History Literature / TheNightingale

* ArtisticLicenseOrnithology: As with most songbirds, only male nightingales sing. Some translations, such as Erik Haugaard's 1974 version, make the nightingale in the story male.

* NewTechnologyIsEvil: The mechanical nightingale makes the Emperor dependent on it, but when it breaks he immediately falls ill because he misses its sound so much. However, in the end when the Emperor says that he'll break the machine into pieces, the real nightingale tells him not to do so, because "the bird did very well as long as it could".

!! This fairy tale provides examples of

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: At least one Chinese translation of the story remarks in a footnote that the story is based on what Danish people ''thought'' Imperial China was like, rather than what Imperial China was actually like, and as such most descriptions of life in China are pure conjecture. Furthermore, nightingales are not native to China, and so they almost certainly would not have nested near the Emperor's palace.

* ClockPunk: The mechanical nightingale
* ComeBackMyPet: At his death bed the Emperor wishes the real nightingale would return.

* GratuitousForeignLanguage: When the Emperor demands to see the Nightingale, the courtier responds with "Tsing-pe!" This is likely intended as a rendition of the Chinese 钦佩, which means "admiration" or "esteem" and does not make sense as a response to anything in conversation, much less a command from an Emperor.

* ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated: The royal entourage arrives at the Emperor's bedroom assuming he must have died by now, only to have him greet everybody with the words: "Good morning!."

In ImperialChina, the Emperor learns that one of the most beautiful sounds on Earth is the song of the nightingale, one of which happens to live in his very own gardens. Though put off at first by the bird's plain appearance, he is so delighted with her song that he brings her into his palace as a permanent "guest". By and by, however, his engineers produce a bejeweled mechanical bird, which quickly captures the attention of the Emperor and his court. As they play the mechanical bird nearly to the point of breakdown, the real nightingale returns to the gardens.

* ArtisticLicenseOrnithology: As with most songbirds, only male nightingales sing.

In ImperialChina, the Emperor learns that one of the most beautiful sounds on Earth is the song of the nightingale, one of which happens to live in his very own gardens. Though put off at first by the bird's plain appearance, he is so delighted with her song that he brings her into his palace as a permanent "guest." By and by, however, his engineers produce a bejeweled mechanical bird, which quickly captures the attention of the Emperor and his court. As they play the mechanical bird nearly to the point of breakdown, the real nightingale returns to the gardens.

Then the Emperor falls ill, to the point where his successor has been chosen and TheGrimReaper is sitting at his bedside. In despair he cries that if he could only turn the key of the mechanical bird and hear its song one more time, he would have the strength to fight back. At that moment, the real nightingale bursts into song from his window, restoring his strength and shaming Death into departing. From then on, she tells the Emperor, she will not live as his prisoner but will still return frequently to tell him what is happening in his empire, so that he will be known as the wisest emperor ever to live.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: As with most songbirds, only male nightingales sing.

* PleaseSpareHimMyLiege: The nightingale persuades the Grim Reaper to spare the Emperor's life.

* ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated: The royal entourage arrives at the Emperor's bedroom assuming he must have died by now, only to have him greet everybody with the words: "Good morning everybody."

* BackFromTheDead: The royal entourage arrives at the Emperor's bedroom assuming he must have died by now, only to have him greet everybody with the words: "Good morning everybody."

* UpperClassTwit: The imperial court is full of them. The chamberlain is so above people that he never bothers to speak a word to common folk, but when it comes to finding the nightingale, none of them can distinguish a bird from a cow, or a frog. The fishermen, on the other hand...

* AsianAnd Nerdy: The mechanical robot nightingale is gift of the ''Japanese'' Emperor.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to be confused]] with the 2015 historical fiction novel by Kristin Hannah.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Not to be confused]] with the 2015 historical fiction novel about French sisters during World War II by Kristin Hannah.

* UpperClassTwit: The imperial court is full of them. The chamberlain is so above people that he never bothers to speak a word to common folk, but when it comes to finding the nightingale, none of them can distinguish a bird from a cow, or a frog. The fishermen, on the other hand...

* ComeBackMyPet: At his death bed the Emperor wishes the real nightingale would return.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: After singing for the Emperor for so long the monarch just forgets the real nightingale for a fake one.

* LoyalAnimalCompanion: The nightingale remains loyal to the Emperor.

The story takes place in ImperialChina. The Emperor learns that one of the most beautiful sounds on Earth is the song of the nightingale. He 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 then falls ill and TheGrimReaper is even sitting on his chest, waiting until he dies. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace. The Grim Reaper is so moved by the nightingale's song that he departs and the emperor recovers. The nightingale agrees to sing to the emperor of all the happenings in the empire, that he will be known as the wisest emperor ever to live.

The story takes place in ImperialChina. The Emperor learns that one of the most beautiful sounds on Earth is the song of the nightingale. He 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 then falls ill and TheGrimReaper is even sitting on his chest, waiting until he dies. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace. The Grim Reaper is so moved by the nightingale's song that he departs and the emperor recovers. The nightingale agrees to sing to the emperor of all the happenings in the empire, that he will be known as the wisest emperor ever to live.

"The Nightingale", also known as "The Chinese Nightingale" and "The Emperor and the Nightingale" is a famous 19th century fairy tale written by Creator/HansChristianAndersen.

* NewTechnologyIsEvil: The mechanical nightingale makes the Emperor dependent on it, but when it breaks he immediately falls ill because he misses its sound so much.

* {{Bowlderise}}: Some child oriented versions just let the Emperor be very ill and [[NeverSayDie omit the entire scene with the Grim Reaper]].

* MiraculousRecovery: As soon as the Emperor hears the nightingale sing he recovers from his illness.