TYLTYL Where are they?... What was the matter with them?... Were they mad?...
LIGHT No, they are always like that; but we do not know it because we do not see it.... I told you so before; it is dangerous to wake them when I am not there....
TYLTYL (_wiping his knife_) Well, but for the Dog and if I had not had my knife!... I would never have believed that they were so wicked!...
LIGHT You see that Man is all alone against all in this world....
THE DOG Are you very badly hurt, my little god?...
TYLTYL Nothing serious.... As for Mytyl, they have not touched her.... But you, my dear Tylô?... Your mouth is all over blood and your paw is broken!...
THE DOG It is not worth speaking of.... It won't show to-morrow.... But it was a tough fight!...
THE CAT (_appearing from behind a thicket, limping_) I should think so!... The Ox caught me a blow with his horns in the stomach.... You can't see the marks, but it's very painful.... And the Oak broke my paw....
THE DOG I should like to know which one....
MYTYL (_stroking the_ CAT) My poor Tylette, did he really?.... Where were you?... I did not see you....
THE CAT (_hypocritically_) Mummy dear, I was wounded at the first, while attacking that horrid Pig, who wanted to eat you.... And then the Oak gave me a great blow which struck me senseless....
THE DOG (_to the_ CAT, _between his teeth_) As for you, I want a word with you presently.... It will keep!...
THE CAT (_plaintively, to_ MYTYL) Mummy dear, he's insulting me.... He wants to hurt me....
MYTYL (_to the_ DOG) Leave him alone, will you, you ugly beast?...
_The curtain represents beautiful clouds_
(_Enter_ TYLTYL, MYTYL, LIGHT, _the_ DOG, _the_ CAT, BREAD, FIRE, SUGAR, WATER _and_ MILK.)
LIGHT I believe we have the Blue Bird this time. I ought to have thought of it before. But the idea came to me, like a ray from the sky, this morning only, when I recovered my strengthen the dawn.... We are at the entrance to the enchanted palaces where all men's Joys, all men's Happinesses are gathered together in the charge of Fate.
TYLTYL Are there many of them? Shall we have any? Are they little?
LIGHT Some are little and some are great; some are coarse and some are delicate; some are very beautiful and others not so pleasant to look upon.... But the ugliest were expelled from the garden some time ago and took refuge with the Miseries. For we must not forget that the Miseries inhabit an adjoining cave, which communicates with the Garden of Happiness and is separated from it only by a sort of vapour or fine veil, lifted at every moment by the winds that blow from the heights of Justice or from the depths of Eternity.... What we have now to do is to organise ourselves and take certain precautions. Generally, the Joys are very good; but, still, there are some of them that are more dangerous and treacherous than the greatest Miseries.