The Blue Bird for Children

eir names when the roll was called. Milk, for whom any sort of excitement was bad, was keeping her room. Water sent an excuse: she was accustomed always to travel in a bed of moss, wa

y, for it was his business to lead the expedit

olded across his chest. He fidgets, sniffs about, runs up and down, covering twice the ground without minding how tired it makes him. He is so full of his o

him, because his nature had remained unchanged. What was the use of his being a man, if he continued to feel and think

that the end of the journey would mean the end of his life. "Ah," he said, "if I got hold of that rascal of a Blue

the cage; the two Children came ne

At the time when Tylette called a meeting of the Animals and Things in the Fairy's hall, she was contemplating a

guilty of a crime. It is better to rely upon one's self alone. In my cat-life, all our training is founded on suspicion; I can see that it is

o the Pala

ong and rath

continuing her former existence; but, of course, she was very wicked, whereas our dear Tyl? was, if anything, too good. Tylet

climb down and then climb up again among high rocks that always seemed waiting to crush the passers-by. At last, you came to the edg

streamed like a banner behind her; the plume in her hat fluttered gracefully; and her little grey kid boots hardly

nd not a glimmer, not a star twinkled around her. But we know that the night has no secrets for cats and tha

black veils, was as beautiful as that of a Greek statue. She had long arms and a pair of enormous wings, now furled in sleep, came from her shoulders to her feet and gave her a look of majesty beyond compare. Still, in spite of her af

er Night!... I

ll quivering. H

her; and s

n a tremb

Her immense wings beat around her; and she questioned Tylette in a trembling voice. As soon as she had learned the danger that threatened her, she began to lament her fate. What! A man's son coming to her palace! And, perhaps, with the help of the magic diamond, discovering her secrets! What should she do? What would become of her? How could she defend herself? And, forgetting that she was sinning against Silence, her own

t on opening the great door at the back of the hall, behind which the Birds of the Moon live and generally the Blue Bird too. The

he heard a sound. Then her beautiful features contracted; her wings spread out an

are!" cri

ying. Picture a huge and wonderful black marble hall, of a stern and tomb-like splendour. There is no ceiling visible; and the ebony pillars that surround the amphitheatre shoot up to the sky. It is only when you lift your eyes up there that you cat

hed up to t

way!... I have told Night; an

eel himself again; and he walked up to the t

ay, Mrs

d-day," which reminded her of her et

that!... You might say, Good-ni

of that stately lady. He quickly begged her pardon, as nicely as he could

here!" exclaimed Night, flapping h

ting up her darkness, would completely destroy her power; and she thought it better to pretend to yiel

Tyltyl seized hold of it and ra

ered in his head; Sugar, who was standing some w

ar?... I want

to open the door, while Night's grave voice, ri

the Gh

yl. "I have never seen a

was panting with all his might

the pillars; others wriggled ever so fast along the ground. They were something like men, but it was impossible to distinguish their features; the eye could not catch them. The moment you looked at them, they turned into a white mist. Tyltyl did his best to chase them; for Mrs. Night kept to the

y! Drive them a

were much too happy at taking a breath of air; and, had it not been that they were af

ong teeth, goodness knows; but chaps like those I never saw before

was making for the se

behind t

t him off. Did the obstinate little

ul when I open i

ey are very quiet, the poor little things! Man, for some time, ha

d stood speechless with astonishme

and stopping every minute to cough, sneeze and blow her nose ... and to pull on her slippers, which were too big for her and kept dropping off her feet. Sugar, Bread and Tyltyl we

f the Sicknesses," said Nig

. "If my nose keeps on running like

ping every minute to coug

And yet this love caused him the greatest worry. Miss Water was a tremendous flirt, expected a lot of attention and was not particular with whom she mixed; but mixing too muc

for the timely aid of our dear Tyl?, who ran after the little minx and drove her back to her cavern, amidst

n to the next door wit

re more powerful than ever! I daren't think what would happen, if one

other side, streams of blood flowed through the cracks; flames shot forth; shouts, oaths and groans mingled with the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry. Everybody in the Palace of Night was

o be anxious, while

said, curling her whiskers. "They

s to help his little master, whi

ero gave a sho

ng way! Victory! Vict

tterly exhausted, dabbing his forehead with

rshly. "Have you had en

obbing. "They are hideous and awful....

angrily. "If they had, they would eat him at o

w himself

ing," he declared.

" retorted Night, "when one

oor," said Tyltyl, resol

keep the Shades

lected for

I've seen anything but shade in this house of hers; and I shall be very glad to see daylight ag

ere all sitting on the floor, exhausted with the last fright; and they looked at one another in astonishment,

o one ther

s! Look out!" said Night, wh

ords and succeeded in coaxing out a few tall figures covered with grey veils. They began to run all around the hall until, hearing the Children laugh, they were seized with fear and rushed indoors again. T

one!" said Night,

y n

it's not

that the Blue

not tempt fate, do

in asked Tylty

ency, flew into a rage, hurled the most te

light of day! It means certain death; and all the horrors, all the terrors, all the fears of which men

with chattering teeth. "Don't do it! Tak

the lives of all of

sha'n't!"

ined Sugar, wrin

is last hour had come. Two big tears rolled down his cheeks; and he licked Tyltyl's hands in despair. It was really a most touching scene; and for a moment, our hero hesitated. His hear

fulfil it? If my friends behold my distress, it is all up with me: they will

ebellion. It would never do to be, perhaps, within arm's length of happiness and not to try for

rifice himself. Like a true hero, he br

open t

. The poor Dog was half-dead with fright, but his pride an

s master, "I'm not afraid! I

hind a pillar; Sugar was melting in a corner with Mytyl in his arms; Nig

garden lay

led with flowers t

gic in front of our little friend, who was struck dumb with admiration and delight. What an exquisite surprise! A wonderful garden lay before him, a dream-garden filled with flowers that shone like stars, waterfalls that came rushing from the sky and trees

... Millions of blue birds!... Thousands of millions!... Come, Mytyl!... C

nning up and all darted in among the b

lready!" cried Mytyl

rom my arms!... Tyl? has some too!... Let us go out, let us go!... Light

red away in their glee, singin

the general rejoicing, crept back anxious

they go

ird perched high up on a moonbeam.... "They

s which he had captured, never dreaming that every step which brought them nearer to the light was fatal to the p

iting for th

ou caught him

l. "Lots of them! Ther

n lifeless corpses: their poor little wings were broken and their heads drooped sadly from their necks

into Light's arms. Once more, all

not catch the one that is able to live in b

nd him," said Bread and

the boy. As for friend Tyl?, he was so much put out that he forgot

ood to eat,

ncholy journey; all regretted the peace of home and felt inclined to blame Tyl

airman, that all this ex

ed at receiving so much att

ife would be unbearable if we had to listen to all the whimsie

ack to his pan to be eaten and Sugar that he was to be cut into small lumps to sweeten Daddy Tyl's coffee and Mummy Tyl's syrups, they would have thrown themsel

they condemned; able to feel, they complained. They had hearts which increased their sense of fear, without adding to their happiness. As to their brains, which could easily have arranged all the rest, they made so little of them that they had already grown quite rusty

l about their state of mind. She determined, therefore, to e

use them on the way; but they must have no further share in

emple of Light stood on a crystal height, shedding its beams around. The tired Children made the Do