knocks are heard on the door on the right.
TYLTYL alarmed
That's daddy! He's heard us!
The FAIRY
Turn the diamond! From left to right!
TYLTYL turns the diamond quickly
Not so quick! Heavens! It's too late! You turned it too briskly; they will not have time to resume their places and we shall have a lot of annoyance.
The FAIRY becomes an old woman again, the walls of the cottage lose their splendour.
The Hours go back into the clock, the spinning-wheel stops, etc.
But, in the general hurry and confusion, while FIRE runs madly round the room, looking for the chimney, one of the loaves of bread, who has been unable to squeeze into the pan, bursts into sobs and utters roars of fright.
The FAIRY
What's the matter?
BREAD in tears
There's no room in the pan!
The FAIRY stooping over the pan
Yes, there is; yes, there is.
Pushing the other loaves, which have resumed their original places.
Come, quick, make room there.
The knocking at the door is renewed.
BREAD utterly scared, vainly struggling to enter the pan
I can't get in! He'll eat me first!
The DOG frisking round TYLTYL
My little god! I am still here!
I can still talk!
I can still kiss you!
Once more! Once more! Once more!
The FAIRY
What, you too? Are you there still?
The DOG
What luck! I was too late to return to silence; the trap closed too quickly.
The CAT
So did mine. What is going to happen?
Is there any danger?
The FAIRY
Well, I'm bound to tell you the truth: all those who accompany the two children will die at the end of the journey.
The CAT to the DOG
Come, let us get back into the trap.
The DOG
No, no! I won't! I want to go with the little god! I want to talk to him all the time!
The CAT
Idiot!
More knocking at the door
BREAD shedding bitter tears
I don't want to die at the end of the journey! I want to get back at once into my pan!
FIRE who has done nothing but run madly round the room, hissing with anguish
I can't find my chimney!
WATER vainly trying to get into the tap
I can't get into the tap!
SUGAR hovering round his paper wrapper
I've burst my packing-paper!
MILK lymphatically and bashfully
Somebody's broken my little jug!
The FAIRY
Goodness me, what fools they are! Fools and cowards too!
So you would rather go on living in your ugly boxes, in your traps and taps, than accompany the children in search of the bird?
ALL excepting the DOG and LIGHT
Yes, yes! Now, at once! My tap! My pan! My chimney! My trap!
The FAIRY to LIGHT, who is dreamily gazing at the wreckage of her lamp
And you, Light, what do you say?
LIGHT
I will go with the children.
The DOG yelling with delight
I too! I too!
The FAIRY
That's right. Besides, it's too late to go back; you have no choice now, you must all start with us.
But you, Fire, don't come near anybody; you, Dog, don't tease the Cat; and you, Water, hold yourself up and try not to run all over the place.
A violent knocking is again heard at the door on the right.
TYLTYL listening
There's daddy again! He's getting up this time; I can hear him walking.
The FAIRY
Let us go out by the window...
Human beings are very odd!
Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all and
they never suspect it.
Luckily, I always carry with me all that is
wanted to give new light to dimmed eyes.
What am I taking out of my bag?
Oh, what a dear little green hat!
What's that shining in the cockade?
That's the big diamond that makes people see.
Really?
Yes; when you've got the hat on your head,
you turn the diamond a little; from right to left, for instance, like this; do you see?
Then it presses a bump which nobody knows of and which opens your eyes.
Doesn't it hurt?
On the contrary, it's enchanted.
You at once see even the inside of things: the soul of bread, of wine, of pepper, for instance.
Can you see the soul of sugar, too?
Of course you can! I hate unnecessary questions.
The soul of sugar is no more interesting than the soul of pepper.
There, I give you all I have to help you in your search for the Blue Bird.
I know that the flying carpet or the ring which makes its wearer invisible would be more useful to you.
But I have lost the key of the cupboard in which I locked them.
Oh, I was almost forgetting!
Pointing to the diamond
When you hold it like this, do you see?
One little turn more and you behold the past.
Another little turn and you behold the future.
It's curious and practical and it's quite noiseless.
