HAPPINESS
Synopsis
Prologue
The souls of the things – refrigerator, cupboard, sofa and others are blind and serve the Night Queen. They hope for a miracle: that sight will return to them. The character Time says that long ago all was one and indivisible, and there was neither day nor night. And then he had two daughters. But then the whole world was split in two halves, and one of the daughters was destined to become Light and the other - Darkness.
Act 1
The family of the girl called Mytyl and her brother Tyltyl is preparing for celebration of the New Year. They dress the fir tree, lay the table. Suddenly a strange unearthly bird flies into the house from nowhere. A commotion starts, all rush to catch the bird. The bird flies out of the window, followed by the cat Frosya and one of the dogs jumping out. Mytyl brags that she was not frightened by the bird and laughs at her brother, who believes that the bird is magic. Mytyl wants two Santas to come and bring them more gifts. The mother who is about to give birth to another child feels ill. Tyltyl faints from fright and Mytyl tries not to let her mother be taken to hospital: she does not want the baby brother to be born because she believes her mother will love only the baby, and forget about her. An ambulance takes the mother to hospital. The father leaves together with her. Freken Light, the "neighbor from above" comes to look after the children. The children do not want to go to bed. Then Freken Light calls the souls of things who help her to make the children fall into sleep. Freken Light sends the children to particular dream no. 1, where they must find the bird that has flown away. In the dream, the children grow up, and their father becomes small. He cries because he fails to catch the bird. The children promise to catch the bird. But cat Frosya also hunts for the bird, and she rushes at the children. Dad shoots at the cat from a shotgun.
Act 2
Dogs scold the cat for hunting the Blue Bird. The bird is a soul, and if it has flown
away the life of the mother and the unborn child is in danger. Dad comes home to take
mother's dress to the hospital. Left alone, the children remember the dream and realize
that they have dreamt of the same thing. Freken Light tries to send the children to
bed, but they don't want to sleep. Grandfather tells them a tale, the children fall
asleep. Freken Light calls the souls of objects to help her to send the children to a
special dream No. 2. In the dream they see the bird, but cannot catch it. Cat Frosya
declares that she will catch the bird and bring to her mistress – the night queen.
Tyltyl and Mytyl see their mother in the dream. Mother goes away and the children
meet their deceased grandmother and great grandmothers. The grandmothers are
happy that the children have come: they are going to have fun now and will have
somebody to take care of, so they do not let the children go. Grandpa also comes to his
beloved wife in the realm of the dead, but she sends him back: he must save the
children, awaken them, otherwise they will remain in the realm of the dead forever.
Act 3
Tyltyl and Mytyl wake up from a call to the door. Their grandfather has brought two
Santas, Mytyl has dreamed about. Carried away by the gifts, the children forget that
they have to look for the blue bird, rescue their mother. Freken Light reminds them
about it.
Tyltyl and Mytyl run to the hospital. Mother feels quite bad, and the children realize
that the cat has caught the bird. Mytyl knows how to save her mother: to fall asleep,
get to the night queen and take the bird from her. Freken Light warns her that no
one living has come to the night queen and Mytyl may not be able to come back from
there. But it's the only way to save the mother – and Mytyl goes to sleep No. 3.
There she gets to the Night Queen and asks her to return the bird. Mytyl says that she
is to blame for everything – she was against the birth of her brother, and his bird flew
away. But her mother has given her bird, her life to the baby. Now Mytyl is ready to
sacrifice herself and offers her bird to the Night Queen in exchange for her mother's
bird. Mytyl has understood the words of the oldest of the grandmothers: love is
happiness. Love means giving, doing things for the other. Tytyl comes with the same
request, and then the grandfather. Freken Light Time, Tobik and Bobik also ask
the Night Queen. The Night Queen returns the blue bird to Mytyl.
Then comes the morning of the new year.
The father returns from the hospital and joyfully announces that the mother has
successfully given birth to a son, and is happy. The souls of things can see again, and
the sisters - Freken Light and the Night Queen have reconciled.
Everybody is happy.
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