Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-27
ADJUSTMENTS
The Story of 1.-THE Blue Bird" Being
Shown at the Colonial Today

IN this masterpiece, Maeterlinck has
turned the light upon Life. drawn aside
III Veil Of the future. and has given J.
vivid reminder Of the past. he mas
shown that the pursuit of happiness
leads to all quarters Of the globe, when,
as matter Of fact. true happiness IS
at our doors unrecognlzcd Every
thing in our daily life. including IRE,
water, bread, sugar, milk, etc, Is
personified. and a soul given to all. Inc
thread of the story is carried by two
children. who go in quest of the Blue
Bird-meaning Happiness.
The day before Christmas two very
human little children, little boy named
Tyltyl and his sister Mytyl, the chill
! dren of Daddy Tyl and Mummy Tyl,
peasants. were envious of the prospect
| tn of the rich children who lived near
| BY. Madam Berlingot. their neighbor,
| had little daughter who was i'll, and
she asked TyItyl and Mytyl to let her
| little girl have their pet dove. which
she craved, but the children selfishiy
| declined.
| After they are put to bed the Fairy
| Berylune appears and by means Of
magic diamond shows them the souls
! of all things, which come to life in the
shape Of symboiical figures. Even the
cat and the dog are given the power Of
speech The fairy then takes the chill
| dren In search of the Blue Bird, and
| they visit the Palace of Night. where
| they meet Sleep and Death and the va
rious sicknesses. the terrible Wars, the
| Stars, the Dew, etc.
| The quest continues to the graveyard.
which they reach at midnight. The
graves open and the dead come to life.
and the cemetery is transformed into
fowery bower. The children again
meet their grandparents, long since de-
parted, who express their JOY that they
| have not been forgotten. Here they
also find their brothers and sisters who
/ have died, and a glad reunion takes
place in Memoryland. These scenes are
obliterated by the Fog of Forgetfu,ness
| and in the Palace of Luxuries a sump-
tuous banquet is in progress. the Lux
uries gorging themselves with the plen-
tiful food. Seated around the table are
the Luxuries of Being Rich, Landowner.
Satisfied Vanity. Drinking When Not
Thirsty, Eating When Not Hungry
Knowing Nothing, Doing Nothing,
Sleeping More Than Necessary, and
Fat Laughter. all Of symbolical types.
The bestial gluttons invite the chill
dren to join them. but Light sheds her
radiance and the banqueters, unable to
Withstand the ptiless glare, take
refuge in the Cavern Of Miseries with
shrieks Of dismay.
| In the Cathedral OF Happiness the
children meet the Joys. including Chill
dren's Happiness, Being Well, Loving
ones Parents, Pure Air. Blue Sky, The
Forest, Sunny Hours, Spring, Rain, and
| Innocent Thoughts. The Great Joys
| then appear, including Being Just, Be
ing Good, Fame. Thinking and the
Peerless joy of Maternal Love, which
is symbolized by the mother of Tyltyl
and Mytyl, and is seen glorihed by
mother love.
IN me azure Palace countless unborn
children await their advent upon the
earth, and at the doors are the mothers
These children represent all classes,
from the humblest worker to the rulens
OF the earth Time opens the gate for
the children born that day, and they
depart equipped with something TO
MAKE .helr marks in the world. for good
or evil.
| Ihe children are. taken home by the
FAIRY their hunt for the Hlhe Bird hav-
ing oeeh fruitiess. Many birds have
Deeh pursued and caught, but they die
! immediately and change colprs. 90 thsti