Соловей

           Amongthesetreeslivedanightingale,whichsangsodeliciously,thateventhepoorfisherman,whohadplentyofotherthingstodo,laystilltolistentoit,whenhewasoutatnightdrawinginhisnets.InChina,asyouknow,theEmperorisaChinaman,andallthepeoplearoundhimareChinamentoo.ItismanyyearssincethestoryIamgoingtotellyouhappened,butthatisallthemorereasonfortellingit,lestitshouldbeforgotten.Theemperor’spalacewasthemostbeautifulthingintheworld;itwasmadeentirelyofthefinestporcelain,verycostly,butatthesametimesofragilethatitcouldonlybetouchedwiththeverygreatestcare.Therewerethemostextraordinaryflowerstobeseeninthegarden;themostbeautifuloneshadlittlesilverbellstiedtothem,whichtinkledperpetually,sothatoneshouldnotpasstheflowerswithoutlookingatthem.Everylittledetailinthegardenhadbeenmostcarefullythoughtout,anditwassobig,thateventhegardenerhimselfdidnotknowwhereitended.Ifonewentonwalking,onecametobeautifulwoodswithloftytreesanddeeplakes.Thewoodextendedtothesea,whichwasdeepandblue,deepenoughforlargeshipstosailuprightunderthebranchesofthetrees.Amongthesetreeslivedanightingale,whichsangsodeliciously,thateventhepoorfisherman,whohadplentyofotherthingstodo,laystilltolistentoit,whenhewasoutatnightdrawinginhisnets.’Heavens,howbeautifulitis!’hesaid,butthenhehadtoattendtohisbusinessandforgotit.