Соловей

           Itwasjustasgreatasuccessastherealone,andthenitwassomuchprettiertolookat;itglitteredlikebraceletsandbreast-pins.Thenitagainburstintoitssweetheavenlysong.’ThatisthemostdelightfulcoquettingIhaveeverseen!’saidtheladies,andtheytooksomewaterintotheirmouthstotryandmakethesamegurgling,thinkingsotoequalthenightingale.Itsangthesametunethreeandthirtytimesover,andyetitwasnottired;peoplewouldwillinglyhavehearditfromthebeginningagain,buttheemperorsaidthattherealonemusthaveaturnnow—butwherewasit?Noonehadnoticedthatithadflownoutoftheopenwindow,backtoitsowngreenwoods.’Butwhatisthemeaningofthis?’saidtheemperor.Allthecourtiersrailedatit,andsaiditwasamostungratefulbird.’Wehavegotthebestbirdthough,’saidthey,andthentheartificialbirdhadtosingagain,andthiswasthethirty-fourthtimethattheyheardthesametune,buttheydidnotknowitthoroughlyevenyet,becauseitwassodifficult.Themusic-masterpraisedthebirdtremendously,andinsistedthatitwasmuchbetterthantherealnightingale,notonlyasregardedtheoutsidewithallthediamonds,buttheinsidetoo.’Becauseyousee,myladiesandgentlemen,andtheemperorbeforeall,intherealnightingaleyouneverknowwhatyouwillhear,butintheartificialoneeverythingisdecidedbeforehand!Soitis,andsoitmustremain,itcan’tbeotherwise.