othes,
kept his dog-collar, but not his lead. What was to be done? He was
once more in despair, when he saw Water lying on a sofa and playing,
in an absent-minded sort of way, with her long strings of coral. He
ran up to her as prettily as he could and, after paying her a heap of
compliments, begged her to lend him her biggest necklace. She was in a
good temper and not only did what he asked, but was kind enough to
fasten the end of the coral string to his collar. Tylo gaily went up
to his master, handed him this necklace chain and, kneeling at his
feet, said:

"Take me with you like this, my little god! Men never say a word to a
poor dog when he is on his chain!"

"Alas, even like this, you cannot come!" said Light, who was much
touched by this act of self-sacrifice; and, to cheer him up, she told
him that fate would soon provide a trial for the Children in which his
assistance would be of great use.

As she spoke these words, she touched the emerald wall, which opened
to let her pass through with the Children.

Her chariot was waiting outside the entrance to the temple. It was a
lovely shell of jade, inlaid with gold. They all three took their
seats; and the two great white birds harnessed to it at once flew off
through the clouds. The chariot travelled very fast; and they were not
long on the road, much to the regret of the Children, who were
enjoying themselves and laughing like anything; but other and even
more beautiful surprises awaited them.

The clouds vanished around them; and, suddenly, they found themselves
in a dazzling azure palace. Here, all was blue: the light, the
flagstones, the columns, the vaults; everything, down to the smallest
objects, was of an intense and fairy-like blue. There was no seeing
the end of the palace; the eyes were lost in the infinite sapphire
vistas.

"How lovely it all is!" said Tyltyl, who could not get over his
astonishment. "Goodness me, how lovely!... Where are we?"

"We are in the Kingdom of the Future," said Light, "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 perhaps find
the Blue Bird here.... Look! Look at the children running up!"

From every side came bands of little children dressed from head to
foot in blue; they had beautiful dark or golden hair and they were all
exquisitely pretty. They shouted gleefully:

"Live Children!... Come and look at the little Live C