Guided Sleep Meditation & Sleep Hypnosis from Sleep Cove - How the Birds Saved the Emperor’s Life (A Chinese Fairytale for Lunar New Year)

Episode Date: January 27, 2025

How the Birds Saved the Emperor’s Life (A Chinese Fairytale for Lunar New Year) Tonight, I’ll be reading How the Birds Saved the Emperor’s Life, a tale of a humble nightingale whose beautiful song captivates the Emperor of China. But when a jeweled mechanical bird takes its place, the Emperor soon learns a valuable lesson about the power of true beauty and the magic of nature. Please leave a 5-star review & SUBSCRIBE on Apple and Spotify. Sleep Cove Premium Become a Premium Member for Bonus Episodes & Ad-Free listening: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and become a Premium Member. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Instant Access⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and sign up in two taps. The Sleep Cove Premium Feed includes: - Access to over 400 Ad-free Episodes - Regular Exclusive Bonus Episodes - A Back Catalogue of Dozens of Exclusive Episodes - Full Audiobooks like Alice in Wonderland - Your name read out on the Show - Our Love! Get your 7-day free trial:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://sleepcove.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For Apple users, click the TRY FREE button for a 2-week free trial and become a Premium Member Today. Support our Sponsors: This episode of Sleep Cove is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠betterhelp.com/sleepcove ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and get on your way to being your best self. Our Sister Shows: - Calm Cove - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bgSKfkbt⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Relaxing Music & Ambient Sounds - Mysteries at Midnight - Mystery Bedtime Stories - ⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/skj6YFah⁠⁠⁠ - Let's Begin - Daytime Meditations with wake sections at the end - ⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/Z--DgSH4 ⁠⁠⁠ - YouTube Bedtime Story Channel -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://rb.gy/t7wyjk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - YouTube Sleep Hypnosis & Meditation Channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClE6WJgPYRBtwVQ1qDBrbqw Connect: - Join the Newsletter for a Bonus Meditation -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/bonus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://rb.gy/azpdrd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/sleep_cove/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@sleepcovechris⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Recommended Products: Comfortable Sleep Headphones -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.sleepcove.com/headphones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Best Mattress from Puffy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sleepcove.com/puffy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our Sister Shows in more detail: Calm Cove is our music channel, where you can find Relaxing Music, White Noise and Nature Sounds - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.chtbl.com/bgSKfkbt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Let’s Begin is our brand new Day Meditation podcast. Start your day feeling relaxed and positive, or take some time out to unwind with these calming meditations with wakeners at the end so that you can continue your day. If you love our bedtime stories, check out Mysteries at Midnight, our brand-new podcast dedicated to the mystery stories our listeners love so much. Enjoy even more from Poirot, Sherlock and more classic mystery tales. _______________ All Content by Sleep Cove is for educational or entertainment purposes and does not provide or replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical professional before making any changes to your treatment and if in any doubt, contact your doctor. Please listen in a place where you can safely go to sleep. Sleep Cove is not responsible or liable for any loss, damage or injury arising from the use of this content. _________________ Sleep Cove content includes guided sleep meditations, sleep hypnosis (hypnotherapy), sleep stories (visualizations) and Bedtime Stories for adults and grown-ups, all designed to help you get a great night's sleep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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please go to sleepcove.com slash support. That's sleepcove.com slash support. If you can't support the show right now, please subscribe with a bell to get alerts on all new free content thank you have you ever gazed in wonder at the great pyramid have you marvelled at the golden face of tudankhamun or admired the delicate features of queen netheriti if you have you'll probably like the history of Egypt podcast every week we explore tales of this ancient culture The history of Egypt is available wherever you get your podcasting fix.

Come, let me introduce you to the world of ancient Egypt. To Sleep Cove, the podcast for a great night's sleep. Every year, as lunar New Year approaches, I love sharing a Chinese fairy tale to celebrate this special time of year. These timeless stories, rich with wisdom and wonder, offer a perfect way to unwind. I'll be reading how the birds saved the emperor's life, a tale of a humble nightingale,

whose beautiful song captivates the emperor of China. But when a jewelled mechanical bird takes its place, the emperor soon learns a valuable lesson about the power of true beauty and the magic of nature. So settle in, get cozy and let this enchanting story carry you into a peaceful sleep. So let's begin. How the birds saved the emperor's life. There was once an emperor of China whose palace was the palace was the most of the emperor.

most wonderful in the world, being built entirely of priceless porcelain. In the garden were the most beautiful flowers, on some of which were little golden bells, which tinkled in the wind so that you could not help looking at them. It was really a wonderful garden. and so large that even the head gardener himself did not know where it ended. If you should reach the end to a magnificent forest were the bowels of some of the trees, which was so large that ships could sail beneath them these trees. There lived a nightingale,

which sang so beautifully that a poor third. But a poor fisherman, who had a great deal to do, even stopped his work to listen to the birds singing. How beautiful it is, he said, but he had to attend to his duties and then forgot a mountain. But each night, it was the same. The fisherman could not resist the temptation and he left. left his work to listen to the bird, the Emperor's Palace and Garden, was so magnificent that many travellers from foreign countries wrote books describing their beauty. But every scholar who wrote said that the finest thing of all was the singing of this

Nightingale were read by many people, some of them, solid jade, that so many people, who were scholars, should write so much about his palace. He was surprised to find that in each book the Nightingale was spoken of as the finest and most wonderful thing of all. It is very strange, said the Emperor. I've never heard this nightingale, and it does seem unusual that I should know about it for the first time written by travellers. This first law to him had said, there is no mention of a very remarkable bird which is called the nightingale. The writers all say that it is the most glorious thing in my kingdom.

