TheNightingale夜鶯

TheEmperorofChinaisaChinaman,asyoumostlikelyknow,andeveryonearound

himisaChinamantoo.It'sbeenagreatmanyyearssincethisstoryhappenedin

China,butthat'sallthemorereasonfortellingitbeforeitgetsforgotten.

TheEmperor1spalacewasthewonderoftheworld.Itwasmadeentirelyoffine

porcelain,extremelyexpensivebutsodelicatethatyoucouldtouchitonlywith

thegreatestofcare.Inthegardentherarestflowersbloomed,andtotheprettiest

onesweretiedlittlesilverbellswhichtinkledsothatnoonecouldpassbywithout

noticingthem.Yes,allthingswerearrangedaccordingtoplanintheEmperor,s

garden,thoughhowfarandwideitextendednoteventhegardenerknew.Ifyouwalked

onandon,youcametoafineforestwherethetreesweretallandthelakeswere

deep.Theforestrandowntothedeepbluesea,soclosethattallshipscouldsail

underthebranchesofthetrees.Inthesetreesanightingalelived.Hissongwas

soravishingthateventhepoorfisherman,whohadmuchelsetodo,stoppedtolisten

onthenightswhenhewentouttocasthisnets,andheardthenightingale.

〃Howbeautifulthatis,〃hesaid,buthehadhisworktoattendto,andhewould

forgetthebird，ssong.Butthenextnight,whenheheardthesonghewouldagain

say,〃Howbeautiful.

FromallthecountriesintheworldtravelerscametothecityoftheEmperor.They

admiredthecity.Theyadmiredthepalaceanditsgarden,butwhentheyheardthe

nightingaletheysaid,“Thatisthebestofall.”

Andthetravelerstoldofitwhentheycamehome,andmenoflearningwrotemany

booksaboutthetown,aboutthepalace,andaboutthegarden.Buttheydidnotforget

thenightingale.Theypraisedhimhighestofall,andthosewhowerepoetswrote

magnificentpoemsaboutthenightingalewholivedintheforestbythedeepsea.

Thesebookswentalltheworldover,andsomeofthemcameeventotheEmperorof

China.Hesatinhisgoldenchairandread,noddinghisheadindelightoversuch

glowingdescriptionsofhiscity,andpalace,andgarden.Butthenightingaleis

thebestofall.Hereaditinprint.

〃What'sthis?”theEmperorexclaimed.〃Idon，tknowofanynightingale.Canthere

besuchabirdinmyempire-inmyowngarden-andInotknowit?TothinkthatIshould

havetolearnofitoutofabook.〃

ThereuponhecalledhisLord-in-Waiting,whowassoexaltedthatwhenanyoneoflower

rankdaredspeaktohim,oraskhimaquestion,heonlyanswered,〃P〃，whichmeans

nothingatall.

“Theysaythere'samostremarkablebirdcalledthenightingale,saidtheEmperor.

“Theysayit'sthebestthinginal1myempire.Whyhaven，tIbeentoldaboutit?”

z，rveneverheardthenamementioned,z，saidtheLord-in-Waiting."Hehasn'tbeen

presentedatcourt.〃

〃Icommandthatheappearbeforemethisevening,andsing,〃saidtheEmperor."The

wholeworldknowsmypossessionsbetterthanIdo!〃

〃Ineverheardofhimbefore,〃saidtheLord-in-Waiting."ButIshalllookforhim.

fl!findhim.〃

Butwhere?TheLord-in-Waitingranupstairsanddownstairs,throughalltherooms

andcorridors,butnoonehemetwithhadeverheardtellofthenightingale.So

theLord-in-WaitingranbacktotheEmperor,andsaiditmustbeastoryinvented

bythosewhowritebooks."YourImperialMajestywouldscarcelybelievehowmuch

ofwhatiswrittenisfiction,ifnotdownrightblackart.〃

“ButthebookIreadwassentmebythemightyEmperorofJapan,〃saidtheEmperor.

^Thereforeitcan，tbeapackoflies.Imusthearthisnightingale.Iinsistupon

hisbeingherethisevening.Hehasmyhighimperialfavor,andifheisnot

forthcomingIwillhavethewholecourtpunchedinthestomach,directlyafter

supper.，z

〃Tsing-pe!”saidtheLord-in-Waiting,andoffhescurriedupthestairs,through

alltheroomsandcorridors.Andhalfthecourtranwithhim,fornoonewantedto

bepunchedinthestomachaftersupper.

