Tyltyl

TYLTYL (_stupefied with astonishment_)
Not hungry?... Why not?...
TYLTYL
Well, they eat whenever they want to....
MYTYL (_incredulously_)
Every day?...
TYLTYL
They say so....
MYTYL
Will they eat them all?... Will they give any away?...
TYLTYL
To whom?...
MYTYL
To us....
TYLTYL
They don't know us....
MYTYL
Suppose we asked them....
TYLTYL
We mustn't.
MYTYL
Why not?...
TYLTYL
Because it's not right.
MYTYL (_clapping her hands_)
Oh, how pretty they are!...
TYLTYL (_rapturously_)
And how they're laughing and laughing!...
MYTYL
And the little ones dancing!...
TYLTYL
Yes, yes; let's dance too!... (_They stamp their feet for joy on the
stool_.)
MYTYL
Oh, what fun!...
TYLTYL
They're getting the cakes!... They can touch them!... They're eating,
they're eating, they're eating!...
MYTYL
The tiny ones, too!... They've got two, three, four apiece!...
TYLTYL (_drunk with delight_)
Oh, how lovely!... Oh, how lovely, how lovely!...
MYTYL (_counting imaginary cakes_)
I've got twelve!...
TYLTYL
And I four times twelve!... But I'll give you some....
(_A knock at the door of the cottage_.)
TYLTYL (_suddenly quieted and frightened_)
What's that?...
MYTYL (_scared_)
It's Daddy!...
(_As they hesitate before opening the door, the big latch is seen to rise
of itself, with a grating noise; the door half opens to admit a little old
woman dressed in green with a red hood on her head. She is humpbacked and
lame and near-sighted; her nose and chin meet; and she walks bent on a
stick. She is obviously a fairy_.)
THE FAIRY
Have you the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?...
TYLTYL
We have some grass, but it can't sing....
MYTYL
Tyltyl has a bird.
TYLTYL
But I can't give it away....
THE FAIRY
Why not?...
TYLTYL
Because it's mine.
THE FAIRY
That's a reason, no doubt. Where is the bird?...
TYLTYL (_pointing to the cage_)
In the cage....
THE FAIRY (_putting on her glasses to examine the bird_)
I don't want it; it's not blue enough. You will have to go and find me the
one I want.
TYLTYL
But I don't know where it is....
THE FAIRY
No more do I. That's why you must look for it. I can do without the grass
that sings, at a pinch; but I must absolutely have the blue bird. It's for
my little girl, who is very ill.
TYLTYL
What's the matter with her?...
THE FAIRY
We don't quite know; she wants to be happy....
TYLTYL
Really?...
THE FAIRY
Do you know who I am?...
TYLTYL
You're rather like our neighbour, Madame Berlingot....
THE FAIRY (_growing suddenly angry_)
Not a bit!... There's not the least likeness!... This is intolerable!... I
am the Fairy Bérylune....
TYLTYL
Oh! Very well....
THE FAIRY
You will have to start at once.
TYLTYL
Are you coming with us?
THE FAIRY
I can't, because I put on the soup this morning and it always boils over
if I leave it for more than an hour.... (_Pointing successively to the
ceiling, the chimney and the window_) Will you go out this way, or that
way, or that way?...
TYLTYL (_pointing timidly to the door_)
I would rather go out that way....
THE FAIRY (_growing suddenly angry again_)
That's quite impossible; and it's a shocking habit!... (_Pointing to the window_) We'll go out this way.... Well?... What are you waiting for?...
Get dressed at once.... (_The_ CHILDREN _do as they are told and_
dress quickly_.)
I'll help Mytyl....
TYLTYL
We have no shoes....
THE FAIRY
That doesn't matter. I will give you a little magic hat. Where are your
father and mother?....
TYLTYL (_pointing to the door on the right_)
They're asleep in there....
THE FAIRY
And your grandpapa and grandmamma?...
TYLTYL
They're dead....
THE FAIRY
And your little brothers and sisters.... Have you any?...
TYLTYL
Oh, yes; three little brothers....
MYTYL
And four little sisters....
THE FAIRY
Where are they?...
TYLTYL
They are dead, too....
THE FAIRY
Would you like to see them again?...
TYLTYL
Oh, yes!... At once!... Show them to us!...
THE FAIRY
I haven't got them in my pocket.... But this is very lucky; you will see
them when you go through the Land of Memory.... It's on the way to the Blue
Bird, just on the left, past the third turning.... What were you doing when
I knocked?...
TYLTYL
We were playing at eating cakes?...
THE FAIRY
Have you any cakes?... Where are they?...
TYLTYL
In the house of the rich children.... Come and look, it's so lovely. (_He_
drags the_ FAIRY _to the window_.)
THE FAIRY (_at the window_)
But it's the others who are eating them!...
TYLTYL
Yes; but we can see them eat....
THE FAIRY
Aren't you cross with them?...
TYLTYL
What for?...
THE FAIRY
For eating all the cakes.... I think it's very wrong of them not to give
you some....
TYLTYL
Not at all; they're rich.... I say, isn't it beautiful over there?...
THE FAIRY
It's no more beautiful there than here.
TYLTYL
Ugh!... It's darker here and smaller and there are no cakes....
THE FAIRY
It's exactly the same, only you can't see....
TYLTYL
Yes, I can; and I have very good eyes. I can see the time on the church
clock and daddy can't...
THE FAIRY (_suddenly angry_)
I tell you that you can't see!... How do you see me?... What do I look
like?... (_An awkward silence from_ TYLTYL.)
Well, answer me, will you? I want to know if you can see!... Am I pretty or ugly?... (_The_
silence grows more and more uncomfortable_.)
Won't you answer?... Am I young or old?... Are my cheeks pink or yellow?... Perhaps you'll say I have a hump?...
TYLTYL (_in a conciliatory tone_)
No, no; It's not a big one....
THE FAIRY
Oh, yes, to look at you, any one would think it enormous.... Have I a hook
nose and have I lost one of my eyes?...
TYLTYL
Oh, no, I don't say that.... Who put it out?...
THE FAIRY (_growing more and more irritated_).
But it's not out!... You wretched, impudent boy!... It's much finer than
the other; it's bigger and brighter and blue as the sky.... And my hair, do you see that?... It's fair as the corn in the fields, it's like virgin gold!... And I've such heaps and heaps of it that it weighs my head down.... It escapes on every side.... Do you see it on my hands? (_She_
holds out two lean wisps of grey hair_.)
TYLTYL
Yes, I see a little....
THE FAIRY (_indignantly_)
A little!... Sheaves! Armfuls! Clusters! Waves of gold!... I know there are
people who say that they don't see any; but you're not one of those wicked,
blind people, I should hope?...
TYLTYL
Oh, no; I can see all that isn't hidden....
THE FAIRY
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?...
TYLTYL
Oh, what a dear little green hat!... What's that shining in the cockade?...
THE FAIRY
That's the big diamond that makes people see....
TYLTYL
Really?...
THE FAIRY
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....
TYLTYL
Doesn't it hurt?...
THE FAIRY
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....
MYTYL
Can you see the soul of sugar, too?...
THE FAIRY (_suddenly cross_)
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....
TYLTYL
Daddy will take it from me....
THE FAIRY
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?...
THE FAIRY
Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be_
free and visible for a moment....
TYLTYL
And why are the walls so bright?... Are they made of sugar or of precious_
stones?...
THE FAIRY
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_