Cover of The nightingale

The nightingale

by Hans Christian Andersen

First published
1896
Reading level
Easy
Price
Free

About the book

"The nightingale" by H. C. Andersen is a literary fairy tale set in imperial China. It tells the story of an emperor who discovers a nightingale living in his palace gardens, whose beautiful song moves him to tears. When a jeweled mechanical bird arrives as a gift, the real nightingale is forgotten and banished. Years later, when the emperor falls deathly ill, only one song can save him from Death's grasp.

  • Fairy tales
  • Nightingale
  • Songbirds
  • China

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #71096. The nightingale on Wikipedia.

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