“SothegreatestwonderinChinalivesoutsidemypalacegates?Someone
mustbringthisnightingaletomesohemayliveinthepalacewherehe truly
belongs.Greathonortotheluckysoulwhobringshimtome.”
Allthecourtierswhisperedamongthemselves.Theyknewthatthefavor of
theempresswasa mostpreciousgiftthatwouldbringrewardsandpower. So in
a verystrangeprocession,theysetoutas a crowdinalltheirjewelsandsilks and
finerytotrytofindthisnightingaleinthewoods.
Manyreturnedwithinthehour,tiredanddistraught.Theirprivileged court
lifedidnotpreparethemfortheforest.Somepersisteduntiltheytripped on
rootsorgottwigsgnarledintheirlacqueredhair.Noneknewwheretolook for
thebird,andtheymadesomuchnoisecomplainingthatanythingthatheard
themtookflight,sotheyonlycaughta glimpseoftailfeathershurryingaway.
EmpressWuwasmostdispleasedwhenthesunsetthenextdayand still
nonightingalehadbeenproduced.Sheexpandedhersearchandmadea royal
decreeofferinga greatrewardforwhoeverfoundthenightingaleandbrought
it tothepalaceunharmed.
Noweveryone,commonersandroyalsalike,flockedeagerlytothewoods.
Theystirredupmudandsticks,andshoutedandbrokebranchesintheireager-
ness.Thefishermen,whousedtobetheonlyonesawakeat dawntohear the
nightingalesing,feltsadthatthesinginghadstopped.Also,theyhadtopick up
stragglerswhohadgottenlostinthewoodsandendedupwalkingtheshoreline
withtwigsintheirhair.
Finally,severalnightslater,whenthenightingalehadbeguntoseem like
a legendmadeuptotormenteveryone,theempresswoketoheartapping on
thestonecasingofherwindow.Sheroseslowlyandopenedthethickbrocade
curtain,andtheresata curiouslyplainbird,grayincolorwitha dullyellow
breast.Theyregardedeachother,headscocked,throughsimilarlydarkand
beadyeyes.
“Hello?”saidtheempress.“Whoareyouthatdaresdisturbmyslumber?”
“I amwhoyouseek.”
“Andhowwouldyouknowthis?”
Inreply,thenightingaleopeneditsbeakandtrilleda melodyofbright,
twinklingnotesthatcascadedontheairlikesparksandrainbowsandlaugh-
ingbells.
“Oh!”breathedtheempress.“Itis youthen,theNightingale.”
Thenightingaleloweredhisbeakandgavea smallandcourtlybob.DISTRAUGHT
MEANS
UPSET.
GEE–THAT EMPRESS WU IS
SO DEMANDING! REMIND YOU
OF ANYBUGGY?WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
HRRUMPH. IT’S NOT EASY BEING IN
CHARGE ALL THE TIME!