Long ago, in a distant land in China, there was an emperor. He lived in a palace so grand that no one could count how many rooms it had. His garden was also exceptionally beautiful, filled with all kinds of exotic flowers and plants. When the wind blew, the little silver bells hanging from the flowers jingled and jangled, creating a particularly pleasant sound.
Deep within this garden lay a small forest. In this forest lived a little bird named Nightingale. Unlike other birds, which were colorful and had vibrant feathers, Nightingale’s feathers were gray and ordinary-looking. However, he had a remarkable talent—he could sing, and he sang beautifully!
Every evening, when night fell and everything was quiet, the nightingale would stand on a branch and sing. Its song was clear and gentle, like the spring breeze blowing softly across the water, or like a mother humming a lullaby to her child. Many people who came to visit the palace were moved by its song, and some even shed tears.
When these travelers returned to their countries, they wrote books about everything they had seen in China.They wrote, “The Chinese imperial palace is beautiful, but the most beautiful thing of all is the little bird that sings—the nightingale.”
One day, these books were brought to China, and one of them was sent to the emperor. The emperor sat on his golden throne and read it page by page. The more he read, the happier he became, because these books praised him as being as great as a god.
But when he read the sentence, “The most unforgettable thing is the nightingale’s song, which is the most beautiful sound in the world,” he suddenly froze.
“What? I am the emperor of this country, and I didn’t even know there was such a magical bird in my palace?” The emperor was a little angry.
He immediately called his attendants and shouted, “How could you let this happen? You don’t even know there’s a singing bird in the palace? Bring it to me tonight! If you can’t find it, you’ll all be beaten!”
The attendants were terrified and quickly split up to search. They searched the entire palace, even the kitchen and the stables, but they couldn’t find any sign of the nightingale.
Just as everyone was about to give up, a little girl who was helping in the kitchen whispered, “Every night on my way home, I can hear the nightingale singing. Whenever I hear its song, I can’t help but cry, as if my mother were kissing me.”
The attendants rushed over and asked her, “Can you take us there?”
The little girl nodded and led the large group into the deep forest at the back of the garden. Along the way, they heard strange sounds, such as cows mooing and frogs croaking. Some people thought they had found the nightingale, but the little girl corrected them.
Finally, on a quiet night, they heard a beautiful song. Following the sound, they found a small, gray bird standing on a branch singing.
“That’s it!” said the little girl, pointing to the nightingale. “It sings so beautifully.”
Although it looked ordinary, everyone was captivated by its singing. A servant approached cautiously and said to the nightingale, “Esteemed Mr. Nightingale, the emperor requests that you perform at the palace tonight. Please do not refuse.”
After listening, the nightingale thought for a moment and said, “Actually, my singing is best in the forest. But since this little girl was willing to bring you here to find me, I’ll go once.”
And so, the nightingale flew into the palace for the first time.
The palace was specially decorated for the occasion. The emperor sat next to a golden pillar in the center of the hall, and everyone gathered to listen to the nightingale sing.
The nightingale began to sing. Its voice was as clear as spring water and as warm as the spring breeze. The emperor listened and listened, and tears began to fall from his eyes.
He said emotionally, “That’s wonderful! That’s the most moving song I’ve ever heard! I must reward it generously!”
With that, the emperor took off his golden slipper and prepared to hang it around the nightingale’s neck as a reward. But the nightingale shook its head and said, “Your Majesty, your tears are the best reward.”
The emperor was even more moved and decided to keep the nightingale in the palace, listening to it sing every day. He prepared a beautiful birdcage for the nightingale and even allowed it to go out for a walk three times a day, each time accompanied by 12 servants who tied its feet with silk threads.
As days passed, the nightingale’s life became less and less free. It didn’t like being locked in a cage, nor did it like being led around by people. Gradually, it no longer sang as happily as before.
One day, the emperor received a large package. When he opened it, he found an artificial nightingale. This fake bird was encrusted with gems of red, green, and other colors, sparkling and looking particularly magnificent.
As long as you wound it up, it could sing, and its tail would glow, looking even more majestic than a real nightingale.
The emperor was overjoyed and placed the artificial nightingale in the most prominent spot by the window, enjoying its singing every day. Meanwhile, the real nightingale was gradually neglected.
One day, people asked the two nightingales to sing a duet together. However, the artificial nightingale could only sing one song, and it was always the same every time; the real nightingale, on the other hand, sang freely and spontaneously, with no fixed melody. Therefore, they could not harmonize at all.
In the end, the artificial nightingale repeated the same song over and over again, singing it thirty-three times in total. The real nightingale couldn’t stand it anymore. Taking advantage of the emperor’s inattention, it quietly flew out of the palace and returned to the forest where it belonged.
