It extended so far that the
gardener himself did not know where the end was. If one went on and
on, one came to a glorious forest. The wood extended straight down to
the sea, and in the trees lived a Nightingale. It sang so splendidly
that even the poor fisherman, who had many other things to do, stopped
still and listened, when he had gone out at night to throw his nets,
to hear the Nightingale.
From all the countries of the world travellers came to admire the
Emperor's palace and his garden, but when they heard the Nightingale
they said, "That is the best of all!"
At last their words came to the Emperor.
"What's that?" he exclaimed. "I don't know the Nightingale at all. Is
there such a bird in my empire, and even in my garden? I've never
heard of that. I command that he shall appear this evening and sing
before me!"
But where was the Nightingale to be found? The court had not heard of
it either. There was a great inquiry after the wonderful Nightingale
which all the world knew except the people at the palace. At last they
met a poor little girl in the kitchen who said,
"Yes, I know the Nightingale well. It can sing gloriously. Every
evening I get leave to carry my mother the scraps from the table. She
lives down by the stream, and when I get back, and am tired, and rest
in the wood, then I hear the Nightingale sing.
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