Mummy Tyl felt a little relieved at seeing them so full of life and spirits. Besides, Daddy Tyl was so calm and placid. He sat eating his porridge and laughing:
"You see, they are playing at being happy!" he said.
Of course, the poor dear man did not know that a wonderful dream had taught his little children not to play at being happy, but to be happy, which is the greatest and most difficult of lessons.
"I like Light best of all," said Tyltyl to Mytyl, standing on tip-toe by the window. "You can see her over there, through the trees of the forest. To-night, she will be in the lamp. Dear, oh, dear, how lovely it all is and how glad I feel, how glad I...."
He stopped and listened. Everybody lent an ear. They heard laughter and merry voices; and the sounds came nearer.
"It's her voice!" cried Tyltyl. "Let me open the door!"
As a matter of fact, it was the little girl, with her mother, Neighbor Berlingot.
"Look at her," said Goody Berlingot, quite overcome with joy. "She can run, she can dance, she can fly! It's a miracle! When she saw the bird, she jumped, just like that...."
And Goody Berlingot hopped from one leg to the other at the risk of falling and breaking her long, hooked nose.
The Children clapped their hands and everybody laughed.