_Enter on the left, as though by stealth, gliding between the columns in the foreground_, TYLTYL, MYTYL _and_ LIGHT. Their arrival causes a certain movement among the_ BLUE CHILDREN, _who come running up on every hand, form a group around the unwonted visitors and gaze upon them with curiosity_. MYTYL Where are Sugar, the Cat and Bread?... LIGHT They cannot enter here; they would know the future and would not obey.... TYLTYL And the Dog?... LIGHT It is not well, either, that he should know what awaits him in the course of the ages....I have locked them all up in the vaults of the church.... TYLTYL Where are we?... LIGHT We are in the Kingdom of the Future, in the midst of the children who are not yet born. As the diamond allows us to see clearly in this region which is hidden from men, we shall very probably find the Blue Bird here.... TYLTYL Certainly the bird will be blue, since everything here is blue....(_Looking all around him_.) Heaven, how beautiful it all is!... LIGHT Look at the children running up.... TYLTYL Are they angry?... LIGHT Not at all....You can see, they are smiling, but they are surprised.... THE BLUE CHILDREN (_running up in ever-increasing numbers_) Live children!...Come and look at the little live children!... TYLTYL Why do they call us the little live children? LIGHT Because they themselves are not alive yet.... TYLTYL What are they doing, then?... LIGHT They are awaiting the hour of their birth.... TYLTYL The hour of their birth?... LIGHT Yes; it is from here that all the children come who are born upon our earth. Each awaits his day.... When the fathers and mothers want children, the great doors which you see there, on the right, are opened and the little ones go down.... TYLTYL What a, lot there are! What a lot there are!... LIGHT There are many more.... We do not see them all.... There are thirty thousand halls like this, all full of them.... Just think, there are enough to last to the end of the world!... No one could count them.... TYLTYL And those tall blue persons, who are they?... LIGHT No one exactly knows.... They are believed to be guardians.... I have heard that they will come upon earth after men.... But we are not allowed to ask them.... TYLTYL Why not?... LIGHT Because it is the earth's secret.... TYLTYL And may one talk to the others, the little ones?... LIGHT Certainly; you must make friends.... Look, there is one who is more curious than the rest.... Go up to him, speak to him.... TYLTYL What shall I say to him?... LIGHT Whatever you like, as you would to a little playfellow.... TYLTYL Can I shake hands with him?... LIGHT Of course, he won't hurt you.... But come, don't look so constrained.... I will leave you alone, you will be more at ease by yourselves.... Besides, I want to speak to the tall blue person.... TYLTYL (_going up to the_ BLUE CHILD _and holding out his hand_) How do you do?... (_Touching the_ CHILD'S _blue dress with his finger_.) What's that?...