The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts | Page 3

Cakes and fruit and tarts....
MYTYL I had some once when I was little....
TYLTYL So did I; it's nicer than bread, but they don't give you enough....
MYTYL They've got plenty over there.... The whole table's full.... Are they going to eat them?...
TYLTYL Of course; what else would they do with them?...
MYTYL Why don't they eat them at once?...
TYLTYL Because they're not hungry....
MYTYL (stupefied with astonishment) Not hungry?... Why not?...
TYLTYL Well, they eat whenever they want to....
MYTYL (incredulously) Every day?...
TYLTYL They say so....
MYTYL Will they eat them all?... Will they give any away?...
TYLTYL To whom?...
MYTYL To us....
TYLTYL They don't know us....
MYTYL Suppose we asked them....
TYLTYL We mustn't.
MYTYL Why not?...
TYLTYL Because it's not right.
MYTYL (clapping her hands) Oh, how pretty they are!...
TYLTYL (rapturously) And how they're laughing and laughing!...
MYTYL And the little ones dancing!...
TYLTYL Yes, yes; let's dance too!... (They stamp their feet for joy on the stool.)
MYTYL Oh, what fun!...
TYLTYL They're getting the cakes!... They can touch them!... They're eating, they're eating, they're eating!...
MYTYL The tiny ones, too!... They've got two, three, four apiece!...
TYLTYL (drunk with delight) Oh, how lovely!... Oh, how lovely, how lovely!...
MYTYL (counting imaginary cakes) I've got twelve!...
TYLTYL And I four times twelve!... But I'll give you some....
(A knock at the door of the cottage.)
TYLTYL (suddenly quieted and frightened) What's that?...
MYTYL (scared) It's Daddy!...
(As they hesitate before opening the door, the big latch is seen to rise of itself, with a grating noise; the door half opens to admit a little old woman dressed in green with a red hood on her head. She is humpbacked and lame and near-sighted; her nose and chin meet; and she walks bent on a stick. She is obviously a fairy.)
THE FAIRY Have you the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?...
TYLTYL We have some grass, but it can't sing....
MYTYL Tyltyl has a bird.
TYLTYL But I can't give it away....
THE FAIRY Why not?...
TYLTYL Because it's mine.
THE FAIRY That's a reason, no doubt. Where is the bird?...
TYLTYL (pointing to the cage) In the cage....
THE FAIRY (putting on her glasses to examine the bird) I don't want it; it's not blue enough. You will have to go and find me the one I want.
TYLTYL But I don't know where it is....
THE FAIRY No more do I. That's why you must look for it. I can do without the grass that sings, at a pinch; but I must absolutely have the blue bird. It's for my little girl, who is very ill.
TYLTYL What's the matter with her?...
THE FAIRY We don't quite know; she wants to be happy....
TYLTYL Really?...
THE FAIRY Do you know who I am?...
TYLTYL You're rather like our neighbour, Madame Berlingot....
THE FAIRY (growing suddenly angry) Not a bit!... There's not the least likeness!... This is intolerable!... I am the Fairy B��rylune....
TYLTYL Oh! Very well....
THE FAIRY You will have to start at once.
TYLTYL Are you coming with us?
THE FAIRY I can't, because I put on the soup this morning and it always boils over if I leave it for more than an hour.... (Pointing successively to the ceiling, the chimney and the window) Will you go out this way, or that way, or that way?...
TYLTYL (pointing timidly to the door) I would rather go out that way....
THE FAIRY (growing suddenly angry again) That's quite impossible; and it's a shocking habit!... (Pointing to the window) We'll go out this way.... Well?... What are you waiting for?... Get dressed at once.... (The CHILDREN do as they are told and dress quickly.) I'll help Mytyl....
TYLTYL We have no shoes....
THE FAIRY That doesn't matter. I will give you a little magic hat. Where are your father and mother?....
TYLTYL (pointing to the door on the right) They're asleep in there....
THE FAIRY And your grandpapa and grandmamma?...
TYLTYL They're dead....
THE FAIRY And your little brothers and sisters.... Have you any?...
TYLTYL Oh, yes; three little brothers....
MYTYL And four little sisters....
THE FAIRY Where are they?...
TYLTYL They are dead, too....
THE FAIRY Would you like to see them again?...
TYLTYL Oh, yes!... At once!... Show them to us!...
THE FAIRY I haven't got them in my pocket.... But this is very lucky; you will see them when you go through the Land of Memory.... It's on the way to the Blue Bird, just on the left, past the third turning.... What were you doing when I knocked?...
TYLTYL We were playing at eating cakes?...
THE FAIRY Have you any cakes?... Where are they?...
TYLTYL In the house of the rich children.... Come and look, it's so lovely. (He drags the FAIRY to the window.)
THE FAIRY (at the window) But it's the others who are eating them!...
TYLTYL Yes; but we can see them eat....
THE FAIRY Aren't you cross with them?...
TYLTYL What for?...
THE FAIRY For eating all the cakes.... I think it's very wrong of them not to give you some....
TYLTYL Not at all; they're rich.... I say, isn't it beautiful