noonehadnoticedherwhensheflewoutattheopenwindow,backtoherowngreenwoods.

"whatstrangeconduct,"saidtheemperor,whenherflighthadbeendiscovered;andallthecourtiersblamedher,andsaidshewasaveryungratefulcreature.

"butwehavethebestbirdafterall,"saidone,andthentheywouldhavethebirdsingagain,althoughitwasthethirty-fourthtimetheyhadlistenedtothesamepiece,andeventhentheyhadnotlearntit,foritwasratherdifficult.butthemusic-masterpraisedthebirdinthehighestdegree,andevenassertedthatitwasbetterthanarealnightingale,notonlyinitsdressandthebeautifuldiamonds,butalsoinitsmusicalpower."foryoumustperceive,mychieflordandemperor,thatwitharealnightingalewecannevertellwhatisgoingtobesung,butwiththisbirdeverythingissettled.itcanbeopenedandexplained,sothatpeoplemayunderstandhowthewaltzesareformed,andwhyonenotefollowsuponanother."

"thisisexactlywhatwethink,"theyallreplied,andthenthemusic-masterreceivedpermissiontoexhibitthebirdtothepeopleonthefollowingsunday,andtheemperorcommandedthattheyshouldbepresenttohearitsing.whentheyheardittheywerelikepeopleintoxicated;howeveritmusthavebeenwithdrinkingtea,whichisquiteachinesecustom.theyallsaid"oh!"andhelduptheirforefingersandnodded,butapoorfisherman,whohadheardtherealnightingale,said,"itsoundsprettilyenough,andthemelodiesareallalike;yetthereseemssomethingwanting,icannotexactlytellwhat."

andafterthistherealnightingalewasbanishedfromtheempire,andtheartificialbirdplacedonasilkcushionclosetotheemperor'sbed.thepresentsofgoldandpreciousstoneswhichhadbeenreceivedwithitwereroundthebird,anditwasnowadvancedtothetitleof"littleimperialtoiletsinger,"andtotherankofno.1onthelefthand;fortheemperorconsideredtheleftside,onwhichtheheartlies,asthemostnoble,andtheheartofanemperorisinthesameplaceasthatofotherpeople.

themusic-masterwroteawork,intwenty-fivevolumes,abouttheartificialbird,whichwasverylearnedandverylong,andfullofthemostdifficultchinesewords;yetallthepeoplesaidtheyhadreadit,andunderstoodit,forfearofbeingthoughtstupidandhavingtheirbodiestrampledupon.

soayearpassed,andtheemperor,thecourt,andalltheotherchinesekneweverylittleturnintheartificialbird'ssong;andforthatsamereasonitpleasedthembetter.theycouldsingwiththebird,whichtheyoftendid.thestreet-boyssang,"zi-zi-zi,cluck,cluck,cluck,"andtheemperorhimselfcouldsingitalso.itwasreallymostamusing.

oneevening,whentheartificialbirdwassingingitsbest,andtheemperorlayinbedlisteningtoit,somethinginsidethebirdsounded"whizz."thenaspringcracked."whir-r-r-r"wentallthewheels,runninground,andthenthemusicstopped.theemperorimmediatelysprangoutofbed,andcalledforhisphysician;butwhatcouldhedo?thentheysentforawatchmaker;and,afteragreatdealoftalkingandexamination,thebirdwasputintosomethinglikeorder;buthesaidthatitmustbeusedverycarefully,asthebarrelswereworn,anditwouldbeimpossibletoputinnewoneswithoutinjuringthemusic.nowtherewasgreatsorrow,asthebirdcouldonlybeallowedtoplayonceayear;andeventhatwasdangerousfortheworksinsideit.thenthemusic-mastermadealittlespeech,fullofhardwords,anddeclaredthatthebirdwasasgoodasever;and,ofcoursenoonecontradictedhim.

fiveyearspassed,andthenarealgriefcameupontheland.thechinesereallywerefondoftheiremperor,andhenowlaysoillthathewasnotexpectedtolive.alreadyanewemperorhadbeenchosenandthepeoplewhostoodinthestreetaskedthelord-in-waitinghowtheoldemperorwas;butheonlysaid,"pooh!"