The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-14
1.-THE BLUE BIRD"
Fairy Play to Be Given at Academy
Hall Saturday Afternoon.


Maeterlinck's fairy play, "The
Blue Bird" which is to be given in
Academy Hall, Saturday afternoon
at 2.30 p. m, May II, has a special
appeal for boys nd girls The fol
lowing story of the play, told in
language which young readers Will
appreciate was prepared by a wo-
man writer for the management OF
the New Theater, New York, during
the run of the play at that house.
Out of all the myriads of birds
that fly through the sky there is one
bird. blue as the sky ITSELF and this
bird, the fairies tell us, brings to its
possessor that which is mostly de-
sired-in fact, it is the secret OF hap
piness. The Fairy hobbled in on
Christmas eve and sent Tyltyle and
Mytyl to- search the world over I'M
til they should find the marvellous
bird that was to cure little sich
girl.
Best of all she furnished them
with the magic diamond that is more
useful than the strongest microscope
that ever was invented, for just one
turn will enable the children to see
things as they really are inside, even
down to the bottom of their souls. 1t
would take far too long to tell what
everything in that room is really like
when Tyltyl has turned the diamond
Even when you see it you can
scarcely look fast enough from one
wonder to another. AS the walls
glow and twinkle like opals in the
sun, the clock doors open and out
trip the laughing, dancing Hours.
Fire comes leaping out of the chin
ney, and Water wells up out of the
barrel, and they fly about after each
other in a curious whirling sort OF
dance, trying to put each other out,
like the natural enemies they are.
Bread rolls out of the bread bowl
and careens about the room.
Sugars chief charm lies in his hands
the fingers of which he breaks of
with a snap whenever Tyltyl and
Mytyl want bit of barley sugar to
suck. Milk looks just as Mytyl de-
scribes her, "a frightened lady in a
white nightgown," but she is so
sweet and pure that the most care
full doctor in the world could find
nothing to modify.
After Sugar and Milk have shown
what they are really like, Cat and
Dog wake up-I mean, really wake
all the. way up, so that you know all
there is to be known about them
Cat soon let's us see why ii is we
have never fully trusted him, even
when he purred most demurely. Dog
is Just as adorable in truth as he is
in seeming. From the moment he
leaps out of his basket and banks out
his eager worship of his little mas
ter. you know that you have always
supplied the right words for his
clamorous, leaping caresses.
The last wonderful thing that hap
pens is the lighted lamp drops down
from the wall and in its place stands
the soul of Light, a lovely being,
who proves a wise and true friend to
the children on their daring journey.
The Fairy cuts short the revelry OF
the newly awakened things and ami
mails. and hurries them off to find
the Blue Bird. She sends them
through the window, so that no one
shall see them getting of, and she
very thoughtfully leaves some shad-
ows in the bed. so that when Daddy
and Nanny Tyl come in a moment
later they suppose their boy ana
girl are sleeping quietly
Before you know ii, there they are
in the Fairy's palace, somewhere a
little this side Of the moon. or
course, il is a palace because that is
the name of ii, but il IL weren't Tor
that you might think IL was the in
eide curve OF wave OF the sea
The walls seem to be built of filmy
spheres that look as If they might
be new worlds. not yet old enough to
be real. and through them you can
see the moon. very large and impress
sive, because 1t is so near. IL is a
the fairy palace. while the children
are dressing that you hear the things
and animals. instigated by the trea-
cherOus Cat. plotting against the
children. But Cat is not allowed
even to mention his nefarious
scheme. for the faithful Dog banks
out his loyal love and devotion. and
declares that he will let no harm
come to them.
The Fairy gives everyone direct
ions and other equipments for the
journey. as she is not to 60 herself.
First Of all. she sends Tyltyl and
Mytyi by themselves to the Land Of