at have you done to the house?" he asked. "It's just
as it was, but it's much prettier."

His parents looked at each other in bewilderment; and the little boy
went on:

"Why, yes, everything has been painted and made to look like new;
everything is clean and polished.... And look at the forest outside
the window!... How big and fine it is!... One would think it was quite
new!... How happy I feel here, oh, how happy I feel!"

The worthy woodcutter and his wife could not make out what was coming
over their son; but you, my dear little readers, who have followed
Tyltyl and Mytyl through their beautiful dream, will have guessed what
it was that altered everything in our young hero's view.

It was not for nothing that the Fairy, in his dream, had given him a
talisman to open his eyes. He had learned to see the beauty of things
around him; he had passed through trials that had developed his
courage; while pursuing the Blue Bird, the Bird of Happiness that was
to bring happiness to the Fairy's little girl, he had become
open-handed and so good-natured that the mere thought of giving
pleasure to others filled his heart with joy. And, while travelling
through endless, wonderful, imaginary regions, his mind had opened out
to life.

The boy was right, when he thought everything more beautiful, for, to
his richer and purer understanding, everything must needs seem
infinitely fairer than before.

Meanwhile, Tyltyl continued his joyful inspection of the cottage. He
leaned over the bread-pan to speak a kind word to the Loaves; he
rushed at Tylo, who was sleeping in his basket, and congratulated him
on the good fight which he had made in the forest.

Mytyl stooped down to stroke Tylette, who was snoozing by the stove,
and said:

"Well, Tylette?... You know me, I see, but you have stopped talking."

Then Tyltyl put his hand up to his forehead:

"Hullo!" he cried. "The diamond's gone!... Who's taken my little green
hat?... Never mind, I don't want it any more!... Ah, there's Fire!
Good-morning, sir! He'll be crackling to make Water angry!" He ran to
the tap, turned it on and bent down over the water. "Good-morning,
Water, good-morning!... What does she say?... She still talks, but I
don't understand her as well as I did.... Oh, how happy I am, how
happy I am!..."

"So am I, so am I!" cried Mytyl.

And our two young friends took each other's hands and began to scamper
round the kitchen.

Mummy Tyl felt a little relieved