will find it!' But where was it to be found? The
gentleman-in-waiting ran upstairs and downstairs and in and out of all
the rooms and corridors. No one of all those he met had ever heard
anything about the nightingale; so the gentleman-in-waiting ran back to
the emperor, and said that it must be a myth, invented by the writers of
the books. 'Your imperial majesty must not believe everything that is
written; books are often mere inventions, even if they do not belong to
what we call the black art!'

'But the book in which I read it is sent to me by the powerful Emperor
of Japan, so it can't be untrue. I will hear this nightingale; I insist
upon its being here to-night. I extend my most gracious protection to
it, and if it is not forthcoming, I will have the whole court trampled
upon after supper!'

'Tsing-pe!' said the gentleman-in-waiting, and away he ran again, up and
down all the stairs, in and out of all the rooms and corridors; half the
court ran with him, for they none of them wished to be trampled on.
There was much questioning about this nightingale, which was known to
all the outside world, but to no one at court. At last they found a poor
little maid in the kitchen. She said, 'Oh heavens, the nightingale? I
know it very well. Yes, indeed it can sing. Every evening I am allowed
to take broken meat to my poor sick mother: she lives down by the shore.
On my way back, when I am tired, I rest awhile in the wood, and then I
hear the nightingale. Its song brings the tears into my eyes; I feel as
if my mother were kissing me!'

'Little kitchen-maid,' said the gentleman-in-waiting, 'I will procure
you a permanent position in the kitchen, and permission to see the
emperor dining, if you will take us to the nightingale. It is commanded
to appear at court to-night.'

Then they all went out into the wood where the nightingale usually sang.
Half the court was there. As they were going along at their best pace a
cow began to bellow.

'Oh!' said a young courtier, 'there we have it. What wonderful power
for such a little creature; I have certainly heard it before.'

'No, those are the cows bellowing; we are a long way yet from the
place.' Then the frogs began to croak in the marsh.

'Beautiful!' said the Chinese chaplain, 'it is just like the tinkling of
church bells.'

'No, those are the frogs!' said the little kitchen-maid. 'But I think we
shall soon hear it now!'

Then the nightingale began to sing.

'There it