SECRETS OF LIFE
10-7-23
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"THE NIGHTINGALE
The Emperor of China heard of a nightingale whose song was of rare beauty.
Sending for the bird, he arranged for a concert in the palace. So sweet was
the nightingale's song that the emperor honored it with a special place in
the palace.
One day the emperor received a box containing another nightingale, a
mechanical one, with wheels and levers. Richly decorated with rubies and
sapphires, it seemed to sing as sweetly as the real nightingale. But a
fisherman remarked, 'There is something wrong with it, but I don't know
what.'
The mechanical bird became the object of adoration for the emperor and his
subjects, while the real nightingale was banished from the palace.
One day, the mechanical bird broke down. All attempts at repair failed.
After leading his nation in mourning, the emperor fell ill from grief. When
he called upon the mechanical bird for a cheering song, it remained cold
and silent.
Unexpectedly, the real nightingale returned to the palace, where his
beautiful song quickly restored the emperor's health. The grateful and
repentant monarch offered the nightingale a rich reward for its noble
service, which was declined. The nightingale told the emperor, 'Only let me
sing for you as I please. And tell no one our secret.'
Religious principles are your allies
This is the condensed version of the story by Hans Christian Andersen. Like
all lasting literature, it is not merely an entertainment, but contains
valuable lessons about the ways of men:
1. The emperor's attraction to the real nightingale symbolizes the desire
of a certain part of us for the truth.
2. The rejection of the real nightingale in favor of the false bird shows
how easily we fall victim to the glitter of artificiality.
3. The emperor's grief is similar to human breakdown when false supports
collapse.
4. The emperor's restored health upon the return of the real nightingale
shows how human health thrives when the real and the true are welcomed."
THE SURE WAY TO HEALING AND STRENGTH
Secrets for Higher Success, Chap. 9, p. 175 (Original version)
Chap. 9, p. 130 (Current version)
