Соловей

           Thenextnightwhenhehearditagainhewouldagainexclaim,’Heavens,howbeautifulitis!’Travellerscametotheemperor’scapital,fromeverycountryintheworld;theyadmiredeverythingverymuch,especiallythepalaceandthegardens,butwhentheyheardthenightingaletheyallsaid,’Thisisbetterthananything!’Whentheygothometheydescribedit,andthelearnedoneswrotemanybooksaboutthetown,thepalaceandthegarden;butnobodyforgotthenightingale,itwasalwaysputaboveeverythingelse.Thoseamongthemwhowerepoetswrotethemostbeautifulpoems,allaboutthenightingaleinthewoodsbythedeepbluesea.Thesebookswentallovertheworld,andincourseoftimesomeofthemreachedtheemperor.Hesatinhisgoldenchairreadingandreading,andnoddinghishead,wellpleasedtohearsuchbeautifuldescriptionsofthetown,thepalaceandthegarden.’Butthenightingaleisthebestofall,’heread.’Whatisthis?’saidtheemperor.’Thenightingale?Why,Iknownothingaboutit.Istheresuchabirdinmykingdom,andinmyowngardenintothebargain,andIhaveneverheardofit?Imaginemyhavingtodiscoverthisfromabook?’Thenhecalledhisgentleman-in-waiting,whowassograndthatwhenanyoneofalowerrankdaredtospeaktohim,ortoaskhimaquestion,hewouldonlyanswer’P,’whichmeansnothingatall.’Thereissaidtobeaverywonderfulbirdcalledanightingalehere,’saidtheemperor.