Daddy will take it from me.
He won't see it; no one can see it as long as it's on your head.
Will you try it?
She puts the little green hat on TYLTYL'S head.
Now, turn the diamond.
One turn and then....
TYLTYL has no sooner turned the diamond than a sudden and wonderful change comes over everything.
The old FAIRY alters then and there into a princess of marvellous beauty; the flints of which the cottage walls are built light up, turn blue as sapphires, become transparent and gleam and sparkle like the most precious stones.
The humble furniture takes life and becomes resplendent; the deal table assumes as grave and noble an air as a table made of marble; the face of the clock winks its eye and smiles genially, while the door that contains the pendulum opens and releases the Hours, which, holding one another by the hand and laughing merrily, begin to dance to the sound of delicious music.
TYLTYL displaying a legitimate bewilderment and pointing to the Hours
Who are all those pretty ladies?
Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be free and visible for a moment.
And why are the walls so bright?
Are they made of sugar or of precious stones?
All stones are alike, all stones are precious; but man sees only a few of them.
While they are speaking, the scene of enchantment continues and is completed.
The souls of the Quartern-loaves, in the form of little men in crust-coloured tights, flurried and all powdered with flour, scramble out of the bread-pan and frisk round the table, where they are caught up by FIRE, who, springing from the hearth in yellow and vermilion tights, writhes with laughter as he chases the loaves.
Who are those ugly little men?
Oh, they're nothing; they are merely the souls of the Quartern-loaves, who are taking advantage of the reign of truth to leave the pan in which they were too tightly packed.
And the big red fellow, with the nasty smell?
Hush! Don't speak too loud; that's Fire.
He's dangerous.
This dialogue does not interrupt the enchantment.
The DOG and the CAT, lying rolled up at the foot of the cupboard, utter a loud and simultaneous cry and disappear down a trap; and in their places rise two persons, one of whom has the face of a bull-dog, the other that of a tom-cat.
Forthwith, the little man with the bull-dog face, whom we will henceforward call the DOG, rushes upon TYLTYL, kisses him violently and overwhelms him with noisy and impetuous caresses; while the little man with the face of a tom-cat, whom we will simply call the CAT, combs his hair, washes his hands and strokes his whiskers before going up to MYTYL.
The DOG yelling, jumping about, knocking up against everything, unbearable
My little god! Good-morning, good-morning, my dear little god!
At last, at last we can talk!
I had so much to tell you!
Bark and wag my tail as I might, you never understood!
But now! Good-morning, good-morning!
I love you!
Shall I do some of my tricks?
Shall I beg?
Would you like to see me walk on my front paws or dance on my hind-legs?
TYLTYL to the FAIRY
Who is this gentleman with the dog's head?
Don't you see?
It's the soul of TYLÔ whom you have set free.
The CAT going up to MYTYL and putting out his hand to her, with much ceremony and circumspection
Good-morning, Miss.
How well you look this morning!
Good-morning, sir.
To the FAIRY
Who is it?
Why, don't you see?
Its the soul of Tylette offering you his hand.
Kiss him.
The DOG hustling the CAT
Me, too! I've kissed the little god!
I've kissed the little girl!
I've kissed everybody!
Oh, grand!
What fun we shall have!
I'm going to frighten Tylette I Bow, wow, wow!
The CAT
Sir, I don't know you.
The FAIRY threatening the DOG with her stick
Keep still, will you, or else you'll go back into silence until the end of time.
Meanwhile, the enchantment has pursued its course: the spinning-wheel has begun to turn madly in its corner and to spin brilliant rays of light; the tap, in another corner, begins to sing in a very high voice and, turning into a luminous fountain, floods the sink with sheets of pearls and emeralds, through which darts the soul of WATER, like a young girl, streaming, dishevelled and tearful, who immediately begins to fight with FIRE.
TYLTYL
And who is that wet lady?
Don't be afraid.
It's Water just come from the tap.
The milk-jug upsets, falls from the table and smashes on the floor; and from the spilt milk there rises a tall, white, bashful figure who seems to be afraid of everything.
