Petrino LAT MEET AND KISS, 35 
wonderful blue feathers that grow on each side 
become the front part of him when he spreads them 
out. You see, they open out like two fans, with the 
handles turned towards each other, and meet to- 
gether on the breast and above the head, so as to 
make one large fan or screen. Of course there is 
something behind this screen, and through it peeps 
the head of the bird, which is very pretty too. But 
you don’t look at his head, you don’t seem to see it. 
All you see or look at are those beautiful, beauti- 
ful plumes, that lovely screen, that wonderful soft 
blue feather-sunset. 
As for the back part of this wonderful Blue Bird 
of Paradise, well, that is blue too, most of it—a 
handsome blue, a lovely blue, a gleaming, shining, 
glossy, satiny blue that looks darker when you see it 
from one side, and lighter when you see it from 
another, and which gleams and glints and is very 
resplendent (which is a word your mother will 
explain to you) however you look at it. Oh, a 
glorious blue, a magnificent blue, but not such a blue 
as the blue of those soft lovely feathers that spread 
out on each side and curl over and meet and kiss 
each other so softly, on the breast. And the head 
and neck of the Blue Bird of Paradise (for some- 
times he puts them behind the screen, and then they 
are the back part of him) are of a soft velvet brown 
