"The Nightingale" by Edmund Dulac is a beautifully illustrated retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale. The story follows a Chinese emperor who becomes captivated by the song of a nightingale, a humble bird that brings him great joy. However, when a mechanical songbird is presented, he abandons the nightingale for the artificial beauty of the machine. Eventually, the false bird breaks, leading the emperor to realize the true value of the nightingale’s genuine song. This poignant tale highlights themes of authenticity, the beauty of nature, and the consequences of valuing artifice over true artistry. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].
This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published in 2012 by The Planet .
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his writing down of many timeless, classic fairy tales. He is Denmark's most famous author and his birthday is celebrated every year with a part called "Odin Story Day".
This book contains the following story:
The Nightingale
An emperor prefers the tinkling of a bejeweled mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale. The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid (the only one who knows of its whereabouts) 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. When the Emperor is given a bejeweled mechanical bird he loses interest in the real nightingale, who returns to the forest. The mechanical bird eventually breaks down due to overuse. The Emperor is taken deathly ill a few years later. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace. God is so moved by the nightingale's song that he departs and the emperor recovers. The nightingale agrees to sing to the emperor for the rest of his days.