Therewasmuchquestioningastothewhereaboutsofthisremarkablenightingale,

whowassowellknowneverywhereintheworldexceptathome.Atlasttheyfound

apoorlittlekitchengirl,whosaid:

“Thenightingale?Iknowhimwell.Yes,indeedhecansing.EveryeveningIgetleave

tocarryscrapsfromtabletomysickmother.Shelivesdownbytheshore.WhenI

startbackIamtired,andrestinthewoods.ThenIhearthenightingalesing.It

bringstearstomyeyes.It'sasifmymotherwerekissingme.〃

“Littlekitchengirl,〃saidtheLord-in-Waiting,〃I'11haveyouappointedscullion

forlife.I*11evengetpermissionforyoutowatchtheEmperordine,ifyou'11take

ustothenightingalewhoiscommandedtoappearatcourtthisevening.〃

Sotheywentintotheforestwherethenightingaleusuallysang.Halfthecourtwent

along.Onthewaytotheforestacowbegantomoo.

〃0h,〃criedacourtier,“thatmustbeit.Whatapowerfulvoiceforacreatureso

small,rmsureI'veheardhersingbefore.，z

〃No,that'sthecowlowing,saidthelittlekitchengirl.〃Westillhavealong

waytogo.〃

Thenthefrogsinthemarshbegantocroak.

“Glorious!”saidtheChinesecourtperson."NowIhearit-likechurchbellsringing.〃

〃No,that，sthefrogs,saidthelittlekitchengirl."ButIthinkweshallhear

himsoon.〃

Thenthenightingalesang.

"That'sit,〃saidthelittlekitchengirl."Listen,listen!Andyonderhesits.〃

Shepointedtoalittlegraybirdhighupinthebranches.

〃Isitpossible?”criedtheLord-inWaiting."Well,Ineverwouldhavethoughthe

lookedlikethat,sounassuming.Buthehasprobablyturnedpaleatseeingsomany

importantpeoplearoundhim.〃

“Littlenightingale,，zthekitchengirlcalledtohim,〃ourgraciousEmperorwants

tohearyousing.〃

“Withthegreatestofpleasure,z，answeredthenightingale,andburstintosong.

“Verysimilartothesoundofglassbells,saidtheLord-in-Waiting."Justseehis

littlethroat,howbusilyitthrobs.I'mastoundedthatwehaveneverheardhimbefore,

rmsurehe'llbeagreatsuccessatcourt.”

“ShallIsingtotheEmperoragain?”askedthenightingale,forhethoughtthatthe

Emperorwaspresent.

〃Mygoodlittlenightingale,，zsaidtheLord-in-Waiting,〃Ihavethehonortocommand

yourpresenceatacourtfunctionthisevening,whereyou，11delightHisMajesty

theEmperorwithyourcharmingsong.〃

〃Mysongsoundsbestinthewoods,〃saidthenightingale,buthewentwiththem

willinglywhenhehearditwastheEmperor'swish.

Thepalacehadbeenespeciallypolishedfortheoccasion.Theporcelainwallsand

floorsshoneintheraysofmanygoldlamps.Theflowerswithtinklingbellsonthem

hadbeenbroughtintothehalls,andtherewassuchacommotionofcomingandgoing

thatallthebellschimedawayuntilyoucouldscarcelyhearyourselftalk.

Inthemiddleofthegreatthroneroom,wheretheEmperorsat,therewasagolden

perchforthenightingale.Thewholecourtwasthere,andtheyletthelittlekitchen

girlstandbehindthedoor,nowthatshehadbeenappointed“ImperialPot-Walloper.，z

Everyonewasdressedinhisbest,andallstaredatthelittlegraybirdtowhich

theEmperorgraciouslynodded.

AndthenightingalesangsosweetlythattearscameintotheEmperor'seyesandrolled

downhischeeks.Thenthenightingalesangstillmoresweetly,anditwasthe

Emperor'sheartthatmelted.TheEmperorwassotouchedthathewantedhisowngolden

slipperhungroundthenightingale'sneck,butthenightingaledeclineditwith

thanks.Hehadalreadybeenamplyrewarded.

〃IhaveseentearsintheEmperor，seyes,“hesaid."Nothingcouldsurpassthat.

AnEmperor'stearsarestrangelypowerful.Ihavemyreward.Andhesangagain,

gloriously.

〃It'sthemostcharmingcoquetryweeverheard,“saidtheladies-in-waiting.And

theytookwaterintheirmouthssotheycouldgurglewhenanyonespoketothem,hoping

torivalthenightingale.Eventhelackeysandchambermaidssaidtheyweresatisfied,

whichwassayingagreatdeal,fortheywerethehardesttoplease.Unquestionably

thenightingalewasasuccess.Hewastostayatcourt,andhavehisowncage.He

hadpermissiontogoforawalktwiceaday,andonceanight.Twelvefootmenattended

him,eachoneholdingtighttoaribbontiedtothebird，sleg.Therewasn'tmuch

funinsuchoutings.

