bird I want.
Tyltyl. But I don’t know where it is.
The Fairy. Me too. That’s why you must look for it[5]. And I must 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 (angrily). Not a bit![6] This is intolerable! I am the Fairy Berylune.
Tyltyl. Oh! Very well.
The Fairy. You must start at once.
Tyltyl. Are you coming with us?
The Fairy. I can’t, my soup always boils over if I leave it for more than an hour. (Pointing 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 want to go out that way.
The Fairy (angrily again). That’s quite impossible. It’s shocking! (Pointing to the window) We’ll go out this way. Well? What are you waiting for? Get dressed at once![7]
The children dress quickly.
Tyltyl. We have no shoes.
The Fairy. That doesn’t matter[8]. I will give you a little magic hat. Where are your father and mother?
Tyltyl (pointing to the door on the right). They’re sleeping there.
The Fairy. And your grandfather and grandmother?
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 don’t have them in my pocket. But 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. What were you doing when I knocked?
Tyltyl. We were eating cakes.
The Fairy. Have you any cakes? Where are they?
Tyltyl. In the house of the rich children. We were just playing. Come and look, it’s so lovely. (He drags the Fairy to the window).
The Fairy (at the window). Do you envy them?
Tyltyl. Why?
The Fairy. Because they are eating the cakes.
Tyltyl. Not at all; they’re rich. But isn’t it beautiful over there?
The Fairy. It’s no more beautiful there than here.
Tyltyl. It’s darker here and smaller and there are no cakes.
The Fairy. It’s exactly the same, only you can’t see.
Tyltyl. Yes, I can; and I have very good eyes. I can see the time on the church clock and daddy can’t.
The Fairy (angrily). I tell you that you can’t see! How do you see me? Well, answer me, will you? I want to know if you can see! Am I pretty or ugly? (The silence). Won’t you answer? Am I young or old? Are my cheeks pink or yellow? Perhaps you’ll say I have a hump?
Tyltyl. No, no; it’s not a big one.
The Fairy. Oh. Have I a hook nose? Did I lose one of my eyes?
Tyltyl. Oh, no, I don’t say that. Who put it out?
The Fairy (more and more irritated). Nobody! You wretched, impudent boy! That eye is 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 gold! Do you see it on my hands?
Tyltyl. Yes, I see a little.
The Fairy (indignantly). A little! Sheaves! Armfuls! 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 can hope?
Tyltyl. Oh, no; I can see your own hair.
The Fairy. People are very odd! Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all. Luckily, I always carry with me something 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 in the cockade?
The Fairy. That’s the big diamond that makes people see[9].
Tyltyl. Really?
The Fairy. Yes; first the hat on your head. Then turn the diamond a little; from right to left. Do you see? The diamond presses a bump which opens your eyes.
Tyltyl. Doesn’t it hurt?
The Fairy. Not at all. You will 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 (angrily). Of course you can! I hate unnecessary questions. The soul of pepper is more interesting than the soul of sugar. I give you all that to help you in your search for the Blue Bird. Oh, one more thing. (Pointing to the diamond) When you hold it like this, and when you turn it, you can behold the past. Another little turn and you behold the future. It’s curious and practical and it’s noiseless.
Tyltyl. Daddy will take it from me.
The Fairy. He won’t see it; no one can see it when it’s on your head. Will you try it? (She puts the little green hat on Tyltyl’s head). Now, turn the diamond.
Tyltyl turned the diamond and a sudden and wonderful change came over everything. The old Fairy alters into a princess of marvellous beauty. The flints of the cottage walls turn blue as sapphires, become transparent and gleam and sparkle like the most precious stones. The humble furniture becomes resplendent. The table looks like a table of marble. The face of the clock winks its eye and smiles genially. The door that contains
look for it – поискать её
Not a bit! – Ничуть!
Get dressed at once! – Сейчас же одевайтесь!
That doesn’t matter. – Это не беда.
makes people see – возвращает людям зрение
