World of Tales
Stories for children, folktales, fairy tales and fables from around the world

The nightingale

European Folktale

One day a nobleman caught a nightingale and wanted to put it in a cage. But the bird spoke to him:

- Let me go and I will give you a good advice. It may be of use to you some day.

The rich man agreed to let it go.

The nightingale gave him these advices:

- Never be sorry for something that cannot be brought back, my lord. And never trust idle words.

The nobleman heard the advises and let the nightingale go. The bird flew out and said:

- Too bad you let me go. If only you knew about my treasure. I have a huge very expensive gem under my wing. If you had taken it, you would become even richer.

When he heard that, the nobleman began to regret letting bitterly about the bird go, jumped up and tried to catch it.

The nightingale turned towards him and said:

- Now I know, master, that you are a greedy and foolish man: you were sorry for something that cannot be brought back. And you believed my idle words! Look at what a little bird I am. How could I be hiding a large gem under my wing?

And after these words the bird flew away.



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