Transcriber's Note: Inconsistencies in spelling e. G. Color/colour, neighbor/neighbour have been left as in the original. 

[Illustration: The Land of Memory]

 THE · BLUE · BIRD [Illustration: Bluebird] FOR CHILDREN [Illustration: Bluebird]

 THE · WONDERFUL · ADVENTURES OF · TYLTYL · AND · MYTYL · IN SEARCH · OF · HAPPINESS

 BY GEORGETTE LEBLANC [MADAME MAURICE MAETERLINCK]

 EDITED AND ARRANGED FOR SCHOOLS BY FREDERICK ORVILLE PERKINS

 TRANSLATED BY ALEXANDER TEIXEIRA DE MATTOS

 [Illustration: Publisher Logo]

 SILVER · BURDETT & COMPANY BOSTON · NEW YORK · CHICAGO · ATLANTA DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO

 COPYRIGHT, 1913 BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

 COPYRIGHT, 1913 BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY

 COPYRIGHT, 1914 BY SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY

 This School Edition of The Blue Bird for Children is affectionately dedicated to the School Children of America

 Georgette Leblanc (Madame Maurice Maeterlinck)

 _To The Teacher_

 "The Blue Bird, inhabitant of the _Pays Bleu_, the fabulous blue country of our dreams is an ancient symbol in the folk lore of Lorraine and stands for happiness. "

One of the strongest pieces of imaginative writing for children thatthe past decade has produced and one of the most delicate andbeautiful of all times, is "The Blue Bird, " by Maurice Maeterlinck, written as a play, and very successfully produced on the stage. 

Georgette Leblanc (Madame Maurice Maeterlinck), has rendered this playin story form for children, under the title "The Children's BlueBird, " and in this form it has now been carefully edited and arrangedfor schools. 

Maurice Maeterlinck was born in Ghent, Belgium, August 29, 1862. Although trained for the practice of the law and moderately successfulin it, he very early became dissatisfied with the prospect of a careerat the bar. In 1887, the young man moved to Paris and turned hisattention to writing. Shortly after, at the death of his father, Maeterlinck returned to Belgium where he has since resided most of thetime. His career as an author practically began in 1889, when hepublished two plays. At this time he was quite unknown, except to asmall circle, but soon, because of his remarkable originality, we findhim being called "The Belgian Shakespeare, " and his reputation firmlyestablished. 

Amidst his Belgian roses he continued to work and dream, and upon hisyouthful dreams he built his plays. They are all shadowy, brieftranscripts of emotion, and illustrate beautifully his unity ofpurpose, of mood and of thought. Whether in philosophy, drama orpoetry, Maeterlinck is exclusively occupied in revealing or indicatingthe mystery which lies only just out of sight beneath the ordinarylife. In order to produce this effect of the mysterious he aims atextreme simplicity of style and a very realistic symbolism. He allowslife itself to astonish us by its strangeness, by its inexplicableelements. Many of his plays are really pathetic records of unseenemotions. 

Of all his writings, it is conceded that "The Blue Bird" makes thestrongest appeal to children. Maeterlinck has always had much incommon with the young. He has the child's mysticism and awe of theunknown, the same delight in mechanical inventions, the same gift of"making believe. "

In "The Blue Bird" Maeterlinck takes little account of external fact. All along he has kept the child's capacity for wonder; all along hehas preserved youth's freshness of heart. He has, therefore, neverlost the key which unlocks the sympathies of childhood; he stillpossesses the passport that makes him free of the kingdom ofFairyland. 

This story of "The Blue Bird" may remind one somewhat of "Hansel andGretel, " for here Maeterlinck, like Grimm, shows to us the adventuresof two peasant children as they pass through regions of enchantmentwhere they would be at the mercy of treacherous foes, but for the aidof a supernatural friend. But the originality, the charm and theinterest of "The Blue Bird" depend on the way in which the author, while adapting his language and his legends to the intelligence ofyouthful readers, manages to show them the wonders and romance ofNature. He enlists among his characters a whole series of inanimateobjects, such as Bread, Sugar, Milk, Light, Water, Fire and Trees, besides the Cat, the Dog and other animals, investing them all withindividuality, --making for instance, with characteristic bias, the Dogthe faithful friend of his boy and girl companions and the Cat theirstealthy enemy. 

We may not understand his characters, we may not be informed whencethey came or whither they move; there is nothing concrete orcircumstantial about them; their life is intense and consistent, butit is wholly in a spiritual character. They are mysterious with themystery of the movements of the soul. 

All through the story we are led to feel that Maeterlinck's spirit isone of grave and disinterested attachment to the highest moral beauty, and his seriousness, his serenity and his extreme originality impresseven those who are bewildered by his graces and his mysticism. 

"The Blue Bird" will forever live among Maeterlinck's greatest worksand will linger long in the memory of all children, continuingthroughout their lives to symbolize that ideal of ideals, truehappiness, --the happiness that comes from right seeking. 

 _Contents_

 CHAPTER PAGE

 I THE WOODCUTTER'S COTTAGE 3

 II AT THE FAIRY'S 31

 III THE LAND OF MEMORY 49

 IV THE PALACE OF NIGHT 65

 V THE KINGDOM OF THE FUTURE 89

 VI IN THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT 117

 VII THE GRAVEYARD 125

 VIII THE FOREST 137

 IX THE LEAVE-TAKING 157

 X THE AWAKENING 169

 _Illustrations_

 The Land of Memory _Frontispiece_

 FACING PAGE

 She herself helped Mytyl 10

 They all looked at her with a bewildered air. They understood that it was a solemn moment 38

 Delighted with the importance of his duty, undid the top of his robe, drew his scimitar and cut two slices out of his stomach 42

 Sugar also wanted to impress the company and, breaking off two of his fingers, handed them to the astonished Children 44

 Everything vanished and, instead, there appeared a pretty little peasant's cottage 50

 The grandparents and grandchildren sat down to supper 56

 The road to the Palace of Night was rather long and rather dangerous 66

 Night sat up, all quivering. Her immense wings beat around her; and she questioned Tylette in a trembling voice 68

 Wagging her head and stopping every minute to cough, sneeze and blow her nose 74

 A wonderful garden lay before him, a dream-garden filled with flowers that shone like stars 80

 Light's servants were very odd 90

 Other Blue Children opened great big books 98

 Other Blue Children unfolded maps and plans, or brought enormous flowers 102

 And, in a moment, the Blue Children were crowding round the tall old man 110

 The Cat at once draped her cloak round her, opened the door and ran and bounded out into the forest 119

 A regular waterfall of tears came gushing from her eyes, flooding all around her 154

 Closely pursued by the Dog, who overwhelmed her with bites, blows and kicks 162

 "It's the Blue Bird we were looking for! We have been miles and miles and miles and he was here all the time!" 174

CHAPTER I

THE WOODCUTTER'S COTTAGE

Once upon a time, a woodcutter and his wife lived in their cottage onthe edge of a large and ancient forest. They had two dear littlechildren who met with a most wonderful adventure. 

But, before telling you all about it, I must describe the children toyou and let you know something of their character; for, if they hadnot been so sweet and brave and plucky, the curious story which youare about to hear would never have happened at all. 

Tyltyl--that was our hero's name--was ten years old; and Mytyl, hislittle sister, was only six. 

Tyltyl was a fine, tall little fellow, stout and well-set-up, withcurly black hair which was often in a tangle, for he was fond of aromp. He was a great favorite because of his smiling and good-temperedface and the bright look in his eyes; but, best of all, he had theways of a bold and fearless little man, which showed the noblequalities of his heart. When, early in the morning, he trotted alongthe forest-road by the side of his daddy, Tyl the woodcutter, for allhis shabby clothes he looked so proud and gallant that every beautifulthing on the earth and in the sky seemed to lie in wait for him tosmile upon him as he passed. 

His little sister was very different, but looked ever so sweet andpretty in her long frock, which Mummy Tyl kept neatly patched for her. She was as fair as her brother was dark; and her large timid eyes wereblue as the forget-me-nots in the fields. Anything was enough tofrighten her and she would cry at the least thing; but her littlechild soul already held the highest womanly qualities: she was lovingand gentle and so fondly devoted to her brother that, rather thanabandon him, she did not hesitate to undertake a long and dangerousjourney in his company. 

What happened and how our little hero and heroine went off into theworld one night in search of happiness: that is the subject of mystory. 

Daddy Tyl's cottage was the poorest of the countryside; and it seemedeven more wretched because it stood opposite a splendid hall in whichrich children lived. From the windows of the cottage you could seewhat went on inside the Hall when the dining-room and drawing-roomswere lit up in the evening. And, in the daytime, you saw the littlechildren playing on the terraces, in the gardens and in the hot-houseswhich people came all the way from town to visit because they werealways filled with the rarest flowers. 

Now, one evening which was not like other evenings, for it wasChristmas Eve, Mummy Tyl put her little ones to bed and kissed themeven more lovingly than usual. She felt a little sad because, owing tothe stormy weather, Daddy Tyl was not able to go to work in theforest; and so she had no money to buy presents with which to fillTyltyl and Mytyl's stockings. The Children soon fell asleep, everything was still and silent and not a sound was heard but thepurring of the cat, the snoring of the dog and the ticking of thegreat grandfather's clock. But suddenly a light as bright as day creptthrough the shutters, the lamp upon the table lit again of itself andthe two Children awoke, yawned, rubbed their eyes, stretched out theirarms in bed and Tyltyl, in a cautious voice called:

"Mytyl?"

"Yes, Tyltyl?" was the answer. 

"Are you asleep?"

"Are you?"

"No, " said Tyltyl. "How can I be asleep, when I'm talking to you?"

"I say, is this Christmas Day?" asked his sister. 

"Not yet; not till to-morrow. But Father Christmas won't bring usanything this year. "

"Why not?"

"I heard Mummy say that she couldn't go to town to tell him. But hewill come next year. "

"Is next year far off?"

"A good long while, " said the boy. "But he will come to the richchildren to-night. "

"Really?"

"Hullo!" cried Tyltyl of a sudden. "Mummy's forgotten to put out thelamp!. .. I've an idea!"

"What?"

"Let's get up. "

"But we mustn't, " said Mytyl, who always remembered. 

"Why, there's no one about!. .. Do you see the shutters?"

"Oh, how bright they are!. .. "

"It's the lights of the party, " said Tyltyl. 

"What party?"

"The rich children opposite. It's the Christmas-tree. Let's open theshutters. .. . "

"Can we?" asked Mytyl, timidly. 

"Of course we can; there's no one to stop us. .. . Do you hear themusic?. .. Let us get up. "

The two Children jumped out of bed, ran to the window, climbed on thestool in front of it and threw back the shutters. A bright lightfilled the room; and the Children looked out eagerly:

"We can see everything!" said Tyltyl. 

"I can't, " said poor little Mytyl, who could hardly find room on thestool. 

"It's snowing!" said Tyltyl. "There are two carriages, with six horseseach!"

"There are twelve little boys getting out!" said Mytyl, who was doingher best to peep out of the window. 

"Don't be silly!. .. They're little girls. .. . "

"They've got knickerbockers on. .. . "

"Do be quiet!. .. And look!. .. "

"What are those gold things there, hanging from the branches?"

"Why, toys, to be sure!" said Tyltyl. "Swords, guns, soldiers, cannons. .. . "

"And what's that, all round the table?"

"Cakes and fruit and cream-tarts. "

"Oh, how pretty the children are!" cried Mytyl, clapping her hands. 

"And how they're laughing and laughing!" answered Tyltyl. 

"And the little ones dancing!. .. "

"Yes, yes; let's dance too!" shouted Tyltyl. 

And the two Children began to stamp their feet for joy on the stool:

"Oh, what fun!" said Mytyl. 

"They're getting the cakes!" cried Tyltyl. "They can touch them!. .. They're eating, they're eating, they're eating!. .. Oh, how lovely, howlovely!. .. "

Mytyl began to count imaginary cakes:

"I have twelve!. .. "

"And I four times twelve!" said Tyltyl. "But I'll give you some. .. . "

And our little friends, dancing, laughing and shrieking with delight, rejoiced so prettily in the other children's happiness that theyforgot their own poverty and want. They were soon to have theirreward. Suddenly, there came a loud knocking at the door. The startledChildren ceased their romp and dared not move a limb. Then the bigwooden latch lifted of itself, with a loud creak; the door openedslowly; and in crept a little old woman, dressed all in green, with ared hood over her head. She was hump-backed and lame and had only oneeye; her nose and chin almost touched; and she walked leaning on astick. She was surely a fairy. 

She hobbled up to the Children and asked, in a snuffling voice:

"Have you the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?"

"We have some grass, " replied Tyltyl, trembling all over his body, "but it can't sing. .. . "

"Tyltyl has a bird, " said Mytyl. 

"But I can't give it away, because it's mine, " the little fellowadded, quickly. 

Now wasn't that a capital reason?

The Fairy put on her big, round glasses and looked at the bird:

"He's not blue enough, " she exclaimed. "I must absolutely have theBlue Bird. It's for my little girl, who is very ill. .. . Do you knowwhat the Blue Bird stands for? No? I thought you didn't; and, as youare good children, I will tell you. "

The Fairy raised her crooked finger to her long, pointed nose, andwhispered, in a mysterious tone:

"The Blue Bird stands for happiness; and I want you to understandthat my little girl must be happy in order to get well. That is why Inow command you to go out into the world and find the Blue Bird forher. You will have to start at once. .. . Do you know who I am?"

The Children exchanged puzzled glances. The fact was that they hadnever seen a fairy before; and they felt a little scared in herpresence. However, Tyltyl soon said politely:

"You are rather like our neighbor, Madame Berlingot. .. . "

[Illustration: She herself helped Mytyl]

Tyltyl thought that, in saying this, he was paying the Fairy acompliment; for Madame Berlingot's shop, which was next door to theircottage, was a very pleasant place. It was stocked with sweets, marbles, chocolate cigars and sugar dolls and hens; and, at fair-time, there were big gingerbread dolls covered all over with gilt paper. Goody Berlingot had a nose that was quite as ugly as the Fairy's; shewas old also; and, like the Fairy, she walked doubled up in two; butshe was very kind and she had a dear little girl who used to play onSundays with the woodcutter's Children. Unfortunately, the poor littlepretty, fair-haired thing was always suffering from some unknowncomplaint, which often kept her in bed. When this happened, sheused to beg and pray for Tyltyl's dove to play with; but Tyltyl wasso fond of the bird that he would not give it to her. All this, thought the little boy, was very like that which the Fairy told him;and that was why he called her Berlingot. 

Much to his surprise, the Fairy turned crimson with rage. It was ahobby of hers to be like nobody, because she was a fairy and able tochange her appearance, from one moment to the next, as she pleased. That evening, she happened to be ugly and old and hump-backed; she hadlost one of her eyes; and two lean wisps of grey hair hung over hershoulders. 

"What do I look like?" she asked Tyltyl. "Am I pretty or ugly? Old oryoung?"

Her reason for asking these questions was to try the kindness of thelittle boy. He turned away his head and dared not say what he thoughtof her looks. Then she cried:

"I am the Fairy Bérylune!"

"Oh, that's all right!" answered Tyltyl, who, by this time, wasshaking in every limb. 

This satisfied the Fairy; and, as the Children were still in theirnight-shirts, she told them to get dressed. She herself helped Mytyland, while she did so, asked:

"Where are your Father and Mother?"

"In there, " said Tyltyl, pointing to the door on the right. "They'reasleep. "

"And your Grandad and Granny?"

"They're dead. .. . "

"And your little brothers and sisters. .. . Have you any?. .. "

"Oh, yes, three little brothers!" said Tyltyl. 

"And four little sisters, " added Mytyl. 

"Where are they?" asked the Fairy. 

"They are dead, too, " answered Tyltyl. 

"Would you like to see them again?"

"Oh, yes!. .. At once!. .. Show them to us!. .. "

"I haven't them in my pocket, " said the Fairy. "But this is verylucky; you will see them when you go through the Land of Memory. It'son the way to the Blue Bird, just on the left, past the thirdturning. .. . What were you doing when I knocked?"

"We were playing at eating cakes, " said Tyltyl. 

"Have you any cakes?. .. Where are they?. .. "

"In the house of the rich children. .. . Come and look, it's so lovely!"

And Tyltyl dragged the Fairy to the window. 

"But it's the others who are eating them!" said she. 

"Yes, but we can see them eat, " said Tyltyl. 

"Aren't you cross with them?"

"What for?"

"For eating all the cakes. I think it's very wrong of them not to giveyou any. "

"Not at all; they're rich!. .. I say, isn't it beautiful over there?"

"It's just the same here, only you can't see. .. . "

"Yes, I can, " said Tyltyl. "I have very good eyes. I can see the timeon the church clock; and Daddy can't!"

The Fairy suddenly grew angry:

"I tell you that you can't see!" she said. 

And she grew angrier and angrier. As though it mattered about seeingthe time on the church clock!

Of course, the little boy was not blind; but, as he was kind-heartedand deserved to be happy, she wanted to teach him to see what is goodand beautiful in all things. It was not an easy task, for she wellknew that most people live and die without enjoying the happiness thatlies all around them. Still, as she was a fairy, she was all-powerful;and so she decided to give him a little hat adorned with a magicdiamond that would possess the extraordinary property of alwaysshowing him the truth, which would help him to see the inside ofThings and thus teach him that each of them has a life and anexistence of its own, created to match and gladden ours. 

The Fairy took the little hat from a great bag hanging by her side. Itwas green and had a white cockade, with the big diamond shining in themiddle of it. Tyltyl was beside himself with delight. The Fairyexplained to him how the diamond worked. By pressing the top, you sawthe soul of Things; if you gave it a little turn to the right, youdiscovered the Past; and, when you turned it to the left, you beheldthe Future. 

Tyltyl beamed all over his face and danced for joy; and then he atonce became afraid of losing the little hat:

"Daddy will take it from me!" he cried. 

"No, " said the Fairy, "for no one can see it as long as it's on yourhead. .. . Will you try it?"

"Yes, yes!" cried the Children, clapping their hands. 

The hat was no sooner on the little boy's head than a magic changecame over everything. The old Fairy turned into a young and beautifulprincess, dressed all in silk and covered with sparkling jewels; thewalls of the cottage became transparent and gleamed like preciousstones; the humble deal furniture shone like marble. The two childrenran from right to left clapping their hands and shouting withdelight. 

"Oh, how lovely, how lovely!" exclaimed Tyltyl. 

And Mytyl, like the vain little thing she was, stood spell-boundbefore the beauty of the fair princess' dress. 

But further and much greater surprises were in store for them. Had notthe Fairy said that the Things and the Animals would come to life, talk and behave like everybody else? Lo and behold, suddenly the doorof the grandfather's clock opened, the silence was filled with thesweetest music and twelve little daintily-dressed and laughing dancersbegan to skip and spin all around the Children. 

"They are the Hours of your life, " said the Fairy. 

"May I dance with them?" asked Tyltyl, gazing with admiration at thosepretty creatures, who seemed to skim over the floor like birds. 

But just then he burst into a wild fit of laughter! Who was that funnyfat fellow, all out of breath and covered with flour, who camestruggling out of the bread-pan and bowing to the children? It wasBread! Bread himself, taking advantage of the reign of liberty to gofor a little walk on earth! He looked like a stout, comical oldgentleman; his face was puffed out with dough; and his large hands, atthe end of his thick arms, were not able to meet, when he laid them onhis great, round stomach. He was dressed in a tight-fittingcrust-coloured suit, with stripes across the chest like those on thenice buttered rolls which we have for breakfast in the morning. On hishead--just think of it!--he wore an enormous bun, which made a funnysort of turban. 

He had hardly tumbled out of his pan, when other loaves just like him, but smaller, followed after and began to frisk about with the Hours, without giving a thought to the flour which they scattered over thosepretty ladies and which wrapped them in great white clouds. 

It was a queer and charming dance; and the Children were delighted. The Hours waltzed with the loaves; the plates, joining in the fun, hopped up and down on the dresser, at the risk of falling off andsmashing to pieces; the glasses in the cupboard clinked together, todrink the health of one and all. As to the forks, they chattered soloudly with the knives that you could not hear yourself speak for thenoise. .. . 

There is no knowing what would have happened if the din had lastedmuch longer. Daddy and Mummy Tyl would certainly have waked up. Fortunately, when the romp was at its height, an enormous flame dartedout of the chimney and filled the room with a great red glow, asthough the house were on fire. Everybody bolted into the corners indismay, while Tyltyl and Mytyl, sobbing with fright, hid their headsunder the good Fairy's cloak. 

