The Blue Bird for Children

ey had forgotten their disappointment. Tyltyl was very proud of the compliments which L

le, as she stroked t

h a good, brave boy that you will

hing to fear in their new expedition. On the contrary, he would meet millions and millions of little children who would show him the most wonderful toys of which no one on e

and get into mischief. It was not so very cruel of her, because the vaults of her temple are even lighter and lovelier than the upper floors of human houses; but you cannot get out without her leave. She alone has the power of widening, with a

odd! They always made the Children laugh: with their long white satin dresses and their little black caps with a flame at the top, they looked like lighted candles. Their mistress sent them away and then told the Animals and T

rvants wer

iness; and his great dark eyes turned in entreaty on Tyltyl, who would have been only too

ing him a kiss. "It seems that dogs

? Was it not the chain? What melancholy hours Tyl? had spent fastened to an iron ring! And what humiliation he endured when the woodcutter used to take him to the village and, with unspeakable sillin

ve to submit to that humiliating tortur

absent-minded sort of way, with her long strings of coral. He ran up to her as prettily as he could and, after paying her a heap of compliments, begged her to lend him her biggest necklace. She was in a good

ttle god! Men never say a word to

s act of self-sacrifice; and, to cheer him up, she told him that fate would soon

the emerald wall, which opened to le

e two great white birds harnessed to it at once flew off through the clouds. The chariot travelled very fast; and they were not long on the road, mu

e: the light, the flagstones, the columns, the vaults; everything, down to the smallest objects, was of an intense

could not get over his astonishment. "G

not yet born. As the diamond allows us to see clearly in this region which is hidden from

ead to foot in blue; they had beautiful dark or golden hair

ome and look at the

e little Live Children?

rom here that all the children come who are born upon our earth. When the fathers and mothers want child

re! What a lot ther

o one could count them. But go a litt

, our little friend was able to look over the throng of inquisitive heads and see what was happening in every part of the hall. It was most extraordinary! Tyltyl had never dreamed o

the plants, the flowers and the fruits which they were growing or gathering were of the same bright and heavenly blue as the general appearance of the palace. Among the Children moved tall persons also dressed in blue: they w

is long sky-blue silk dress peeped two little pink and dimpled bare feet. His eyes stared

ed Tyltyl, who felt half

friends.... I will leave you alone; yo

e two Children face to face, shyly s

Tyltyl, putting out

derstand what that meant

ued Tyltyl, touching

as looking at, did not answer, but grave

at?" he

hat," said Tyltyl.

it for?" as

ith," Tyltyl answered. "And

an, when it's cold

yltyl. "And when you go like this with your arm

n earth?" ask

in winter, when t

there no

ive; and it costs mo

e did not understand a word that Tyltyl was

y things," thought our hero, while the child stared with no

d Tyltyl wha

!" said Tyltyl, scorning to

the Child

e boy like that, who lived in a paradise where his least wis

sked Tyltyl, continu

the Child. "I shall be born in twel

tyl, without thinkin

ng in another child's presence; and it was quite droll to see him with his hands in his breeches-pockets, his legs wide apart, his

can't remember! I

he earth and the Live Pe

rds and cakes and toys.... Some have them all;

nclined to be rather high-and-mighty; but he was never envious and his generous natur

ldren opened g

ing them from a distance, hurried up to them a little anxiously: Tyltyl was crying! Big tears came rolling down his cheeks and falling on his smart coat. She understood that he was talking of his gran

die?... What does

e evening and do

yours

tyl. "She was v

the poor little fello

He lived in a world where grief did not exi

ith your eyes?... Ar

tears were wo

earls," said Ty

is it

on as a weakness. He rubbed his eyes awkwardly and pu

ed Child

hat falli

said Tyltyl, impatiently, hopi

s very obstinate, touched Tyltyl's cheeks with

ome from t

imes, when

mean, crying?"

y. "It's the fault of that blue!... But, if

ten cry on

t little girls do...

on't kno

ou will

ent thing, but I cannot tell you its name, because the inventions of the Kingdom of the Future will not be christened by Man until they reach the earth. I can only say that Tyltyl, when he looked at it, thought that the enormous azure wings that whizz

That's for the invention w

stare with wide-o

g that gives happiness.... Would you like to see it?

