the nightingale

[desmond dillon]

there was once a king who ruled his kingdom as best he could. But he grew very tired of the constant demands made upon him by his court and the politics involved.

he found his peace in being alone in his own quarters and gazing out of his window upon the beautiful gardens beneath. And so every day, as soon as he could get away from the court he retired to his rooms.

One day in the evening, whilst alone, he heard a nightingale singing. So enchanting was the bird that the king became overjoyed and he listened until he fell asleep.

During the next day he remembered the bird and could hardly wait to be alone again and to listen out for it.

Then most days the nightingale would return and entertain the king throughout the evenings.

So much did the king grow to love the birdsong that the nightingale came and perched on his window sill almost every evening.

The courtiers noticed how keen the king was to leave the court. Even when they arranged entertainment the king was not really interested and would retire to his rooms as soon as he could.

And the courtiers wondered why. They began to listen outside of his door and they asked him why he left the court so soon. So he told them about the nightingale but they never heard it sing.

One day a prominent courtier thought it would be a good idea to bring the king a gift. He knew of a toy maker that sometimes visited the kingdom. And so when he next turned up the courtier asked the toymaker to make a nightingale that would sing for the king. And so he made a clockwork bird that would sing when it was wound up.

When it was ready the courtier presented the clockwork bird to the king who wound it up and listened to it singing. The king was delighted and wound it up again and again listening to the song. And he forgot about the real bird in his garden and he spent more time in the court.

Until one day the clockwork nightingale broke. The toymaker couldn't be found to repair it and the king became very sad. Now he missed the real bird but it no longer came to his garden to sing.

Then slowly the king became ill and took to his bed. He began to pine away. He longed to hear the nightingale once again and had his bed moved to the open window but the bird never came and the king approached death.

Then one late evening the nightingale appeared again and sang and sang for the king. He was again overjoyed and listened carefully. The bird returned most days thereafter and the kings health improved.

Everyone in the kingdom rejoiced that the king was better and would not die.

the end

[desmond dillon]

this is a traditional story that i have told in my own way.. the nightingale represents the divinity within us.

the living experience of peace. the clockwork toy represents our beliefs that we replace or substitute for the real thing. i hope you enjoy it and appreciate it.