"Don't be afraid, " she said. "It's only Fire, who has come to join inyour fun. He is a good sort, but you had better not touch him, for hehas a hot temper. "

Peeping anxiously through the beautiful gold lace that edged theFairy's cloak, the Children saw a tall, red fellow looking at them andlaughing at their fears. He was dressed in scarlet tights andspangles; from his shoulders hung silk scarves that were just likeflames when he waved them with his long arms; and his hair stood up onhis head in straight, flaring locks. He started flinging out his armsand legs and jumping round the room like a madman. 

Tyltyl, though feeling a little easier, dared not yet leave hisrefuge. Then the Fairy Bérylune had a capital idea: she pointed herwand at the tap; and at once there appeared a young girl who wept likea regular fountain. It was Water. She was very pretty, but she lookedextremely sad; and she sang so sweetly that it was like the ripplingof a spring. Her long hair, which fell to her feet, might have beenmade of sea-weed. She had nothing on but her bed-gown; but the waterthat streamed over her clothed her in shimmering colours. Shehesitated at first and gave a glance around her; then, catching sightof Fire still whirling about like a great madcap, she made an angryand indignant rush at him, spraying his face, splashing and wettinghim with all her might. Fire flew into a rage and began to smoke. Nevertheless, as he found himself suddenly thwarted by his old enemy, he thought it wiser to retire to a corner. Water also beat a retreat;and it seemed as though peace would be restored once more. 

The two Children, at last recovering from their alarm, were asking theFairy what was going to happen next, when a startling noise ofbreaking crockery made them look round towards the table. What asurprise! The milk-jug lay on the floor, smashed into a thousandfragments, and from the pieces rose a charming lady, who gave littlescreams of terror and clasped her hands and turned up her eyes with abeseeching glance. 

Tyltyl hastened to console her, for he at once knew that she was Milk;and, as he was very fond of her, he gave her a good kiss. She was asfresh and pretty as a little dairy-maid; and a delicious scent of haycame from her white frock all covered with cream. 

Meanwhile, Mytyl was watching the sugar-loaf, which also seemed to becoming to life. Packed in its blue paper wrapper, on a shelf near thedoor, it was swaying from left to right and from right to left withoutany result. But at last a long thin arm was seen to come out, followed by a peaked head, which split the paper, and by another armand two long legs that seemed never to end!. .. Oh, you should haveseen how funny Sugar looked: so funny, indeed, that the Children couldnot help laughing in his face! And yet they would have liked to becivil to him, for they heard the Fairy introducing him in these words:

"This, Tyltyl, is the soul of Sugar. His pockets are crammed withsugar and each of his fingers is a sugar-stick. "

How wonderful to have a friend all made of sugar, off whom you canbite a piece whenever you feel inclined!

"Bow, wow, wow!. .. Good-morning! Good-morning, my little god!. .. Atlast, at last we can talk!. .. Bark and wag my tail as I might, younever understood!. .. I love you! I love you!"

Who can this extraordinary person be, who jostles everybody and fillsthe house with his noisy gaiety? We know him at once. It is Tylô, thegood Dog who tries his hardest to understand mankind, the good-naturedAnimal who goes with the Children to the forest, the faithful guardianwho protects the door, the staunch friend who is ever true and everloyal! Here he comes walking on his hind-paws, as on a pair of legstoo short for him, and beating the air with the two others, makinggestures like a clumsy little man. He has not changed: he still hashis smooth, mustard-coloured coat and his jolly bull-dog head, withthe black muzzle, but he is much bigger and then he talks! He talks asfast as he can, as though he wanted in one moment to avenge his wholerace, which has been doomed to silence for centuries. He talks ofeverything, now that he is at last able to explain himself; and it isa pretty sight to see him kissing his little master and mistress andcalling them "his little gods!" He sits up, he jumps about the room, knocking against the furniture, upsetting Mytyl with his big softpaws, lolling his tongue, wagging his tail and puffing and panting asthough he were out hunting. We at once see his simple, generousnature. Persuaded of his own importance, he fancies that he alone isindispensable in the new world of Things. 

After making all the fuss he wanted of the Children, he started goingthe round of the company, distributing the attentions which he thoughtthat none could do without. His joy, now set free, found vent withoutrestraint; and, because he was the most loving of creatures, he wouldalso have been the happiest, if, in becoming human, he had not, unfortunately, retained his little doggy failings. He was jealous! Hewas terribly jealous; and his heart felt a pang when he saw Tylette, the Cat, coming to life in her turn and being petted and kissed by theChildren, just as he had been! Oh, how he hated the Cat! To bear thesight of her beside him, to see her always sharing in the affection ofthe family: that was the great sacrifice which fate demanded of him. He accepted it, however, without a word, because it pleased his littlegods; and he went so far as to leave her alone. But he had had many acrime on his conscience because of her! Had he not, one evening, creptstealthily into Goody Berlingot's kitchen in order to throttle her oldtom-cat, who had never done him any harm? Had he not broken the backof the Persian cat at the Hall opposite? Did he not sometimes go totown on purpose to hunt cats and put an end to them, all to wreak hisspite? And now Tylette was going to talk, just like himself! Tylettewould be his equal in the new world that was opening before him!

"Oh, there is no justice left on earth!" was his bitter thought. "There is no justice left!"

In the meantime, the Cat, who had begun by washing herself andpolishing her claws, calmly put out her paw to the little girl. 

She really was a very pretty cat; and, if our friend Tylô's jealousyhad not been such an ugly feeling, we might almost have overlooked itfor once! How could you fail to be attracted by Tylette's eyes, whichwere like topaz set in emeralds? How could you resist the pleasure ofstroking the wonderful black velvet back? How could you not love hergrace, her gentleness and the dignity of her poses?

Smiling gently and speaking in well-chosen language, she said toMytyl:

"Good-morning, miss!. .. How well you look this morning!. .. "

And the Children patted her like anything. 

Tylô kept watching the Cat from the other end of the room:

"Now that she's standing on her hind-legs like a man, " he muttered, "she looks just like the Devil, with her pointed ears, her long tailand her dress as black as ink!" And he could not help growling betweenhis teeth. "She's also like the village chimney-sweep, " he went on, "whom I loathe and detest and whom I shall never take for a real man, whatever my little gods may say. .. . It's lucky, " he added, with asigh, "that I know more about a good many things than they do!"

But suddenly, no longer able to master himself, he flew at the Cat andshouted, with a loud laugh that was more like a roar:

"I'm going to frighten Tylette! Bow, wow, wow!"

But the Cat, who was dignified even when still an animal, now thoughtherself called to the loftiest destinies. She considered that the timehad come to raise a tall barrier between herself and the Dog, who hadnever been more than an ill-bred person in her eyes; and, steppingback in disdain, she just said:

"Sir, I don't know you. "

Tylô gave a bound under the insult, whereupon the Cat bristled up, twisting her whiskers under her little pink nose (for she was veryproud of those two pale blotches which gave a special touch to herdark beauty); and then, arching her back and sticking up her tail, shehissed out, "Fft! Fft!" and stood stock-still on the chest of drawers, like a dragon on the lid of a Chinese vase. 

Tyltyl and Mytyl screamed with laughter; but the quarrel wouldcertainly have had a bad ending if, at that moment, a great thing hadnot happened. At eleven o'clock in the evening, in the middle of thatwinter's night, a great light, the light of the noon-day sun, glowingand dazzling, burst into the cottage. 

"Hullo, there's daylight!" said the little boy, who no longer knewwhat to make of things. "What will Daddy say?"

But, before the Fairy had time to set him right, Tyltyl understood;and, full of wonderment, he knelt before the latest vision thatbewitched his eyes. 

At the window, in the center of a great halo of sunshine, there roseslowly, like a tall golden sheaf, a maiden of surpassing loveliness!Gleaming veils covered her figure without hiding its beauty; her barearms, stretched in the attitude of giving, seemed transparent; and hergreat clear eyes wrapped all upon whom they fell in a fond embrace. 

"It's the Queen!" said Tyltyl. 

"It's a Fairy Princess!" cried Mytyl, kneeling beside her brother. 

"No, my Children, " said the Fairy. "It is Light!"

Smiling, Light stepped towards the two little ones. She, the Light ofHeaven, the strength and beauty of the Earth, was proud of the humblemission entrusted to her; she, never before held captive, living inspace and bestowing her bounty upon all alike, consented to beconfined, for a brief spell, within a human shape, so as to lead theChildren out into the world and teach them to know that other Light, the Light of the Mind, which we never see, but which helps us to seeall things that are. 

"It is Light!" exclaimed the Things and the Animals; and, as they allloved her, they began to dance around her with cries of pleasure. 

Tyltyl and Mytyl capered with joy. Never had they pictured so amusingand so pretty a party; and they shouted louder than all the rest. 

Then what was bound to happen came. Suddenly, three knocks were heardagainst the wall, loud enough to throw the house down! It was DaddyTyl, who had been waked up by the din and who was now threatening tocome and put a stop to it. 

"Turn the diamond!" cried the Fairy to Tyltyl. 

Our hero hastened to obey, but he had not the knack of it yet;besides, his hand shook at the thought that his father was coming. Infact, he was so awkward that he nearly broke the works. 

"Not so quick, not so quick!" said the Fairy. "Oh dear, you've turnedit too briskly: they will not have time to resume their places and weshall have a lot of bother!"

There was a general stampede. The walls of the cottage lost theirsplendour. All ran hither and thither, to return to their propershape: Fire could not find his chimney; Water ran about looking forher tap; Sugar stood moaning in front of his torn wrapper; and Bread, the biggest of the loaves, was unable to squeeze into his pan, inwhich the other loaves had jumped higgledy-piggledy, taking up all theroom. As for the Dog, he had grown too large for the hole in hiskennel; and the Cat also could not get into her basket. The Hoursalone, who were accustomed always to run faster than Man wished, hadslipped back into the clock without delay. 

Light stood motionless and unruffled, vainly setting an example ofcalmness to the others, who were all weeping and wailing around theFairy:

"What is going to happen?" they asked. "Is there any danger?"

"Well, " said the Fairy, "I am bound to tell you the truth: all thosewho accompany the two Children will die at the end of the journey. "

They began to cry like anything, all except the Dog, who was delightedat remaining human as long as possible and who had already taken hisstand next to Light, so as to be sure of going in front of his littlemaster and mistress. 

At that moment, there came a knocking even more dreadful than before. 

"There's Daddy again!" said Tyltyl. "He's getting up, this time; I canhear him walking. .. . "

"You see, " said the Fairy, "you have no choice now; it is too late;you must all start with us. .. . But you, Fire, don't come near anybody;you, Dog, don't tease the Cat; you, Water, try not to run all over theplace; and you, Sugar, stop crying, unless you want to melt. Breadshall carry the cage in which to put the Blue Bird; and you shall allcome to my house, where I will dress the Animals and the Thingsproperly. .. . Let us go out this way!"

As she spoke, she pointed her wand at the window, which lengthenedmagically downwards, like a door. They all went out on tip-toe, afterwhich the window resumed its usual shape. And so it came about that, on Christmas Night, in the clear light of the moon, while the bellsrang out lustily, proclaiming the birth of Jesus, Tyltyl and Mytylwent in search of the Blue Bird that was to bring them happiness. 

CHAPTER II

AT THE FAIRY'S

The Fairy Bérylune's Palace stood at the top of a very high mountain, on the way to the moon. It was so near that, on summer nights, whenthe sky was clear, you could plainly see the moon's mountains andvalleys, lakes and seas from the terrace of the palace. Here the Fairystudied the stars and read their secrets, for it was long since theEarth had had anything to teach her. 

"This old planet no longer interests me!" she used to say to herfriends, the giants of the mountain. "The men upon it still live withtheir eyes shut! Poor things, I pity them! I go down among them nowand then, but it is out of charity, to try and save the littlechildren from the fatal misfortune that awaits them in the darkness. "

This explains why she had come and knocked at the door of Daddy Tyl'scottage on Christmas Eve. 

And now to return to our travellers. They had hardly reached thehigh-road, when the Fairy remembered that they could not walk likethat through the village, which was still lit up because of thefeast. But her store of knowledge was so great that all her wisheswere fulfilled at once. She pressed lightly on Tyltyl's head andwilled that they should all be carried by magic to her palace. Thenand there, a cloud of fireflies surrounded our companions and waftedthem gently towards the sky. They were at the Fairy's palace beforethey had recovered from their surprise. 

"Follow me, " she said and led them through chambers and passages allin gold and silver. 

They stopped in a large room surrounded with mirrors on every side andcontaining an enormous wardrobe with light creeping through itschinks. The Fairy Bérylune took a diamond key from her pocket andopened the wardrobe. One cry of amazement burst from every throat. Precious stuffs were seen piled one on the top of the other: mantlescovered with gems, dresses of every sort and every country, pearlcoronets, emerald necklaces, ruby bracelets. .. . Never had the Childrenbeheld such riches! As for the Things, their state was rather one ofutter bewilderment; and this was only natural, when you think thatthey were seeing the world for the first time and that it showeditself to them in such a queer way. 

The Fairy helped them make their choice. Fire, Sugar and the Catdisplayed a certain decision of taste. Fire, who only cared for red, at once chose a splendid bright red dress, with gold spangles. He putnothing on his head, for his head was always very hot. Sugar could notstand anything except white and pale blue: bright colors jarred on hissweet nature. The long blue and white dress which he selected and thepointed hat, like a candle extinguisher, which he wore on his headmade him look perfectly ridiculous; but he was too silly to notice itand kept spinning before the glass like a top and admiring himself inblissful ignorance. 

The Cat, who was always a lady and who was used to her dusky garments, reflected that black always looks well, in any circumstance, particularly now, when they were travelling without luggage. Shetherefore put on a suit of black tights, with jet embroidery, hung along velvet cloak from her shoulders and perched a large cavalier hat, with a long feather, on her neat little head. She next asked for apair of soft kid boots, in memory of Puss-in-Boots, her distinguishedancestor, and put a pair of gloves on her fore-paws, to protect themfrom the dust of the roads. 

Thus attired, she took a satisfied glance at the mirror. Then, alittle nervously, with an anxious eye and a quivering pink nose, shehastily invited Sugar and Fire to take the air with her. So they allthree walked out, while the others went on dressing. Let us followthem for a moment, for we have already grown to like our brave littleTyltyl and we shall want to hear anything that is likely to help ordelay his undertaking. 

After passing through several splendid galleries, hung like balconiesin the sky, our three cronies stopped in the hall; and the Cat at onceaddressed the meeting in a hushed voice:

"I have brought you here, " she said, "in order to discuss the positionin which we are placed. Let us make the most of our last moment ofliberty. .. . "

But she was interrupted by a furious uproar:

"Bow, wow, wow!"

"There now!" cried the Cat. "There's that idiot of a Dog! He hasscented us out! We can't get a minute's peace. Let us hide behind thebalustrade. He had better not hear what I have to say to you. "

"It's too late, " said Sugar, who was standing by the door. 

And, sure enough, Tylô was coming up, jumping, barking, panting anddelighted. 

The Cat, when she saw him, turned away in disgust:

"He has put on the livery of one of the footmen of Cinderella'scoach. .. . It is just the thing for him: he has the soul of aflunkey!"

She ended these words with a "Fft! Fft!" and, stroking her whiskers, took up her stand, with a defiant air, between Sugar and Fire. Thegood Dog did not see her little game. He was wholly wrapped up in thepleasure of being gorgeously arrayed; and he danced round and round. It was really funny to see his velvet coat whirling like amerry-go-round, with the skirts opening every now and then and showinghis little stumpy tail, which was all the more expressive as it had toexpress itself very briefly. For I need hardly tell you that Tylô, like every well-bred bull-dog, had had his tail and his ears croppedas a puppy. 

Poor fellow, he had long envied the tails of his brother dogs, whichallowed them to use a much larger and more varied vocabulary. Butphysical deficiencies and the hardships of fortune strengthen ourinnermost qualities. Tylô's soul, having no outward means ofexpressing itself, had only gained through silence; and his look, which was always filled with love, had become very eloquent. 

To-day his big dark eyes glistened with delight; he had suddenlychanged into a man! He was all over magnificent clothes; and he wasabout to perform a grand errand across the world in company with thegods!

"There!" he said. "There! Aren't we fine!. .. Just look at this laceand embroidery!. .. It's real gold and no mistake!"

He did not see that the others were laughing at him, for, to tell thetruth, he did look very comical; but, like all simple creatures, hehad no sense of humour. He was so proud of his natural garment ofyellow hair that he had put on no waistcoat, in order that no onemight have a doubt as to where he sprang from. For the same reason, hehad kept his collar, with his address on it. A big red velvet coat, heavily braided with gold-lace, reached to his knees; and the largepockets on either side would enable him, he thought, always to carry afew provisions; for Tylô was very greedy. On his left ear, he wore alittle round cap with an osprey-feather in it and he kept it on hisbig square head by means of an elastic which cut his fat, loose cheeksin two. His other ear remained free. Cropped close to his head in theshape of a little paper screw-bag, this ear was the watchful receiverinto which all the sounds of life fell, like pebbles disturbing itsrest. 

He had also encased his hind-legs in a pair of patent-leatherriding-boots, with white tops; but his fore-paws he considered of suchuse that nothing would have induced him to put them into gloves. Tylôhad too natural a character to change his little ways all in a day;and, in spite of his new-blown honours, he allowed himself to doundignified things. He was at the present moment lying on the steps ofthe hall, scratching the ground and sniffing at the wall, whensuddenly he gave a start and began to whine and whimper! His lower lipshook nervously as though he were going to cry. 

"What's the matter with the idiot now?" asked the Cat, who waswatching him out of the corner of her eye. 

But she at once understood. A very sweet song came from the distance;and Tylô could not endure music. The song drew nearer, a girl's freshvoice filled the shadows of the lofty arches and Water appeared. Tall, slender and white as a pearl, she seemed to glide rather than to walk. Her movements were so soft and graceful that they were suspectedrather than seen. A beautiful silvery dress waved and floated aroundher; and her hair decked with corals flowed below her knees. 

When Fire caught sight of her, like the rude and spiteful fellow thathe was, he sneered:

"She's not brought her umbrella!"

But Water, who was really quite witty and who knew that she was thestronger of the two, chaffed him pleasantly and said, with a glance athis glowing nose:

"I beg your pardon?. .. I thought you might be speaking of a great rednose I saw the other day!. .. "

The others began to laugh and poke fun at Fire, whose face was alwayslike a red-hot coal. Fire angrily jumped to the ceiling, keeping hisrevenge for later. Meanwhile, the Cat went up to Water, verycautiously, and paid her ever so many compliments on her dress. I needhardly tell you that she did not mean a word of it; but she wished tobe friendly with everybody, for she wanted their votes, to carry outher plan; and she was anxious at not seeing Bread, because she did notwant to speak before the meeting was complete:

"What can he be doing?" she mewed, time after time. 

"He was making an endless fuss about choosing his dress, " said theDog. "At last, he decided in favour of a Turkish robe, with a scimitarand a turban. "

[Illustration: They all looked at her with a bewildered air. Theyunderstood that it was a solemn moment. ]

The words were not out of his mouth, when a shapeless and ridiculousbulk, clad in all the colours of the rainbow, came and blocked thenarrow door of the hall. It was the enormous stomach of Bread, whofilled the whole opening. He kept on knocking himself, without knowingwhy; for he was not very clever and, besides, he was not yet used tomoving about in human beings' houses. At last, it occurred to himto stoop; and, by squeezing through sideways, he managed to make hisway into the hall. 

It was certainly not a triumphal entry, but he was pleased with it allthe same:

"Here I am!" he said. "Here I am! I have put on Blue-beard's finestdress. .. . What do you think of this?"

The Dog began to frisk around him: he thought Bread magnificent! Thatyellow velvet costume, covered all over with silver crescents, reminded Tylô of the delicious horse-shoe rolls which he loved; andthe huge, gaudy turban on Bread's head was really very like a fairybun!

"How nice he looks!" he cried. "How nice he looks!"

Bread was shyly followed by Milk. Her simple mind had made her preferher cream dress to all the finery which the Fairy suggested to her. She was really a model of humility. 

Bread was beginning to talk about the dresses of Tyltyl, Light andMytyl, when the Cat cut him short in a masterful voice:

"We shall see them in good time, " she said. "Stop chattering, listento me, time presses: our future is at stake. .. . "

They all looked at her with a bewildered air. They understood that itwas a solemn moment, but the human language was still full of mysteryto them. Sugar wriggled his long fingers as a sign of distress; Breadpatted his huge stomach; Water lay on the floor and seemed to sufferfrom the most profound despair; and Milk only had eyes for Bread, whohad been her friend for ages and ages. 

