The Emperor of China lived in the most magnificent palace in the world, crafted entirely of precious porcelain. It was extraordinarily fragile and surrounded by a vast garden filled with exquisite flowers tied with silver bells that tinkled softly in the breeze. Beyond the garden stretched a dense, tranquil forest extending all the way to the deep blue sea.
A. The Fame of the Little Gray Bird
Travellers from across the globe visited the imperial capital and admired the palace and gardens. However, poets and scholars who walked into the quiet forest were moved beyond words by a modest, plain gray nightingale that sang perched high in the branches. Even the poor fishermen, burdened by nighttime labor, would pause their nets to listen, whispering, “How beautifully she sings!” When books written about China reached the Emperor, he was astonished to read that the little nightingale was acclaimed as the finest jewel of his entire realm.
