The Blue Bird

1
Tradition whispers that in the 
sky is a bird, blue as the sky
itself, which brings to its finder
HAPPINESS. But everyone cannot
see it; for mortal eyes are prone
to be blinded by the glitter of
wealth, fame and position, and
deceived by the mocking Will-
o'-the-Wisp of empty honors.

2
But for the fortunate ones 
who seek with open eyes and
hearts, with the artlessness,
simplicity and faith which are
richest in childhood, there is
an undying promise; and to
them the Bluebird lives and 
carols, a rejoicing symbol of
HAPPINESS and CONTENTMENT
     unto the end.

3
One Winter's Eve,
No Matter Where Or 
When, There Lived A
Little Boy, Tyltyl, And
His Little Sister, Mytyl.

4
These were the children
of Daddy Tyl.

5
And Mummy Tyl.

6
Just across the way
stood the house of
The Rich Children.

7
Close at hand was
the humble hut of
poor Neighbor Berlingot.

8
Neighbor Berlingot's little
daughter was very ill.

9
"You told me about
 the bird that brings
 happiness....Perhaps
 if I had Tyltyl's little
 bird, I'd be well and
 happy, too...."

10
"My little sick
 daughter thinks that
 your bird might
 bring her happiness..."

11
"Pick that muffler up!
 It's the last thing
 Granny Tyl made for
 you before she died
 ....And don't hurt it!"

12
"Hurt it? ... Can
 it feel things? ...
 Has it got a soul?"

13
"Look, Mytyl ... my
 muffler's got a soul!
 Maybe bread's got
 one, too! ..."

14
"Shh! .... I guess
 water's got a soul ...
 and sugar, and fire!.."

15
"Daughter, bring
 the loaf of sugar."

16
The fabric of 
 Moonbeams.

17
"What a queer light
 in the room! ... It
 must be from the
 Rich Children's party..."

18
"Have you the 
 Bird that is Blue?"

19
"It's not blue enough.
 You will have to go
 at once and find
 me the one I want."

20
"You think I look
 like your Neighbor
 Berlingot, eh?...There's
 not the least resemb-
 lance. I am the Fairy
 Berylune!"

21
"Come ... we must
 start. Get dressed
 at once!"

22
"How beautiful the
 house of The Rich
 Children is! ..."

23
"It's no more beautiful
 there than here -
 only you don't know
 how to see it ..."

24
"When you wear this
 enchanted hat, and
 turn the diamond,
 you will see the inside
 of Things...the soul of
 Bread, of Water, of
 Fire...."

25
"That's Fire ....
 Look out; he's
 dangerous!"

26
The Pure Spirit of 
      Water.

27
"At last we can talk,
 my little deities! I had
 so much to tell you,
 and you wouldn't un-
 derstand my bark
 and my tail-wag ..."

28
The soul of Sugar,
made of sweets and
 with fingers of
   lollipops.

29
Kindly, Satisfying Milk.

30
Wholesome Bread.

31
       Light,
the most glorious soul
       of all.

32
"What's going to
 happen?...Is there
 any danger?"

33
"All those who go
 with the children
 must die at the end
 of the journey...."

34
"You have no choice
 now .... We must
 start for the Fairy's
 palace at once ..."

35
"Bread, take the
 cage in which to
 put the Bluebird
 when we find it."

36
"We must have been
 dreaming; I see
 the children sleep-
 ing quite peacefully."

37
The palace of the
Fairy Berylune ....
inherited from the 
late Mr. Bluebeard.

38
"The Fairy has said
 that the end of the
 journey will end our
     lives ...."

39
"It is to our interest,
 therefore, to prevent
 the finding of the
 Bluebird, even if we
 have to endanger the
 lives of the children
 thereby ...."

40
"I love man! ... If you
 try to hurt him, I'll
 choke you first and
 tell him everything
 afterwards!"

41
"Look first for the
 Bluebird in the Palace
 of Night, where I
 may not enter."

42
The underground
Palace of Night.

43
"Children of Man
 come to demand the
 Bluebird! If they find
 him, Mother Night, 
 your dread mysteries
 will be at Man's mercy!.."

44
"Must Man know
 everything?..Already
 he has banished a third
 of my Terrors; my Sick-
 nesses are ill; my Ghosts
 scarcely dare show
 their noses abroad!"

45
"Are these your
 children, Mrs. Night?"

46
"Yes.... This is
     Sleep."

47
"And this is Sleep's
 grim sister. Her name
 is not pleasant to hear ..."

48
"Give me your keys,
 that I may search
 for the Bluebird!"

49
"You open my doors
 at your own peril. My
 Ghosts are in there!"

50
The Wan Sicknesses.

51
War.

52
Shades and Terrors.

53
"Whatever you do,
 don't open that door!
 My other secrets are
 trivial compared to 
 what lies within!"

54
"Bluebirds!..."

55
"See! We have
 found many Blue-
 birds!..."

56
"The true Bluebird
 never dies. Look!
 These are dead!"

57
"Do not eat now,
 for you are to have
 supper with your
 grandparents."

58
"There is the grave-
 yard where the happy
 Dead sleep....You will
 see them at midnight,
 when you turn the
 diamond."

59
"Give me your hand,
 Little Brother...I'm
 so frightened, and
 so cold!..."

60
To the tired, disheartened
children, the Bluebird
seemed farther away
than ever.

61
"Our living grand-
 children are thinking
 of us, for I begin to
 feel quite strong.
 They must be coming 
 to see us!"