The Cat, becoming impatient, continued her speech:

"The Fairy has just said it, the end of this journey will, at the sametime, mark the end of our lives. It is our business, therefore, tospin the journey out as long as possible and by every means in ourpower. .. . "

Bread, who was afraid of being eaten as soon as he was no longer aman, hastened to express approval; but the Dog, who was standing alittle way off, pretending not to hear, began to growl deep down inhis soul. He well knew what the Cat was driving at; and, when Tyletteended her speech with the words, "We must at all costs prolong thejourney and prevent Blue Bird from being found, even if it meansendangering the lives of the Children, " the good Dog, obeying only thepromptings of his heart, leapt at the Cat to bite her. Sugar, Breadand Fire flung themselves between them:

"Order! Order!" said Bread pompously. "I'm in the chair at thismeeting. "

"Who made you chairman?" stormed Fire. 

"Who asked you to interfere?" asked Water, whirling her wet hair overFire. 

"Excuse me, " said Sugar, shaking all over, in conciliatory tones. "Excuse me. .. . This is a serious moment. .. . Let us talk things over ina friendly way. "

"I quite agree with Sugar and the Cat, " said Bread, as though thatended the matter. 

"This is ridiculous!" said the Dog, barking and showing his teeth. "There is Man and that's all!. .. We have to obey him and do as hetells us!. .. I recognise no one but him!. .. Hurrah for Man!. .. Man forever!. .. In life or death, all for Man!. .. Man is everything!. .. "

But the Cat's shrill voice rose above all the others. She was full ofgrudges against Man and she wanted to make use of the short spell ofhumanity which she now enjoyed to avenge her whole race:

"All of us here present, " she cried, "Animals, Things and Elements, possess a soul which Man does not yet know. That is why we retain aremnant of independence; but, if he finds the Blue Bird, he will knowall, he will see all and we shall be completely at his mercy. .. . Remember the time when we wandered at liberty upon the face of theearth!. .. " But, suddenly her face changed, her voice sank to a whisperand she hissed, "Look out! I hear the Fairy and Light coming. I needhardly tell you that Light has taken sides with Man and means to standby him; she is our worst enemy. .. . Be careful!"

But our friends had had no practice in trickery and, feelingthemselves in the wrong, took up such ridiculous and uncomfortableattitudes that the Fairy, the moment she appeared upon the threshold, exclaimed:

"What are you doing in that corner?. .. You look like a pack ofconspirators!"

Quite scared and thinking that the Fairy had already guessed theirwicked intentions, they fell upon their knees before her. Luckily forthem, the Fairy hardly gave a thought to what was passing throughtheir little minds. She had come to explain the first part of thejourney to the Children and to tell each of the others what to do. Tyltyl and Mytyl stood hand in hand in front of her, looking a littlefrightened and a little awkward in their fine clothes. They stared ateach other in childish admiration. 

The little girl was wearing a yellow silk frock embroidered with pinkposies and covered with gold spangles. On her head was a lovely orangevelvet cap; and a starched muslin tucker covered her little arms. Tyltyl was dressed in a red jacket and blue knickerbockers, both ofvelvet; and of course he wore the wonderful little hat on his head. 

[Illustration: Delighted with the importance of his duty, undid thetop of his robe, drew his scimitar and cut two slices out of hisstomach]

The Fairy said to them:

"It is just possible that the Blue Bird is hiding at yourgrandparents' in the Land of Memory; so you will go there first. "

"But how shall we see them, if they are dead?" asked Tyltyl. 

Then the good Fairy explained that they would not be really dead untiltheir grandchildren ceased to think of them:

"Men do not know this secret, " she added. "But, thanks to the diamond, you, Tyltyl, will see that the dead whom we remember live as happilyas though they were not dead. "

"Are you coming with us?" asked the boy, turning to Light, who stoodin the doorway and lit up all the hall. 

"No, " said the Fairy. "Light must not look at the past. Her energiesmust be devoted to the future!"

The two Children were starting on their way, when they discovered thatthey were very hungry. The Fairy at once ordered Bread to give themsomething to eat; and that big, fat fellow, delighted with theimportance of his duty, undid the top of his robe, drew his scimitarand cut two slices out of his stomach. The Children screamed withlaughter. Tylô dropped his gloomy thoughts for a moment and beggedfor a bit of bread; and everybody struck up the farewell chorus. Sugar, who was very full of himself, also wanted to impress thecompany and, breaking off two of his fingers, handed them to theastonished Children. 

As they were all moving towards the door, the Fairy Bérylune stoppedthem:

"Not to-day, " she said. "The children must go alone. It would beindiscreet to accompany them; they are going to spend the evening withtheir late family. Come, be off! Good-bye, dear children, and mindthat you are back in good time: it is extremely important!"

[Illustration: Sugar also wanted to impress the company and, breakingoff two of his fingers, handed them to the astonished Children]

The two Children took each other by the hand and, carrying the bigcage, passed out of the hall; and their companions, at a sign from theFairy, filed in front of her to return to the palace. Our friend Tylôwas the only one who did not answer to his name. The moment he heardthe Fairy say that the Children were to go alone, he had made up hismind to go and look after them, whatever happened; and, while theothers were saying good-bye, he hid behind the door. But the poorfellow had reckoned without the all-seeing eyes of the Fairy Bérylune. 

"Tylô!" she cried. "Tylô! Here!"

And the poor Dog, who had so long been used to obey, dared not resistthe command and came, with his tail between his legs, to take hisplace among the others. He howled with despair when he saw his littlemaster and mistress swallowed up in the great gold staircase. 

CHAPTER III

THE LAND OF MEMORY

The Fairy Bérylune had told the Children that the Land of Memory wasnot far off; but to reach it you had to go through a forest that wasso dense and so old that your eyes could not see the tops of thetrees. It was always shrouded in a heavy mist; and the Children wouldcertainly have lost their way, if the Fairy had not said to thembeforehand:

"It is straight ahead; and there is only one road. "

The ground was carpeted with flowers which were all alike: they weresnow-white pansies and very pretty; but, as they never saw the sun, they had no scent. 

Those little flowers comforted the Children, who felt extremelylonely. A great mysterious silence surrounded them; and they trembleda little with a very pleasant sense of fear which they had never feltbefore. 

"Let's take Granny a bunch of flowers, " said Mytyl. 

"That's a good idea! She will be pleased!" cried Tyltyl. 

And, as they walked along, the Children gathered a beautiful whitenosegay. The dear little things did not know that every pansy (whichmeans "a thought") that they picked brought them nearer to theirgrandparents; and they soon saw before them a large oak with anotice-board nailed to it. 

"Here we are!" cried the boy in triumph, as, climbing up on a root, heread:

 "_The Land of Memory. _"

They had arrived; but they turned to every side without seeing athing:

"I can see nothing at all!" whimpered Mytyl. "I'm cold!. .. I'mtired!. .. I don't want to travel any more!"

Tyltyl, who was wholly wrapped up in his errand, lost his temper:

"Come, don't keep on crying just like Water!. .. You ought to beashamed of yourself!" he said. "There! Look! Look! The fog islifting!"

And, sure enough, the mist parted before their eyes, like veils tornby an invisible hand; the big trees faded away, everything vanishedand, instead, there appeared a pretty little peasant's cottage, covered with creepers and standing in a little garden filled withflowers and with trees all over fruit. 

[Illustration: Everything vanished and, instead, there appeared apretty little peasant's cottage]

The Children at once knew the dear cow in the orchard, the watch-dogat the door, the blackbird in his wicker cage; and everything wassteeped in a pale light and a warm and balmy air. 

Tyltyl and Mytyl stood amazed. So that was the Land of Memory! Whatlovely weather it was! And how nice it felt to be there! They at oncemade up their minds to come back often, now that they knew the way. But how great was their happiness when the last veil disappeared andthey saw, at a few steps from them, Grandad and Granny sitting on abench, sound asleep. They clapped their hands and called outgleefully:

"It's Grandad! It's Granny!. .. There they are! There they are!"

But they were a little scared by this great piece of magic and darednot move from behind the tree; and they stood looking at the dear oldcouple, who woke up gently and slowly under their eyes. Then theyheard Granny Tyl's trembling voice say:

"I have a notion that our grandchildren who are still alive are comingto see us to-day. "

And Gaffer Tyl answered:

"They are certainly thinking of us, for I feel queer and I have pinsand needles in my legs. "

"I think they must be quite near, " said Granny, "for I see tears ofjoy dancing before my eyes and. .. . "

Granny had not time to finish her sentence. The Children were in herarms!. .. What joy! What wild kisses and huggings! What a wonderfulsurprise! The happiness was too great for words. They laughed andtried to speak and kept on looking at one another with delighted eyes:it was so glorious and so unexpected to meet again like this. When thefirst excitement was over, they all began to talk at once:

"How tall and strong you've grown, Tyltyl!" said Granny. 

And Grandad cried:

"And Mytyl! Just look at her! What pretty hair, what pretty eyes!"

And the Children danced and clapped their hands and flung themselvesby turns into the arms of one or the other. 

At last, they quieted down a little; and, with Mytyl nestling againstGrandad's chest and Tyltyl comfortably perched on Granny's knees, theybegan to talk of family affairs:

"How are Daddy and Mummy Tyl?" asked Granny. 

"Quite well, Granny, " said Tyltyl. "They were asleep when we wentout. "

Granny gave them fresh kisses and said:

"My word, how pretty they are and how nice and clean!. .. Why don't youcome to see us oftener? It is months and months now that you haveforgotten us and that we have seen nobody. .. . "

"We couldn't, Granny, " said Tyltyl, "and to-day it's only because ofthe Fairy. .. . "

"We are always here, " said Granny Tyl, "waiting for a visit from thosewho are alive. The last time you were here was on All-hallows. .. . "

"All-hallows? We didn't go out that day, for we both had colds!"

"But you thought of us! And, every time you think of us, we wake upand see you again. "

Tyltyl remembered that the Fairy had told him this. He had not thoughtit possible then; but now, with his head on the heart of the dearGranny whom he had missed so much, he began to understand things andhe felt that his grandparents had not left him altogether. He asked:

"So you are not really dead?. .. "

The old couple burst out laughing. When they exchanged their life onearth for another and a much nicer and more beautiful life, they hadforgotten the word "dead. "

"What does that word 'dead' mean?" asked Gaffer Tyl. 

"Why, it means that one's no longer alive!" said Tyltyl. 

Grandad and Granny only shrugged their shoulders:

"How stupid the Living are, when they speak of the Others!" was allthey said. 

And they went over their memories again, rejoicing in being able tochat. 

All old people love discussing old times. The future is finished, asfar as they are concerned; and so they delight in the present and thepast. But we are growing impatient, like Tyltyl; and, instead oflistening to them, we will follow our little friend's movements. 

He had jumped off Granny's knees and was poking about in every corner, delighted at finding all sorts of things which he knew and remembered:

"Nothing is changed, everything is in its old place!" he cried. And, as he had not been to the old people's home for so long, everythingstruck him as much nicer; and he added, in the voice of one who knows, "Only everything is prettier!. .. Hullo, there's the clock with the bighand which I broke the point off and the hole which I made in thedoor, the day I found Grandad's gimlet. .. . "

"Yes, you've done some damage in your time!" said Grandad. "Andthere's the plum-tree which you were so fond of climbing, when Iwasn't looking. .. . "

Meantime, Tyltyl was not forgetting his errand:

"You haven't the Blue Bird here by chance, I suppose?"

At the same moment, Mytyl, lifting her head, saw a cage:

"Hullo, there's the old blackbird!. .. Does he still sing?"

As she spoke, the blackbird woke up and began to sing at the top ofhis voice. 

"You see, " said Granny, "as soon as one thinks of him. .. . "

Tyltyl was simply amazed at what he saw:

"But he's blue!" he shouted. "Why, that's the bird, the Blue Bird!. .. He's blue, blue, blue as a blue glass marble!. .. Will you give him tome?"

The grandparents gladly consented; and, full of triumph, Tyltyl wentand fetched the cage which he had left by the tree. He took hold ofthe precious bird with the greatest of care; and it began to hop aboutin its new home. 

"How pleased the Fairy will be!" said the boy, rejoicing at hisconquest. "And Light too!"

"Come along, " said the grandparents. "Come and look at the cow and thebees. "

As the old couple were beginning to toddle across the garden, thechildren suddenly asked if their little dead brothers and sisters werethere too. At the same moment, seven little children, who, up to then, had been sleeping in the house, came tearing like mad into the garden. Tyltyl and Mytyl ran up to them. They all hustled and hugged oneanother and danced and whirled about and uttered screams of joy. 

"Here they are, here they are!" said Granny. "As soon as you speak ofthem, they are there, the imps!"

Tyltyl caught a little one by the hair:

"Hullo, Pierrot! So we're going to fight again, as in the old days!. .. And Robert!. .. I say, Jean, what's become of your top?. .. Madeleineand Pierrette and Pauline!. .. And here's Riquette!. .. "

Mytyl laughed:

"Riquette's still crawling on all fours!"

Tyltyl noticed a little dog yapping around them:

"There's Kiki, whose tail I cut off with Pauline's scissors. .. . Hehasn't changed either. .. . "

"No, " said Gaffer Tyl, in a voice of great importance, "nothingchanges here!"

But, suddenly, amid the general rejoicings, the old people stoppedspell-bound: they had heard the small voice of the clock indoorsstrike eight!

[Illustration: The grandparents and grandchildren sat down to supper]

"How's this?" they asked. "It never strikes nowadays. .. . "

"That's because we no longer think of the time, " said Granny. "Was anyone thinking of the time?"

"Yes, I was, " said Tyltyl. "So it's eight o'clock?. .. Then I'm off, for I promised Light to be back before nine. .. . "

He was going for the cage, but the others were too happy to let himrun away so soon: it would be horrid to say good-bye like that! Grannyhad a good idea: she knew what a little glutton Tyltyl was. It wasjust supper-time and, as luck would have it, there was some capitalcabbage-soup and a beautiful plum-tart. 

"Well, " said our hero, "as I've got the Blue Bird!. .. And cabbage-soupis a thing you don't have every day!. .. "

They all hurried and carried the table outside and laid it with a nicewhite table-cloth and put a plate for each; and, lastly, Grannybrought out the steaming soup-tureen in state. The lamp was lit andthe grandparents and grandchildren sat down to supper, jostling andelbowing one another and laughing and shouting with pleasure. Then, for a time, nothing was heard but the sound of the wooden spoonsnoisily clattering against the soup-plates. 

"How good it is! Oh, how good it is!" shouted Tyltyl, who was eatinggreedily. "I want some more! More! More! More!"

"Come, come, a little more quiet, " said Grandad. "You're just asill-behaved as ever; and you'll break your plate. .. . "

Tyltyl took no notice of the remark, stood up on his stool, caughthold of the tureen and dragged it towards him and upset it; and thehot soup trickled all over the table and down upon everybody's lap. The children yelled and screamed with pain. Granny was quite scared;and Grandad was furious. He dealt our friend Tyltyl a tremendous boxon the ear. 

Tyltyl was staggered for a moment; and then he put his hand to hischeek with a look of rapture and exclaimed:

"Grandad, how good, how jolly! It was just like the slaps you used togive me when you were alive!. .. I must give you a kiss for it!. .. "

Everybody laughed. 

"There's more where that came from, if you like them!" said Grandad, grumpily. 

But he was touched, all the same, and turned to wipe a tear from hiseyes. 

"Goodness!" cried Tyltyl, starting up. "There's half-past eightstriking!. .. Mytyl, we've only just got time!. .. "

Granny in vain implored them to stay a few minutes longer. 

"No, we can't possibly, " said Tyltyl firmly; "I promised Light!"

And he hurried to take up the precious cage. 

"Good-bye, Grandad. .. . Good-bye, Granny. .. . Good-bye, brothers andsisters, Pierrot, Robert, Pauline, Madeleine, Riquette and you, too, Kiki. .. . We can't stay. .. . Don't cry, Granny; we will come backoften!"

Poor old Grandad was very much upset and complained lustily:

"Gracious me, how tiresome the Living are, with all their fuss andexcitement!"

Tyltyl tried to console him and again promised to come back veryoften. 

"Come back every day!" said Granny. "It is our only pleasure; and it'ssuch a treat for us when your thoughts pay us a visit!"

"Good-bye! Good-bye!" cried the brothers and sisters in chorus. "Comeback very soon! Bring us some barley sugar!"

There were more kisses; all waved their handkerchiefs; all shouted alast good-bye. But the figures began to fade away; the little voicescould no longer be heard; the two Children were once more wrapped inmist; and the old forest covered them with its great dark mantle. 

"I'm so frightened!" whimpered Mytyl. "Give me your hand, littlebrother! I'm so frightened!"

Tyltyl was shaking too, but it was his duty to try and comfort andconsole his sister:

"Hush!" he said. "Remember that we are bringing back the Blue Bird!"

As he spoke, a thin ray of light pierced the gloom; and the little boyhurried towards it. He was holding his cage tight in his arms; and thefirst thing he did was to look at his bird. .. . Alas and alack, what adisappointment awaited him! The beautiful Blue Bird of the Land ofMemory had turned quite black! Stare at it as hard as Tyltyl might, the bird was black! Oh, how well he knew the old blackbird that usedto sing in its wicker prison, in the old days, at the door of thehouse! What had happened? How painful it was! And how cruel lifeseemed to him just then!

He had started on his journey with such zest and delight that he hadnot thought for a moment of the difficulties and dangers. Full ofconfidence, pluck and kindness, he had marched off, certain offinding the beautiful Blue Bird which would bring happiness to theFairy's little girl. And now all his hopes were shattered! For thefirst time, our poor friend understood the trials, the vexations andthe obstacles that awaited him! Alas, was he attempting an impossiblething? Was the Fairy making fun of him? Would he ever find the BlueBird? All his courage seemed to be leaving him. .. . 

To add to his misfortunes, he could not find the straight road bywhich he had come. There was not a single white pansy on the ground;and he began to cry. 

Luckily, our little friends were not to remain in trouble long. TheFairy had promised that Light would watch over them. The first trialwas over; and, just as outside the old people's house a little whileago, the mist now suddenly lifted. But, instead of disclosing apeaceful picture, a gentle, homely scene, it revealed a marvelloustemple, with a blinding glare streaming from it. 

On the threshold stood Light, fair and beautiful in herdiamond-coloured dress. She smiled when Tyltyl told her of his firstfailure. She knew what the little ones were seeking; she kneweverything. For Light surrounds all mortals with her love, though noneof them is fond enough of her ever to receive her thoroughly and thusto learn all the secrets of Truth. Now, for the first time, thanks tothe diamond which the Fairy had given to the boy, she was going to tryand conquer a human soul:

"Do not be sad, " she said to the Children. "Are you not pleased tohave seen your grandparents? Is that not enough happiness for one day?Are you not glad to have restored the old blackbird to life? Listen tohim singing!"

For the old blackbird was singing with might and main; and his littleyellow eyes sparkled with pleasure as he hopped about his big cage. 

"As you look for the Blue Bird, dear Children, accustom yourselves tolove the grey birds which you find on your way. "

She nodded her fair head gravely; and it was quite clear that she knewwhere the Blue Bird was. But life is often full of beautifulmysteries, which we must respect, lest we should destroy them; and, ifLight had told the Children where the Blue Bird was, well, they wouldnever have found him! I will tell you why at the end of this story. 

And now let us leave our little friends to sleep on beautiful whiteclouds under Light's watchful care. 

CHAPTER IV

THE PALACE OF NIGHT

Some time after, the Children and their friends met at the first dawnto go to the Palace of Night, where they hoped to find the Blue Bird. Several of the party failed to answer to their names when the roll wascalled. Milk, for whom any sort of excitement was bad, was keeping herroom. Water sent an excuse: she was accustomed always to travel in abed of moss, was already half-dead with fatigue and was afraid offalling ill. As for Light, she had been on bad terms with Night sincethe world began; and Fire, as a relation, shared her dislike. Lightkissed the Children and told Tylô the way, for it was his business tolead the expedition; and the little band set out upon its road. 

You can imagine dear Tylô trotting ahead, on his hind legs, like alittle man, with his nose in the air, his tongue dangling down hischin, his front paws folded across his chest. He fidgets, sniffsabout, runs up and down, covering twice the ground without minding howtired it makes him. He is so full of his own importance that hedisdains the temptations on his path: he neglects the rubbish heaps, pays no attention to anything he sees and cuts all his old friends. 

Poor Tylô! He was so delighted to become a man; and yet he was nohappier than before! Of course, life was the same to him, because hisnature had remained unchanged. What was the use of his being a man, ifhe continued to feel and think like a dog? In fact, his troubles wereincreased a hundred-fold by the sense of responsibility that nowweighed upon him. 