; but all the Children at o

ome and se

is much

wonderful i

made of s

s no g

light which nobo

d lit himself up entirely wit

pulleys and straps and fly-wheels and driving-wheels and cog-wheels and all kinds of wheels, which sent every sort of machine skimming over the ground or shooting up to the ceiling. Othe

in paradise. Mytyl bent over to look at a huge flower and laughed into its cup, which covered up her head like

ll grow like that,

that be?" a

years, four mont

the weight of a pole from which was slung

pears!" cr

d. "They will all be like that when

en under a basket which one of the tall persons was helping him to carry. His f

lded maps and plans, or

id. "Look at

re melons!"

pples! They will all be alike when I am

e hall. A Child had spoken of the King of the Nine Planets; and Tyltyl, very much puzzled and perplexed, looked on every side. All the faces, bright with laughter, were turned to some spot which Tyltyl coul

ower down ... behind you!" said

" Tyltyl and Mytyl repe

re serious voice sounded above

m!" it sa

His beautiful, liquid eyes, eyes as blue as the palace, were pursuing endless dreams; his right hand supported his head, which was already heavy with thought; his short tunic showed his dimpled knees; and a golden crown rested on his yellow locks. When he cried, "Here I am!" the baby rose from the step on which he was sitting

aid Tyltyl, doing his be

I am!" retorted the King, in a

ll you do?"

ration of the Solar Planets," said

d that he could not find a word

except Uranus, Saturn and Neptune, w

and resumed his first attitude, showing t

ew joy, to the hero who was to wipe out injustice from the earth and to the wiseacre who was to conquer Death.... There were such lots and lots of them that it would take

.. How are you, Tylt

e hall, pushing his way through the crowd. He was fair

now my name?"

he Blue Child, "considering t

n extraordinary meeting! They must certainly tell Mummy as

these reflections, the

u next year, on Pa

rother: was it comfortable at home? Was the

o kind!" said t

heir turn: what was he going to d

aid the little brother. "Scarlatin

all, is it?"

evident disappointment,

t, I shall

while coming!" said Tyl

oose!" said the littl

y been parted by a swarm of Blue Children who were hurrying to meet somebody. At the same time, ther

matter?" a

the Blue Children. "He's

y and anxiously turned to the great opal doors at the back, while every mouth repeated the same name. The word, "Time! Time!" was heard all around; and

-day.... It is the Dawn rising. This is the hour when the Children who are to be

ime?" ask

not so bad; but he won't listen or hear. Beg as they may, if it's not their tur

ds our little friends in

aid. "Come quick: it will neve

nd the Children and dragged them to a corner of the hal

a deity and an ogre; he bestowed life and he devoured it; he sped through the world so fast that you had no time to see him; he ate and ate, without stopping; he took whatever he touched. In Tyltyl's family, h

d to see everybody in the Kingdom of t

sn't eat anything

Time appeared on the threshold. He was a tall and very thin old man, so old that his wrinkled face was all grey, like dust. His white beard came down to his knees. In one h

nd of that voice, solemn and deep as a bronze gong, thousands

Here we are!...

rowding round the tall old man, who pushed

ere are many more of you than are

the other, he barred the way to the rash Children who tried to sli

rteenth shepherd?... There are only twelve wanted; there is no need for more.... More doctors?... There are too many already; t

imidly, sucking his thumb. He looked pale and sad and walked with tott

aimed. "You seem a

ue Children were crowdin

the sky, with a look of

n't liv

e of them was accepted, the others looked at him with envy. Now and then, something happened, as when the

n't want

he little fellow, with all his mi

, who was full of common-sense and wh

ed; and, when they have done wrong, you may be sure that

said our friend to himself. "I would r

r justice went away sobbing, frig

er the hall: those who were going packed up their inventions;

ou writ

ay one

ry, do

nce my

ean.... Good

forgotten

ose your

ll us if i

oice, shaking his big keys and his terribl

ails. They waved their hands again to the little friends whom they were leaving

th!... I ca

ight it

ig it

ng from the abyss, a song rose, a dis

ile, saw the look of astonishment

mothers coming out to

doors, saw our friends and rushed at th

ake the Blue Bird, Tyltyl, and

cloak and, all radiant, spreading her dazzling veil with her two ha

s magnificently beautiful, but they were in the Kingdom of the Future, where Tim

ned and Tyltyl kept nervou

has respected since the world began. Only mind that you take

s the pretty creature's soft, warm wings; and his heart beat against its heart. This time, he held the Blue Bir

when a gust of wind swept through the entrance-hall, lifting up Light's veil and at last revealing the two Children to the eyes of Time, who was still pursuing them. With a roar of rage, he darted his scythe at Tyltyl, who cried out. Light warded off the blow; and the door of the palace closed behind th