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The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts, a play by Maurice Maeterlinck |
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Act 1 |
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_ ACT I [The Wood-cutter's Cottage] [The stage represents the interior of a wood-cutter's cottage, simple and rustic in appearance, but in no way poverty-stricken. A recessed fireplace containing the dying embers of a wood-fire. Kitchen utensils, a cupboard, a bread-pan, a grandfather's clock, a spinning-wheel, a water-tap, etc. On a table, a lighted lamp. At the foot of the cupboard, on either side, a DOG and a CAT lie sleeping, rolled up, each with his nose in his tail. Between them stands a large blue-and-white sugar-loaf. On the wall hangs a round cage containing a turtle-dove. At the back, two windows, with closed inside shutters. Under one of the windows, a stool. On the left is the front door, with a big latch to it. On the right, another door. A ladder leads up to a loft. On the right also are two little children's cots, at the head of which are two chains, with clothes carefully folded on them. When the curtain rises, TYLTYL and MYTYL are sound asleep in their cots, MUMMY TYL tucks them in, leans over them, watches them for a moment as they sleep and beckons to DADDY TYL, who thrusts his head through the half-open door. MUMMY TYL lays a finger on her lips, to impose silence upon him, and then goes out to the right, on tiptoe, after first putting out the lamp. The scene remains in darkness for a moment. Then a light, gradually increasing in intensity, filters in through the shutters. The lamp on the table lights again of itself, but its light is of a different colour than when MUMMY TYL extinguished it. The two CHILDREN appear to wake and sit up in bed.]
MYTYL Tyltyl? TYLTYL Are you asleep? MYTYL Are you?... TYLTYL No; how can I be asleep when I'm talking to you? MYTYL Say, is this Christmas Day?... TYLTYL Not yet; not till to-morrow. But Father Christmas won't bring us anything this year.... MYTYL Why not? TYLTYL I heard mummy say that she couldn't go to town to tell him ... But he will come next year.... MYTYL Is next year far off?... TYLTYL A good long while.... But he will come to the rich children to-night.... MYTYL Really?... TYLTYL Hullo!... Mummy's forgotten to put out the lamp!... I've an idea!... MYTYL What?... TYLTYL Let's get up.... MYTYL But we mustn't.... TYLTYL Why, there's no one about.... Do you see the shutters?... MYTYL Oh, how bright they are!... TYLTYL It's the lights of the party. MYTYL What party?... TYLTYL The rich children opposite. It's the Christmas-tree. Let's open the shutters.... MYTYL Can we?... TYLTYL Of course; there's no one to stop us.... Do you hear the music?... Let us get up.... (The two CHILDREN get up, run to one of the windows, climb on to the stool and throw back the shutters. A bright light fills the room. The CHILDREN look out greedily.) TYLTYL We can see everything!... MYTYL (who can hardly find room on the stool) I can't.... TYLTYL It's snowing!... There's two carriages, with six horses each!... MYTYL There are twelve little boys getting out!... TYLTYL How silly you are!... They're little girls.... MYTYL They've got knickerbockers.... TYLTYL What do you know?... Don't push so!... MYTYL I never touched you. TYLTYL (_who is taking up the whole stool_) You're taking up all the room... MYTYL Why, I have no room at all!... TYLTYL Do be quiet! I see the tree!... MYTYL What tree?... TYLTYL Why, the Christmas-tree!... You're looking at the wall!... MYTYL I'm looking at the wall because I've got no room.... TYLTYL (_giving her a miserly little place on the stool_) There!... Will that do?... Now you're better off than I!... I say, what lots and lots of lights!... MYTYL What are those people doing who are making such a noise?... TYLTYL They're the musicians. MYTYL Are they angry?... TYLTYL No; but it's hard work. MYTYL Another carriage with white horses!... TYLTYL Be quiet!... And look!... MYTYL What are those gold things there, hanging from the