But when they returned to their fishing, theyforgot the bird until the next night. Then they would hear it again,and exclaim "Oh, how beautiful is the nightingale's song!"
  Travellers from every country in the world came to the city of theemperor, which they admired very much, as well as the palace andgardens; but when they heard the nightingale, they all declared itto be the best of all. And the travellers, on their return home,related what they had seen; and learned men wrote books, containingdescriptions of the town, the palace, and the gardens; but they didnot forget the nightingale, which was really the greatest wonder.And those who could write poetry composed beautiful verses about thenightingale, who lived in a forest near the deep sea. The bookstravelled all over the world, and some of them came into the handsof the emperor; and he sat in his golden chair, and, as he read, henodded his approval every moment, for it pleased him to find such abeautiful description of his city, his palace, and his gardens. Butwhen he came to the words, "the nightingale is the most beautiful ofall," he exclaimed, "What is this? I know nothing of anynightingale. Is there such a bird in my empire? and even in my garden?I have never heard of it. Something, it appears, may be learnt frombooks."
  Then he called one of his lords-in-waiting, who was sohigh-bred, that when any in an inferior rank to himself spoke tohim, or asked him a question, he would answer, "Pooh," which meansnothing.
  "There is a very wonderful bird mentioned here, called anightingale," said the emperor; "they say it is the best thing in mylarge kingdom. Why have I not been told of it?"
  "I have never heard the name," replied the cavalier; "she hasnot been presented at court."
  "It is my pleasure that she shall appear this evening." said theemperor; the whole world knows what I possess better than I domyself."
  "I have never heard of her," said the cavalier; "yet I willendeavor to find her."
  But where was the nightingale to be found? The nobleman went upstairs and down, through halls and passages; yet none of those whom hemet had heard of the bird. So he returned to the emperor, and saidthat it must be a fable, invented by those who had written the book."Your imperial majesty," said he, "cannot believe everything containedin books; sometimes they are only fiction, or what is called the blackart."
  "But the book in which I have read this account," said theemperor, "was sent to me by the great and mighty emperor of Japan, andtherefore it cannot contain a falsehood. I will hear thenightingale, she must be here this evening; she has my highestfavor; and if she does not come, the whole court shall be trampledupon after supper is ended."
  "Tsing-pe!" cried the lord-in-waiting, and again he ran up anddown stairs, through all the halls and corridors; and half the courtran with him, for they did not like the idea of being trampled upon.There was a great inquiry about this wonderful nightingale, whom allthe world knew, but who was unknown to the court.
  At last they met with a poor little girl in the kitchen, who said,"Oh, yes, I know the nightingale quite well; indeed, she can sing.Every evening I have permission to take home to my poor sick motherthe scraps from the table; she lives down by the sea-shore, and as Icome back I feel tired, and I sit down in the wood to rest, and listento the nightingale's song. Then the tears come into my eyes, and it isjust as if my mother kissed me."
  "Little maiden," said the lord-in-waiting, "I will obtain foryou constant employment in the kitchen, and you shall havepermission to see the emperor dine, if you will lead us to thenightingale; for she is invited for this evening to the palace." Soshe went into the wood where the nightingale sang, and half thecourt followed her. As they went along, a cow began lowing.
  "Oh," said a young courtier, "now we have found her; whatwonderful power for such a small creature; I have certainly heard itbefore."
  "No, that is only a cow lowing," said the little girl; "we are along way from the place yet."
  Then some frogs began to croak in the marsh.
  "Beautiful," said the young courtier again. "Now I hear it,tinkling like little church bells."
  "No, those are frogs," said the little maiden; "but I think weshall soon hear her now:" and presently the nightingale began to sing.
  "Hark, hark!