"Ah!" he said, with a sigh, for he was joining blindly in his littlegods' search, without for a moment reflecting that the end of thejourney would mean the end of his life. "Ah, " he said, "if I got holdof that rascal of a Blue Bird, trust me, I wouldn't touch him evenwith the tip of my tongue, not if he were as plump and sweet as aquail!"

Bread followed solemnly, carrying the cage; the two Children camenext; and Sugar brought up the rear. 

But where was the Cat? To discover the reason of her absence, we mustgo a little way back and read her thoughts. At the time when Tylettecalled a meeting of the Animals and Things in the Fairy's hall, shewas contemplating a great plot which would aim at prolonging thejourney; but she had reckoned without the stupidity of her hearers:

"The idiots, " she thought, "have very nearly spoiled the whole thingby foolishly throwing themselves at the Fairy's feet, as though theywere guilty of a crime. It is better to rely upon one's self alone. Inmy cat-life, all our training is founded on suspicion; I can see thatit is just the same in the life of men. Those who confide in othersare only betrayed; it is better to keep silent and to be treacherousone's self. "

[Illustration: The road to the Palace of Night was rather long andrather dangerous]

As you see, my dear little readers, the Cat was in the same positionas the Dog: she had not changed her soul and was simply continuing herformer existence; but, of course, she was very wicked, whereas ourdear Tylô was, if anything, too good. Tylette, therefore, resolved toact on her own account and went, before daybreak, to call on Night, who was an old friend of hers. 

The road to the Palace of Night was rather long and rather dangerous. It had precipices on either side of it; you had to climb up and climbdown and then climb up again among high rocks that always seemedwaiting to crush the passers-by. At last, you came to the edge of adark circle; and there you had to go down thousands of steps to reachthe black-marble underground palace in which Night lived. 

The Cat, who had often been there before, raced along the road, lightas a feather. Her cloak, borne on the wind, streamed like a bannerbehind her; the plume in her hat fluttered gracefully; and her littlegrey kid boots hardly touched the ground. She soon reached herdestination and, in a few bounds, came to the great hall where Nightwas. 

It was really a wonderful sight. Night, stately and grand as a Queen, reclined upon her throne; she slept; and not a glimmer, not a startwinkled around her. But we know that the night has no secrets forcats and that their eyes have the power of piercing the darkness. SoTylette saw Night as though it were broad daylight. 

Before waking her, she cast a loving glance at that motherly andfamiliar face. It was white and silvery as the moon; and its unbendingfeatures inspired both fear and admiration. Night's figure, which washalf visible through her long black veils, was as beautiful as that ofa Greek statue. She had long arms and a pair of enormous wings, nowfurled in sleep, came from her shoulders to her feet and gave her alook of majesty beyond compare. Still, in spite of her affection forher best of friends, Tylette did not waste too much time in gazing ather: it was a critical moment; and time was short. Tired and jaded andovercome with anguish, she sank upon the steps of the throne andmewed, plaintively:

"It is I, Mother Night!. .. I am worn out!"

[Illustration: Night sat up, all quivering. Her immense wings beataround her; and she questioned Tylette in a trembling voice]

Night is of an anxious nature and easily alarmed. Her beauty, built upof peace and repose, possesses the secret of Silence, which life isconstantly disturbing: a star shooting through the sky, a leaf fallingto the ground, the hoot of an owl, a mere nothing is enough to tearthe black velvet pall which she spreads over the earth each evening. The Cat, therefore, had not finished speaking, when Night sat up, allquivering. Her immense wings beat around her; and she questionedTylette in a trembling voice. As soon as she had learned the dangerthat threatened her, she began to lament her fate. What! A man's soncoming to her palace! And, perhaps, with the help of the magicdiamond, discovering her secrets! What should she do? What wouldbecome of her? How could she defend herself? And, forgetting that shewas sinning against Silence, her own particular god, Night began toutter piercing screams. It was true that falling into such a commotionwas hardly likely to help her find a cure for her troubles. Luckilyfor her, Tylette, who was accustomed to the annoyances and worries ofhuman life, was better armed. She had worked out her plan when goingahead of the children; and she was hoping to persuade Night to adoptit. She explained this plan to her in a few words:

"I see only one thing for it, Mother Night: as they are children, wemust give them such a fright that they will not dare to insist onopening the great door at the back of the hall, behind which the Birdsof the Moon live and generally the Blue Bird too. The secrets of theother caverns will be sure to scare them. The hope of our safety liesin the terror which you will make them feel. "

There was clearly no other course to take. But Night had not time toreply, for she heard a sound. Then her beautiful features contracted;her wings spread out angrily; and everything in her attitude toldTylette that Night approved of her plan. 

"Here they are!" cried the Cat. 

The little band came marching down the steps of Night's gloomystaircase. Tylô pranced bravely in front, whereas Tyltyl looked aroundhim with an anxious glance. He certainly found nothing to comfort him. It was all very magnificent, but very terrifying. Picture a huge andwonderful black marble hall, of a stern and tomb-like splendour. Thereis no ceiling visible; and the ebony pillars that surround theamphitheatre shoot up to the sky. It is only when you lift your eyesup there that you catch the faint light falling from the stars. Everywhere, the thickest darkness reigns. Two restless flames--nomore--flicker on either side of Night's throne, before a monumentaldoor of brass. Bronze doors show through the pillars to the right andleft. 

The Cat rushed up to the Children:

"This way, little master, this way!. .. I have told Night; and she isdelighted to see you. "

Tylette's soft voice and smile made Tyltyl feel himself again; and hewalked up to the throne with a bold and confident step, saying:

"Good-day, Mrs. Night!"

Night was offended by the word, "Good-day, " which reminded her of hereternal enemy Light, and answered drily:

"Good-day?. .. I am not used to that!. .. You might say, Good-night, or, at least, Good-evening!"

Our hero was not prepared to quarrel. He felt very small in thepresence of that stately lady. He quickly begged her pardon, as nicelyas he could; and very gently asked her leave to look for the Blue Birdin her palace. 

"I have never seen him, he is not here!" exclaimed Night, flapping hergreat wings to frighten the boy. 

But, when he insisted and gave no sign of fear, she herself began todread the diamond, which, by lighting up her darkness, wouldcompletely destroy her power; and she thought it better to pretend toyield to an impulse of generosity and at once to point to the big keythat lay on the steps of the throne. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Tyltyl seized hold of it and ran to thefirst door of the hall. 

Everybody shook with fright. Bread's teeth chattered in his head;Sugar, who was standing some way off, moaned with mortal anguish;Mytyl howled:

"Where is Sugar?. .. I want to go home!"

Meanwhile, Tyltyl, pale and resolute, was trying to open the door, while Night's grave voice, rising above the din, proclaimed the firstdanger. 

"It's the Ghosts!"

"Oh, dear!" thought Tyltyl. "I have never seen a ghost: it must beawful!"

The faithful Tylô, by his side, was panting with all his might, fordogs hate anything uncanny. 

At last, the key grated in the lock. Silence reigned as dense andheavy as the darkness. No one dared draw a breath. Then the dooropened; and, in a moment, the gloom was filled with white figuresrunning in every direction. Some lengthened out right up to the sky;others twined themselves round the pillars; others wriggled ever sofast along the ground. They were something like men, but it wasimpossible to distinguish their features; the eye could not catchthem. The moment you looked at them, they turned into a white mist. Tyltyl did his best to chase them; for Mrs. Night kept to the plancontrived by the Cat and pretended to be frightened. She had been theGhosts' friend for hundreds and hundreds of years and had only to saya word to drive them in again; but she was careful to do nothing ofthe sort and, flapping her wings like mad, she called upon all hergods and screamed:

"Drive them away! Drive them away! Help! Help!"

But the poor Ghosts, who hardly ever come out now that Man no longerbelieves in them, were much too happy at taking a breath of air; and, had it not been that they were afraid of Tylô, who tried to bite theirlegs, they would never have been put back indoors. 

"Oof!" gasped the Dog, when the door was shut at last. "I have strongteeth, goodness knows; but chaps like those I never saw before! Whenyou bite them, you'd think their legs were made of cotton!"

By this time, Tyltyl was making for the second door and asking:

"What's behind this one?"

Night made a gesture as though to put him off. Did the obstinatelittle fellow really want to see everything?

"Must I be careful when I open it?" asked Tyltyl. 

"No, " said Night, "it is not worth while. It's the Sicknesses. Theyare very quiet, the poor little things! Man, for some time, has beenwaging such war upon them!. .. Open and see for yourself. .. . "

Tyltyl threw the door wide open and stood speechless withastonishment: there was nothing to be seen. .. . 

He was just about to close the door again, when he was hustled asideby a little body in a dressing-gown and a cotton night-cap, who beganto frisk about the hall, wagging her head and stopping every minute tocough, sneeze and blow her nose . .. And to pull on her slippers, whichwere too big for her and kept dropping off her feet. Sugar, Bread andTyltyl were no longer frightened and began to laugh like anything. Butthey had no sooner come near the little person in the cotton night-capthan they themselves began to cough and sneeze. 

"It's the least important of the Sicknesses, " said Night. "It'sCold-in-the-Head. "

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" thought Sugar. "If my nose keeps on running likethis, I'm done for: I shall melt!"

[Illustration: Wagging her head and stopping every minute to cough, sneeze and blow her nose]

Poor Sugar! He did not know where to hide himself. He had become verymuch attached to life since the journey began, for he had fallen overhead and ears in love with Water! And yet this love caused him thegreatest worry. Miss Water was a tremendous flirt, expected a lotof attention and was not particular with whom she mixed; but mixingtoo much with Water was an expensive luxury, as poor Sugar found tohis cost; for, at every kiss he gave her, he left a bit of himselfbehind, until he began to tremble for his life. 

When he suddenly found himself attacked by Cold-in-the-Head, he wouldhave had to fly from the palace, but for the timely aid of our dearTylô, who ran after the little minx and drove her back to her cavern, amidst the laughter of Tyltyl and Mytyl, who thought gleefully that, so far, the trial had not been very terrible. 

The boy, therefore, ran to the next door with still greater courage. 

"Take care!" cried Night, in a dreadful voice. "It's the Wars! Theyare more powerful than ever! I daren't think what would happen, if oneof them broke loose! Stand ready, all of you, to push back the door!"

Night had not finished uttering her warnings, when the plucky littlefellow repented his rashness. He tried in vain to shut the door whichhe had opened: an invincible force was pushing it from the other side, streams of blood flowed through the cracks; flames shot forth; shouts, oaths and groans mingled with the roar of cannon and the rattle ofmusketry. Everybody in the Palace of Night was running about in wildconfusion. Bread and Sugar tried to take to flight, but could not findthe way out; and they now came back to Tyltyl and put their shouldersto the door with despairing force. 

The Cat pretended to be anxious, while secretly rejoicing:

"This may be the end of it, " she said, curling her whiskers. "Theywon't dare to go on after this. "

Dear Tylô made superhuman efforts to help his little master, whileMytyl stood crying in a corner. 

At last, our hero gave a shout of triumph:

"Hurrah! They're giving way! Victory! Victory! The door is shut!"

At the same time, he dropped on the steps, utterly exhausted, dabbinghis forehead with his poor little hands which shook with terror. 

"Well?" asked Night, harshly. "Have you had enough? Did you see them?"

"Yes, yes!" replied the little fellow, sobbing. "They are hideous andawful. .. . I don't think they have the Blue Bird. .. . "

"You may be sure they haven't, " answered Night, angrily. "If they had, they would eat him at once. .. . You see there is nothing to bedone. .. . "

Tyltyl drew himself up proudly:

"I must see everything, " he declared. "Light said so. .. . "

"It's an easy thing to say, " retorted Night, "when one's afraid andstays at home!"

"Let us go to the next door, " said Tyltyl, resolutely. "What's inhere?"

"This is where I keep the Shades and the Terrors!"

Tyltyl reflected for a minute:

"As far as Shades go, " he thought, "Mrs. Night is poking fun at me. It's more than an hour since I've seen anything but shade in thishouse of hers; and I shall be very glad to see daylight again. As forthe Terrors, if they are anything like the Ghosts, we shall haveanother good joke. "

Our friend went to the door and opened it, before his companions hadtime to protest. For that matter, they were all sitting on the floor, exhausted with the last fright; and they looked at one another inastonishment, glad to find themselves alive after such a scare. Meanwhile, Tyltyl threw back the door and nothing came out:

"There's no one there!" he said. 

"Yes, there is! Yes, there is! Look out!" said Night, who was stillshamming fright. 

She was simply furious. She had hoped to make a great impression withher Terrors; and, lo and behold, the wretches, who had so long beensnubbed by Man, were afraid of him! She encouraged them with kindwords and succeeded in coaxing out a few tall figures covered withgrey veils. They began to run all around the hall until, hearing theChildren laugh, they were seized with fear and rushed indoors again. The attempt had failed, as far as Night was concerned, and the dreadhour was about to strike. Already, Tyltyl was moving towards the bigdoor at the end of the hall. A few last words took place between them:

"Do not open that one!" said Night, in awe-struck tones. 

"Why not?"

"Because it's not allowed!"

"Then it's here that the Blue Bird is hidden!"

"Go no farther, do not tempt fate, do not open that door!"

"But why?" again asked Tyltyl, obstinately. 

Thereupon, Night, irritated by his persistency, flew into a rage, hurled the most terrible threats at him, and ended by saying:

"Not one of those who have opened it, were it but by a hair's breadth, has ever returned alive to the light of day! It means certain death;and all the horrors, all the terrors, all the fears of which men speakon earth are as nothing compared with those which await you if youinsist on touching that door!"

"Don't do it, master dear!" said Bread, with chattering teeth. "Don'tdo it! Take pity on us! I implore you on my knees!"

"You are sacrificing the lives of all of us, " mewed the Cat. 

"I won't! I sha'n't!" sobbed Mytyl. 

"Pity! Pity!" whined Sugar, wringing his fingers. 

All of them were weeping and crying, all of them crowded round Tyltyl. Dear Tylô alone, who respected his little master's wishes, dared notspeak a word, though he fully believed that his last hour had come. Two big tears rolled down his cheeks; and he licked Tyltyl's hands indespair. It was really a most touching scene; and for a moment, ourhero hesitated. His heart beat wildly, his throat was parched withanguish, he tried to speak and could not get out a sound: besides, hedid not wish to show weakness in the presence of his haplesscompanions!

"If I have not the strength to fulfil my task, " he said to himself, "who will fulfil it? If my friends behold my distress, it is all upwith me: they will not let me go through with my mission and I shallnever find the Blue Bird!"

At this thought, the boy's heart leaped within his breast and all hisgenerous nature rose in rebellion. It would never do to be, perhaps, within arm's length of happiness and not to try for it, at the risk ofdying in the attempt, to try for it and hand it over at last to allmankind!

That settled it! Tyltyl resolved to sacrifice himself. Like a truehero, he brandished the heavy golden key and cried:

"I must open the door!"

He ran up to the great door, with Tylô panting by his side. The poorDog was half-dead with fright, but his pride and his devotion toTyltyl obliged him to smother his fears:

"I shall stay, " he said to his master, "I'm not afraid! I shall staywith my little god!"

In the meantime, all the others had fled. Bread was crumbling to bitsbehind a pillar; Sugar was melting in a corner with Mytyl in his arms;Night and the Cat, both shaking with fury, kept to the far end of thehall. 

[Illustration: A wonderful garden lay before him, a dream-gardenfilled with flowers that shone like stars]

Then Tyltyl gave Tylô a last kiss, pressed him to his heart and, withnever a tremble, put the key in the lock. Yells of terror came fromall the corners of the hall, where the runaways had taken shelter, while the two leaves of the great door opened by magic in front of ourlittle friend, who was struck dumb with admiration and delight. Whatan exquisite surprise! A wonderful garden lay before him, adream-garden filled with flowers that shone like stars, waterfallsthat came rushing from the sky and trees which the moon had clothed insilver. And then there was something whirling like a blue cloud amongthe clusters of roses. Tyltyl rubbed his eyes; he could not believehis senses. He waited, looked again and then dashed into the garden, shouting like mad:

"Come quickly!. .. Come quickly!. .. They are here!. .. We have them atlast!. .. Millions of blue birds!. .. Thousands of millions!. .. Come, Mytyl!. .. Come, Tylô!. .. Come, all!. .. Help me!. .. You can catch themby handfuls!. .. "

Reassured at last, his friends came running up and all darted in amongthe birds, seeing who could catch the most:

"I've caught seven already!" cried Mytyl. "I can't hold them!"

"Nor can I!" said Tyltyl. "I have too many of them!. .. They'reescaping from my arms!. .. Tylô has some too!. .. Let us go out, let usgo!. .. Light is waiting for us!. .. How pleased she will be!. .. Thisway, this way!. .. "

And they all danced and scampered away in their glee, singing songs oftriumph as they went. 

Night and the Cat, who had not shared in the general rejoicing, creptback anxiously to the great door; and Night whimpered:

"Haven't they got him?. .. "

"No, " said the Cat, who saw the real Blue Bird perched high up on amoonbeam. .. . "They could not reach him, he kept too high. .. . "

Our friends in all haste ran up the numberless stairs between them andthe daylight. Each of them hugged the birds which he had captured, never dreaming that every step which brought them nearer to the lightwas fatal to the poor things, so that, by the time they came to thetop of the staircase, they were carrying nothing but dead birds. 

Light was waiting for them anxiously:

"Well, have you caught him?" she asked. 

"Yes, yes!" said Tyltyl. "Lots of them! There are thousands! Look!"

As he spoke, he held out the dear birds to her and saw, to his dismay, that they were nothing more than lifeless corpses: their poor littlewings were broken and their heads drooped sadly from their necks! Theboy, in his despair, turned to his companions. Alas, they too werehugging nothing but dead birds!

Then Tyltyl threw himself sobbing into Light's arms. Once more, allhis hopes were dashed to the ground. 

"Do not cry, my child, " said Light. "You did not catch the one that isable to live in broad daylight. .. . We shall find him yet. .. . "

"Of course, we shall find him, " said Bread and Sugar, with one voice. 

They were great boobies, both of them; but they wanted to console theboy. As for friend Tylô, he was so much put out that he forgot hisdignity for a moment and, looking at the dead birds, exclaimed:

"Are they good to eat, I wonder?"

The party set out to walk back and sleep in the Temple of Light. Itwas a melancholy journey; all regretted the peace of home and feltinclined to blame Tyltyl for his want of caution. Sugar edged up toBread and whispered in his ear:

"Don't you think, Mr. Chairman, that all this excitement is veryuseless?"

And Bread, who felt flattered at receiving so much attention, answered, pompously:

"Never you fear, my dear fellow, I shall put all this right. Lifewould be unbearable if we had to listen to all the whimsies of thatlittle madcap!. .. To-morrow, we shall stay in bed!. .. "

They forgot that, but for the boy at whom they were sneering, theywould never have been alive at all; and that, if he had suddenly toldBread that he must go back to his pan to be eaten and Sugar that hewas to be cut into small lumps to sweeten Daddy Tyl's coffee and MummyTyl's syrups, they would have thrown themselves at their benefactor'sfeet and begged for mercy. In fact, they were incapable ofappreciating their good luck until they were brought face to face withbad. 

Poor things! The Fairy Bérylune, when making them a present of theirhuman life, ought to have thrown in a little wisdom. They were not somuch to blame. Of course, they were only following Man's example. Given the power of speaking, they jabbered; knowing how to judge, theycondemned; able to feel, they complained. They had hearts whichincreased their sense of fear, without adding to their happiness. Asto their brains, which could easily have arranged all the rest, theymade so little of them that they had already grown quite rusty; and, if you could have opened their heads and looked at the works of theirlife inside, you would have seen the poor brains, which were theirmost precious possession, jumping about at every movement they madeand rattling in their empty skulls like dry peas in a pod. 

Fortunately, Light, thanks to her wonderful insight, knew all abouttheir state of mind. She determined, therefore, to employ the Elementsand Things no more than she was obliged to:

"They are useful, " she thought, "to feed the children and amuse themon the way; but they must have no further share in the trials, becausethey have neither courage nor conviction. "

Meanwhile, the party walked on, the road widened out and becameresplendent; and, at the end, the Temple of Light stood on a crystalheight, shedding its beams around. The tired Children made the Dogcarry them pick-a-back by turns; and they were almost asleep when theyreached the shining steps. 