branches? TYLTYL Why, toys, to be sure!... Swords, guns, soldiers, cannons.... MYTYL And dolls; say, are there any dolls?... TYLTYL Dolls?... That's too silly; there's no fun in dolls.... MYTYL And what's that all round the table?.... TYLTYL Cakes and fruit and tarts.... MYTYL I had some once when I was little.... TYLTYL So did I; it's nicer than bread, but they don't give you enough.... MYTYL They've got plenty over there.... The whole table's full.... Are they going to eat them?... TYLTYL Of course; what else would they do with them?... MYTYL Why don't they eat them at once?... TYLTYL Because they're not hungry.... MYTYL (_stupefied with astonishment_) Not hungry?... Why not?... TYLTYL Well, they eat whenever they want to.... MYTYL (_incredulously_) Every day?... TYLTYL They say so.... MYTYL Will they eat them all?... Will they give any away?... TYLTYL To whom?... MYTYL To us.... TYLTYL They don't know us.... MYTYL Suppose we asked them.... TYLTYL We mustn't. MYTYL Why not?... TYLTYL Because it's not right. MYTYL (_clapping her hands_) Oh, how pretty they are!... TYLTYL (_rapturously_) And how they're laughing and laughing!... MYTYL And the little ones dancing!... TYLTYL Yes, yes; let's dance too!... (_They stamp their feet for joy on the stool_.) MYTYL Oh, what fun!... TYLTYL They're getting the cakes!... They can touch them!... They're eating, they're eating, they're eating!... MYTYL The tiny ones, too!... They've got two, three, four apiece!... TYLTYL (_drunk with delight_) Oh, how lovely!... Oh, how lovely, how lovely!... MYTYL (_counting imaginary cakes_) I've got twelve!... TYLTYL And I four times twelve!... But I'll give you some.... (_A knock at the door of the cottage_.) TYLTYL (_suddenly quieted and frightened_) What's that?... MYTYL (_scared_) It's Daddy!... (As they hesitate before opening the door, the big latch is seen to rise of itself, with a grating noise; the door half opens to admit 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 bent on a stick. She is obviously a fairy.)
TYLTYL We have some grass, but it can't sing.... MYTYL Tyltyl has a bird. TYLTYL But I can't give it away.... THE FAIRY Why not?... TYLTYL Because it's mine. THE FAIRY That's a reason, no doubt. Where is the bird?... TYLTYL (_pointing to the cage_) In the cage.... THE FAIRY (_putting on her glasses to examine the bird_) I don't want it; it's not blue enough. You will have to go and find me the one I want. TYLTYL But I don't know where it is.... THE FAIRY No more do I. That's why you must look for it. I can do without the grass that sings, at a pinch; but I must absolutely 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 (_growing suddenly angry_) Not a bit!... There's not the least likeness!... This is intolerable!... I am the Fairy Berylune.... TYLTYL Oh! Very well.... THE FAIRY You will have to start at once. TYLTYL Are you coming with us? THE FAIRY I can't, because I put on the soup this morning and it always boils over if I leave it for more than an hour.... (_Pointing successively 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 would rather go out that way.... THE FAIRY (_growing suddenly angry again_) That's quite impossible; and it's a shocking habit!... (_Pointing to the window_) We'll go out this way.... Well?... What are you waiting for?... Get dressed at once.... (_The_ CHILDREN _do as they are told and dress quickly_.) I'll help Mytyl.... TYLTYL We have no shoes.... THE FAIRY That doesn't matter. I will give you a little magic hat. Where are your father and mother?.... TYLTYL (_pointing to the door on the right_) They're asleep in there.... THE FAIRY And your grandpapa and grandmamma?... TYLTYL They're dead.... THE FAIRY And your little brothers and sisters.... Have you any?... TYLTYL Oh, yes; three little brothers.... MYTYL And four little sisters.... THE FAIRY Where are they?... TYLTYL They are dead, too.... THE FAIRY Would you like to see them again?... TYLTYL Oh, yes!... At once!... Show them to us!... THE FAIRY I haven't got them in my pocket.... But this is very lucky; you will see them when you go through the Land of Memory.... It's