The Nightingale Page #2

"The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Andersen is a charming children's tale that narrates the story of an emperor who loves the captivating song of the nightingale. Hearing the bird's beautiful tune, he invites it to live with him in his palace. However, when he's gifted a mechanical nightingale, he loses interest in the real one, setting off a series of events that underline themes of authenticity, nature's superiority over artificiality, and the healing power of song. The story illustrates the timeless allure of genuine beauty and simplicity.

• Children

								

bells tinkled so loudly that no one could speak to be heard. In the
centre of the great hall, a golden perch had been fixed for the
nightingale to sit on. The whole court was present, and the little
kitchen-maid had received permission to stand by the door. She was not
installed as a real court cook. All were in full dress, and every
eye was turned to the little gray bird when the emperor nodded to
her to begin. The nightingale sang so sweetly that the tears came into
the emperor's eyes, and then rolled down his cheeks, as her song
became still more touching and went to every one's heart. The
emperor was so delighted that he declared the nightingale should
have his gold slipper to wear round her neck, but she declined the
honor with thanks: she had been sufficiently rewarded already. "I have
seen tears in an emperor's eyes," she said, "that is my richest
reward. An emperor's tears have wonderful power, and are quite
sufficient honor for me;" and then she sang again more enchantingly
than ever.

"That singing is a lovely gift;" said the ladies of the court to
each other; and then they took water in their mouths to make them
utter the gurgling sounds of the nightingale when they spoke to any
one, so that they might fancy themselves nightingales. And the footmen
and chambermaids also expressed their satisfaction, which is saying
a great deal, for they are very difficult to please. In fact the
nightingale's visit was most successful. She was now to remain at
court, to have her own cage, with liberty to go out twice a day, and
once during the night. Twelve servants were appointed to attend her on
these occasions, who each held her by a silken string fastened to
her leg. There was certainly not much pleasure in this kind of flying.

The whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, and when two people
met, one said "nightin," and the other said "gale," and they
understood what was meant, for nothing else was talked of. Eleven
peddlers' children were named after her, but not of them could sing
a note.

One day the emperor received a large packet on which was written
"The Nightingale." "Here is no doubt a new book about our celebrated
bird," said the emperor. But instead of a book, it was a work of art
contained in a casket, an artificial nightingale made to look like a
living one, and covered all over with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.
As soon as the artificial bird was wound up, it could sing like the
real one, and could move its tail up and down, which sparkled with
silver and gold. Round its neck hung a piece of ribbon, on which was
written "The Emperor of China's nightingale is poor compared with that
of the Emperor of Japan's."

"This is very beautiful," exclaimed all who saw it, and he who had
brought the artificial bird received the title of "Imperial
nightingale-bringer-in-chief."

"Now they must sing together," said the court, "and what a duet it
will be." But they did not get on well, for the real nightingale
sang in its own natural way, but the artificial bird sang only
waltzes.

"That is not a fault," said the music-master, "it is quite perfect
to my taste," so then it had to sing alone, and was as successful as
the real bird; besides, it was so much prettier to look at, for it
sparkled like bracelets and breast-pins. Three and thirty times did it
sing the same tunes without being tired; the people would gladly
have heard it again, but the emperor said the living nightingale ought
to sing something. But where was she? No one had noticed her when
she flew out at the open window, back to her own green woods.

"What strange conduct," said the emperor, when her flight had been
discovered; and all the courtiers blamed her, and said she was a
very ungrateful creature.

"But we have the best bird after all," said one, and then they
would have the bird sing again, although it was the thirty-fourth time
they had listened to the same piece, and even then they had not learnt
it, for it was rather difficult. But the music-master praised the bird
in the highest degree, and even asserted that it was better than a
real nightingale, not only in its dress and the beautiful diamonds,
but also in its musical power. "For you must perceive, my chief lord
and emperor, that with a real nightingale we can never tell what is
going to be sung, but with this bird everything is settled. It can
be opened and explained, so that people may understand how the waltzes
are formed, and why one note follows upon another."

"This is exactly what we think," they all replied, and then the
music-master received permission to exhibit the bird to the people
on the following Sunday, and the emperor commanded that they should be
present to hear it sing. When they heard it they were like people
intoxicated; however it must have been with drinking tea, which is
quite a Chinese custom. They all said "Oh!" and held up their
forefingers and nodded, but a poor fisherman, who had heard the real
nightingale, said, "it sounds prettily enough, and the melodies are
all alike; yet there seems something wanting, I cannot exactly tell
what."

And after this the real nightingale was banished from the
empire, and the artificial bird placed on a silk cushion close to
the emperor's bed. The presents of gold and precious stones which
had been received with it were round the bird, and it was now advanced
to the title of "Little Imperial Toilet Singer," and to the rank of
No. 1 on the left hand; for the emperor considered the left side, on
which the heart lies, as the most noble, and the heart of an emperor
is in the same place as that of other people.

The music-master wrote a work, in twenty-five volumes, about the
artificial bird, which was very learned and very long, and full of the
most difficult Chinese words; yet all the people said they had read
it, and understood it, for fear of being thought stupid and having
their bodies trampled upon.

So a year passed, and the emperor, the court, and all the other
Chinese knew every little turn in the artificial bird's song; and
for that same reason it pleased them better. They could sing with
the bird, which they often did. The street-boys sang, "Zi-zi-zi,
cluck, cluck, cluck," and the emperor himself could sing it also. It
was really most amusing.

One evening, when the artificial bird was singing its best, and
the emperor lay in bed listening to it, something inside the bird
sounded "whizz." Then a spring cracked. "Whir-r-r-r" went all the
wheels, running round, and then the music stopped. The emperor
immediately sprang out of bed, and called for his physician; but
what could he do? Then they sent for a watchmaker; and, after a
great deal of talking and examination, the bird was put into something
like order; but he said that it must be used very carefully, as the
barrels were worn, and it would be impossible to put in new ones
without injuring the music. Now there was great sorrow, as the bird
could only be allowed to play once a year; and even that was dangerous
for the works inside it. Then the music-master made a little speech,
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