The Blue Bird. Maurice Maeterlinck

more and more uncomfortable.) Won't you answer? … Am I young or old? … Are my cheeks pink or yellow? … Perhaps you'll say I have a hump? …

      TYLTYL (in a conciliatory tone) No, no; It's not a big one. …

      THE FAIRY Oh, yes, to look at you, any one would think it enormous. … Have I a hook nose and have I lost one of my eyes? …

      TYLTYL Oh, no, I don't say that. … Who put it out? …

      THE FAIRY (growing more and more irritated). But it's not out! … You wretched, impudent boy! … It's much finer than the other; it's bigger and brighter and blue as the sky. … And my hair, do you see that? … It's fair as the corn in the fields, it's like virgin gold! … And I've such heaps and heaps of it that it weighs my head down. … It escapes on every side. … Do you see it on my hands? (She holds out two lean wisps of grey hair.)

      TYLTYL Yes, I see a little. …

      THE FAIRY (indignantly) A little! … Sheaves! Armfuls! Clusters! Waves of gold! … I know there are people who say that they don't see any; but you're not one of those wicked, blind people, I should hope? …

      TYLTYL Oh, no; I can see all that isn't hidden. …

      THE FAIRY But you ought to see the rest with as little doubt! … Human beings are very odd! … Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all and they never suspect it. … Luckily, I always carry with me all that is wanted to give new light to dimmed eyes. … What am I taking out of my bag? …

      TYLTYL Oh, what a dear little green hat! … What's that shining in the cockade? …

      THE FAIRY That's the big diamond that makes people see. …

      TYLTYL Really? …

      THE FAIRY Yes; when you've got the hat on your head, you turn the diamond a little; from right to left, for instance, like this; do you see? … Then it presses a bump which nobody knows of and which opens your eyes. …

      TYLTYL Doesn't it hurt? …

      THE FAIRY On the contrary, it's enchanted. … You at once see even the inside of things: the soul of bread, of wine, of pepper, for instance. …

      MYTYL Can you see the soul of sugar, too? …

      THE FAIRY (suddenly cross) Of course you can! … I hate unnecessary questions. … The soul of sugar is no more interesting than the soul of pepper. … There, I give you all I have to help you in your search for the Blue Bird. I know that the flying carpet or the ring which makes its wearer invisible would be more useful to you. … But I have lost the key of the cupboard in which I locked them. … Oh, I was almost forgetting! … (Pointing to the diamond) When you hold it like this, do you see? … One little turn more and you behold the past. … Another little turn and you behold the future. … It's curious and practical and it's quite noiseless. …

      TYLTYL Daddy will take it from me. …

      THE FAIRY He won't see it; no one can see it as long as it's on your head. … Will you try it? … (She puts the little green hat on TYLTYL'S head.) Now, turn the diamond. … One turn and then. …

      (TYLTYL has no sooner turned the diamond than a sudden and wonderful change comes over everything. The old FAIRY alters then and there into a princess of marvellous beauty; the flints of which the cottage walls are built light up, turn blue as sapphires, become transparent and gleam and sparkle like the most precious stones. The humble furniture takes life and becomes resplendent; the deal table assumes as grave and noble an air as a table made of marble; the face of the clock winks its eye and smiles genially, while the door that contains the pendulum opens and releases the Hours, which, holding one another by the hand and laughing merrily, begin to dance to the sound of delicious music.)

      TYLTYL (displaying a legitimate bewilderment and pointing to the Hours) Who are all those pretty ladies? …

      THE FAIRY Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be free and visible for a moment. …

      TYLTYL And why are the walls so bright? … Are they made of sugar or of precious stones? …

      THE FAIRY All stones are alike, all stones are precious; but man sees only a few of them. …

      (While they are speaking, the scene of enchantment continues and is completed. The souls of the Quartern-loaves, in the form of little men in crust-coloured tights, flurried and all powdered with flour, scramble out of the bread-pan and frisk round the table, where they are caught up by FIRE, who, springing from the hearth in yellow and vermilion tights, writhes with laughter as he chases the loaves.)

      TYLTYL Who are those ugly little men? …

      THE FAIRY Oh, they're nothing; they are merely the souls of the Quartern-loaves, who are taking advantage of the reign of truth to leave the pan in which they were too tightly packed. …

      TYLTYL And the big red fellow, with the nasty smell? …

      THE FAIRY Hush! … Don't speak too loud; that's Fire. … He's dangerous. (This dialogue does not interrupt the enchantment. The DOG and the CAT, lying rolled up at the foot of the cupboard, utter a loud and simultaneous cry and disappear down a trap; and in their places rise two persons, one of whom has the face of a bull-dog, the other that of a tom-cat. Forthwith, the little man with the bull-dog face, whom we will henceforward call the DOG, rushes upon TYLTYL, kisses him violently and overwhelms him with noisy and impetuous caresses; while the little man with the face of a tom-cat, whom we will simply call the CAT, combs his hair, washes his hands and strokes his whiskers before going up to MYTYL.)

      THE DOG (yelling, jumping about, knocking up against everything, unbearable) My little god! … Good-morning, good-morning, my dear little god! … At last, at last we can talk! … I had so much to tell you! … Bark and wag my tail as I might, you never understood! … But now! … Good-morning, good-morning! … I love you! … Shall I do some of my tricks? … Shall I beg? … Would you like to see me walk on my front paws or dance on my hind-legs? …

      TYLTYL (to the FAIRY) Who is this gentleman with the dog's head? …

      THE FAIRY Don't you see? It's the soul of TYLÔ whom you have set free. …

      THE CAT (going up to MYTYL and putting out his hand to her, with much ceremony and circumspection) Good-morning, Miss. … How well you look this morning! …

      MYTYL Good-morning, sir. … (To the FAIRY) Who is it? …

      THE FAIRY Why, don't you see? Its the soul of Tylette offering you his hand. … Kiss him. …

      THE DOG (hustling the CAT) Me, too! … I've kissed the little god! … I've kissed the little girl! … I've kissed everybody! … Oh, grand! … What fun we shall have! … I'm going to frighten Tylette I Bow, wow, wow! …

      THE CAT Sir, I don't know you. …

      THE FAIRY (threatening the DOG with her stick) Keep still, will you, or else you'll go back into silence until the end of time. …

      (Meanwhile, the enchantment has pursued its course: the spinning-wheel has begun to turn madly in its corner and to spin brilliant rays of light; the tap, in another corner, begins to sing in a very high voice and, turning into a luminous fountain, floods the sink with sheets of pearls and emeralds, through which darts the soul of WATER, like a young girl, streaming, dishevelled and tearful, who immediately begins to fight with FIRE.)

      TYLTYL And who is that wet lady? …

      THE FAIRY Don't be afraid. It's Water just come from the tap. …

      (The milk-jug upsets, falls from the table and smashes on the floor; and from the spilt milk there rises a tall, white, bashful figure who seems to be afraid of everything.)

      TYLTYL And the frightened lady