"The Nightingale" (Danish: "Nattergalen") is a literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875). The story is about an emperor who prefers the tinkling of a bejeweled mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale. When the Emperor is near death, the nightingale's song restores his health. Well received upon its initial publication in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1843, the tale is believed to have been inspired by ...
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"The Nightingale" (Danish: "Nattergalen") is a literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875). The story is about an emperor who prefers the tinkling of a bejeweled mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale. When the Emperor is near death, the nightingale's song restores his health. Well received upon its initial publication in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1843, the tale is believed to have been inspired by the author's unrequited love for opera singer and fellow Scandinavian, Jenny Lind. The story has been adapted to opera, ballet, musical play, television drama and animated film.
The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders a nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid leads the court to a nearby forest where the bird is found. The nightingale agrees to appear at court. The Emperor is so delighted with the bird's song that he keeps the nightingale in captivity....
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