Синяя птица / The blue Bird. Уровень 1

It’s the Queen!

Suddenly, the children hear three loud knocks at the door.

Tyltyl (alarmed). That’s daddy!

The Fairy. Turn the diamond! From left to right!

Tyltyl turns the diamond quickly.

The Fairy. Not so quick! It’s too late! You turned it too briskly; we will have a lot of problems.

The Fairy becomes an old woman again, the walls of the cottage lose their splendour. The Hours go back into the clock, the spinning-wheel stops. Fire runs madly round the room, one of the loaves of bread sobs.

The Fairy. What’s the matter?

Bread (in tears). There’s no room in the pan!

The Fairy (looking into the pan). Yes, there is; yes, there is. (Pushing the other loaves). Come, quick.

Somebody knocks again.

Bread (scared). I can’t get in! He’ll eat me first!

The Dog. 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.

The Cat. Me too. What will happen? Is there any danger?

The Fairy. Well, I must 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.

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!

Somebody knocks again.

Bread (crying). I don’t want to die at the end of the journey! I want to get back into my pan!

Fire.

Water (trying to get into the tap). I can’t get into the tap!

Sugar. Where is my packing-paper[13 - packing-paper – обёртка]?

Milk. Where is my little jug?

The Fairy. What fools they are! Fools and cowards too! So you prefer to live 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).

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.

Somebody knocks violently.

Tyltyl (listening). There’s daddy again! I can hear him.

The Fairy.