now. That is why we retain a
remnant of independence; but, if he finds the Blue Bird, he will know
all, he will see all and we shall be completely at his mercy....
Remember the time when we wandered at liberty upon the face of the
earth!..." But, suddenly her face changed, her voice sank to a whisper
and she hissed, "Look out! I hear the Fairy and Light coming. I need
hardly tell you that Light has taken sides with Man and means to stand
by him; she is our worst enemy.... Be careful!"

But our friends had had no practice in trickery and, feeling
themselves in the wrong, took up such ridiculous and uncomfortable
attitudes that the Fairy, the moment she appeared upon the threshold,
exclaimed:

"What are you doing in that corner?... You look like a pack of
conspirators!"

Quite scared and thinking that the Fairy had already guessed their
wicked intentions, they fell upon their knees before her. Luckily for
them, the Fairy hardly gave a thought to what was passing through
their little minds. She had come to explain the first part of the
journey to the Children and to tell each of the others what to do.
Tyltyl and Mytyl stood hand in hand in front of her, looking a little
frightened and a little awkward in their fine clothes. They stared at
each other in childish admiration.

The little girl was wearing a yellow silk frock embroidered with pink
posies and covered with gold spangles. On her head was a lovely orange
velvet cap; and a starched muslin tucker covered her little arms.
Tyltyl was dressed in a red jacket and blue knickerbockers, both of
velvet; and of course he wore the wonderful little hat on his head.

[Illustration: Delighted with the importance of his duty, undid the
top of his robe, drew his scimitar and cut two slices out of his
stomach]

The Fairy said to them:

"It is just possible that the Blue Bird is hiding at your
grandparents' in the Land of Memory; so you will go there first."

"But how shall we see them, if they are dead?" asked Tyltyl.

Then the good Fairy explained that they would not be really dead until
their grandchildren ceased to think of them:

"Men do not know this secret," she added. "But, thanks to the diamond,
you, Tyltyl, will see that the dead whom we remember live as happily
as though they were not dead."

"Are you coming with us?" asked the boy, turning to Light, who stood
in the doorway and lit up all the hall.

"No," said the Fairy. "Light must not look at the past. H