rld knew of, except those at
Court.

At last they met a poor little girl in the kitchen, who said, 'Oh! I
know the Nightingale well. How she sings! I have permission to carry
the scraps over from the Court meals to my poor sick mother, and when
I am going home at night, tired and weary, and rest for a little in
the wood, then I hear the Nightingale singing! It brings tears to my
eyes, and I feel as if my mother were kissing me!'

[Illustration: The Kitchenmaid Listens to the Nightingale]

'Little kitchenmaid!' said the First Lord, 'I will give you a place in
the kitchen, and you shall have leave to see the Emperor at dinner, if
you can lead us to the Nightingale, for she is invited to come to
Court this evening.'

And so they all went into the wood where the Nightingale was wont to
sing, and half the Court went too.

When they were on the way there they heard a cow mooing.

'Oh!' said the Courtiers, 'now we have found her! What a wonderful
power for such a small beast to have! I am sure we have heard her
before!'

'No; that is a cow mooing!' said the little kitchenmaid. 'We are still
a long way off!'

Then the frogs began to croak in the marsh. 'Splendid!' said the
Chinese chaplain. 'Now we hear her; it sounds like a little
church-bell!'

'No, no; those are frogs!' said the little kitchenmaid. 'But I think
we shall soon hear her now!'

Then the Nightingale began to sing.

'There she is!' cried the little girl. 'Listen! She is sitting there!'
And she pointed to a little dark-grey bird up in the branches.

'Is it possible!' said the First Lord. 'I should never have thought
it! How ordinary she looks! She must surely have lost her feathers
because she sees so many distinguished men round her!'

'Little Nightingale,' called out the little kitchenmaid, 'our Gracious
Emperor wants you to sing before him!'

'With the greatest of pleasure!' said the Nightingale; and she sang so
gloriously that it was a pleasure to listen.

'It sounds like glass bells!' said the First Lord. 'And look how her
little throat works! It is wonderful that we have never heard her
before! She will be a great success at Court.'

'Shall I sing once more for the Emperor?' asked the Nightingale,
thinking that the Emperor was there.

'My esteemed little Nightingale,' said the First Lord, 'I have the
great pleasure to invite you to Court this evening, where His Gracious
Imperial Highness will be enchanted with your charming song!'

'I