The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six ActsMaeterlinck, Maurice
General
The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts
Maeterlinck, Maurice
Fairy plays; French drama -- Translations into English
GRANNY TYL
We are always here, waiting for a visit from those who are alive.... They
come so seldom!... The last time you were here, let me see, when was it?...
It was on All-hallows, when the church-bells were ringing....
TYLTYL
All-hallows?... We didn't go out that day, for we both had very bad
colds....
GRANNY TYL
No; but you thought of us....
TYLTYL
Yes....
GRANNY TYL
Well, every time you think of us, we wake up and see you again....
TYLTYL
What, is it enough to...
GRANNY TYL
But come, you know that....
TYLTYL
No, I didn't know....
GRANNY TYL (_to_ GAFFER TYL)
It's astonishing, up there.... They don't know yet.... Do they never learn
anything?...
GAFFER TYL
It's as in our own time.... The Living are so stupid when they speak of the
Others....
TYLTYL
Do you sleep all the time?...
GAFFER TYL
Yes, we get plenty of sleep, while waiting for a thought of the Living to
come and wake us.... Ah, it is good to sleep when life is done.... But it
is pleasant also to wake up from time to time....
TYLTYL
So you are not really dead?...
GAFFER TYL
What do you say?... What is he saying?... Now he's using words we don't
understand.... Is it a new word, a new invention?...
TYLTYL
The word "dead"?...
GAFFER TYL
Yes, that was the word.... What does it mean?...
TYLTYL
Why, it means that one's no longer alive....
GAFFER TYL
How silly they are, up there!...
TYLTYL
Is it nice here?...
GAFFER TYL
Oh, yes; not bad, not bad; and, if one could just have a smoke....
TYLTYL
Aren't you allowed to smoke?...
GAFFER TYL
Yes, it's allowed; but I've broken my pipe....
GRANNY TYL
Yes, yes, all would be well, if only you would come and see us oftener....
Do you remember, Tyltyl?... The last time I baked you a lovely
apple-tart.... You ate such a lot of it that you made yourself ill....
TYLTYL
But I haven't eaten any apple-tart since last year.... There were no apples
this year....
GRANNY TYL
Don't talk nonsense.... Here, we have them always....
TYLTYL
That's different....
GRANNY TYL
What? That's different?... Why, nothing's different when we're able to kiss
each other....
TYLTYL (_looking first at his_ GRANDMOTHER _and then at his_ GRANDFATHER)
You haven't changed, grandad, not a bit, not a bit.... And granny hasn't
changed a bit either.... But you're better-looking....
GAFFER TYL
Well, we feel all right.... We have stopped growing older.... But you,
how tall you're growing!... Yes, you're shooting up finely.... Look,
over there, on the door, is the mark of the last time.... That was on
All-hallows.... Now then, stand up straight.... (TYLTYL _stands up
against the door_.) Four fingers taller!... That's immense!... (MYTYL
_also stands up against the door_.) And Mytyl, four and a half!...
Aha, ill weeds grow apace!... How they've grown, oh, how they've grown!...
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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