on the way to the Blue Bird, just on the left, past the third turning.... What were you doing when I knocked?... TYLTYL We were playing at eating cakes?... THE FAIRY Have you any cakes?... Where are they?... TYLTYL In the house of the rich children.... Come and look, it's so lovely. (_He drags the_ FAIRY _to the window_.) THE FAIRY (_at the window_) But it's the others who are eating them!... TYLTYL Yes; but we can see them eat.... THE FAIRY Aren't you cross with them?... TYLTYL What for?... THE FAIRY For eating all the cakes.... I think it's very wrong of them not to give you some.... TYLTYL Not at all; they're rich.... I say, isn't it beautiful over there?... THE FAIRY It's no more beautiful there than here. TYLTYL Ugh!... It's darker here and smaller and there are no cakes.... THE FAIRY It's exactly the same, only you can't see.... TYLTYL Yes, I can; and I have very good eyes. I can see the time on the church clock and daddy can't... THE FAIRY (_suddenly angry_) I tell you that you can't see!... How do you see me?... What do I look like?... (_An awkward silence from_ TYLTYL.) Well, answer me, will you? I want to know if you can see!... Am I pretty or ugly?... (_The silence grows more and more uncomfortable_.) Won't you answer?... Am I young or old?... Are my cheeks pink or yellow?... Perhaps you'll say I have a hump?... TYLTYL (_in a conciliatory tone_) No, no; It's not a big one.... THE FAIRY Oh, yes, to look at you, any one would think it enormous.... Have I a hook nose and have I lost one of my eyes?... TYLTYL Oh, no, I don't say that.... Who put it out?... THE FAIRY (_growing more and more irritated_). But it's not out!... You wretched, impudent boy!... It's much finer than the other; it's bigger and brighter and blue as the sky.... And my hair, do you see that?... It's fair as the corn in the fields, it's like virgin gold!... And I've such heaps and heaps of it that it weighs my head down.... It escapes on every side.... Do you see it on my hands? (_She holds out two lean wisps of grey hair_.) TYLTYL Yes, I see a little.... THE FAIRY (_indignantly_) A little!... Sheaves! Armfuls! Clusters! Waves of gold!... I know there are people who say that they don't see any; but you're not one of those wicked, blind people, I should hope?... TYLTYL Oh, no; I can see all that isn't hidden.... THE FAIRY But you ought to see the rest with as little doubt!... Human beings are very odd!... Since the death of the fairies, they see nothing at all and they never suspect it.... Luckily, I always carry with me all that is wanted to give new light to dimmed eyes.... What am I taking out of my bag?... TYLTYL Oh, what a dear little green hat!... What's that shining in the cockade?... THE FAIRY That's the big diamond that makes people see.... TYLTYL Really?... THE FAIRY Yes; when you've got the hat on your head, you turn the diamond a little; from right to left, for instance, like this; do you see?... Then it presses a bump which nobody knows of and which opens your eyes.... TYLTYL Doesn't it hurt?... THE FAIRY On the contrary, it's enchanted.... You at once see even the inside of things: the soul of bread, of wine, of pepper, for instance.... MYTYL Can you see the soul of sugar, too?... THE FAIRY (_suddenly cross_) Of course you can!... I hate unnecessary questions.... The soul of sugar is no more interesting than the soul of pepper.... There, I give you all I have to help you in your search for the Blue Bird. I know that the flying carpet or the ring which makes its wearer invisible would be more useful to you.... But I have lost the key of the cupboard in which I locked them.... Oh, I was almost forgetting!... (_Pointing to the diamond_) When you hold it like this, do you see?... One little turn more and you behold the past.... Another little turn and you behold the future.... It's curious and practical and it's quite noiseless.... TYLTYL Daddy will take it from me.... THE FAIRY He won't see it; no one can see it as long as it's on your head.... Will you try it?... (She puts the little green hat on TYLTYL'S head.) Now, turn the diamond.... One turn and then....