CHAPTER V

THE KINGDOM OF THE FUTURE

Tyltyl and Mytyl woke up next morning, feeling very gay; with childishcarelessness, they had forgotten their disappointment. Tyltyl was veryproud of the compliments which Light had paid him: she seemed as happyas though he had brought the Blue Bird with him:

She said, with a smile, as she stroked the lad's dark curls:

"I am quite satisfied. You are such a good, brave boy that you will soonfind what you are looking for. "

Tyltyl did not understand the deep meaning of her words; but, for allthat, he was very glad to hear them. And, besides, Light had promisedhim that to-day he would have nothing to fear in their new expedition. On the contrary, he would meet millions and millions of littlechildren who would show him the most wonderful toys of which no one onearth had the least idea. She also told him that he and his littlesister would travel alone with her this time and that all the otherswould take a rest while they were gone. 

That is why, at the moment when our chapter opens, they had all met inthe underground vaults of the temple. Light thought it as well to lockup the Elements and Things. She knew that, if they were left to do asthey pleased, they might escape and get into mischief. It was not sovery cruel of her, because the vaults of her temple are even lighterand lovelier than the upper floors of human houses; but you cannot getout without her leave. She alone has the power of widening, with astroke of her wand, a little cleft in an emerald wall at the end ofthe passage, through which you go down a few crystal steps till youcome to a sort of cave, all green and transparent like a forest whenthe sunlight sweeps through its branches. 

Usually, this great hall was quite empty; but now it had sofas in itand a gold table laid with fruits and cakes and creams and deliciouswines, which Light's servants had just finished setting out. Light'sservants were very odd! They always made the Children laugh: withtheir long white satin dresses and their little black caps with aflame at the top, they looked like lighted candles. Their mistresssent them away and then told the Animals and Things to be very goodand asked them if they would like some books and games to play with;they answered, with a laugh, that nothing amused them more thaneating and sleeping and that they were very glad to stay where theywere. 

[Illustration: Light's servants were very odd]

Tylô, of course, did not share this view. His heart spoke louder thanhis greed or his laziness; and his great dark eyes turned in entreatyon Tyltyl, who would have been only too pleased to take his faithfulcompanion with him, if Light had not absolutely forbidden it:

"I can't help it, " said the boy, giving him a kiss. "It seems thatdogs are not admitted where we are going. "

Suddenly, Tylô sprang up with delight: a great idea had struck him. Hehad not left his real, doggy life long enough to forget any part ofit, especially his troubles. Which was the greatest of these? Was itnot the chain? What melancholy hours Tylô had spent fastened to aniron ring! And what humiliation he endured when the woodcutter used totake him to the village and, with unspeakable silliness, keep him onthe lead in front of everybody, thus depriving him of the pleasure ofgreeting his friends and sniffing the smells provided for his benefitat every street-corner and in every gutter:

"Well, " he said to himself, "I shall have to submit to thathumiliating torture once again, to go with my little god!"

Faithful to his traditions, he had, in spite of his fine clothes, kept his dog-collar, but not his lead. What was to be done? He wasonce more in despair, when he saw Water lying on a sofa and playing, in an absent-minded sort of way, with her long strings of coral. Heran up to her as prettily as he could and, after paying her a heap ofcompliments, begged her to lend him her biggest necklace. She was in agood temper and not only did what he asked, but was kind enough tofasten the end of the coral string to his collar. Tylô gaily went upto his master, handed him this necklace chain and, kneeling at hisfeet, said:

"Take me with you like this, my little god! Men never say a word to apoor dog when he is on his chain!"

"Alas, even like this, you cannot come!" said Light, who was muchtouched by this act of self-sacrifice; and, to cheer him up, she toldhim that fate would soon provide a trial for the Children in which hisassistance would be of great use. 

As she spoke these words, she touched the emerald wall, which openedto let her pass through with the Children. 

Her chariot was waiting outside the entrance to the temple. It was alovely shell of jade, inlaid with gold. They all three took theirseats; and the two great white birds harnessed to it at once flew offthrough the clouds. The chariot travelled very fast; and they were notlong on the road, much to the regret of the Children, who wereenjoying themselves and laughing like anything; but other and evenmore beautiful surprises awaited them. 

The clouds vanished around them; and, suddenly, they found themselvesin a dazzling azure palace. Here, all was blue: the light, theflagstones, the columns, the vaults; everything, down to the smallestobjects, was of an intense and fairy-like blue. There was no seeingthe end of the palace; the eyes were lost in the infinite sapphirevistas. 

"How lovely it all is!" said Tyltyl, who could not get over hisastonishment. "Goodness me, how lovely!. .. Where are we?"

"We are in the Kingdom of the Future, " said Light, "in the midst ofthe children who are not yet born. As the diamond allows us to seeclearly in this region which is hidden from men, we shall perhaps findthe Blue Bird here. .. . Look! Look at the children running up!"

From every side came bands of little children dressed from head tofoot in blue; they had beautiful dark or golden hair and they were allexquisitely pretty. They shouted gleefully:

"Live Children!. .. Come and look at the little Live Children!"

"Why do they call us the little Live Children?" asked Tyltyl, ofLight. 

"It is because they themselves are not alive yet. They are awaitingthe hour of their birth, for it is from here that all the childrencome who are born upon our earth. When the fathers and mothers wantchildren, the great doors which you see over there, at the back, areopened; and the little ones go down. .. . "

"What a lot there are! What a lot there are!" cried Tyltyl. 

"There are many more, " said Light. "No one could count them. But go alittle further: you will see other things. "

Tyltyl did as he was told and elbowed his way through; but it wasdifficult for him to move, because a crowd of Blue Children pressedall around them. At last, by mounting on a step, our little friend wasable to look over the throng of inquisitive heads and see what washappening in every part of the hall. It was most extraordinary! Tyltylhad never dreamed of anything like it! He danced with joy; and Mytyl, who was hanging on to him and standing on tip-toe so that she mightsee too, clapped her little hands and gave loud cries of wonder. 

All around were millions of Children in blue, some playing, otherswalking about, others talking or thinking. Many were asleep; many alsowere at work; and their instruments, their tools, the machines whichthey were building, the plants, the flowers and the fruits which theywere growing or gathering were of the same bright and heavenly blue asthe general appearance of the palace. Among the Children moved tallpersons also dressed in blue: they were very beautiful and looked justlike angels. They came up to Light and smiled and gently pushed asidethe Blue Children, who went back quietly to what they were doing, though still watching our friends with astonished eyes. 

One of them, however, remained standing close to Tyltyl. He was quitesmall. From under his long sky-blue silk dress peeped two little pinkand dimpled bare feet. His eyes stared in curiosity at the little LiveBoy; and he went up to him as though in spite of himself. 

"May I talk to him?" asked Tyltyl, who felt half-glad andhalf-frightened. 

"Certainly, " said Light. "You must make friends. .. . I will leave youalone; you will be more at ease by yourselves. .. . "

So saying, she went away and left the two Children face to face, shylysmiling. Suddenly, they began to talk:

"How do you do?" said Tyltyl, putting out his hand to the Child. 

But the Child did not understand what that meant and stood withoutmoving. 

"What's that?" continued Tyltyl, touching the Child's blue dress. 

The Child, who was absorbed in what he was looking at, did not answer, but gravely touched Tyltyl's hat with his finger:

"And that?" he lisped. 

"That?. .. That's my hat, " said Tyltyl. "Have you no hat?"

"No; what is it for?" asked the Child. 

"It's to say How-do-you-do with, " Tyltyl answered. "And then for whenit's cold. .. . "

"What does that mean, when it's cold?" asked the Child. 

"When you shiver like this: Brrr! Brrr!" said Tyltyl. "And when you golike this with your arms, " vigorously beating his arms across hischest. 

"Is it cold on earth?" asked the Child. 

"Yes, sometimes, in winter, when there is no fire. "

"Why is there no fire?. .. "

"Because it's expensive; and it costs money to buy wood. .. . "

The Child looked at Tyltyl again as though he did not understand aword that Tyltyl was saying; and Tyltyl in his turn looked amazed:

"It's quite clear that he knows nothing of the most everyday things, "thought our hero, while the child stared with no small respect at "thelittle Live Boy" who knew everything. 

Then he asked Tyltyl what money was. 

"Why, it's what you pay with!" said Tyltyl, scorning to give anyfurther explanation. 

"Oh!" said the Child, seriously. 

Of course, he did not understand. How _could_ he know, a little boylike that, who lived in a paradise where his least wishes were grantedbefore he had learned to put them into words?

"How old are you?" asked Tyltyl, continuing the conversation. 

"I am going to be born soon, " said the Child. "I shall be born intwelve years. .. . Is it nice to be born?"

"Oh, yes, " cried Tyltyl, without thinking. "It's great fun!"

But he was very much at a loss when the little boy asked him "how hemanaged. " His pride did not allow him to be ignorant of anything inanother child's presence; and it was quite droll to see him with hishands in his breeches-pockets, his legs wide apart, his face upturnedand his whole attitude that of a man who is in no hurry to reply. Atlast, he answered, with a shrug of the shoulders:

"Upon my word, I can't remember! It's so long ago!"

"They say it's lovely, the earth and the Live People!" remarked theChild. 

"Yes, it's not bad, " said Tyltyl. "There are birds and cakes andtoys. .. . Some have them all; but those who have none can look at theothers!"

This reflection shows us the whole character of our little friend. Hewas proud and inclined to be rather high-and-mighty; but he was neverenvious and his generous nature made up to him for his poverty byallowing him to enjoy the good fortune of others. 

[Illustration: Other Blue Children opened great big books]

The two Children talked a good deal more; but it would take too longto tell you all they said, because what they said was sometimes onlyinteresting to themselves. After a while, Light, who was watching themfrom a distance, hurried up to them a little anxiously: Tyltyl wascrying! Big tears came rolling down his cheeks and falling on hissmart coat. She understood that he was talking of his grandmother andthat he could not keep back his tears at the thought of the love whichhe had lost. He was turning away his head, to hide his feelings;but the inquisitive Child kept asking him questions:

"Do the grannies die?. .. What does that mean, dying?"

"They go away one evening and do not come back. "

"Has yours gone?"

"Yes, " said Tyltyl. "She was very kind to me. "

And, at these words, the poor little fellow began to cry again. 

The Blue Child had never seen any one cry. He lived in a world wheregrief did not exist. His surprise was great; and he exclaimed:

"What's the matter with your eyes?. .. Are they making pearls?"

To him those tears were wonderful things. 

"No, it's not pearls, " said Tyltyl, sheepishly. 

"What is it then?"

But our poor friend would not admit what he looked upon as a weakness. He rubbed his eyes awkwardly and put everything down to the dazzlingblue of the palace. 

The puzzled Child insisted:

"What's that falling down?"

"Nothing; it's a little water, " said Tyltyl, impatiently, hoping tocut short the explanation. 

But that was out of the question. The Child was very obstinate, touched Tyltyl's cheeks with his finger and asked, in a tone ofcuriosity:

"Does it come from the eyes?. .. "

"Yes, sometimes, when one cries. "

"What does that mean, crying?" asked the Child. 

"I have not been crying, " said Tyltyl proudly. "It's the fault of thatblue!. .. But, if I had cried, it would be the same thing. .. . "

"Do you often cry on earth?. .. "

"Not little boys, but little girls do. .. . Don't you cry here?"

"No, I don't know how. .. . "

"Well, you will learn. .. . "

At that moment, a great breath of wind made him turn his head and hesaw, at a few steps away from him, a large piece of machinery which hehad not noticed at first, as he was taken up with his interest in thelittle Child. It was a grand and magnificent thing, but I cannot tellyou its name, because the inventions of the Kingdom of the Future willnot be christened by Man until they reach the earth. I can only saythat Tyltyl, when he looked at it, thought that the enormous azurewings that whizzed so swiftly before his eyes were like the windmillsin his part of the world and that, if he ever found the Blue Bird, its wings would certainly be no more delicate, dainty or dazzling. Full of admiration, he asked his new acquaintance what they were. 

"Those?" said the Child. "That's for the invention which I shall makeon earth. "

And, seeing Tyltyl stare with wide-open eyes, he added:

"When I am on earth, I shall have to invent the thing that giveshappiness. .. . Would you like to see it?. .. It is over there, betweenthose two columns. .. . "

Tyltyl turned round to look; but all the Children at once rushed athim, shouting:

"No, no, come and see mine!. .. "

"No, mine is much finer!. .. "

"Mine is a wonderful invention!. .. "

"Mine is made of sugar!. .. "

"His is no good!. .. "

"I'm bringing a light which nobody knows of!. .. "

And, so saying, the last Child lit himself up entirely with a mostextraordinary flame. 

Amid these joyous exclamations, the Live Children were dragged towardsthe blue workshops, where each of the little inventors set his machinegoing. It was a great blue whirl of disks and pulleys and straps andfly-wheels and driving-wheels and cog-wheels and all kinds of wheels, which sent every sort of machine skimming over the ground or shootingup to the ceiling. Other Blue Children unfolded maps and plans, oropened great big books, or uncovered azure statues, or broughtenormous flowers and gigantic fruits that seemed made of sapphires andturquoises. 

Our little friends stood with their mouths wide open and their handsclasped together: they thought themselves in paradise. Mytyl bent overto look at a huge flower and laughed into its cup, which covered upher head like a hood of blue silk. A pretty Child, with dark hair andthoughtful eyes, held it by the stalk and said, proudly:

"The flowers will all grow like that, when I am on earth!"

"When will that be?" asked Tyltyl. 

"In fifty-three years, four months and nine days. "

Next came two Blue Children bending under the weight of a pole fromwhich was slung a bunch of grapes each larger than a pear. 

"A bunch of pears!" cried Tyltyl. 

"No, they are grapes, " said the Child. "They will all be like thatwhen I am thirty: I have found the way. .. . "

Tyltyl would have loved to taste them, but another Child came alongalmost hidden under a basket which one of the tall persons was helpinghim to carry. His fair-haired, rosy face smiled through the leavesthat hung over the wicker-work. 

[Illustration: Other Blue Children unfolded maps and plans, or broughtenormous flowers]

"Look!" he said. "Look at my apples. .. . "

"But those are melons!" said Tyltyl. 

"No, no!" said the Child. "They are my apples! They will all be alikewhen I am alive! I have discovered the process!. .. "

I should never finish if I were to try and describe to my littlereaders all the wonderful and incredible things that appeared beforeour hero's eyes. But, suddenly, a loud burst of laughter rang throughthe hall. A Child had spoken of the King of the Nine Planets; andTyltyl, very much puzzled and perplexed, looked on every side. All thefaces, bright with laughter, were turned to some spot which Tyltylcould not see; every finger pointed in the same direction; but ourfriend looked in vain. They had spoken of a king! He was looking for athrone with a tall, dignified personage on it, wielding a goldensceptre. 

"Over there . .. Over there . .. Lower down . .. Behind you!" said athousand little voices together. 

"But where is the King?" Tyltyl and Mytyl repeated, greatlyinterested. 

Then, suddenly, a louder and more serious voice sounded above thesilvery murmur of the others:

"Here I am!" it said proudly. 

And, at the same time, Tyltyl discovered a chubby baby which he hadnot yet remarked, for it was the smallest and had kept out of the waytill then, sitting at the foot of a column in an attitude ofindifference, seemingly rapt in contemplation. The little King was theonly one who had taken no notice of the "Live Children. " Hisbeautiful, liquid eyes, eyes as blue as the palace, were pursuingendless dreams; his right hand supported his head, which was alreadyheavy with thought; his short tunic showed his dimpled knees; and agolden crown rested on his yellow locks. When he cried, "Here I am!"the baby rose from the step on which he was sitting and tried to climbon to it at one stride; but he was still so awkward that he lost hisbalance and fell upon his nose. He at once picked himself up with somuch dignity that nobody dared make fun of him; and, this time, hescrambled up on all fours and then, putting his legs wide apart, stoodand eyed Tyltyl from top to toe. 

"You're not very big!" said Tyltyl, doing his best to keep fromlaughing. 

"I shall do great things when I am!" retorted the King, in a tone thatadmitted of no reply. 

"And what will you do?" asked Tyltyl. 

"I shall found the General Confederation of the Solar Planets, " saidthe King, in a very pompous voice. 

Our friend was so much impressed that he could not find a word to say;and the King continued:

"All the Planets will belong to it, except Uranus, Saturn and Neptune, which are too ridiculously far away. "

Thereupon, he toddled off the step again and resumed his firstattitude, showing that he had said all that he meant to say. 

Tyltyl left him to his meditations; he was eager to know as many moreof the Children as he could. He was introduced to the discoverer of anew sun, to the inventor of a new joy, to the hero who was to wipe outinjustice from the earth and to the wiseacre who was to conquerDeath. .. . There were such lots and lots of them that it would takedays and days to name them all. Our friend was rather tired and wasbeginning to feel bored, when his attention was suddenly aroused byhearing a Child's voice calling him:

"Tyltyl!. .. Tyltyl!. .. How are you, Tyltyl, how are you?. .. "

A little Blue Child came running up from the back of the hall, pushinghis way through the crowd. He was fair and slim and bright-eyed andhad a great look of Mytyl. 

"How do you know my name?" asked Tyltyl. 

"It's not surprising, " said the Blue Child, "considering that I shallbe your brother!"

This time, the Live Children were absolutely amazed. What anextraordinary meeting! They must certainly tell Mummy as soon as theygot back! How astonished they would be at home!

While they were making these reflections, the Child went on toexplain:

"I am coming to you next year, on Palm Sunday, " he said. 

And he put a thousand questions to his big brother: was it comfortableat home? Was the food good? Was Daddy very severe? And Mummy?

"Oh, Mummy is so kind!" said the little ones. 

And they asked him questions in their turn: what was he going to do onearth? What was he bringing?

"I am bringing three illnesses, " said the little brother. "Scarlatina, whooping-cough and measles. .. . "

"Oh, that's all, is it?" cried Tyltyl. 

He shook his head, with evident disappointment, while the othercontinued:

"After that, I shall leave you!"

"It will hardly be worth while coming!" said Tyltyl, feeling rathervexed. 

"We can't pick and choose!" said the little brother, pettishly. 

They would perhaps have quarrelled, without waiting till they were onearth, if they had not suddenly been parted by a swarm of BlueChildren who were hurrying to meet somebody. At the same time, therewas a great noise, as if thousands of invisible doors were beingopened at the end of the galleries. 

"What's the matter?" asked Tyltyl. 

"It's Time, " said one of the Blue Children. "He's going to open thedoors. "

And the excitement increased on every side. The Children left theirmachines and their labours; those who were asleep woke up; and everyeye was eagerly and anxiously turned to the great opal doors at theback, while every mouth repeated the same name. The word, "Time!Time!" was heard all around; and the great mysterious noise kept on. Tyltyl was dying to know what it meant. At last, he caught a littleChild by the skirt of his dress and asked him. 

"Let me be, " said the Child, very uneasily. "I'm in a hurry: it may bemy turn to-day. .. . It is the Dawn rising. This is the hour when theChildren who are to be born to-day go down to earth. .. . You shallsee. .. . Time is drawing the bolts. .. . "

"Who is Time?" asked Tyltyl. 

"An old man who comes to call those who are going, " said anotherChild. "He is not so bad; but he won't listen or hear. Beg as theymay, if it's not their turn, he pushes back all those who try togo. .. . Let me be! It may be my turn now!"

Light now hastened towards our little friends in a great state ofalarm:

"I was looking for you, " she said. "Come quick: it will never do forTime to discover you. "

As she spoke these words, she threw her gold cloak around the Childrenand dragged them to a corner of the hall, where they could seeeverything, without being seen. 

Tyltyl was very glad to be so well protected. He now knew that he whowas about to appear possessed so great and tremendous a power that nohuman strength was capable of resisting him. He was at the same time adeity and an ogre; he bestowed life and he devoured it; he spedthrough the world so fast that you had no time to see him; he ate andate, without stopping; he took whatever he touched. In Tyltyl'sfamily, he had already taken Grandad and Granny, the little brothers, the little sisters and the old blackbird! He did not mind what hetook: joys and sorrows, winters and summers, all was fish that came tohis net!. .. 

Knowing this, our friend was astonished to see everybody in theKingdom of the Future running so fast to meet him:

"I suppose he doesn't eat anything here, " he thought. 

There he was! The great doors turned slowly on their hinges. There wasa distant music: it was the sounds of the earth. A red and green lightpenetrated into the hall; and Time appeared on the threshold. He was atall and very thin old man, so old that his wrinkled face was allgrey, like dust. His white beard came down to his knees. In one hand, he carried an enormous scythe; in the other, an hour-glass. Behindhim, some way out, on a sea the colour of the Dawn, was a magnificentgold galley, with white sails. 

"Are they ready whose hour has struck?" asked Time. At the sound ofthat voice, solemn and deep as a bronze gong, thousands of brightchildren's voices, like little silver bells, answered:

"Here we are!. .. Here we are!. .. Here we are!. .. "

And, in a moment, the Blue Children were crowding round the tall oldman, who pushed them all back and, in a gruff voice, said:

"One at a time!. .. Once again, there are many more of you than arewanted!. .. You can't deceive me!"

