Summary of the Nightingale


G. H. Andersen
Nightingale
Behind the garden of the Chinese emperor was a forest, and in the woods there lived a nightingale who sang so well that even a poor fisherman forgot about his seine, but then again took up his business and did not think about the nightingale until the next night. Travelers said that the nightingale is the best that the emperor has. Having learned from books about the nightingale, the ambassador wished to listen to him in the evening and gave the order to the important first minister. The minister interviewed the whole palace – no one knew about such a bird. After threatening to stick a stick on the heels of the stick, the courtiers moved more actively, and finally a small dishwasher, living with a sick mother near the sea, was able to show the nightingale. On the way to it the courtiers took for a nightingale song the mooing of a cow, or the croaking of frogs; when the girl pointed to a small gray bird, the courtiers were not impressed by

his poor attire, but the song was enthralled.
When the nightingale sang with great pomp in the palace, the emperor’s eyes were filled with tears. The nightingale did not want the best award. The bird became very popular and settled in the palace, under the supervision of servants. Once the Japanese emperor sent as a gift to a colleague of a golden nightingale, studded with precious stones, who could sing one song from the repertoire of a living bird. The nightingale flew away, and the toy was showered with honors. Only poor fishermen admitted that the toy only resembles a living nightingale.
A year later, the golden bird broke down – the teeth on the castors were erased – and the decree was issued only once a year. After 5 years, the emperor was mortally ill. He saw how Death sits on his chest, and terrible faces around each other whisper: “Do you remember? …” The toy was silent on its silk pillow – there was nobody to get it. Suddenly a nightingale appeared, who forced his death to return to the cemetery. In the award, the nightingale asked only not to tell others that he would come to the emperor, and not to break the toy that served faithfully. In the morning the courtiers came to see the deceased ruler – and found him alive.


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Summary of the Nightingale