And then the Nightingale began to sing.
"That is it!" exclaimed the little Girl. "Listen, listen! and yonder it sits."
And she pointed to a little gray bird up in the boughs.
"Is it possible?" cried the Cavalier. "I should never have thought it looked like that! How simple it looks! It must certainly have lost its color at seeing so many famous people around."
"Little Nightingale!" called the little Kitchen-maid, quite loudly, "our gracious Emperor wishes you to sing before him."
"With the greatest pleasure!" replied the Nightingale, and sang so that it was a joy to hear it.
"It sounds just like glass bells!" said the Cavalier. "And look at its little throat, how it's working! It's wonderful that we should never have heard it before. That bird will be a great success at court."
"Shall I sing once more before the Emperor?" asked the Nightingale, for it thought the Emperor was present.
"My excellent little Nightingale," said the Cavalier, "I have great pleasure in inviting you to a court festival this evening, when you shall charm his Imperial Majesty with your beautiful singing."
"My song sounds best in the greenwood!" replied the Nightingale; still it came willingly when it heard what the Emperor wished.