Brandishing his scythe in one hand and holding out his cloak with theother, he barred the way to the rash Children who tried to slip byhim. Not one of them escaped the horrid old man's watchful eye:

"It's not your turn!" he said to one. "You're to be born to-morrow!. .. Nor yours either, you've got ten years to wait. .. . A thirteenthshepherd?. .. There are only twelve wanted; there is no need formore. .. . More doctors?. .. There are too many already; they aregrumbling about it on earth. .. . And where are the engineers?. .. Theywant an honest man; only one, as a wonderful being. "

Thereupon, a poor Child, who had hung back, until then, came forwardtimidly, sucking his thumb. He looked pale and sad and walked withtottering footsteps; he was so wretched that even Time felt a moment'spity:

"It's you!" he exclaimed. "You seem a very poor specimen!"

[Illustration: And, in a moment, the Blue Children were crowding roundthe tall old man]

And, lifting his eyes to the sky, with a look of discouragement, headded:

"You won't live long!"

And the movement went on. Each Child, when denied, returned to hisemployment with a downcast air. When one of them was accepted, theothers looked at him with envy. Now and then, something happened, aswhen the hero who was to fight against injustice refused to go. Heclung to his playfellows, who called out to Time:

"He doesn't want to, Sir!"

"No, I don't want to go, " cried the little fellow, with all his might. "I would rather not be born. "

"And quite right too!" thought Tyltyl, who was full of common-senseand who knew what things are like on earth. 

For people always get beatings which they have not deserved; and, whenthey have done wrong, you may be sure that the punishment will fall onone of their innocent friends. 

"I wouldn't care to be in his place, " said our friend to himself. "Iwould rather hunt for the Blue Bird, any day!"

Meanwhile, the little seeker after justice went away sobbing, frightened out of his life by Mr. Time. 

The excitement was now at its height. The Children ran all over thehall: those who were going packed up their inventions; those who werestaying behind had a thousand requests to make:

"Will you write to me?"

"They say one can't!"

"Oh, try, do try!"

"Announce my idea!"

"Good-bye, Jean. .. . Good-bye, Pierre!"

"Have you forgotten anything?"

"Don't lose your ideas!"

"Try to tell us if it's nice!"

"Enough! Enough!" roared Time, in a huge voice, shaking his big keysand his terrible scythe, "Enough! The anchor's weighed. .. . "

Then the Children climbed into the gold galley, with the beautifulwhite silk sails. They waved their hands again to the little friendswhom they were leaving behind them; but, on seeing the earth in thedistance, they cried out, gladly:

"Earth! Earth!. .. I can see it!. .. "

"How bright it is!. .. "

"How big it is!. .. "

And, at the same time, as though coming from the abyss, a song rose, adistant song of gladness and expectation. 

Light, who was listening with a smile, saw the look of astonishment onTyltyl's face and bent over him:

"It is the song of the mothers coming out to meet them, " she said. 

At that moment, Time, who had shut the doors, saw our friends andrushed at them angrily, shaking his scythe at them. 

"Hurry!" said Light. "Hurry! Take the Blue Bird, Tyltyl, and go infront of me with Mytyl. "

She put into the boy's arms a bird which she held hidden under hercloak and, all radiant, spreading her dazzling veil with her twohands, she ran on, protecting her charges from the onslaught of Time. 

In this way, they passed through several turquoise and sapphiregalleries. It was magnificently beautiful, but they were in theKingdom of the Future, where Time was the great master, and they mustescape from his anger which they had braved. 

Mytyl was terribly frightened and Tyltyl kept nervously turning roundto Light. 

"Don't be afraid, " she said. "I am the only person whom Time hasrespected since the world began. Only mind that you take care of theBlue Bird. He's gorgeous! He is quite, quite blue!"

This thought enraptured the boy. He felt the precious treasurefluttering in his arms; his hands dared not press the prettycreature's soft, warm wings; and his heart beat against its heart. This time, he held the Blue Bird! Nothing could touch it, because itwas given to him by Light herself. What a triumph when he returnedhome!. .. 

He was so bewildered by his happiness that he hardly knew where he wasgoing; his joy rang a victorious peal in his head that made him feelgiddy; he was mad with pride; and this, worse luck, made him lose hiscoolness and his presence of mind! They were just about to cross thethreshold of the palace, when a gust of wind swept through theentrance-hall, lifting up Light's veil and at last revealing the twoChildren to the eyes of Time, who was still pursuing them. With a roarof rage, he darted his scythe at Tyltyl, who cried out. Light wardedoff the blow; and the door of the palace closed behind them with athud. They were saved!. .. But alas, Tyltyl, taken by surprise, hadopened his arms and now, through his tears, saw the Bird of the Futuresoaring above their heads, mingling with the azure sky its dream-wingsso blue, so light and so transparent that soon the boy could make outnothing more. .. . 

CHAPTER VI

IN THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT

Tyltyl had enjoyed himself thoroughly in the Kingdom of the Future. Hehad seen many wonderful things and thousands of little playfellows andthen, without taking the least pains or trouble, had found the BlueBird in his arms in the most magical way. He had never picturedanything more beautiful, more blue or brilliant; and he still felt itfluttering against his heart and kept hugging his arms to his breastas though the Blue Bird were there. 

Alas, it had vanished like a dream!

He was thinking sadly of this latest disappointment as he walkedhand-in-hand with Light. They were back in the Temple and were goingto the vaults where the Animals and Things had been shut up. What asight met their eyes! The wretches had eaten and drunk such a lot thatthey were lying on the floor quite tipsy! Tylô himself had lost allhis dignity. He had rolled under the table and was snoring like aporpoise. His instinct remained; and the sound of the door made himprick up his ears. He opened one eye, but his sight was troubled byall that he had had to drink and he did not know his little masterwhen he saw him. He dragged himself to his feet with a great effort, turned round several times and then dropped on the floor again with agrunt of satisfaction. 

Bread and the others were as bad; and the only exception was the Cat, who was sitting up prettily on a marble and gold bench and seemed infull possession of her senses. She sprang nimbly to the ground andstepped up to Tyltyl with a smile:

"I have been longing to see you, " she said, "for I have been veryunhappy among all these vulgar people. They first drank all the wineand then started shouting and singing and dancing, quarrelling andfighting and making such a noise that I was very glad when, at last, they fell into a tipsy sleep. "

The children praised her warmly for her good behaviour. As a matter offact, there was no great merit in this, for she could not standanything stronger than milk; but we are seldom rewarded when by rightswe ought to be and sometimes are when we have not deserved it. 

After fondly kissing the children, Tylette asked a favour of Light:

"I have had such a wretched time, " she whined. "Let me go out for alittle while; it will do me good to be alone. "

[Illustration: The Cat at once draped her cloak round her, opened thedoor and ran and bounded out into the forest]

Light gave her consent without suspecting anything; and the Cat atonce draped her cloak round her, put her hat straight, pulled up hersoft grey boots over her knees, opened the door and ran and boundedout into the forest. We shall know, a little later, where treacherousTylette was going so gaily and what was the horrid plot which she wasmysteriously concocting. 

As on the other days, the Children had their dinner with Light in alarge room all encrusted with diamonds. The servants bustled aroundthem smiling and brought delicious dishes and cakes. 

After dinner, our little friends began to yawn. They felt sleepy veryearly, after all their adventures; and, Light--ever kind andthoughtful--made them live as they were accustomed to on earth. So asnot to injure their health by altering their habits, she had set uptheir little beds in a part of the temple where the darkness wouldseem like night to them. 

They went through any number of rooms to reach their bedroom. They hadfirst to pass all the lights known to Man and then those which Man didnot yet know. 

There were great sumptuous apartments in splendid marble, lit up byrays so white and strong that the children were quite dazzled. 

"That is the Light of the Rich, " said Light to Tyltyl. "You see howdangerous it is. People run the risk of going blind when they live toomuch in its rays, which leave no room for soft and kindly shade. "

And she hurried them on so that they might rest their eyes in thegentle Light of the Poor. Here, the Children suddenly felt as if theywere in their parents' cottage, where everything was so humble andpeaceful. The faint light was very pure and clear, but alwaysflickering and ready to go out at the least breath. 

Next they came to the beautiful Light of the Poets, which they likedimmensely, for it had all the colours of the rainbow; and, when youpassed through it, you saw lovely pictures, lovely flowers and lovelytoys which you were unable to take hold of. Laughing merrily, thechildren ran after birds and butterflies, but everything faded away assoon as it was touched. 

"Well, I never!" said Tyltyl, as he came panting back to Light. "Thisbeats everything! I can't understand it!"

"You will understand later, " she replied, "and, if you understand itproperly, you will be among the very few human beings who know theBlue Bird when they see him. "

After leaving the region of the Poets, our friends reached the Lightof the Learned, which lies on the borders of the known and the unknownlights:

"Let's get on, " said Tyltyl. "This is boring. "

To tell the truth, he was a little bit frightened, for they were in along row of cold and forbidding arches, which were streaked at everymoment by dazzling lightning-flashes; and, at each flash, you sawout-of-the-way things that had no name as yet. 

After these arches, they came to the Lights Unknown to Man; andTyltyl, in spite of the sleep that pressed upon his eyelids, could nothelp admiring the hall with its violet columns and the gallery withits red rays. And the violet of the columns was such a dark violet andthe red of the rays such a pale red that it was hardly possible to seeeither of them. 

At last, they arrived at the room of smooth, unflecked Black Light, which men call Darkness because their eyes are not yet able to make itout. And here the Children fell asleep without delay on two soft bedsof clouds. 

CHAPTER VII

THE GRAVEYARD

When the Children were not going on an expedition, they played aboutin the Realms of Light; and this was a great treat for them, for thegardens and the country around the temple were as wonderful as thehalls and galleries of silver and gold. 

The leaves of some of the plants were so broad and strong that theywere able to lie down on them; and, when a breath of wind stirred theleaves, the Children swung as in a hammock. It was always summer thereand never a moment was darkened by the night; but the hours were knownby their different colours; there were pink, white, blue, lilac, greenand yellow hours; and, according to their hues, the flowers, thefruits, the birds, the butterflies and the scents changed, causingTyltyl and Mytyl a constant surprise. They had all the toys that theycould wish for. When they were tired of playing, they stretchedthemselves out on the backs of the lizards, which were as long andwide as little boats, and quickly, quickly raced round thegarden-paths, over the sand which was as white and as good to eat assugar. When they were thirsty, Water shook her tresses into the cup ofthe enormous flowers; and the Children drank straight out of thelilies, tulips and morning-glories. If they were hungry, they pickedradiant fruits which revealed the taste of Light to them and which hadjuice that shone like the rays of the sun. 

There was also, in a clump of bushes, a white marble pond whichpossessed a magic power: its clear waters reflected not the faces, butthe souls of those who looked into it. 

"It's a ridiculous invention, " said the Cat, who steadily refused togo near the pond. 

You, my dear little readers, who know her thoughts as well as I do, will not be surprised at her refusal. And you will also understand whyour faithful Tylô was not afraid to go and quench his thirst there: heneed not fear to reveal his thoughts, for he was the only creaturewhose soul never altered. The dear Dog had no feelings but those oflove and kindness and devotion. 

When Tyltyl bent over the magic mirror, he almost always saw thepicture of a splendid Blue Bird, for the constant wish to find himfilled his mind entirely. Then he would run to Light and entreat her:

"Tell me where he is!. .. You know everything: tell me where to findhim!"

But she replied, in a tone of mystery:

"I cannot tell you anything. You must find him for yourself. " And, kissing him, she added, "Cheer up; you are getting nearer to him ateach trial. "

Now there came a day on which she said to him:

"I have received a message from the Fairy Bérylune telling me that theBlue Bird is probably hidden in the graveyard. .. . It appears that oneof the Dead in the graveyard is keeping him in his tomb. .. . "

"What shall we do?" asked Tyltyl. 

"It is very simple: at midnight you will turn the diamond and youshall see the Dead come out of the ground. "

At these words, Milk, Water, Bread and Sugar began to yell and screamand chatter their teeth. 

"Don't mind them, " said Light to Tyltyl, in a whisper. "They areafraid of the Dead. "

"I'm not afraid of them!" said Fire, frisking about. "Time was when Iused to burn them; that was much more amusing than nowadays. "

"Oh, I feel I am going to turn, " wailed Milk. 

"I'm not afraid, " said the Dog, trembling in every limb, "but if yourun away. .. . I shall run away too . .. And with the greatestpleasure. .. . "

The Cat sat pulling at her whiskers:

"I know what's what, " she said, in her usual mysterious way. 

"Be quiet, " said Light. "The Fairy gave strict orders. You are all tostay with me, at the gate of the graveyard; the Children are to go inalone. "

Tyltyl felt anything but pleased. He asked:

"Aren't you coming with us?"

"No, " said Light. "The time for that has not arrived. Light cannot yetenter among the Dead. Besides, there is nothing to fear. I shall notbe far away; and those who love me and whom I love always find meagain. .. . "

She had not finished speaking, when everything around the Childrenchanged. The wonderful temple, the dazzling flowers, the splendidgardens vanished to make way for a poor little country cemetery, whichlay in the soft moonlight. Near the Children were a number of graves, grassy mounds, wooden crosses and tombstones. Tyltyl and Mytyl wereseized with terror and hugged each other:

"I am frightened!" said Mytyl. 

"I am never frightened, " stammered Tyltyl, who was shaking with fear, but did not like to say so. 

"I say, " asked Mytyl, "are the Dead wicked?"

"Why, no, " said Tyltyl, "they're not alive!. .. "

"Have you ever seen one?"

"Yes, once, long ago, when I was very young. .. . "

"What was it like?"

"Quite white, very still and very cold; and it didn't talk. .. . "

"Are we going to see them?"

Tyltyl shuddered at this question and made an unsuccessful effort tosteady his voice as he answered:

"Why, of course, Light said so!"

"Where are the Dead?" asked Mytyl. 

Tyltyl cast a frightened look around him, for the Children had notdared to stir since they were alone:

"The Dead are here, " he said, "under the grass or under those bigstones. "

"Are those the doors of their houses?" asked Mytyl, pointing to thetombstones. 

"Yes. "

"Do they go out when it's fine?"

"They can only go out at night. "

"Why?"

"Because they are in their night-shirts. "

"Do they go out also when it rains?"

"When it rains, they stay at home. "

"Is it nice in their homes?"

"They say it's very cramped. "

"Have they any little children?"

"Why, yes, they have all those who die. "

"And what do they live on?"

Tyltyl stopped to think, before answering. As Mytyl's big brother, hefelt it his duty to know everything; but her questions often puzzledhim. Then he reflected that, as the Dead live under ground, they canhardly eat anything that is above it; and so he answered verypositively:

"They eat roots!"

Mytyl was quite satisfied and returned to the great question that wasoccupying her little mind:

"Shall we see them?" she asked. 

"Of course, " said Tyltyl, "we see everything when I turn the diamond. "

"And what will they say?"

Tyltyl began to grow impatient:

"They will say nothing, as they don't talk. "

"Why don't they talk?" asked Mytyl. 

"Because they have nothing to say, " said Tyltyl, more cross andperplexed than ever. 

"Why have they nothing to say?"

This time, the little big brother lost all patience. He shrugged hisshoulders, gave Mytyl a push and shouted angrily:

"You're a nuisance!. .. "

Mytyl was greatly upset and confused. She sucked her thumb andresolved to hold her tongue for ever after, as she had been so badlytreated! But a breath of wind made the leaves of the trees whisper andsuddenly recalled the Children to their fears and their sense ofloneliness. They hugged each other tight and began to talk again, soas not to hear the horrible silence:

"When will you turn the diamond?" asked Mytyl. 

"You heard Light say that I was to wait until midnight, because thatdisturbs them less; it is when they come out to take the air. .. . "

"Isn't it midnight yet. .. . "

Tyltyl turned round, saw the church clock and hardly had the strengthto answer, for the hands were just upon the hour:

"Listen, " he stammered, "listen. .. . It is just going to strike. .. . There!. .. Do you hear?. .. "

And the clock struck twelve. 

Then Mytyl, frightened out of her life, began to stamp her feet andutter piercing screams:

"I want to go away!. .. I want to go away!. .. "

Tyltyl, though stiff with fright, was able to say:

"Not now. .. . I am going to turn the diamond. .. . "

"No, no, no!" cried Mytyl. "I am so frightened, little brother!. .. Don't do it!. .. I want to go away!. .. "

Tyltyl vainly tried to lift his hand: he could not reach the diamondwith Mytyl clinging to him, hanging with all her weight on herbrother's arm and screaming at the top of her voice:

"I don't want to see the Dead!. .. They will be awful!. .. I can'tpossibly!. .. I am much too frightened!. .. "

Poor Tyltyl was quite as much terrified as Mytyl, but at each trial, his will and courage were becoming greater; he was learning to masterhimself; and nothing could induce him to fail in his mission. Theeleventh stroke rang out. 

"The hour is passing!" he exclaimed. "It is time!"

And releasing himself resolutely from Mytyl's arms, he turned thediamond. .. . 

A moment of terrible silence followed for the poor little children. Then they saw the crosses totter, the mounds open, the slabs riseup. .. . 

Mytyl hid her face against Tyltyl's chest:

"They're coming out!" she cried. "They're there!. .. They'rethere!. .. "

The agony was more than the plucky little fellow could endure. He shuthis eyes and only kept himself from fainting by leaning against a treebeside him. He remained like that for a minute that seemed to him likea century, not daring to move, not daring to breathe. Then he heardbirds singing; a warm and scented breeze fanned his face; and, on hishands, on his neck, he felt the soft heat of the balmy summer sun. Nowquite reassured, but unable to believe in so great a miracle, heopened his eyes and at once began to shout with happiness andadmiration. 

From all the open tombs came thousands of splendid flowers. Theyspread everywhere, on the paths, on the trees, on the grass; and theywent up and up until it seemed that they would touch the sky. Theywere great full-blown roses, showing their hearts, wonderful goldenhearts from which came the hot, bright rays which had wrapped Tyltylin that summer warmth. Round the roses, birds sang and bees buzzedgaily. 

"I can't believe it! It's not possible!" said Tyltyl. "What has becomeof the tombs and the stone crosses?"

Dazzled and bewildered, the two children walked hand in hand throughthe graveyard, of which not a trace remained, for there was nothingbut a wonderful garden on every side. They were as glad and happy ascould be, after their terrible fright. They had thought that uglyskeletons would rise from the earth and run after them, pulling horridfaces; they had imagined all sorts of awful things. And now, in thepresence of the truth, they saw that all that they had been told was agreat big story and that Death does not exist. They saw that there areno Dead and that Life goes on always, always, but under fresh forms. The fading rose sheds its pollen, which gives birth to other roses, and its scattered petals scent the air. The fruits come when theblossoms fall from the trees; and the dingy, hairy caterpillar turnsinto a brilliant butterfly. Nothing perishes . .. There are onlychanges. .. . 

Beautiful birds circled all round Tyltyl and Mytyl. There were no blueones among them, but the two Children were so glad of their discoverythat they asked for nothing more. Astonished and delighted, they kepton repeating:

"There are no Dead!. .. There are no Dead!. .. "

CHAPTER VIII

THE FOREST

As soon as Tyltyl and Mytyl were in bed, Light kissed them and fadedaway at once, so as not to disturb their sleep with the rays thatalways streamed from her beautiful self. 

It must have been about midnight, when Tyltyl, who was dreaming of thelittle Blue Children, felt a soft velvet paw pass to and fro over hisface. He was surprised and sat up in bed in a bit of a fright; but hewas soon reassured when he saw his friend Tylette's glowing eyesglittering in the dark. 

"Hush!" said the Cat in his ear. "Hush! Don't wake anybody. If we canarrange to slip out without being seen, we shall catch the Blue Birdto-night. I have risked my life, O my dearest master, in preparing aplan which will certainly lead us to victory!"

"But, " said the boy, kissing Tylette, "Light would be so glad to helpus . .. And besides I should be ashamed to disobey her. .. . "

"If you tell her, " said the Cat, sharply, "all is lost, believe me. Doas I say; and the day is ours. "

As she spoke these words, she hastened to dress him and also Mytyl, who had heard a noise and was asking to go with them. 

