Märchen (Illustriert von Alfred Kubin)

In a far‑off empire the emperor's palace gleams like porcelain, its gardens a tapestry of perfect flowers and silver‑tied blossoms. Beyond the manicured paths lies a primeval forest that drops to a deep blue sea, where a nightingale sings with such beauty that even the hardest‑working fisherman pauses in awe. Travelers from every corner of the world flock to admire the splendor and return home raving about the bird’s unmatched song. Poets and scholars capture its melody in verses that travel farther than the emperor’s own borders.

When a collection of foreign books reaches the throne, the emperor discovers that none of his courtiers have ever spoken of the nightingale, and his curiosity turns to determination. He commands his most dignified cavalier to bring the bird before him that very evening, promising disaster for the court if the promise fails. The cavalier scours every hall and corridor, asking servants and officials, yet the elusive song remains a mystery. Finally, a modest kitchen girl claims she knows the bird’s secret resting place, hinting that the answer may lie far beyond the palace walls.