Tyltyl. Come, dont cry, just like Water. Shame on you! Look, the fog is lifting already. We will see whats behind it.
The mist begins to move. It disperses, evaporates. Soon, in a more and more transparent light, appears a cheerful little cottage. The door and windows are open. There are bee-hives under a shed, flower-pots on the window-sills, a cage with a sleeping blackbird. Beside the door is a bench, on which Tyltyls grandfather and grandmother, are seated. They are sleeping.
Tyltyl. Its granddad and granny!
Mytyl. (clapping her hands) Yes! Yes! So it is! So it is!
Tyltyl. Take care! We dont know yet if they can move. Lets keep behind the tree.
Grandmother opens her eyes, raises her head, stretches herself, and looks at Grandfather, who also wakes slowly from his sleep.
Grandmother. I think that our grandchildren who are still alive are coming to see us today.
Grandfather. They are certainly thinking of us, for I feel something.
Grandmother. I think they must be quite near. I see tears of joy before my eyes.
Grandfather. No, no, they are far away. I still feel weak.
Grandmother. I tell you they are here; I am quite strong.
Tyltyl and Mytyl. Here we are! Here we are! Granddad! Granny! Its we! Its we!
Grandfather. There! Do you see? What did I tell you?
Grandmother. Tyltyl! Mytyl! Its you! Its she! I cant run! Ive still got the rheumatics!
Grandfather. No more can I.
Grandmother. How tall and strong you are, Tyltyl!
Grandfather. And Mytyl! Just look at her. What pretty hair, what pretty eyes!
Grandmother. Come and kiss me again! Come on to my lap. How are Daddy and Mummy Tyl?
Tyltyl. Quite well, granny. They were asleep when we went out.
Grandmother. Lord, how pretty they are and how nice and clean! Is it mummy who washes you? And there are no holes in your stockings! I darned them, you know. Why dont you come to see us oftener? It makes us so happy! We see nobody here.
Tyltyl. We couldnt, granny; and today its only because of the Fairy.
Grandmother. We are always here. We are waiting for a visit from those who are alive. They come so seldom! The last time you were here, let me see, when was it? It was on All-hallows[20], when the church-bells were ringing.
Tyltyl. All-hallows? We didnt go out that day, for we were ill.
Grandmother. No; but you thought of us.
Tyltyl. Yes.
Grandmother. Well, every time you think of us, we wake up and see you again.
Tyltyl. Really?
Grandmother. You know that.
Tyltyl. No, I dont know.
Grandmother (to Grandfather). Its astonishing. They dont know anything.
Grandfather. The Living are so stupid when they speak of the Others.
Tyltyl. Do you sleep all the time?
Grandfather. Yes, we sleep a lot. We are waiting for a thought of the Living. It wakes us. Ah, it is good to sleep when life is over. But it is pleasant also to wake up from time to time.
Tyltyl. So you are not really dead?
Grandfather. What do you say? What is he saying? Now hes using words we dont understand. Is it a new word?
Tyltyl. The word dead?
Grandfather. Yes, that was the word. What does it mean?
Tyltyl. Why, it means that ones no longer alive.
Grandfather. How silly they are!
Tyltyl. Is it nice here?
Grandfather. Oh, yes; not bad, not bad.
Grandmother. Not bad, yes. But please come and see us oftener. Do you remember, Tyltyl? The last time I baked you a lovely apple-pie.
Tyltyl. I ate apples last year. There are no apples this year.
Grandmother. Dont talk nonsense. Here, we have them always.
Tyltyl (looking first at his Grandmother and then at his Grandfather). You are the same. But youre better-looking.
Grandfather. Well, we feel all right. We dont grow older[21]. But you, how tall youre growing! Look, over there, on the door, is the mark of the last time. That was on All-hallows. Now then, stand up straight.
(Tyltyl stands up against the door).
Four fingers taller!
(Mytyl also stands up against the door).
And Mytyl, four and a half!