From then on, the artificial nightingale became the emperor’s new favorite. It lived on the windowsill of the emperor’s room, with gold and jewels piled at its feet, singing for the emperor every day.
However, good things never last. One night, the emperor was lying in bed listening to the artificial nightingale sing when he suddenly heard a “click” sound. The artificial nightingale stopped moving, and the singing stopped.
The emperor quickly called the clockmaker. The clockmaker checked it and said, “The gears inside are broken and cannot be repaired. From now on, it can only sing once a year.”
Without the nightingale’s song, the emperor’s mood grew increasingly gloomy. Before long, he fell ill and was bedridden.
One night, the emperor had a terrifying dream. He dreamed that the Grim Reaper was sitting on his chest, staring at him coldly. He was terrified and tried to cry for help, but no sound came out.
Then he remembered the artificial nightingale and quickly said to it, “Sing quickly, save me!”
But no one had wound up the artificial nightingale, so it couldn’t move. Seeing Death approaching step by step, the emperor was about to despair.
Just then, a familiar song came from outside the window. The real nightingale had returned!It stood on a branch outside the window and sang a comforting song for the emperor.
Its song was as warm as sunshine and as gentle as a spring breeze. As the song rang out, the emperor’s heartbeat slowly grew stronger; the terrifying shadows surrounding him gradually disappeared; even Death turned into a wisp of white mist and vanished into the night sky.
The emperor opened his eyes and said excitedly, “Thank you, nightingale! You saved my life! How can I repay you?”
The nightingale said softly, “Your Majesty, you have already repaid me. I once saw you shed tears for me, and every tear was like a precious gem. This shows that you have feelings in your heart, and that is enough.”
After saying this, the nightingale began to sing again. This time, its song was even more gentle, and the emperor listened and listened until he fell into a peaceful sleep.
When he woke up the next day, the emperor felt much better. He said to the nightingale, “Can you stay and continue to sing for me? I want to listen to your songs every day.”
The nightingale shook its head and said, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.I cannot sing for just one person. I must sing for everyone, whether they are fishermen, farmers, happy, or sad. I must fly to the vast world and bring them hope and strength.”
The emperor listened and nodded. He understood that the nightingale did not belong to anyone; it belonged to the whole world.
So the nightingale spread its wings and flew away from the palace, returning to nature.
The truth behind the story
On the surface, this story is about a little bird that can sing, but it actually conveys many profound truths.
First, true beauty and value are not reflected in outward appearances. Although the real nightingale is ordinary in appearance, it has a soul, emotions, and freedom. The artificial nightingale, on the other hand, is shiny and sparkling, but it only repeats itself mechanically and has no vitality.
Second, freedom is very precious. At first, the real nightingale was willing to go to the palace because it wanted to share its song. But when it was locked in a cage and lost its freedom, it was no longer happy. This tells us that even if we like something, we cannot forcefully take it, or we will lose its original value.
Furthermore, true feelings are the most moving force.The artificial nightingale was exquisite, but it could not move others. The real nightingale’s song moved the emperor and drove away the god of death because it sang from the heart and expressed true emotions.
Finally, everyone has their own stage and mission in life. The nightingale did not want to stay in one place; it chose to sing for more people. It had its own ideals and pursuits and did not allow itself to be confined to a small palace.
What can we learn from this?
Don’t judge by appearances, look at inner value.
Often, the things that are truly valuable are not necessarily the most beautiful. Just like the real nightingale, it may be inconspicuous, but its song can touch people’s hearts. In life, we must also learn to appreciate the inner beauty of others, rather than just looking at the surface.
Cherish freedom and respect others.
The nightingale did not want to be caged because it longed for freedom. We are the same; everyone wants to have their own space. When dealing with others, we must learn to respect their choices and not impose our own ideas on them.
True feelings are more important than anything else.
The emperor was moved by the nightingale’s song because it came from the heart. In real life, sincere feelings are often more important than skill.Whether it’s talking, doing things, or interacting with others, do it with your heart.
Don’t be greedy for good things.
At first, the emperor wanted to keep the nightingale for himself, but in the end, he lost it. Later, the nightingale came back to save him, but he finally understood that some good things should be shared with everyone, not kept for oneself.
Have dreams, but also have responsibilities.
The nightingale knew that it was not just a bird that sang for the emperor, but that it had a greater mission to fulfill. The same is true for each of us. We must have our own goals and dreams, while also taking on our responsibilities to society.
Summary
“The Nightingale” is a story about freedom, true feelings, and the meaning of life.It reminds us that true beauty is not necessarily dazzling, but rather something that touches the heart; true happiness is not being bound, but having freedom; and a truly valuable life is not serving just one person, but bringing hope and warmth to many.
Whether you are an adult or a child, you can learn a lot from this story. It is not just a fairy tale, but a vivid lesson in life.
