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The emperor showed the key bird to everyone who came to the palace. But one day,

he wound it so hard that the spring inside it broke. The toy bird did not sing anymore.

Nobody could set it right. It lay in the corner of the room quiet and still. A few weeks
later, the emperor lay in his bed all day. He did not talk to anybody. He did not smile.

He looked very sad. He ate very little. The doctors who came
to see him said that they were helpless. Why did the emperor look
sad?
One evening, the courtiers saw tears in the emperor’s eyes.
He said, “I wish I could hear the song of the nightingale.” At once the courtiers set

out in search of the nightingale. But they did not find it anywhere.

The next morning the emperor was woken up by sweet music. He looked out of the

window. He saw the nightingale sitting on the branch of a tree. It was singing for

him! There were tears in the emperor’s eyes and there was a smile on his lips. He sat
up slowly. The nightingale came to the palace every morning and sang sweetly for

the emperor. Soon the emperor got well and lived happily ever after.

Word Power

rare: uncommon courtiers: men in a king’s court

nightingale: a singing bird fascinated: attracted, interested

melodiously: sweetly wound: turned the key around

enchanted: charmed thrilled: excited

marvellous: wonderful neglected: left out

Listening Skills

Listen to the text carefully as your teacher reads it out. Then say whether the
statements given below are true or false.

1. The nightingale was kept in a golden cage. ____________

2. It sang every day. ____________

3. The toy bird had a crown of gold. ____________

4. The emperor did not like the songs of the toy bird. ____________

5. The emperor sat up in bed when he heard the nightingale’s song. ____________

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