The Nightingale

The Emperor of China forgets the little gray nightingale for a glittering jeweled bird, and she flies back to her green wood. When the Emperor lies cold and ill, with Death at his bedside, the real nightingale returns and sings Death away.

Scene 1: A Song by the Sea

The Nightingale. Long ago, the Emperor of China lived in a palace made all of porcelain. Beyond his garden lay a forest by the deep blue sea. There lived a little gray nightingale. She sang so sweetly that the poor fishermen stopped to listen, and said: “Oh, how beautiful the nightingale’s song is!”

Scene 2: The Emperor Reads a Book

Travelers wrote books about the palace, but said the nightingale was the best of all. When the Emperor read this in his golden chair, he cried: “What is this? I know nothing of any nightingale! She must sing for me tonight!” His lord searched every hall. But no one at court had ever heard of her.

Scene 3: The Little Gray Bird

At last, a poor little kitchen girl said she knew the nightingale well. She led half the court into the wood. A cow mooed, and a courtier cried: “There it is!” But the girl said: “No, that is only a cow.” Then the nightingale began to sing, and the girl pointed: “Listen! There she sits!” The lord was amazed. She was only a plain little gray bird.

Scene 4: An Emperor’s Tears

That evening, the porcelain palace shone with a thousand lamps. She sat on a golden perch and sang so sweetly that tears rolled down the Emperor’s cheeks. He offered her his golden slipper. But the nightingale said: “I have seen tears in an Emperor’s eyes. That is my richest reward.”

Scene 5: The Jeweled Bird

One day, a box arrived from the Emperor of Japan. Inside was a mechanical nightingale, covered with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Wound up, it sang a waltz and wagged its glittering tail. It sang the same tune thirty-three times, and the court loved it. Nobody noticed the real nightingale fly out of the open window, back to her green wood.

Scene 6: Whizz! Whirr!

For a year, the jeweled bird sang by the Emperor’s bed. Then one evening, something inside it went “Whizz!” A spring snapped. “Whirr!” went the wheels, and the music stopped. It was mended, but now it could sing only once a year.

Scene 7: Cold Moonlight

Five years later, the Emperor fell very ill, and lay cold and pale in his bed. The moon shone in at the open window. By the bed sat a cold, dark shadow. It was Death, and it was wearing the Emperor’s golden crown. The Emperor cried: “Music! Music! Little golden bird, sing!” But no one wound it up, and the jeweled bird stayed silent.

Scene 8: The Song at the Window

Suddenly, a sweet song came through the window. The real nightingale sat on a branch outside. She sang of hope. Even Death listened, and said: “Go on, little nightingale, go on!” For each song, Death gave back a treasure, at last even the golden crown. Then, like a cold gray mist, Death floated out of the window. The nightingale sang him to sleep. When he woke, the sun was shining, and he was well. She promised to sing for him every evening. When his servants came in, he said: “Good morning!” A true song from the heart is worth more than all the jewels in the world.

Moral: A true song from the heart is worth more than all the jewels in the world.

Questions about The Nightingale

Where did the little gray nightingale live?

In a forest by the deep blue sea.

Who led the court to the nightingale?

A poor little kitchen girl.

What did the nightingale say was her richest reward?

Tears in an Emperor’s eyes.

What was the mechanical nightingale covered with?

Diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

What did the Emperor say when his servants came in?

“Good morning!”.