butwhentheyreturnedtotheirfishing,theyforgotthebirduntilthenextnight.thentheywouldhearitagain,andexclaim"oh,howbeautifulisthenightingale'ssong!"

travellersfromeverycountryintheworldcametothecityoftheemperor,whichtheyadmiredverymuch,aswellasthepalaceandgardens;butwhentheyheardthenightingale,theyalldeclaredittobethebestofall.andthetravellers,ontheirreturnhome,relatedwhattheyhadseen;andlearnedmenwrotebooks,containingdescriptionsofthetown,thepalace,andthegardens;buttheydidnotforgetthenightingale,whichwasreallythegreatestdthosewhocouldwritepoetrycomposedbeautifulversesaboutthenightingale,wholivedinaforestnearthedeepsea.thebookstravelledallovertheworld,andsomeofthemcameintothehandsoftheemperor;andhesatinhisgoldenchair,and,asheread,henoddedhisapprovaleverymoment,foritpleasedhimtofindsuchabeautifuldescriptionofhiscity,hispalace,andhisgardens.butwhenhecametothewords,"thenightingaleisthemostbeautifulofall,"heexclaimed,"whatisthis?iknownothingofanynightingale.istheresuchabirdinmyempire?andeveninmygarden?ihaveneverheardofit.something,itappears,maybelearntfrombooks."

thenhecalledoneofhislords-in-waiting,whowassohigh-bred,thatwhenanyinaninferiorranktohimselfspoketohim,oraskedhimaquestion,hewouldanswer,"pooh,"whichmeansnothing.

"thereisaverywonderfulbirdmentionedhere,calledanightingale,"saidtheemperor;"theysayitisthebestthinginmylargekingdom.whyhaveinotbeentoldofit?"

"ihaveneverheardthename,"repliedthecavalier;"shehasnotbeenpresentedatcourt."

"itismypleasurethatsheshallappearthisevening."saidtheemperor;thewholeworldknowswhatipossessbetterthanidomyself."

"ihaveneverheardofher,"saidthecavalier;"yetiwillendeavortofindher."

butwherewasthenightingaletobefound?thenoblemanwentupstairsanddown,throughhallsandpassages;yetnoneofthosewhomhemethadheardofthebird.sohereturnedtotheemperor,andsaidthatitmustbeafable,inventedbythosewhohadwrittenthebook."yourimperialmajesty,"saidhe,"cannotbelieveeverythingcontainedinbooks;sometimestheyareonlyfiction,orwhatiscalledtheblackart."

"butthebookinwhichihavereadthisaccount,"saidtheemperor,"wassenttomebythegreatandmightyemperorofjapan,andthereforeitcannotcontainafalsehood.iwillhearthenightingale,shemustbeherethisevening;shehasmyhighestfavor;andifshedoesnotcome,thewholecourtshallbetrampleduponaftersupperisended."

"tsing-pe!"criedthelord-in-waiting,andagainheranupanddownstairs,throughallthehallsandcorridors;andhalfthecourtranwithhim,fortheydidnotliketheideaofbeingtrampledrewasagreatinquiryaboutthiswonderfulnightingale,whomalltheworldknew,butwhowasunknowntothecourt.

atlasttheymetwithapoorlittlegirlinthekitchen,whosaid,"oh,yes,iknowthenightingalequitewell;indeed,shecanveryeveningihavepermissiontotakehometomypoorsickmotherthescrapsfromthetable;shelivesdownbythesea-shore,andasicomebackifeeltired,andisitdowninthewoodtorest,andlistentothenightingale'ssong.thenthetearscomeintomyeyes,anditisjustasifmymotherkissedme."

"littlemaiden,"saidthelord-in-waiting,"iwillobtainforyouconstantemploymentinthekitchen,andyoushallhavepermissiontoseetheemperordine,ifyouwillleadustothenightingale;forsheisinvitedforthiseveningtothepalace."soshewentintothewoodwherethenightingalesang,andhalfthecourtfollowedher.astheywentalong,acowbeganlowing.

"oh,"saidayoungcourtier,"nowwehavefoundher;whatwonderfulpowerforsuchasmallcreature;ihavecertainlyhearditbefore."

"no,thatisonlyacowlowing,"saidthelittlegirl;"wearealongwayfromtheplaceyet."

thensomefrogsbegantocroakinthemarsh.

"beautiful,"saidtheyoungcourtieragain."nowihearit,tinklinglikelittlechurchbells."

"no,thosearefrogs,"saidthelittlemaiden;"butithinkweshallsoonhearhernow:"andpresentlythenightingalebegantosing.

"hark,hark!