Tyltyl (looking around). Nothing is changed, everything is in its old place! Only everything is prettier! There is the clock with the big hand which I broke. And here is the hole which I made in the door.
Grandfather. And here is the plum-tree in which you were climbing, when I wasnt looking. It still has its fine red plums.
Mytyl. And here is the old blackbird! Does it still sing?
The blackbird wakes and begins to sing.
Grandmother. You see. As soon as one thinks of it.
Tyltyl. But its blue! Thats the Blue Bird which I must take back to the Fairy. And you never told us that you had it here! Oh, its blue, blue, blue! Granddad, granny, will you give it to me?
Grandfather. Yes, perhaps, perhaps. What do you think, granny?
Grandmother. Certainly, certainly. He does nothing but sleep.
Tyltyl. I will put him in my cage. But where is my cage? Oh, I left it behind the big tree. (He runs to the tree, fetches the cage and puts the blackbird into it). How pleased the Fairy will be! And Light too!
Grandfather. Hm, Im afraid that the bird wont like the restless life and will come back here. However, we will see. Leave it there, and come and look at the cow.
Tyltyl (noticing the hives). And how are the bees getting on?
Grandfather. Oh, pretty well. They are no longer alive, as you call it; but they work hard.
Tyltyl (going up to the hives). Oh, yes! I can smell the honey! All the flowers are so beautiful! And my little dead sisters, are they here too?
Mytyl. And where are my three little brothers who were dead as well?
At these words, seven little children, of different sizes, come out of the cottage, one by one.
Grandfather. Here they are, here they are! As soon as you think of them, as soon as you speak of them, they are there, the darlings!
Tyltyl and Mytyl run to meet the Children. They hustle and hug one another and dance and utter screams of joy.
Tyltyl. Hallo, Pierrot! And Robert! Jean! Madeleine and Pierette and Pauline! And heres Riquette!
Mytyl. Oh, Riquette, Riquette! She is a baby!
Grandmother. Yes, she does not grow.
Mytyl. Oh, Riquette, Riquette! She is a baby!
Grandmother. Yes, she does not grow.
Tyltyl (noticing the little dog). Theres Kiki, whose tail I cut off with Paulines scissors. Its still the same.
Grandfather. (sententiously). Nothing changes here.
Tyltyl. And Pauline still has a pimple on her nose.
Grandmother. Yes, it wont go away.
Tyltyl. Oh, how well they look! What jolly cheeks they have!
Grandmother. They are here. Theres nothing more to fear. Nobody is ever ill, one has no anxiety.
The clock inside the cottage strikes eight.
Grandmother (amazed). Whats that?
Grandfather. I dont know. It must be the clock.
Grandmother It cant be. It never strikes.
Grandfather. Because we no longer think of the time. Was anyone thinking of the time?
Tyltyl. Yes, I was. What is the time?
Grandfather. I cant tell. It struck eight times, so I suppose its eight oclock.
Tyltyl. Light expects me at a quarter to nine. Fairy told me so. Its extremely important.
Grandfather. Dont leave us so fast. The supper will be ready soon! Quick, quick, lets lay the table outside. Ive got some cabbage-soup and a beautiful plum-tart.
Tyltyl. Well, I have the Blue Bird And I like cabbage-soup.
Grandmother. There! Sit down, children.
The Grandparents and the Children sit down round the table. They are jostling and laughing and screaming with pleasure.
Tyltyl (eating). How good it is! Oh, how good it is! I want some more! More!
The clock strikes half-past eight.
Tyltyl. Half-past eight! (He flings down his spoon). Mytyl, were late!
Grandmother. Oh! Just a few minutes more! We see you so seldom.
Tyltyl. No, we cant. Light is so kind. And I promised her. Come, Mytyl, come!
Grandfather. How tiresome the Living is with all its business!
Tyltyl (taking his cage and hurriedly kissing everybody). Good-bye, granddad. Good-bye, granny. Good-bye, brothers and sisters, Pierrot, Robert, Pauline, Madeleine, Riquette and you, too, Kiki. We mustnt stay. Dont cry, granny; we will come back often.
