Behind the garden of the Chinese emperor, a forest began, and a nightingale lived in the forest, who sang so well that even the poor fisherman forgot about his net, but then he set to work again and did not think about the nightingale until the next night. Travelers said that the nightingale is the best that the emperor has. Having learned from books about the nightingale, the emperor wished to listen to him in the evening and gave the order to the important first minister. The minister interviewed the entire palace - no one knew about such a bird. After the threat of breaking the heels with a stick, the courtiers began to stir more actively, and, finally, a small dishwasher, living with her sick mother near the sea, was able to show the nightingale. On the way to it, the courtiers mistook for the nightingale song either the moo of a cow or the croaking of frogs; when the girl pointed to a small gray bird, the courtiers were not impressed by his poor robe, but the song delighted.
When the nightingale sang with great fanfare in the palace, tears appeared in front of the emperor. The nightingale did not want the best reward. The bird became very popular and settled in the palace, under the supervision of servants. Once the Japanese emperor sent a golden nightingale strewn with precious stones to his colleague, who could sing one song from the repertoire of a living bird. The nightingale flew away, and the toy was showered with honors. Only poor fishermen admitted that the toy only looked like a living nightingale.
A year later, the golden bird broke - the teeth on the wheels were worn out - and a decree was issued to start it only once a year. Five years later, the emperor was mortally ill. He saw Death sitting on his chest, and terrible faces whispered in vain whisper: “Do you remember? ...” The toy was silent on its silk pillow - there was no one to have it. Suddenly a nightingale appeared, who, with his song, caused death to return to the cemetery. As a reward, the nightingale only asked not to tell others that it would fly to the emperor, and also not to break the toy that served faithfully. In the morning, the courtiers came to see the deceased ruler - and found him alive.
