you, Fire, don’t come near anybody; you, Dog, don’t tease the Cat; and you, Water, hold yourself up.
Somebody knocks violently.
Tyltyl (listening). There’s daddy again! I can hear him.
The Fairy. Let us go out by the window. We’ll come to my house, where I will dress the Animals and the Things properly. (To Bread) You, Bread, take the cage for the Blue Bird. Quick, quick!
The window suddenly becomes a door. They all go out; after which the window closes. The room becomes dark again. The door on the right opens ajar and in the aperture appear the heads of Daddy and Mummy Tyl.
Daddy Tyl. Nothing. It’s the cricket.
Mummy Tyl. Can you see them?
Daddy Tyl. I can. They are sleeping.
2. At the Fairy’s
A magnificent entrance-hall in the palace of the Fairy Berylune. Columns of gleaming marble with gold and silver capitals, staircases, porticoes, balustrades.
The Cat, Sugar and Fire come from a room which emits rays of light; it is the Fairy’s wardrobe. The Cat has the classic costume of Puss-in-boots[14]; Sugar, a silk dress, half white and half pale-blue; and Fire wears a long vermilion mantle.
The Cat. This way, I know every inch of this palace. Let us discuss our position. Are we all here?
Sugar. The Dog is coming out of the Fairy’s wardrobe.
Fire. What he got on?
The Cat. The livery of one of the footmen of Cinderella’s coach. It is just for him. He has the soul of a flunkey. But let us hide behind the balustrade. I mistrust him. He must not hear what I say to you.
Sugar. It is too late. He sees us. Look, Water is also coming out of the wardrobe. How fine she is!
The Dog and Water join the first group.
The Dog. There! There! Aren’t we fine! Just look at these laces and this embroidery! It’s real gold!
The Cat. We are only waiting for Bread; where is he?
Fire. He has such a foolish face and carries an enormous stomach!
The Dog. He decided to put a Turkish robe on, a scimitar and a turban.
The Cat. There he is!
Bread comes in. In one hand he holds a scimitar and in the other the cage for the Blue Bird.
Bread. Well? What do you think of this?
The Dog. How nice he looks! What a fool he looks! How nice he looks! How nice he looks!
The Cat (to the Bread). Are the Children dressed?
Bread. Yes, Master Tyltyl put on Hop-o’-my-Thumb’s[15] blue jacket and red breeches. Miss Mytyl has Gretel’s frock and Cinderella’s slippers. But the most difficult thing was to dress Light!
The Cat. Why?
Bread. The Fairy said she did not want to dress her at all! She is nice as she is.
Fire. It’s necessary to buy her a lampshade!
The Cat. Stop chattering[16]. Our future is at stake. The Fairy says that the end of this journey will, at the same time, mark the end of our lives. It is our business, therefore, to prolong it as much as possible. But there is another thing: we must think of the fate of our race and the destiny of our children.
Bread. Hear, hear! The Cat is right!
The Cat. Listen to me! All of us here possess a soul which man does not yet know. That is why we retain independence. But, if people find the Blue Bird, they will know all, and they will see all. My old friend, Night, told me so. She is the guardian of the mysteries of Life. It is to our interest, therefore, to prevent the finding of that bird. Even if we endanger the lives of the Children themselves.
The Dog (indignantly). What’s the Cat saying? Just say that again, will you. Do I heard right?
Bread. Order! Order! It’s not your turn to speak!
Fire. Who made you chairman?
Water (to Fire). Hold your tongue![17] None of your business[18].
Fire. I speak when I want. And I want none of your remarks.
Sugar. Excuse me. Do not let us quarrel. This is a serious moment. We must decide what to do.
Bread. I quite agree with Sugar and the Cat.
The Dog. This is ridiculous! There is Man and that’s all! We must obey him and do as he tells us! That is the fact! Hurrah for Man! Man for ever! In life or death, all for Man! Man is God!
Bread. I quite agree with the Dog.
The Cat (to the Dog). Give your reasons.
The Dog. There are no reasons! I love Man and that’s enough! If you do anything against him, I will throttle you first and I will go and tell him everything.
Sugar (sweetly). Excuse me. Let us not embitter the discussion. From a certain point of view, you are both right.
Bread. I quite agree with Sugar!
The Cat. Are we not, all of us, Water, Fire you yourselves, Bread and the Dog, the victims of a nameless tyranny? Do you remember the time when, before the despot, we wandered at liberty upon the earth? Fire and Water were the sole masters of the world. And we, puny descendants of the great wild animals… Look out! I see the Fairy and Light. Light is with Man; she is our worst enemy. Here they are.
The Fairy is in the shape of an old woman. She is coming with Light, Tyltyl and Mytyl.
The Fairy. Well? What is it? What are you doing in that corner? You look like conspirators. It is time to start. Listen to me. Light will be your leader. You will obey her. I am giving her my wand. The Children will visit their late grandparents[19] this evening. They will spend the evening with their dead family. Meanwhile, you will prepare all that is wanted for tomorrow’s journey. It will be long.
The Cat (hypocritically). That is just what I was saying to them, madam. I was encouraging them to do their duty bravely and conscientiously. Unfortunately, the Dog interrupted me.
The Dog. What’s that? Just wait a bit I…
He wants to leap upon the Cat, but Tyltyl stops him.
Tyltyl. Tylo! If I catch you again…
Puss-in-boots – Кот в сапогах
Hop-o’-my-Thumb – Мальчик-с-Пальчик
Stop chattering. – Хватит болтать.
Hold your tongue! – Попридержи язык!
None of your business. – Не твоё дело.
late grandparents – умершие бабушка и дедушка
