(_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_.) THE FAIRY Have you the grass here that sings or the bird that is blue?... 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 Bérylune.... 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?...