Grandmother. Come back every day!
Tyltyl. Yes, yes; we will come back as often as we can.
Grandmother. Its our only pleasure when your thoughts visit us!
Grandfather. We have no other amusements.
Tyltyl. Quick, quick! My cage! My bird!
Grandfather (handing him the cage). Here they are!
Tyltyl. Good-bye! Good-bye!
The Brothers and Sisters Tyl. Good-bye, Tyltyl! Good-bye, Mytyl! Good-bye! Come again! Come again!
They all wave their handkerchiefs while Tyltyl and Mytyl slowly move away. But everything is already in the mist.
Tyltyl. Its this way, Mytyl.
Mytyl. Where is Light?
Tyltyl. I dont know. (Looking at the bird in the cage). But the bird is not blue! Its black!
Mytyl. Give me your hand, little brother. I feel so frightened and so cold.
4. The Palace of Night
A large and wonderful hall. Austere, rigid, metallic and sepulchral magnificence. Impression of a Greek temple with columns, flagstones and ornaments of black marble, gold and ebony. The hall is trapezium-shaped. Basalt steps divide it into three successive stages. On the right and left, between the columns, are doors of somber bronze. At the back, a monumental door of brass.
Night is a very old woman in long, black garments. She is between two children. One, almost naked, is smiling in a deep sleep, while the other is standing up. He is motionless and veiled from head to foot. The Cat enters.
Night. Who goes there?
The Cat. It is I, Mother Night. I am very tired.
Night. Whats the matter, child? You look pale and thin. Were you fighting on the tiles, in the snow and rain?
The Cat. No! Its the beginning of the end! I escaped for a moment to warn you; but I greatly fear that we can do nothing.
Night. Why? What happened?
The Cat. I told you of little Tyltyl, the woodcutters son, and of the magic diamond. Well, he is coming here to demand the Blue Bird of you.
Night. He hasnt got it yet.
The Cat. He will have it soon, unless we perform some miracle. Light is guiding him and betraying us all. Light knows that the real Blue Bird can live in the light of day, and is here, among the blue birds of the dreams that live on the rays of the moon and die as soon as they see the sun. She cant cross the threshold of your palace, but she is sending the children. I do not know what to do. If, unfortunately, they get the real Blue Bird, we will disappear.
Night. Oh dear, oh dear! What times we live in! No peace at all. I cannot understand Man, these last few years. What does he want? Must he absolutely know everything? He knows a third of my Mysteries, all my Terrors are afraid and dare not leave the house. My Ghosts flew away, my Sicknesses are ill.
The Cat. I know, Mother Night, I know, the times are hard and we are almost alone in our struggle against Man. But I hear them. I see only one way: as they are children, we must frighten them. And they will not open the great door at the back, behind which they can find the Birds of the Moon. The secrets of the other caverns will distract their attention and terrify them.
Night (listening). What do I hear? Are there many of them?
The Cat. It is nothing; it is our friends, Bread and Sugar; Water is not very well and Fire could not come, because he is that Lights relative. The Dog is the only one who is not on our side.
Tyltyl, Mytyl, Bread, Sugar and the Dog arrive.
The Cat (to Tyltyl). This way, little master, this way. Night is delighted to see you. You must forgive her, she is sick a little.
Tyltyl. Good-day, Mrs. Night.
Night. Good-day? Nonsense. You must say, Good-night, or, at least, Good-evening.
Tyltyl. I beg your pardon, maam. I did not know. (Pointing to the two children). Are those your two little boys? They are very nice.
Night. This is Sleep.
Tyltyl. Why is he so fat?
Night. That is because he sleeps well.
Tyltyl. And the other boy? Why does he veil his face? Is he ill? What is his name?
Night. That is Sleeps sister. It is better not to mention her name.
Tyltyl. Why?
Night. Because her name is not pleasant to hear. But let us talk of something else. The Cat tells me that you are looking for the Blue Bird.
Tyltyl. Yes, maam. Will you tell me where it is?