"You don't understand, " groaned Tyltyl. "You are too small: you don'tknow what a wicked thing we are doing. .. . "

But the treacherous Cat answered all his arguments, saying that thereason why he had not found the Blue Bird so far was just the fault ofLight, who always brought brightness with her. Let the Children onlygo hunting by themselves, in the dark, and they would soon find allthe Blue Birds that make men's happiness. The traitress displayed suchcleverness that, before long, Tyltyl's disobedience became a very finething in his own eyes. Each of Tylette's words provided a good excusefor his action or adorned it with a generous thought. He was too weakto set his will against trickery, allowed himself to be persuaded andwalked out of the temple with a firm and cheerful step. Poor littlefellow: if he could only have foreseen the terrible trap that awaitedhim!

Our three companions set out across the fields in the white light ofthe moon. The Cat seemed greatly excited, did nothing but talk andwent so fast that the children were hardly able to keep up with her:

"This time, " she declared, "we shall have the Blue Bird, I am sure ofit! I asked all the Trees in the very oldest forest; they know him, because he hides among them. Then, in order to have everybody there, Isent the Rabbit to beat the assembly and call the principal Animals inthe country. "

They reached the edge of the dark forest in an hour's time. Then, at aturn in the road, they saw, in the distance, some one who seemed to behurrying towards them. Tylette arched her back: she felt that it washer old time enemy. She quivered with rage: was he once more going tothwart her plans? Had he guessed her secret? Was he coming, at thelast moment, to save the Children's lives?

She leaned over to Tyltyl and whispered to him, in her most honeyedvoice:

"I am sorry to say it is our worthy friend the Dog. It is a thousandpities, because his presence will make us fail in our object. He is onthe worst of terms with everybody, even the Trees. Do tell him to goback!"

"Go away, you ugly thing!" said Tyltyl, shaking his fist at the Dog. 

Dear old faithful Tylô, who had come because he suspected the Cat'splans, was much hurt by these hard words. He was ready to cry, wasstill out of breath from running and could think of nothing to say. 

"Go away, I tell you!" said Tyltyl again. "We don't want you here andthere's an end of it. .. . You're a nuisance, there!. .. "

The Dog was an obedient animal and, at any other time, he would havegone; but his affection told him what a serious business it was and hestood stock still. 

"Do you allow this disobedience?" said the Cat to Tyltyl, in awhisper. "Hit him with your stick. "

Tyltyl beat the Dog, as the Cat suggested:

"There, that will teach you to be more obedient!" he said. 

The poor Dog howled at receiving the blows; but there was no limit tohis self-sacrifice. He went up to his young master pluckily and, taking him in his arms, cried:

"I must kiss you now you've beaten me!"

Tyltyl, who was a good-hearted little fellow, did not know what to do;and the Cat swore between her teeth like a wild beast. Fortunately, dear little Mytyl interfered on our friend's behalf:

"No, no; I want him to stay, " she pleaded. "I'm frightened when Tylô'snot with us. "

Time was short and they had to come to a decision. 

"I'll find some other way to get rid of the idiot!" thought the Cat. And, turning to the Dog, she said, in her most gracious manner, "Weshall be _so_ pleased if you will join us!"

As they entered the great forest, the Children stuck close together, with the Cat and the Dog on either side of them. They were awed by thesilence and the darkness and they felt much relieved when the Catexclaimed:

"Here we are! Turn the diamond!"

Then the light spread around them and showed them a wonderful sight. They were standing in the middle of a large round space in the heartof the forest, where all the old, old Trees seemed to reach up to thesky. Wide avenues formed a white star amidst the dark green of thewood. Everything was peaceful and still; but suddenly a strange shiverran through the foliage; the branches moved and stretched like humanarms; the roots raised the earth that covered them, came together, took the shapes of legs and feet and stood on the ground; a tremendouscrash rang through the air; the trunks of the Trees burst open andeach of them let out its soul, which made its appearance like a funnyhuman figure. 

Some stepped slowly from their trunks; others came out with a jump;and all of them gathered inquisitively round our friends. 

The talkative Poplar began to chatter like a magpie:

"Little Men! We shall be able to talk to them! We have done withsilence!. .. Where do they come from?. .. Who are they?"

And so he rattled on. 

The Lime-tree, who was a jolly, fat fellow, came up calmly, smokinghis pipe; the conceited and dandified Chestnut-tree screwed his glassinto his eye to stare at the Children. He wore a coat of green silkembroidered with pink and white flowers. He thought the little onestoo poor-looking and turned away in derision. 

"He thinks he's everybody, since he has taken to living in town! Hedespises us!" sneered the Poplar, who was jealous of him. 

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" wept the Willow, a wretched little stuntedfellow, who came clattering along in a pair of wooden shoes too bigfor him. "They have come to cut off my head and arms for firewood!"

Tyltyl could not believe his eyes. He never stopped asking the Catquestions:

"Who's this?. .. Who's that?. .. "

And Tylette introduced the soul of each Tree to him. 

There was the Elm, who was a sort of short-winded, paunchy, crabbygnome; the Beech, an elegant, sprightly person; the Birch, who lookedlike the ghosts in the Palace of Night, with his white flowinggarments and his restless gestures. The tallest figure was theFir-tree: Tyltyl found it very difficult to see his face perched rightat the top of his long, thin body; but he looked gentle and sad, whereas the Cypress, who stood near him, dressed all in black, frightened Tyltyl terribly. 

However, so far nothing very dreadful had happened. The Trees, delighted at being able to talk, were all chattering together; and ouryoung friend was simply going to ask them where the Blue Bird washidden, when, all of a sudden, silence reigned. The Trees bowedrespectfully and stood aside to make way for an immensely old Tree, dressed in a long gown embroidered with moss and lichen. He leanedwith one hand on a stick and with the other on a young Oak Sapling whoacted as his guide, for the Old Oak was blind. His long white beardstreamed in the wind. 

"It's the King!" said Tyltyl to himself, when he saw his mistletoecrown. "I will ask him the secret of the forest. "

And he was just going up to him, when he stopped, seized with surpriseand joy: there sat the Blue Bird before him, perched on the old Oak'sshoulder. 

"He has the Blue Bird!" cried the boy, gleefully. "Quick! Quick! Givehim to me!"

"Silence! Hold your tongue!" said the greatly shocked Trees. 

"Take off your hat, Tyltyl, " said the Cat. "It's the Oak!"

The poor Child at once obeyed with a smile; he did not understand thedanger that threatened him and he did not hesitate to answer, "Yes, Sir, " when the Oak asked him if he was Tyl the woodcutter's son. 

Then the Oak, trembling with rage, began to lay a terrible chargeagainst Daddy Tyl:

"In my family alone, " he said, "your father has put to death sixhundred of my sons, four hundred and seventy-five uncles and aunts, twelve hundred cousins of both sexes, three hundred and eightydaughters-in-law and twelve thousand great-grandsons!"

No doubt his anger made him exaggerate a little; but Tyltyl listenedwithout protest and said, very politely:

"I beg your pardon, Sir, for disturbing you. .. . The Cat said that youwould tell us where the Blue Bird is. "

The Oak was too old not to know all there was to know about Men andAnimals. He smiled in his beard when he guessed the trap laid by theCat and he felt very glad at it, for he had long wished to revenge thewhole forest for the slavery to which Man had subjected it. 

"It's for the Fairy Bérylune's little girl, who is very ill, " the boycontinued. 

"Enough!" said the Oak, silencing him. "I do not hear the Animals. .. . Where are they?. .. All this concerns them as much as us. .. . We, theTrees, must not assume the responsibility alone for the grave measuresthat have become necessary. "

"Here they come!" said the Fir-tree, looking over the top of the otherTrees. "They are following the Rabbit. .. . I can see the souls of theHorse, the Bull, the Ox, the Cow, the Wolf, the Sheep, the Pig, theGoat, and the Bear. .. . "

All the Animals now arrived. They walked on their hind-legs and weredressed like human beings. They solemnly took up their positions in acircle among the Trees, all except the frivolous Goat, who began toskip down the avenues, and the Pig, who hoped to find some glorioustruffles among the roots that had newly left the ground. 

"Are all here present?" asked the Oak. 

"The Hen could not leave her eggs, " said the Rabbit, "the Hare was outfor a run, the Stag has pains in his horns and his corns, the Fox isill--here is the doctor's certificate--the Goose did not understandand the Turkey flew into a passion. .. . "

"Look!" whispered Tyltyl to Mytyl. "Aren't they funny? They are justlike the rich children's fine toys in the windows at Christmas-time. "

The Rabbit especially made them laugh, with his cocked hat over hisbig ears, his blue, embroidered coat and his drum slung in front ofhim. 

Meanwhile, the Oak was explaining the situation to his brothers theTrees and to the Animals. Treacherous Tylette had been quite right inreckoning on their hatred. 

"The child you see before you, " said the Oak, "thanks to a talismanstolen from the powers of Earth, is able to take possession of ourBlue Bird and thus to snatch from us the secret which we have keptsince the origin of life. .. . Now we know enough of Man to entertain nodoubt as to the fate which he reserves for us, once he is inpossession of this secret. .. . Any hesitation would be both foolish andcriminal. .. . It is a serious moment; the child must be done away withbefore it is too late. .. . "

"What is he saying?" asked Tyltyl, who could not make out what the oldTree was driving at. 

The Dog was prowling round the Oak and now showed his fangs:

"Do you see my teeth, you old cripple?" he growled. 

"He is insulting the Oak!" said the Beech indignantly. 

"Drive him out!" shouted the Oak, angrily. "He's a traitor!"

"What did I tell you?" whispered the Cat to Tyltyl. "I will arrangethings. .. . But send him away. "

"Will you be off!" said Tyltyl to the Dog. 

"Do let me worry the gouty old beggar's moss slippers!" begged Tylô. 

Tyltyl tried in vain to prevent him. The rage of Tylô, who understoodthe danger, knew no bounds; and he would have succeeded in saving hismaster, if the Cat had not thought of calling in the Ivy, who tillthen had kept his distance. The Dog pranced about like a madman, abusing everybody. He railed at the Ivy:

"Come on, if you dare, you old ball of twine, you!"

The onlookers growled; the Oak was pale with fury at seeing hisauthority denied; the Trees and the Animals were indignant, but, asthey were cowards, not one of them dared protest; and the Dog wouldhave settled all of them, if he had gone on with his rebellion. ButTyltyl threatened him harshly; and, suddenly yielding to his docileinstincts, Tylô lay down at his master's feet. Thus it is that ourfinest virtues are treated as faults, when we exercise them withoutdiscrimination. 

From that moment, the Children were lost. The Ivy gagged and boundthe poor Dog, who was then taken behind the Chestnut-tree and tied tohis biggest root. 

"Now, " cried the Oak, in a voice of thunder, "we can take counselquietly. .. . This is the first time that it is given us to judge Man! Ido not think that, after the monstrous injustice which we havesuffered, there can remain the least doubt as to the sentence thatawaits him. .. . "

One cry rang from every throat:

"Death! Death! Death!"

The poor Children did not at first understand their doom, for theTrees and Animals, who were more accustomed to talking their ownspecial language, did not speak very distinctly; and, besides, theinnocent Children could never imagine such cruelty!

"What is the matter with them?" asked the boy. "Are they displeased?"

"Don't be alarmed, " said the Cat. "They are a little annoyed becauseSpring is late. .. . "

And she went on talking into Tyltyl's ear, to divert his attentionfrom what was happening. 

While the trusting lad was listening to her fibs, the others werediscussing which form of execution would be the most practical and theleast dangerous. The Bull suggested a good butt with the horns; theBeech offered his highest branch to hang the little Children on; andthe Ivy was already preparing a slip-knot! The Fir-tree was willing togive the four planks for the coffin and the Cypress the perpetualgrant of a tomb. 

"By far the simplest way, " whispered the Willow, "would be to drownthem in one of my rivers. "

And the Pig grunted between his teeth:

"In my opinion, the great thing would be to eat the little girl. .. . She ought to be very tender. .. . "

"Silence!" roared the Oak. "What we have to decide is which of usshall have the honour of striking the first blow!"

"That honour falls to you, our King!" said the Fir-tree. 

"Alas, I am too old!" replied the Oak. "I am blind and infirm! To you, my evergreen brother, be the glory, in my place, of striking thedecisive blow that shall set us free. "

But the Fir-tree declined the honour on the pretext that he wasalready to have the pleasure of burying the two victims and that hewas afraid of rousing jealousy. He suggested the Beech, as owning thebest club. 

"It is out of the question, " said the Beech. "You know I amworm-eaten! Ask the Elm and the Cypress. "

Thereupon the Elm began to moan and groan: a mole had twisted hisgreat toe the night before and he could hardly stand upright; and theCypress excused himself and so did the Poplar, who declared that hewas ill and shivering with fever. Then the Oak's indignation flaredup:

"You are afraid of Man!" he exclaimed. "Even those unprotected andunarmed little Children inspire you with terror!. .. Well, I shall goforth alone, old and shaky and blind as I am, against the hereditaryenemy!. .. Where is he?. .. "

And groping his way with his stick, he moved towards Tyltyl, growlingas he went. 

Our poor little friend had been very much afraid during the last fewminutes. The Cat had left him suddenly, saying that she wanted tosmooth down the excitement, and had not come back. Mytyl nestledtrembling against him; and he felt very lonely, very unhappy amongthose dreadful people whose anger he was beginning to notice. When hesaw the Oak marching on him with a threatening air, he drew hispocket-knife and defied him like a man:

"Is it I he's after, that old one, with his big stick?" he cried. 

But, at the sight of the knife, Man's irresistible weapon, all theTrees shook with fright and rushed at the Oak to hold him back. Therewas a struggle; and the old King, conquered by the weight of years, threw away his stick:

"Shame on us!" he shouted. "Shame on us! Let the Animals deliverus!. .. "

The Animals were only waiting for this! All wanted to be revengedtogether. Fortunately, their very eagerness caused a scrimmage whichdelayed the murder of the dear little ones. 

Mytyl uttered piercing screams. 

"Don't be afraid, " said Tyltyl, doing his best to protect her. "I havemy knife. "

"The little chap means to die game!" said the Cock. 

"That's the one I shall eat first, " said the Pig, eyeing Mytylgreedily. 

"What have I done to all of you?" asked Tyltyl. 

"Nothing at all, my little man, " said the Sheep. "Eaten my littlebrother, my two sisters, my three uncles, my aunt, my grandpapa and mygrandmamma. .. . Wait, wait, when you're down, you shall see that I haveteeth also. .. . "

And so the Sheep and the Horse, who were the greatest cowards, waitedfor the little fellow to be knocked down before they dared take theirshare in the spoil. 

While they were talking, the Wolf and the Bear treacherously attackedTyltyl from behind and pushed him over. It was an awful moment. Allthe Animals, seeing him on the ground, tried to get at him. The boyraised himself to one knee and brandished his knife. Mytyl utteredyells of distress; and, to crown all, it suddenly became dark. 

Tyltyl called wildly for assistance:

"Help! Help!. .. Tylô! Tylô!. .. To the rescue!. .. Where is Tylette?. .. Come! Come!. .. "

The Cat's voice was heard in the distance, where she was craftilykeeping out of sight:

"I can't come!" she whined. "I'm wounded!"

All this time, plucky little Tyltyl was defending himself as best hecould, but he was alone against all of them, felt that he was going tobe killed and, in a faltering voice, cried once more:

"Help!. .. Tylô! Tylô!. .. I can't hold out!. .. There are too many ofthem!. .. The Bear!. .. The Pig! The Wolf! The Fir-tree! The Beech!. .. Tylô! Tylô! Tylô!. .. "

Then the Dog came leaping along, dragging his broken bonds andelbowing his way through the Trees and Animals and flung himselfbefore his master, whom he defended furiously:

"Here, my little god! Don't be afraid! Have at them! I know how to usemy teeth!"

All the Trees and Animals raised a loud outcry:

"Renegade!. .. Idiot!. .. Traitor!. .. Felon!. .. Simpleton!. .. Sneak!. .. Leave him!. .. He's a dead man!. .. Come over to us!. .. "

The Dog fought on:

"Never! Never!. .. I alone against all of you!. .. Never! Never!. .. Trueto the gods, to the best, to the greatest!. .. Take care, my littlemaster, here's the Bear!. .. Look out for the Bull!"

Tyltyl vainly tried to defend himself:

"I'm done for, Tylô! It was a blow from the Elm! My hand's bleeding!"And he dropped to the ground. "No, I can hold out no longer!"

"They are coming!" said the Dog. "I hear somebody!. .. We are saved! Itis Light!. .. Saved! Saved!. .. See, they're afraid, they'reretreating!. .. Saved, my little king!. .. "

And, sure enough, Light was coming towards them; and with her the dawnrose over the forest, which became light as day. 

"What is it?. .. What has happened?" she asked, quite alarmed at thesight of the little ones and their dear Tylô covered with wounds andbruises. "Why, my poor boy, didn't you know? Turn the diamondquickly!"

Tyltyl hastened to obey; and immediately the souls of all the Treesrushed back into their trunks, which closed upon them. The souls ofthe Animals also disappeared; and there was nothing to be seen but acow and a sheep browsing peacefully in the distance. The forest becameharmless once more; and Tyltyl looked around him in amazement:

"No matter, " he said, "but for the Dog . .. And if I hadn't had myknife!. .. "

Light thought that he had been punished enough and did not scold him. Besides, she was very much upset by the horrible danger which he hadrun. 

Tyltyl, Mytyl and the Dog, glad to meet again safe and sound, exchanged wild kisses. They laughingly counted their wounds, whichwere not very serious. 

Tylette was the only one to make a fuss:

"The Dog's broken my paw!" she mewed. 

Tylô felt as if he could have made a mouthful of her:

"Never mind!" he said. "It'll keep!"

"Leave her alone, will you, you ugly beast?" said Mytyl. 

Our friends went back to the Temple of Light to rest after theiradventure. Tyltyl, repenting of his disobedience, dared not evenmention the Blue Bird of which he had caught a glimpse; and Light saidto the Children, gently:

"Let this teach you, dears, that Man is all alone against all in thisworld. Never forget that. "

[Illustration: A regular waterfall of tears came gushing from hereyes, flooding all around her]

CHAPTER IX

THE LEAVE-TAKING

Weeks and months had passed since the children's departure on theirjourney; and the hour of separation was at hand. Light had been verysad lately; she had counted the days in sorrow, without a word to theAnimals and Things, who had no idea of the misfortune that threatenedthem. 

On the day when we see them for the last time, they were all out inthe gardens of the temple. Light stood watching them from a marbleterrace, with Tyltyl and Mytyl sleeping by her side. Much had happenedin the past twelve months; but the life of the Animals and Things, which had no intelligence to guide it, had made no progress, on thecontrary. Bread had eaten so much that he was now not able to walk:Milk, devoted as ever, dragged him along in a Bath chair. Fire's nastytemper had made him quarrel with everybody and he had become verylonely and unhappy in consequence. Water, who had no will of her own, had ended by yielding to Sugar's sweet entreaties: they were nowmarried; and Sugar presented a most piteous sight. The poor fellowwas reduced to a shadow of his former self, shrank visibly day by dayand was sillier than ever, while Water, in marrying, had lost herprincipal charm, her simplicity. The Cat had remained the liar thatshe always was; and our dear friend Tylô had never been able toovercome his hatred for her. 

"Poor things!" thought Light, with a sigh. "They have not gained muchby receiving the benefit of life! They have travelled and seen nothingof all the wonders that surrounded them in my peaceful temple; theywere either quarrelling with one another or over-eating themselvesuntil they fell ill. They were too foolish to enjoy their happinessand they will recognize it for the first time presently, when they areabout to lose it. .. . "

At that moment, a pretty dove, with silver wings, alighted on herknees. It wore an emerald collar round its neck, with a note fastenedto the clasp. The dove was the Fairy Bérylune's messenger. Lightopened the letter and read these few words:

"Remember that the year is over. "

Then Light stood up, waved her wand and everything disappeared fromsight. 

A few seconds later, the whole company were gathered together outsidea high wall with a small door in it. The first rays of the dawn weregilding the tree-tops. Tyltyl and Mytyl, whom Light was fondlysupporting with her arms, woke up, rubbed their eyes and looked aroundthem in astonishment. 

"What?" said Light to Tyltyl. "Don't you know that wall and thatlittle door?"

The sleepy boy shook his head: he remembered nothing. Then Lightassisted his memory:

"The wall, " she said, "surrounds a house which we left one eveningjust a year ago to-day. .. . "

"Just a year ago?. .. Why, then. .. . " And, clapping his hands with glee, Tyltyl ran to the door. "We must be near Mummy!. .. I want to kiss herat once, at once, at once!"

But Light stopped him. It was too early, she said: Mummy and Daddywere still asleep and he must not wake them with a start. 

"Besides, " she added, "the door will not open till the hour strikes. "

"What hour?" asked the boy. 

"The hour of separation, " Light answered, sadly. 

"What!" said Tyltyl, in great distress. "Are you leaving us?"

