Mytyl.Why not?
Tyltyl.Because it’s not right.
Mytyl(clapping her hands[4]). Oh, how pretty they are!
Tyltyl.And how they’re laughing and laughing!
Mytyl.And the little babies are dancing!
Tyltyl.Yes, yes; let’s dance too!
Mytyl.Oh, what fun!
Tyltyl.They’re taking the cakes! They can touch them! They’re eating, they’re eating, they’re eating!
Mytyl.Two, three, four cakes!
Tyltyl. Oh, how lovely! Oh, how lovely, how lovely!
A knock at the door of the cottage.
Tyltyl (frightened). What’s that?
Mytyl (scared). It’s Daddy!
The big latch is rising, with a noise. The children see 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 with a stick. She is obviously a fairy.
The Fairy.Do you have 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 to you.
The Fairy.Why not?
Tyltyl.Because it’s mine.
The Fairy.That’s a reason, no doubt. Where is the bird?
Tyltyl.In the cage.
The Fairy.I don’t want it; it’s not blue enough. You must go and find me the bird I want.
Tyltyl.But I don’t know where it is.
The Fairy.Me too. That’s why you mustlook 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!
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