TYLTYL
And the frightened lady in her nightgown?
That's Milk; she has broken her jug.
The sugar-loaf, at the foot of the cupboard, grows taller and wider and splits its paper wrapper, whence issues a mawkish and hypocritical being, dressed in a long coat half blue and half white, who goes up to MYTYL with a sanctimonious smile.
MYTYL greatly alarmed
What does he want?
Why, he is the soul of Sugar!
MYTYL reassured
Has he any barley-sugar?
His pockets are full of it and each of his fingers is a sugar-stick.
The lamp falls from the table and, at the same moment, its flame springs up again and turns into a luminous maid of incomparable beauty.
She is dressed in long transparent and dazzling veils and stands motionless in a sort of ecstasy.
TYLTYL
It's the Queen!
MYTYL
It's the Blessed Virgin!
The FAIRY
No, my children; it's Light.
Meanwhile, the saucepans on the shelves spin round like tops; the linen-press throws open its folding-doors and unrolls a magnificent display of moon-coloured and sun-coloured stuffs, with which mingles a no less splendid array of rags and tatters that come down the ladder from the loft.
But, suddenly, three loud knocks are heard on the door on the right.
TYLTYL alarmed
That's daddy! He's heard us!
The FAIRY
Turn the diamond! From left to right!
TYLTYL turns the diamond quickly
Not so quick! Heavens! It's too late! You turned it too briskly; they will not have time to resume their places and we shall have a lot of annoyance.
The FAIRY becomes an old woman again, the walls of the cottage lose their splendour.
The Hours go back into the clock, the spinning-wheel stops, etc.
But, in the general hurry and confusion, while FIRE runs madly round the room, looking for the chimney, one of the loaves of bread, who has been unable to squeeze into the pan, bursts into sobs and utters roars of fright.
The FAIRY
What's the matter?
BREAD in tears
There's no room in the pan!
The FAIRY stooping over the pan
Yes, there is; yes, there is.
Pushing the other loaves, which have resumed their original places.
Come, quick, make room there.
The knocking at the door is renewed.
BREAD utterly scared, vainly struggling to enter the pan
I can't get in! He'll eat me first!
The DOG frisking round TYLTYL
My little god! I am still here!
I can still talk!
I can still kiss you!
Once more! Once more! Once more!
The FAIRY
What, you too? Are you there still?
The DOG
What luck! I was too late to return to silence; the trap closed too quickly.
The CAT
So did mine. What is going to happen?
Is there any danger?
The FAIRY
Well, I'm bound to tell you the truth: all those who accompany the two children will die at the end of the journey.
The CAT to the DOG
Come, let us get back into the trap.
The DOG
No, no! I won't! I want to go with the little god! I want to talk to him all the time!
The CAT
Idiot!
More knocking at the door
BREAD shedding bitter tears
I don't want to die at the end of the journey! I want to get back at once into my pan!
FIRE who has done nothing but run madly round the room, hissing with anguish
I can't find my chimney!
WATER vainly trying to get into the tap
I can't get into the tap!
SUGAR hovering round his paper wrapper
I've burst my packing-paper!
MILK lymphatically and bashfully
Somebody's broken my little jug!
The FAIRY
Goodness me, what fools they are! Fools and cowards too!
So you would rather go on living in your ugly boxes, in your traps and taps, than accompany the children in search of the bird?
ALL excepting the DOG and LIGHT
Yes, yes! Now, at once! My tap! My pan! My chimney! My trap!
The FAIRY to LIGHT, who is dreamily gazing at the wreckage of her lamp
And you, Light, what do you say?
LIGHT
I will go with the children.
The DOG yelling with delight
I too! I too!
The FAIRY
That's right. Besides, it's too late to go back; you have no choice now, you must all start with us.
But you, Fire, don't come near anybody; you, Dog, don't tease the Cat; and you, Water, hold yourself up and try not to run all over the place.
A violent knocking is again heard at the door on the right.
TYLTYL listening
There's daddy again! He's getting up this time; I can hear him walking.
The FAIRY
Let us go out by the window...