"I must, " said Light. "The year is past. The Fairy will come back andask you for the Blue Bird. "

"But I haven't got the Blue Bird!" cried Tyltyl. "The one of the Landof Memory turned quite black, the one of the Future flew away, theNight's are dead, those in the Graveyard were not blue and I could notcatch the one in the Forest!. .. Will the Fairy be angry?. .. What willshe say?. .. "

"Never mind, dear, " said Light. "You did your best. And, though youdid not find the Blue Bird, you deserved to do so, for the good-will, pluck and courage which you showed. "

Light's face beamed with happiness as she spoke these words, for sheknew that to deserve to find the Blue Bird was very much the samething as finding it; but she was not allowed to say this, for it was abeautiful mystery, which Tyltyl had to solve for himself. She turnedto the Animals and Things, who stood weeping in a corner, and toldthem to come and kiss the Children. 

Bread at once put down the cage at Tyltyl's feet and began to make aspeech:

"In the name of all, I crave permission. .. . "

"You sha'n't have mine!" cried Fire. 

"Order!" cried Water. 

"We still have tongues of our own!" roared Fire. 

"Yes! Yes!" screamed Sugar, who, knowing that his end was at hand, kept kissing Water and melting before the others' eyes. 

Poor Bread in vain tried to make his voice heard above the din. Lighthad to interfere and command silence. Then Bread spoke his last words:

"I am leaving you, " he said, between his sobs. "I am leaving you, mydear Children, and you will no longer see me in my living form. .. . Your eyes are about to close to the invisible life of Things; but Ishall be always there, in the bread-pan, on the shelf, on the table, beside the soup, I who am, if I may say so, the most faithfulcompanion, the oldest friend of Man. .. . "

"Well, and what about me?" shouted Fire, angrily. 

"Silence!" said Light. "The hour is passing. .. . Be quick and saygood-bye to the Children. .. . "

Fire rushed forward, took hold of the Children, one after the other, and kissed them so violently that they screamed with pain:

"Oh! Oh!. .. He's burning me!. .. "

"Oh! Oh!. .. He's scorched my nose!. .. "

"Let me kiss the place and make it well, " said Water, going up to thechildren gently. 

This gave Fire his chance:

"Take care, " he said, "you'll get wet. "

"I am loving and gentle, " said Water. "I am kind to human beings. .. . "

"What about those you drown?" asked Fire. 

But Water pretended not to hear:

"Love the wells, listen to the brooks, " she said. "I shall always bethere. When you sit down in the evening, beside the springs, try tounderstand what they are trying to say. .. . "

Then she had to break off, for a regular waterfall of tears camegushing from her eyes, flooding all around her. However, she resumed:

"Think of me when you see the water-bottle. .. . You will find me alsoin the ewer, the watering-can, the cistern and the tap. .. . "

Then Sugar came up, with a limping walk, for he could hardly stand onhis feet. He uttered a few words of sorrow, in an affected voice andthen stopped, for tears, he said, were not in harmony with histemperament. 

"Humbug!" cried Bread. 

"Sugar-plum! Lollipop! Caramel!" yelped Fire. 

[Illustration: Closely pursued by the Dog, who overwhelmed her withbites, blows and kicks]

And all began to laugh, except the two children, who were very sad:

"Where are Tylette and Tylô gone to?" asked our hero. 

At that moment, the Cat came running up, in a terrible state: her hairwas on end and dishevelled, her clothes were torn and she was holdinga handkerchief to her cheek, as though she had the tooth-ache. Sheuttered terrible groans and was closely pursued by the Dog, whooverwhelmed her with bites, blows and kicks. The others rushed inbetween them to separate them, but the two enemies continued to insultand glare at each other. The Cat accused the Dog of pulling her tailand putting tin tacks in her food and beating her. The Dog simplygrowled and denied none of his actions:

"You've had some, " he kept saying, "you've had some and you're goingto have some more!"

But, suddenly, he stopped and, as he was panting with excitement, itcould be seen that his tongue turned quite white: Light had told himto kiss the Children for the last time. 

"For the last time?" stammered poor Tylô. "Are we to part from thesepoor Children?"

His grief was such that he was incapable of understanding anything. 

"Yes, " said Light. "The hour which you know of is at hand. .. . We aregoing to return to silence. .. . "

Thereupon the Dog, suddenly realizing his misfortune, began to utterreal howls of despair and fling himself upon the Children, whom heloaded with mad and violent caresses:

"No! No!" he cried. "I refuse!. .. I refuse!. .. I shall always talk!. .. And I shall be very good. .. . You will keep me with you and I shalllearn to read and write and play dominoes!. .. And I shall always bevery clean. .. . And I shall never steal anything in the kitchenagain. .. . "

He went on his knees before the two Children, sobbing and entreating, and, when Tyltyl, with his eyes full of tears, remained silent, dearTylô had a last magnificent idea: running up to the Cat, he offered, with smiles that looked like grins, to kiss her. Tylette, who did notpossess his spirit of self-sacrifice, leaped back and took refuge byMytyl's side. Then Mytyl said, innocently:

"You, Tylette, are the only one that hasn't kissed us yet. "

The Cat put on a mincing tone:

"Children, " said she, "I love you both as much as you deserve. "

There was a pause. 

"And now, " said Light, "let me, in my turn, give you a last kiss. .. . "

As she spoke, she spread her veil round them as if she would havewrapped them for the last time in her luminous might. Then she gavethem each a long and loving kiss. Tyltyl and Mytyl hung on to herbeseechingly:

"No, no, no, Light!" they cried. "Stay here with us!. .. Daddy won'tmind. .. . We will tell Mummy how kind you have been. .. . Where will yougo all alone?". .. 

"Not very far, my Children, " said Light. "Over there to the Land ofthe Silence of Things. "

"No, no, " said Tyltyl. "I won't have you go. .. . "

But Light quieted them with a motherly gesture and said words to themwhich they never forgot. Long after, when they were a grandfather andgrandmother in their turn, Tyltyl and Mytyl still remembered them andused to repeat them to their grandchildren. 

Here are Light's touching words:

"Listen, Tyltyl. Do not forget, child, that everything that you see inthis world has neither beginning nor end. If you keep this thought inyour heart and let it grow up with you, you will always, in allcircumstances, know what to say, what to do and what to hope for. "

And, when our two friends began to sob, she added, lovingly:

"Do not cry, my dear little ones. .. . I have not a voice like Water; Ihave only my brightness, which Man does not understand. .. . But I watchover him to the end of his days. .. . Never forget that I am speaking toyou in every spreading moonbeam, in every twinkling star, in everydawn that rises, in every lamp that is lit, in every good and brightthought of your soul. .. . "

At that moment, the grandfather's clock in the cottage struck eighto'clock. Light stopped for a moment and then, in a voice that grewsuddenly fainter, whispered:

"Good-bye!. .. Good-bye!. .. The hour is striking!. .. Good-bye!"

Her veil faded away, her smile became paler, her eyes closed, her formvanished and, through their tears, the children saw nothing but a thinray of light dying away at their feet. Then they turned to the others. .. But these had disappeared. .. . 

CHAPTER X

THE AWAKENING

The grandfather's clock in Tyl the woodcutter's cottage had struckeight; and his two little Children, Tyltyl and Mytyl, were stillasleep in their little beds. Mummy Tyl stood looking at them, with herarms akimbo and her apron tucked up, laughing and scolding in the samebreath:

"I can't let them go on sleeping till mid-day, " she said. "Come, getup, you little lazybones!"

But it was no use shaking them, kissing them or pulling thebed-clothes off them: they kept on falling back upon their pillows, with their noses pointing at the ceiling, their mouths wide open, their eyes shut and their cheeks all pink. 

At last, after receiving a gentle thump in the ribs, Tyltyl opened oneeye and murmured:

"What?. .. Light?. .. Where are you?. .. No, no, don't go away. .. . "

"Light!" cried Mummy Tyl, laughing. "Why, of course, it's light. .. . Has been for ever so long!. .. What's the matter with you?. .. You lookquite blinded. .. . "

"Mummy!. .. Mummy!" said Tyltyl, rubbing his eyes. "It's you!. .. "

"Why, of course, it's I!. .. Why do you stare at me in that way?. .. Ismy nose turned upside down, by any chance?"

Tyltyl was quite awake by this time and did not trouble to answer thequestion. He was beside himself with delight! It was ages and agessince he had seen his Mummy and he never tired of kissing her. 

Mummy Tyl began to be uneasy. What could the matter be? Had her boylost his senses? Here he was suddenly talking of a long journey in thecompany of the Fairy and Water and Milk and Sugar and Fire and Breadand Light! He made believe that he had been away a year!. .. 

"But you haven't left the room!" cried Mummy Tyl, who was now nearlybeside herself with fright. "I put you to bed last night and here youare this morning! It's Christmas Day: don't you hear the bells in thevillage?. .. "

"Of course, it's Christmas Day, " said Tyltyl, obstinately, "seeingthat I went away a year ago, on Christmas Eve!. .. You're not angrywith me?. .. Did you feel very sad?. .. And what did Daddy say?. .. "

"Come, you're still asleep!" said Mummy Tyl, trying to take comfort. "You've been dreaming!. .. Get up and put on your breeches and yourlittle jacket. .. . "

"Hullo, I've got my shirt on!" said Tyltyl. 

And, leaping up, he knelt down on the bed and began to dress, whilehis mother kept on looking at him with a scared face. 

The little boy rattled on:

"Ask Mytyl, if you don't believe me. .. . Oh, we have had suchadventures!. .. We saw Grandad and Granny . .. Yes, in the Land ofMemory . .. It was on our way. They are dead, but they are quite well, aren't they, Mytyl?"

And Mytyl, who was now beginning to wake up, joined her brother indescribing their visit to the grandparents and the fun which they hadhad with their little brothers and sisters. 

This was too much for Mummy Tyl. She ran to the door of the cottageand called with all her might to her husband, who was working on theedge of the forest:

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" she cried. "I shall lose them as I lost theothers!. .. Do come!. .. Come quick. .. . "

Daddy Tyl soon entered the cottage, with his axe in his hand; helistened to his wife's lamentations, while the two Children told thestory of their adventures over again and asked him what he had doneduring the year. 

"You see, you see!" said Mummy Tyl, crying. "They have lost theirheads, something will happen to them; run and fetch the doctor. .. . "

But the woodcutter was not the man to put himself out for such atrifle. He kissed the little ones, calmly lit his pipe and declaredthat they looked very well and that there was no hurry. 

At that moment, there came a knock at the door and the neighbourwalked in. She was a little old woman leaning on a stick and very muchlike the Fairy Bérylune. The Children at once flung their arms aroundher neck and capered round her, shouting merrily:

"It's the Fairy Bérylune!"

The neighbour, who was a little hard of hearing, paid no attention totheir cries and said to Mummy Tyl:

"I have come to ask for a bit of fire for my Christmas stew. .. . It'svery chilly this morning. .. . Good-morning, children. .. . "

Meanwhile, Tyltyl had become a little thoughtful. No doubt, he wasglad to see the old Fairy again; but what would she say when she heardthat he had not the Blue Bird? He made up his mind like a man andwent up to her boldly:

"Fairy Bérylune, I could not find the Blue Bird. .. . "

"What is he saying?" asked the neighbor, quite taken aback. 

Thereupon Mummy Tyl began to fret again:

"Come, Tyltyl, don't you know Goody Berlingot?"

"Why, yes, of course, " said Tyltyl, looking the neighbor up and down. "It's the Fairy Bérylune. "

"Béry . .. What?" asked the neighbor. 

"Bérylune, " answered Tyltyl, calmly. 

"Berlingot, " said the neighbor. "You mean Berlingot. "

Tyltyl was a little put out by her positive way of talking; and heanswered:

"Bérylune or Berlingot, as you please, ma'am, but I know what I'msaying. .. . "

Daddy Tyl was beginning to have enough of it:

"We must put a stop to this, " he said. "I will give them a smack ortwo. "

"Don't, " said the neighbor; "it's not worth while. It's only a littlefit of dreaming; they must have been sleeping in the moonbeams. .. . Mylittle girl, who is very ill, is often like that. .. . "

Mummy Tyl put aside her own anxiety for a moment and asked after thehealth of Neighbor Berlingot's little girl. 

"She's only so-so, " said the neighbor, shaking her head. "She can'tget up. .. . The doctor says it's her nerves. .. . I know what would cureher, for all that. She was asking me for it only this morning, for herChristmas present. .. . "

She hesitated a little, looked at Tyltyl with a sigh and added, in adisheartened tone:

"What can I do? It's a fancy she has. .. . "

The others looked at one another in silence: they knew what theneighbor's words meant. Her little girl had long been saying that shewould get well if Tyltyl would only give her his dove; but he was sofond of it that he refused to part with it. .. . 

"Well, " said Mummy Tyl to her son, "won't you give your bird to thatpoor little thing? She has been dying to have it for ever so long!. .. "

"My bird!" cried Tyltyl, slapping his forehead as though they hadspoken of something quite out of the way. "My bird!" he repeated. "That's true, I was forgetting about him!. .. And the cage!. .. Mytyl, do you see the cage?. .. It's the one which Bread carried. .. . Yes, yes, it's the same one, there it is, there it is!"

[Illustration: "It's the Blue Bird we were looking for! We have beenmiles and miles and miles and he was here all the time!"]

Tyltyl would not believe his eyes. He took a chair, put it under thecage and climbed on to it gaily, saying:

"Of course, I'll give him to her, of course, I will!. .. "

Then he stopped, in amazement:

"Why, he's blue!" he said. "It's my dove, just the same, but he hasturned blue while I was away!"

And our hero jumped down from the chair and began to skip for joy, crying:

"It's the Blue Bird we were looking for! We have been miles and milesand miles and he was here all the time!. .. He was here, at home!. .. Oh, but how wonderful!. .. Mytyl, do you see the bird? What would Lightsay?. .. There, Madame Berlingot, take him quickly to your littlegirl. .. . "

While he was talking, Mummy Tyl threw herself into her husband's armsand moaned:

"You see?. .. You see?. .. He's taken bad again. .. . He's wandering. .. . "

Meantime, Neighbor Berlingot beamed all over her face, clasped herhands together and mumbled her thanks. When Tyltyl gave her the bird, she could hardly believe her eyes. She hugged the boy in her arms andwept with joy and gratitude:

"Do you give it me?" she kept saying. "Do you give it me like that, straight away and for nothing?. .. Goodness, how happy she will be!. .. I fly, I fly!. .. I will come back to tell you what she says. .. . "

"Yes, yes, go quickly, " said Tyltyl, "for some of them change theircolor!"

Neighbour Berlingot ran out and Tyltyl shut the door after her. Thenhe turned round on the threshold, looked at the walls of the cottage, looked all around him and seemed wonderstruck:

"Daddy, Mummy, what have you done to the house?" he asked. "It's justas it was, but it's much prettier. "

His parents looked at each other in bewilderment; and the little boywent on:

"Why, yes, everything has been painted and made to look like new;everything is clean and polished. .. . And look at the forest outsidethe window!. .. How big and fine it is!. .. One would think it was quitenew!. .. How happy I feel here, oh, how happy I feel!"

The worthy woodcutter and his wife could not make out what was comingover their son; but you, my dear little readers, who have followedTyltyl and Mytyl through their beautiful dream, will have guessed whatit was that altered everything in our young hero's view. 

It was not for nothing that the Fairy, in his dream, had given him atalisman to open his eyes. He had learned to see the beauty of thingsaround him; he had passed through trials that had developed hiscourage; while pursuing the Blue Bird, the Bird of Happiness that wasto bring happiness to the Fairy's little girl, he had becomeopen-handed and so good-natured that the mere thought of givingpleasure to others filled his heart with joy. And, while travellingthrough endless, wonderful, imaginary regions, his mind had opened outto life. 

The boy was right, when he thought everything more beautiful, for, tohis richer and purer understanding, everything must needs seeminfinitely fairer than before. 

Meanwhile, Tyltyl continued his joyful inspection of the cottage. Heleaned over the bread-pan to speak a kind word to the Loaves; herushed at Tylô, who was sleeping in his basket, and congratulated himon the good fight which he had made in the forest. 

Mytyl stooped down to stroke Tylette, who was snoozing by the stove, and said:

"Well, Tylette?. .. You know me, I see, but you have stopped talking. "

Then Tyltyl put his hand up to his forehead:

"Hullo!" he cried. "The diamond's gone!. .. Who's taken my little greenhat?. .. Never mind, I don't want it any more!. .. Ah, there's Fire!Good-morning, sir! He'll be crackling to make Water angry!" He ran tothe tap, turned it on and bent down over the water. "Good-morning, Water, good-morning!. .. What does she say?. .. She still talks, but Idon't understand her as well as I did. .. . Oh, how happy I am, howhappy I am!. .. "

"So am I, so am I!" cried Mytyl. 

And our two young friends took each other's hands and began to scamperround the kitchen. 

Mummy Tyl felt a little relieved at seeing them so full of life andspirits. Besides, Daddy Tyl was so calm and placid. He sat eating hisporridge and laughing:

"You see, they are _playing_ at being happy!" he said. 

Of course, the poor dear man did not know that a wonderful dream hadtaught his little children not to play at being happy, but to _be_happy, which is the greatest and most difficult of lessons. 

"I like Light best of all, " said Tyltyl to Mytyl, standing on tip-toeby the window. "You can see her over there, through the trees of theforest. To-night, she will be in the lamp. Dear, oh, dear, how lovelyit all is and how glad I feel, how glad I. .. . "

He stopped and listened. Everybody lent an ear. They heard laughterand merry voices; and the sounds came nearer. 

"It's her voice!" cried Tyltyl. "Let me open the door!"

As a matter of fact, it was the little girl, with her mother, NeighborBerlingot. 

"Look at her, " said Goody Berlingot, quite overcome with joy. "She canrun, she can dance, she can fly! It's a miracle! When she saw thebird, she jumped, just like that. .. . "

And Goody Berlingot hopped from one leg to the other at the risk offalling and breaking her long, hooked nose. 

The Children clapped their hands and everybody laughed. 

The little girl was there, in her long white night-dress, standing inthe middle of the kitchen, a little surprised to find herself on herfeet after so many months' illness. She smiled and pressed Tyltyl'sdove to her heart. 

Tyltyl looked first at the child and then at Mytyl:

"Don't you think she's very like Light?" he asked. 

"She is much smaller, " said Mytyl. 

"Yes, indeed!" said Tyltyl. "But she will grow!. .. "

And the three Children tried to put a little food down the Bird'sbeak, while the parents began to feel easier in their minds and lookedat them and smiled. 

Tyltyl was radiant. I will not conceal from you, my dear littlereaders, that the Dove had hardly changed colour at all and that itwas joy and happiness that decked him with a magnificent bright blueplumage in our hero's eyes. No matter! Tyltyl, without knowing it, haddiscovered Light's great secret, which is _that we draw nearer tohappiness by trying to give it to others_. 

But now something happened. Everybody became excited, the Childrenscreamed, the parents threw up their arms and rushed to the open door:the Bird had suddenly escaped! He was flying away as fast as he could. 

"My bird! My bird!" sobbed the little girl. 

But Tyltyl was the first to run to the staircase and he returned intriumph:

"It's all right!" he said. "Don't cry! He is still in the house and weshall find him again. "

And he gave a kiss to the little girl, who was already smiling throughher tears:

"You'll be sure to catch him again, won't you?" she asked. 

"Trust me, " replied our friend, confidentially. "I now know where heis. "

You also, my dear little readers, now know where the Blue Bird is. Dear Light revealed nothing to the woodcutter's Children, but sheshowed them the road to happiness by teaching them to be good and kindand generous. 

Suppose that, at the beginning of this story, she had said to them:

"Go straight back home. The Blue Bird is there, in the humble cottage, in the wicker cage, with your dear father and mother who love you. "

The Children would never have believed her:

"What!" Tyltyl would have answered. "The Blue Bird, my dove? Nonsense:my dove is grey!. .. Happiness, in the cottage? With Daddy and Mummy?Oh, I say! There are no toys at home and it's awfully boring there: wewant to go ever so far and meet with tremendous adventures and haveall sorts of fun. .. . "

That is what he would have said; and he and Mytyl would have set outin spite of everything, without listening to Light's advice, for themost certain truths are good for nothing if we do not put them to thetest ourselves. It only takes a moment to tell a child all the wisdomin the world, but our whole lives are not long enough to help usunderstand it, because our own experience is our only light. 

Each of us must seek out happiness for himself; and he has to takeendless pains and undergo many a cruel disappointment before he learnsto become happy by appreciating the simple and perfect pleasures thatare always within easy reach of his mind and heart. 

 THE END