Thewholetowntalkedaboutthemarvelousbird,andiftwopeoplemet,onecould

scarcelysay"night“beforetheothersaid"gale,〃andthentheywouldsighinunison,

withnoneedforwords.Elevenpork-butchers'childrenwerenamed"nightingale,“

butnotonecouldsing.

OnedaytheEmperorreceivedalargepackagelabeled“TheNightingale.，z

“Thismustbeanotherbookaboutmycelebratedbird,〃hesaid.Butitwasnotabook.

Intheboxwasaworkofart,anartificialnightingalemostliketherealoneexcept

thatitwasencrustedwithdiamonds,rubiesandsapphires.Whenitwaswound,the

artificialbirdcouldsingoneofthenightingale'ssongswhileitwaggedits

glitteringgoldandsilvertail.Rounditsneckhungaribboninscribed:"TheEmperor

ofJapan5snightingaleisapoorthingcomparedwiththatoftheEmperorofChina.

“Isn'tthatnice?”everyonesaid,andthemanwhohadbroughtthecontraptionwas

immediatelypromotedtobez，Imperial-Nightingale-Fetcher-in-Chief.〃

“Nowlet'shavethemsingtogether.Whataduetthatwillbe,〃saidthecourtiers.

Sotheyhadtosingtogether,butitdidn，tturnoutsowell,fortherealnightingale

sangwhatevercameintohisheadwhiletheimitationbirdsangbyrote.

“That'snotthenewcomer'sfault,“saidthemusicmaster.〃Hekeepsperfecttime,

justasIhavetaughthim.”

Thentheyhadtheimitationbirdsingbyitself.Itmetwiththesamesuccessas

therealnightingale,andbesidesitwasmuchprettiertosee,allsparklinglike

braceletsandbreastpins.Threeandthirtytimesitsangtheselfsamesongwithout

tiring.Thecourtierswouldgladlyhavehearditagain,buttheEmperorsaidthe

realnightingaleshouldnowhavehisturn.Wherewashe?Noonehadnoticedhimflying

outtheopenwindow,backtohishomeinthegreenforest.

“Butwhatmadehimdothat?”saidtheEmperor.

Allthecourtiersslanderedthenightingale,whomtheycalledamostungrateful

wretch."Luckilywehavethebestbird,〃theysaid,andmadetheimitationonesing

again.Thatwasthethirty-fourthtimetheyhadheardthesametune,buttheydidn't

quiteknowitbyheartbecauseitwasadifficultpiece.Andthemusicmasterpraised

theartificialbirdbeyondmeasure.Yes,hesaidthatthecontraptionwasmuchbetter

thantherealnightingale,notonlyinitsdressanditsmanybeautifuldiamonds,

butalsoinitsmechanicalinterior.

“Yousee,ladiesandgentlemen,andaboveallYourImperialMajesty,withareal

nightingaleoneneverknowswhattoexpect,butwiththisartificialbirdeverything

goesaccordingtoplan.Nothingislefttochance.Icanexplainitandtakeitto

pieces,andshowhowthemechanicalwheelsarearranged,howtheygoaround,and

howonefollowsafteranother.

“Thoseareoursentimentsexactly,saidtheyall,andthemusicmasterwascommanded

tohavethebirdgiveapublicconcertnextSunday.TheEmperorsaidthathispeople

shouldhearit.Andhearittheydid,withasmuchpleasureasiftheyhadallgotten

tipsyontea,Chinesefashion.Everyonesaid,〃0h,〃andheldupthefingerwecall

“lickpot,〃andnoddedhishead.Butthepoorfishermenwhohadheardthereal

nightingalesaid,“Thisisverypretty,verynearlytherealthing,butnotquite.

Ican，timaginewhat'slacking.

Therealnightingalehadbeenbanishedfromtheland.Initsplace,theartificial

birdsatonacushionbesidetheEmperor'sbed.Allitsgoldandjeweledpresents

layaboutit,anditstitlewasnow"GrandImperialSinger-of-the-Emperor-to-s1eep.

Inrankitstoodfirstfromtheleft,fortheEmperorgavepreeminencetotheleft

sidebecauseoftheheart.EvenanEmperor'sheartisontheleft.

Themusicmasterwroteatwenty-five-volumebookabouttheartificialbird.Itwas

learned,long-winded,andfullofhardChinesewords,yeteverybodysaidtheyread

andunderstoodit,lesttheyshowthemselvesstupidandwouldthenhavebeenpunched

intheirstomachs.

