NightingaleThe

A story by Hans Christian Andersen retold by Joy Cowley Illustrated by Jin-kyeong Lee

World Classics

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NightingaleTheOriginal Korean text by So-yeon Yim

Illustration by Jin-kyeong Lee

Korean edition © Yeowon Media Co., Ltd

This English edition published by Big & Small in 2014

English text edited by Joy Cowley

English edition © Big & Small 2014

Printed in Korea

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-921790-45-4

A story by Hans Christian Andersen retold by Joy Cowley Illustrated by Jin-kyeong Lee

In ancient China, there lived a wealthy emperor.His palace was the most beautiful in the world.Its floors and walls were of the finest marble.The furniture was made of shining gold.The huge garden had thousands of flowersand there were silver bells that chimed in the wind.

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In the garden, there was a clear, calm lakeand by that lake, lived a small nightingale.

The nightingale would sit in a treeand sing with the sweetest voice.

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Some visitors to the palace, were walking by the lakewhen they heard the nightingale’s song.

They left letters and poetry, praising what they had heard.

One day, the emperor read some of these writings.“Do I have such a valuable treasure in my garden?”He immediately called for the Grand Chamberlain.

“Go out and find this nightingale,” he ordered.

“I wish to hear how sweet its voice is.”

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All the emperor’s servants searched the gardenbut they couldn’t find the nightingale.

In fact, nobody had ever seen the nightingale.

A small girl who worked in the kitchen,shyly crept up to the Grand Chamberlain.

“I know the nightingale very well.It sings the most beautiful songs

by the lake. The melody is as warm as a mother’s kiss

and brings tears to my eyes.”

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The girl took the Grand Chamberlain and men deep into the forest in the garden.Moo-moo! At the cry of a cow, the Grand Chamberlain said, “Is that it?”

“No,” said the girl. “That’s a cow.”

Further on, they heard, Ribbit! Ribbit!

“The nightingale!” shouted the men.

“No, that is a frog,” the girl told them.

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The girl took them further into the forest.Just then there was a sound as clear as a crystal bell.Everyone was silent, listening to the beautiful song.

The girl whispered, “The nightingale is over there.”

The Grand Chamberlain expected a glamorous bird but the nightingale was very small and a plain grey.

He approached it and said, “Little nightingale,the emperor wants to hear your beautiful singing.

Will you sing at his party tonight?”

The bird replied, “My song is best heard in the forest,but for the emperor, I will go to the palace and sing.”

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Night came and the party began.The nightingale flew to the emperorand perched in front of him.Everyone fell silent.Then the bird began to singin its clear, beautiful voice.

The song was so sweet,that a tear fell from the emperor’s eyes.“Oh nightingale!” he said. “Please stay!”

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For the emperor, the nightingale lived in the palace

and sang its beautiful songs each day.

One day, the emperor received a giftfrom a king of another country.

It was a toy nightingale made of goldand studded with diamonds and rubies.

When the Grand Chamberlain turned a key,the toy nightingale flicked its tailand sang with a beautiful voice.

The emperor’s attention was on this toy.He didn’t even glance at the grey nightingale.

The small grey bird flew back to the forest.

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From morning to afternoon and evening,the toy nightingale would sing.

The emperor was delighted with it.

One day there was a “thump” in the toyand no matter how many times the key was turned,

the ruby and diamond nightingale did not sing.The emperor called a repairman who shook his head.

He said that the machine inside was broken.

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A few years passed, and the emperor grew very ill.Everyone whispered that soon he would die.He spent all his days, lying in his enormous bed.

One dark night, the emperor saw a terrible vision.Death was beside his bed, wearing the emperor’s crown.In one hand Death held the emperor’s gold swordin the other hand he held the emperor’s flag.

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Suddenly, many faces appeared behind Death.Some faces were smiling, some were angry, some sad.They were all reminding the emperor of past deeds.“Do you remember this? Do you remember that?”

The emperor knew it was about the good and bad deedshe had done in his life, but he couldn’t remember them.In anguish, he cried out, “Please let it stop!”Then he said, “Let the nightingale sing! Please!”Nobody in the palace heard him.

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Then, from his windowsill, came a sweet, familiar song.The notes tumbled into the room like the chiming of bells,bringing a message of love and hope and comfort.The nightingale had returned.

The emperor felt strength returning to him. As for Death, he was so filled with the beauty of the song, that he missed his home. He floated into the air, turned into a white fog, and disappeared.

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The emperor sat up in bed. “Oh, my nightingale! I sent you away but you came back to save me.How will I ever reward you?”

“I have already received my reward,” said the bird. “When you first heard my song, you cried a single tear.That teardrop was a very valuable treasure.Now lie back, while I sing you to sleep.”

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When the emperor awoke, next morning,he felt happy and as light as a feather.“Dear Nightingale,” he said. “Will you stay in the palace?”

“I’m sorry,” said the nightingale, “I prefer the forest.But whenever you are lonely, I will return with a songthat will give peace to your heart.”

Then the nightingale opened her wings and flew backto the trees by the lake.

The Grand Chamberlain went to the emperor’s room,expecting the worst. He was very surprised to seethe emperor sitting up in good health, smiling.“What a very fine morning this is!” the emperor said.

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