62
"It's months now that
 you have forgotten
 us, and that we've
 seen nobody..."

63
"It's your old black-
 bird! But, look...
 it's blue! Will you
 give him to me?"

64
"And where are
  my little dead
 brothers and sisters?"

65
"Now that we have
 the Bluebird, we must
 hurry back to the Fairy."

66
"The cage is empty!
 ... the bird is gone!"

67
 Then the search went 
on to the Palace of 
Happiness, where the 
Luxuries and Joys 
 are gathered in 
charge of Fate.

68
"I am the Luxury-of-
 Being-Rich, and I
 come with my brothers
 to beg you to honor
 our endless repast."

69
"This is my son-in-law,
 the Luxury-of-Being-
 a-Landowner..."

70
The Luxuries of Drinking-
When-You-Are-Not-Thirsty,
and Eating-When-You-Are-
Not-Hungry.

71
Knowing-Nothing,
who is deaf, and
Sleeping-More-Than-
Necessary.

72
The Luxury of 
Satisfied-Vanity.

73
"No thank you; we
 are in a great hurry.
 Do you happen to
 have the Bluebird?"

74
"Bluebird?...We have
 Turkey, Ortolan, Roc's
 eggs, Nightingale's
 tongues...No, I'm afraid
 not. Is he very de-
 licious?"

75
"Quick! .. It is dan-
 gerous now; the
 Things are succumb-
 ing. Turn the diamond!"

76
"This is the Palace
 of Happiness, and
 I am the Chief Hap-
 piness of the Home."

77
"Through these por-
 tals you can see
 Joys and Happinesses
 which are all your
 own..."

78
The Happiness of
   Pure Air.

79
The Joy of
  Loving.

80
The Joys of Pure
   Thoughts.

81
The Happiness of
   Springtime.

82
The Joy of Forest
 Glade and Dell.

83
   The Happiness of 
Watching the Stars Rise.

84
"This is the greatest
 Joy of all...Don't
 you recognize her?"

85
"Open your two eyes
 down to the very heart
 of your soul!...for
 it is your mother's
 Joy, peerless Maternal
 Love!"

86
"Each of your smiles
 makes me younger
 by a year, and your
 kisses put stars in
 my eyes, my Babies!.."

87
"Will you know me
 again in my torn
 dress when you
 get back to the cottage?..."

88
"I want to stay here
 in Heaven with you..."

89
"Heaven is where
 you and I kiss
 each other ...."

90
"These are the Unborn
 Children in the King-
 dom of the Future,
 awaiting the hour of
 their birth ..."

91
"How old are you?"

92
"I shall be born in
 twelve years...Is
 it nice to be born?"

93
"This is the invention
 which I shall take to
 Earth...it will bring
 comfort and happiness."

94
"I shall be your brother
 next year on Palm
 Sunday. Tell Mummy
 that I am ready, and
 tell Daddy to fix the
 cradle..."

95
"Time calls them 'The
 Lovers'... They will
 not be able to leave
 together, so each will
 cherish through life
 an ideal love..."

96
"That's Time ... He's
 going to open the 
 gates for the children
 who are to be born
 today..."

97
"Won't you let me
 pass? My parents
 are old, and have
 been waiting for me
 so long!..."

98
"No you don't! ...
 This is the third
 time he has tried
 to be born before
 his turn!..."

99
"Mr. Time, let
 me stay behind
 with her!..."

100
"A sign, a sign! ...
 Tell me how to
 find you! ..."

101
"I shall be the sad-
 dest thing on Earth
 ... you will know
 me by that!"

102
"What is it? ...
 that wonderful sing-
 ing in the distance?"

103
"It is the glad song
 of the Mothers
 coming out to meet
 their little ones..."

104
The end of the
   journey.

105
"Your eyes are about
 to close to the invis-
 ible life of Things;
 but I shall always be
 there in the pan, your
 friend..."

106
"I will serve you in
 the hearth and the
 oven, cheer you with
 my red tongue, and
 warm you in Winter..."

107
"Love the wells and
 the brooks; I shall
 always be there, and
 in the bucket and tap..."

108
"But we haven't
 the Bluebird!..."

109
"Don't cry...for I
 shall watch over you
 in every moonbeam,
 in every star, in the
 dawn and the lamp-
 light...and in every
 good thought of your
 soul!..."

110
"Wake up, children!
 ... it's a bright,
 beautiful morning."

111
"Good morning to
 everybody ... I've
 come to beg a bit
 of fire, for it's very
 chilly."

112
"Fairy Berylune, we
 could not find the
 Bluebird of Happiness
 for your little daugh-
 ter who is ill..."

113
"Why the bird is
 BLUE!!!...We went
 so far, and he was
 here at home all
 the time!..."

114
"Daddy! Mummy!...
 the house is ever so
 much prettier than
 when we went away!
 And we're so happy,
 so happy!..."

115
"Never mind ... don't
 cry! Our Bluebird of
 Happiness has been
 with us, and we'll keep
 him in our hearts, you
 and I, always. To have
 found him is enough!"

116
"Please, all of you, look
 for our Bluebird with
 all your hearts; and if
 you find him, keep him
 for yourselves. And be
 sure to look first in
 your own homes,
 WHERE HE IS MOST APT 
 TO BE FOUND!"


The End.