Page 53 - Ext. Listening Reading_Neat
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One evening, when the artificial bird He had put on the emperor's golden
was singing its best, and the emperor lay in crown, and held in one hand his sword of
bed listening to it, something inside the bird state, and in the other his beautiful banner.
sounded "whizz." Then a spring cracked. All around the bed and peeping through the
"Whir-r-r-r" went all the wheels, running long velvet curtains, were a number of
round, and then the music stopped. The strange heads, some very ugly, and others
emperor immediately sprang out of bed, and lovely and gentle-looking. These were the
called for his physician; but what could he emperor's good and bad deeds, which
do? Then they sent for a watchmaker; and, stared him in the face now Death sat at his
after a great deal of talking and heart.
examination, the bird was put into "Do you remember this?" "Do you
something like order; but he said that it recollect that?" they asked one after
must be used very carefully, as the barrels another, thus bringing to his remembrance
were worn, and it would be impossible to circumstances that made the perspiration
put in new ones without injuring the music. stand on his brow.
Now there was great sorrow, as the bird "I know nothing about it," said the
could only be allowed to play once a year; emperor. "Music! music!" he cried; "the
and even that was dangerous for the works large Chinese drum! that I may not hear
inside it. Then the music-master made a what they say." But they still went on, and
little speech, full of hard words, and Death nodded like a Chinaman to all they
declared that the bird was as good as ever; said. "Music! music!" shouted the emperor.
and, of course no one contradicted him. "You little precious golden bird, sing, pray
Five years passed, and then a real grief sing! I have given you gold and costly
came upon the land. The Chinese really presents; I have even hung my golden
were fond of their emperor, and he now lay slipper round your neck. Sing! sing!" But
so ill that he was not expected to the bird remained silent. There was no one
live.Already a new emperor had been to wind it up, and therefore it could not sing
chosen and the people who stood in the a note.
street asked the lord-in-waiting how the old Death continued to stare at the
emperor was; but he only said, "Pooh!" and emperor with his cold, hollow eyes, and the
shook his head. room was fearfully still. Suddenly there
Cold and pale lay the emperor in his came through the open window the sound
royal bed; the whole court thought he was of sweet music. Outside, on the bough of a
dead, and every one ran away to pay tree, sat the living nightingale. She had
homage to his successor. The heard of the emperor's illness, and was
chamberlains went out to have a talk on the therefore come to sing to him of hope and
matter, and the ladies'-maids invited trust.
company to take coffee. Cloth had been laid And as she sung, the shadows grew
down on the halls and passages, so that not paler and paler; the blood in the emperor's
a footstep should be heard, and all was veins flowed more rapidly, and gave life to
silent and still. But the emperor was not yet his weak limbs; and even Death himself
dead, although he lay white and stiff on his listened, and said, "Go on, little nightingale,
gorgeous bed, with the long velvet curtains go on."
and heavy gold tassels. A window stood "Then will you give me the beautiful
open, and the moon shone in upon the golden sword and that rich banner? and will
emperor and the artificial bird. The poor you give me the emperor's crown?" said the
emperor, finding he could scarcely breathe bird.
with a strange weight on his chest, opened So Death gave up each of these
his eyes, and saw Death sitting there. treasures for a song; and the nightingale
continued her singing. She sung of the quiet
Extensive Listening & Reading l 49