THE FAIRY Don't be afraid; they are the hours of your life and they are glad to be free and visible for a moment.... TYLTYL And why are the walls so bright?... Are they made of sugar or of precious stones?... THE FAIRY All stones are alike, all stones are precious; but man sees only a few of them.... (While they are speaking, the scene of enchantment continues and is completed. The souls of the Quartern-loaves, in the form of little men in crust-coloured tights, flurried and all powdered with flour, scramble out of the bread-pan and frisk round the table, where they are caught up by FIRE, _who, springing from the hearth in yellow and vermilion tights, writhes with laughter as he chases the loaves.) TYLTYL Who are those ugly little men?... THE FAIRY Oh, they're nothing; they are merely the souls of the Quartern-loaves, who are taking advantage of the reign of truth to leave the pan in which they were too tightly packed.... TYLTYL And the big red fellow, with the nasty smell?... THE FAIRY Hush!... Don't speak too loud; that's Fire.... He's dangerous. (_This dialogue does not interrupt the enchantment. The_ DOG _and the_ CAT, _lying rolled up at the foot of the cupboard, utter a loud and simultaneous cry and disappear down a trap; and in their places rise two persons, one of whom has the face of a bull-dog, the other that of a tom-cat. Forthwith, the little man with the bull-dog face, whom we will henceforward call the_ DOG, _rushes upon_ TYLTYL, _kisses him violently and overwhelms him with noisy and impetuous caresses; while the little man with the face of a tom-cat, whom we will simply call the_ CAT, _combs his hair, washes his hands and strokes his whiskers before going up to_ MYTYL.) THE DOG (_yelling, jumping about, knocking up against everything, unbearable_) My little god!... Good-morning, good-morning, my dear little god!... At last, at last we can talk!... I had so much to tell you!... Bark and wag my tail as I might, you never understood!... But now!... Good-morning, good-morning!... I love you!... Shall I do some of my tricks?... Shall I beg?... Would you like to see me walk on my front paws or dance on my hind-legs?... TYLTYL (_to the_ FAIRY) Who is this gentleman with the dog's head?.... THE FAIRY Don't you see? It's the soul of TYLO whom you have set free.... THE CAT (_going up to_ MYTYL _and putting out his hand to her, with much ceremony and circumspection_) Good-morning, Miss.... How well you look this morning!... MYTYL Good-morning, sir.... (_To the_ FAIRY) Who is it?... THE FAIRY Why, don't you see? Its the soul of Tylette offering you his hand.... Kiss him.... THE DOG (_hustling the_ CAT) Me, too!... I've kissed the little god!... I've kissed the little girl!... I've kissed everybody!... Oh, grand!... What fun we shall have!... I'm going to frighten Tylette I Bow, wow, wow!... THE CAT Sir, I don't know you.... THE FAIRY (_threatening the_ DOG _with her stick_) Keep still, will you, or else you'll go back into silence until the end of time.... (Meanwhile, the enchantment has pursued its course: the spinning-wheel has begun to turn madly in its corner and to spin brilliant rays of light; the tap, in another corner, begins to sing in a very high voice and, turning into a luminous fountain, floods the sink with sheets of pearls and emeralds, through which darts the soul of WATER, like a young girl, streaming, dishevelled and tearful, who immediately begins to fight with FIRE.) TYLTYL And who is that wet lady?... THE FAIRY Don't be afraid. It's Water just come from the tap.... (The milk-jug upsets, falls from the table and smashes on the floor; and from the spilt milk there rises a tall, white, bashful figure who seems to be afraid of everything.) TYLTYL And the frightened lady in her nightgown?... THE FAIRY That's Milk; she has broken her jug.... (The sugar-loaf, at the foot of the cupboard, grows taller and wider and splits its paper wrapper, whence issues a mawkish and hypocritical being, dressed in a long coat half blue and half white, who goes up to MYTYL with a sanctimonious smile.) MYTYL (_greatly alarmed_) What does he want?... THE FAIRY Why, he is the soul of Sugar!... MYTYL (_reassured_) Has he any barley-sugar?... THE FAIRY His pockets are full of it and each of his fingers is a sugar-stick.... (The lamp falls from the table and, at the same moment, its flame springs up again and turns into a luminous maid of incomparable beauty. She is dressed in long transparent and dazzling veils and stands motionless in a sort of ecstasy.) TYLTYL It's the Queen!... MYTYL It's the Blessed Virgin!... THE FAIRY No, my children; it's Light.... (_Meanwhile, the saucepans on the shelves spin round like tops; the linen-press throws open its folding-doors and unrolls a magnificent display of moon-coloured and sun-coloured stuffs, with which mingles a no less splendid array of rags and tatters that come down the ladder from the loft. But, suddenly, three loud knocks are heard on the door at the right_.) TYLTYL (_alarmed_) That's daddy!... He's heard us!... THE FAIRY Turn the diamond!... From left to right!... (TYLTYL _turns the diamond quickly_.) Not so quick!... Heavens! It's too late!... You turned it too briskly; they will not have time to resume their places and we shall have a lot of annoyance....
