o wear round its neck. But the nightingale
declined with thanks; it had already been sufficiently rewarded.

'I have seen tears in the eyes of the emperor; that is my richest
reward. The tears of an emperor have a wonderful power! God knows I am
sufficiently recompensed!' and then it again burst into its sweet
heavenly song.

'That is the most delightful coquetting I have ever seen!' said the
ladies, and they took some water into their mouths to try and make the
same gurgling when any one spoke to them, thinking so to equal the
nightingale. Even the lackeys and the chambermaids announced that they
were satisfied, and that is saying a great deal; they are always the
most difficult people to please. Yes, indeed, the nightingale had made a
sensation. It was to stay at court now, and to have its own cage, as
well as liberty to walk out twice a day, and once in the night. It
always had twelve footmen, with each one holding a ribbon which was tied
round its leg. There was not much pleasure in an outing of that sort.

The whole town talked about the marvellous bird, and if two people met,
one said to the other 'Night,' and the other answered 'Gale,' and then
they sighed, perfectly understanding each other. Eleven cheesemongers'
children were called after it, but they had not got a voice among them.

One day a large parcel came for the emperor; outside was written the
word 'Nightingale.'

'Here we have another new book about this celebrated bird,' said the
emperor. But it was no book; it was a little work of art in a box, an
artificial nightingale, exactly like the living one, but it was studded
all over with diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

When the bird was wound up it could sing one of the songs the real one
sang, and it wagged its tail, which glittered with silver and gold. A
ribbon was tied round its neck on which was written, 'The Emperor of
Japan's nightingale is very poor compared to the Emperor of China's.'

Everybody said, 'Oh, how beautiful!' And the person who brought the
artificial bird immediately received the title of Imperial
Nightingale-Carrier in Chief.

'Now, they must sing together; what a duet that will be.'

Then they had to sing together, but they did not get on very well, for
the real nightingale sang in its own way, and the artificial one could
only sing waltzes.

'There is no fault in that,' said the music-master; 'it is perfectly in
time and correct in every way!'

Then the artificial bir