ned to his
employment with a downcast air. When one of them was accepted, the
others looked at him with envy. Now and then, something happened, as
when the hero who was to fight against injustice refused to go. He
clung to his playfellows, who called out to Time:

"He doesn't want to, Sir!"

"No, I don't want to go," cried the little fellow, with all his might.
"I would rather not be born."

"And quite right too!" thought Tyltyl, who was full of common-sense
and who knew what things are like on earth.

For people always get beatings which they have not deserved; and, when
they have done wrong, you may be sure that the punishment will fall on
one of their innocent friends.

"I wouldn't care to be in his place," said our friend to himself. "I
would rather hunt for the Blue Bird, any day!"

Meanwhile, the little seeker after justice went away sobbing,
frightened out of his life by Mr. Time.

The excitement was now at its height. The Children ran all over the
hall: those who were going packed up their inventions; those who were
staying behind had a thousand requests to make:

"Will you write to me?"

"They say one can't!"

"Oh, try, do try!"

"Announce my idea!"

"Good-bye, Jean.... Good-bye, Pierre!"

"Have you forgotten anything?"

"Don't lose your ideas!"

"Try to tell us if it's nice!"

"Enough! Enough!" roared Time, in a huge voice, shaking his big keys
and his terrible scythe, "Enough! The anchor's weighed...."

Then the Children climbed into the gold galley, with the beautiful
white silk sails. They waved their hands again to the little friends
whom they were leaving behind them; but, on seeing the earth in the
distance, they cried out, gladly:

"Earth! Earth!... I can see it!..."

"How bright it is!..."

"How big it is!..."

And, at the same time, as though coming from the abyss, a song rose, a
distant song of gladness and expectation.

Light, who was listening with a smile, saw the look of astonishment on
Tyltyl's face and bent over him:

"It is the song of the mothers coming out to meet them," she said.

At that moment, Time, who had shut the doors, saw our friends and
rushed at them angrily, shaking his scythe at them.

"Hurry!" said Light. "Hurry! Take the Blue Bird, Tyltyl, and go in
front of me with Mytyl."

She put into the boy's arms a bird which she held hidden under her
cloak and, all radiant, spreading her dazzling veil with her two
hands, she ran on, protecting her ch