BREAD (_in tears_) There's no room in the pan!... THE FAIRY (_stooping over the pan_) Yes, there is; yes, there is.... (_Pushing the other loaves, which have resumed their original places_.) Come, quick, make room there.... (The knocking at the door is renewed.) BREAD (_utterly scared, vainly struggling to enter the pan_) I can't get in!... He'll eat me first!... THE DOG (_frisking round_ TYLTYL) My little god!... I am still here!... I can still talk!... I can still kiss you!... Once more! Once more! Once more!... THE FAIRY What, you too?... Are you there still?... THE DOG What luck!... I was too late to return to silence; the trap closed too quickly.... THE CAT So did mine.... What is going to happen?... Is there any danger?... THE FAIRY Well, I'm bound to tell you the truth: all those who accompany the two children will die at the end of the journey.... THE CAT (_to the_ DOG) Come, let us get back into the trap.... THE DOG No, no!... I won't!... I want to go with the little god!... I want to talk to him all the time!... THE CAT Idiot!... (_More knocking at the door_) BREAD (_shedding bitter tears_) I don't want to die at the end of the journey!... I want to get back at once into my pan!... FIRE (_who has done nothing but run madly round the room, hissing with anguish_) I can't find my chimney!... WATER (_vainly trying to get into the tap_) I can't get into the tap!... SUGAR (_hovering round his paper wrapper_) I've burst my packing-paper!... MILK (_lymphatically and bashfully_) Somebody's broken my little jug!... THE FAIRY Goodness me, what fools they are!... Fools and cowards too!... So you would rather go on living in your ugly boxes, in your traps and taps, than accompany the children in search of the bird?... ALL (_excepting the_ DOG _and_ LIGHT) Yes, yes! Now, at once!... My tap!... My pan!... My chimney!... My trap!... THE FAIRY (_to_ LIGHT, _who is dreamily gazing at the wreckage of her lamp_) And you, Light, what do you say? LIGHT I will go with the children.... THE DOG (_yelling with delight_) I too!... I too!... THE FAIRY That's right.... Besides, it's too late to go back; you have no choice now, you must all start with us.... But you, Fire, don't come near anybody; you, Dog, don't tease the Cat; and you, Water, hold yourself up and try not to run all over the place.... (A violent knocking is again heard at the door on the right.) TYLTYL (_listening_) There's daddy again!... He's getting up this time; I can hear him walking.... THE FAIRY Let us go out by the window.... You shall all come to my house, where I will dress the Animals and the Things properly.... (_To_ BREAD) You, Bread, take the cage in which to put the Blue Bird.... It will be in your charge.... Quick, quick, let us waste no time.... (The window suddenly lengthens downwards, like a door. They all go out; after which the window resumes its primitive shape and closes quite innocently. The room has become dark again and the two cots are steeped in shadow. The door on the right opens ajar and in the aperture appear the heads of DADDY and MUMMY TYL.) DADDY TYL It was nothing.... It's the cricket chirping.... MUMMY TYL Can you see them?... DADDY TYL I can.... They are sleeping quite quietly.... MUMMY TYL I can hear their breathing.... (The door closes again.)
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