AfterayeartheEmperor,hiscourt,andalltheotherChinamenkneweverytwitter

oftheartificialsongbyheart.Theylikeditallthebetternowthattheycould

singitthemselves.Whichtheydid.Thestreeturchinssang,“Zizizi!kluk,kluk,

kluk,〃andtheEmperorsangittoo.That'showpopularitwas.

Butonenight,whiletheartificialbirdwassinginghisbestbytheEmperor'sbed,

somethinginsidethebirdbrokewithatwang.Whir-r-r,allthewheelsrandownand

themusicstopped.OutofbedjumpedtheEmperorandsentforhisownphysician,

butwhatcouldhedo?Thenhesentforawatchmaker,whoconferred,andinvestigated,

andpatchedupthebirdafterafashion.Butthewatchmakersaidthatthebirdmust

besparedtoomuchexertion,forthecogswerebadlywornandifhereplacedthem

itwouldspoilthetune.Thiswasterrible.Onlyonceayearcouldtheyletthebird

sing,andthatwasalmosttoomuchforit.Butthemusicmastermadealittlespeech

fullofhardChinesewordswhichmeantthatthebirdwasasgoodasiteverwas.

Sothatmadeitasgoodasever.

Fiveyearspassedby,andarealsorrowbefellthewholecountry.TheChinamenloved

theirEmperor,andnowhefellill.Illuntodeath,itwassaid.AnewEmperorwas

choseninreadiness.PeoplestoodinthepalacestreetandaskedtheLord-in-Waiting

howitwentwiththeirEmperor.

〃P,〃saidhe,andshookhishead.

ColdandpalelaytheEmperorinhisgreatmagnificentbed.Allthecourtiersthought

hewasdead,andwenttodohomagetothenewEmperor.Thelackeyswentofftotrade

gossip,andthechambermaidsgaveacoffeepartybecauseitwassuchaspecial

occasion.Deepmatswerelaidinalltheroomsandpassageways,tomuffleeach

footstep.Itwasquietinthepalace,deadquiet.ButtheEmperorwasnotyetdead.

Stiffandpalehelay,inhismagnificentbedwiththelongvelvetcurtainsandthe

heavygoldtassels.Highinthewallwasanopenwindow,throughwhichmoonlight

fellontheEmperorandhisartificialbird.

ThepoorEmperorcouldhardlybreathe.Itwasasifsomethingweresittingonhis

chest.OpeninghiseyeshesawitwasDeathwhosatthere,wearingtheEmperor，s

crown,handlingtheEmperor'sgoldsword,andcarryingtheEmperor'ssilkbanner.

Amongthefoldsofthegreatvelvetcurtainstherewerestrangelyfamiliarfaces.

Somewerehorrible,othersgentleandkind.TheyweretheEmperor'sdeeds,goodand

bad,whocamebacktohimnowthatDeathsatonhisheart.

“Don'tyouremember-？〃theywhisperedoneaftertheother."Don'tyouremember-?"7

Andtheytoldhimofthingsthatmadethecoldsweatrunonhisforehead.

〃No,Iwillnotremember!，zsaidtheEmperor."Music,music,soundthegreatdrum

ofChinalestIhearwhattheysay!”Buttheywentonwhispering,andDeathnodded,

Chinesefashion,ateveryword.

“Music,music!zztheEmperorcalled."Sing,mypreciouslittlegoldenbird,sing!

Ihavegivenyougoldandpreciouspresents.Ihavehungmygoldenslipperaround

yourneck.Sing,Iprayyou,sing!”

Butthebirdstoodsilent.Therewasnoonetowindit,nothingtomakeitsing.

Deathkeptstaringthroughhisgreatholloweyes,anditwasquiet,deadlyquiet.

Suddenly,throughthewindowcameaburstofsong.Itwasthelittlelivenightingale

whosatoutsideonaspray.HehadheardoftheEmperor'splight,andhadcometo

singofcomfortandhope.Ashesang,thephantomsgrewpale,andstillmorepale,

andthebloodflowedquickerandquickerthroughtheEmperor5sfeeblebody.Even

Deathlistened,andsaid,〃Goon,littlenightingale,goon!〃

“But,〃saidthelittlenightingale,“willyougivebackthatsword,thatbanner,

thatEmperor，scrown?”

AndDeathgavebackthesetreasuresforasong.Thenightingalesangon.Itsang

ofthequietchurchyardwherewhiterosesgrow,wheretheelderflowersmakethe

airsweet,andwherethegrassisalwaysgreen,wetwiththetearsofthosewhoare

stillalive.Deathlongedforhisgarden.Outthroughthewindowsdriftedacold

graymist,asDeathdeparted.

“Thankyou,thankyou!”theEmperorsaid."Littlebirdfrom