Соловей

           Italwayshadtwelvefootmen,witheachoneholdingaribbonwhichwastiedrounditsleg.Therewasnotmuchpleasureinanoutingofthatsort.Thewholetowntalkedaboutthemarvellousbird,andiftwopeoplemet,onesaidtotheother’Night,’andtheotheranswered’Gale,’andthentheysighed,perfectlyunderstandingeachother.Elevencheesemongers’childrenwerecalledafterit,buttheyhadnotgotavoiceamongthem.Onedayalargeparcelcamefortheemperor;outsidewaswrittentheword’Nightingale.’’Herewehaveanothernewbookaboutthiscelebratedbird,’saidtheemperor.Butitwasnobook;itwasalittleworkofartinabox,anartificialnightingale,exactlylikethelivingone,butitwasstuddedalloverwithdiamonds,rubiesandsapphires.Whenthebirdwaswoundupitcouldsingoneofthesongstherealonesang,anditwaggeditstail,whichglitteredwithsilverandgold.Aribbonwastiedrounditsneckonwhichwaswritten,’TheEmperorofJapan’snightingaleisverypoorcomparedtotheEmperorofChina’s.’Everybodysaid,’Oh,howbeautiful!’AndthepersonwhobroughttheartificialbirdimmediatelyreceivedthetitleofImperialNightingale-CarrierinChief.’Now,theymustsingtogether;whataduetthatwillbe.’Thentheyhadtosingtogether,buttheydidnotgetonverywell,fortherealnightingalesanginitsownway,andtheartificialonecouldonlysingwaltzes.’Thereisnofaultinthat,’saidthemusic-master;’itisperfectlyintimeandcorrectineveryway!’Thentheartificialbirdhadtosingalone.