How is it that no one has ever told me about it? Why? I don't know anything about it myself, said the First Lord, but I will go and find it. The First Lord didn't know where it was, so he ran all over the palace and asked that none of them had ever heard of the nightingale. Many returned to the Emperor and said it must be an invention of those who had written the books. Your Royal Highness must know that not all that is written is true and that much of it is invented, said he.

But the last book I read, said the emperor, was sent to me by the great ruler of Japan, so it must be true. And I insist upon your bringing the nightingale here this evening. If you do not, everyone in this palace shall be trampled and all right, Your Majesty, said the first lord, and he ran up and down the stairs, through the halls and corridors, and he told the people what would happen to them if the nightingale was not brought there that evening. They all followed him, because they had no wish to be trampled and just curious to know about this wonderful nightingale, where it seems.

that everybody in the world knew about except those who lived in the palace. At last, they met a poor little girl in their kitchen who said, Why I know the nightingale, and I have often heard her sing. Every night when I go home to my mother, I am so tired, but I sit and rest for a little while in the wood the nightingale sing and it is so wonderful that it always brings tears to my eyes

said the first lord little kitchen maid if you can lead us to this nightingale you shall have leave to see the emperor at dinner this evening for she is invited by his majesty to come and sing to him.

When they all went into the garden, where their nightingale lived. Oh, this must be the nightingale. How wonderful that such a little bird has such a tremendous voice, said they. That is not a bird singing. That is a cow mooing, said the little kitchen maid.

we have a long way to go yet. A little farther on, he heard some frogs croaking in the marsh. The Chinese chaplain was with them, and he said, How sublime, this is just like the ringing of a church bell. Why, little kitchen made? Those are frogs croaking, but very soon. Soon, we shall hear her. Just then, the little nightingale began to sing.

Hark, the little girl, listen, and pointing to a little bird, sitting up in the branches, said, There she is. It doesn't seem possible. that's so very common-looking a bird as that can sing, said the first lord. It must be that she has lost her brilliant plumage because there are so many distinguished people here. Then the little kitchen maid called out, Little Nightingale, our gracious emperor invites you to sing the fall

him this evening. It will give me great pleasure to do so, said the nightingale, and she began to sing so gloriously that they were all, the First Lord said.

I have never heard anything so beautiful before. His Majesty will be delighted. The Nightingale, thinking the first lord was the emperor said, Shall I sing again for you, majesty?

My dear little bird, said the first lord, His most gracious highness, has sent me to invite you to his palace this evening, so that he may listen to your charming song. It's much better out here in the forest, replied the nighting-gird. but when she heard that the emperor wished her to go to the palace, she gladly offered to go with them.

And the palace splendidly prepared, the many lights, need the porcelain walls and floors glitter, and the gorgeous, tinkling flowers, helped to make the place look so beautiful, moving back and forth caused the little golden bells to tinkle all the time

in the centre of the great hall in which the emperor's throne was was a golden perch put there for the nightingale the whole court was present and that little kitchen maid who had shown the first lord

where the bird could be found was allowed to stand behind the door, where she could see and hear everything in their best clothes, and everyone looked toward the little bird, whom the emperor requested to commence singing. The nightingale did sing. Very soon, the tears came into the emperor's eyes and ran. down his cheeks. The nightingale sang even more beautifully, was so delighted that he said she should wear the golden necklace around her neck. But the nightingale said that she had already received a sufficient reward, for she had brought tears to the eyes of the emperor.

It's most difficult to please. This in itself proved how successful was the Nightingale's concert. The Emperor requested her to stay at the court and he gave her

and allowed her to go out twice a day. He provided her with 12 servants each of whom held a silken string which was fastened to her leg, and you may be sure that she found but little pleasure flying about, hampered

very soon. Everyone in the city was talking about the wonderful bird. Baysman's children could sing a note. Some time after this, the emperor received a large parcel, on which was written their nightingale. This must be another book about our famous bird said the emperor. But he was mistaken for it was

a mechanical toy an artificial nightingale which looked something like a real bird but was covered with jewels. When it was wound up it could sing

the piece the real bird sang. was a collar. The nightingale of the emperor of Japan cannot be compared. Then everyone who had brought the clockwork bird was given the title of Bringer of the Imperial First Nightingale. They sang together, but it did not sound well, for the real Nightingale sang her own song. and the crock-work bird sang waltzes. It isn't his fault, said the bandmaster.

It keeps very good time, and is quite after my style. Then the artificial bird had to sing alone. It was very pleasant to listen to, and was also pretty to look at, as the jewels with which it was covered, sparkled so. It sang the same piece many times without becoming time thought the real nightingale

should sing again. But she was not to be found the window was open and without anybody seeing her go she had flown away when it was discovered that the real that it was a very

unmaricious thing for her to have done, but they all said that the bird sent by the Japanese ruler was the better of the two. Especially did the bandmaster praise it. He said that one knew just what to expect from the artificial bird, but the real one would sing the most unusual tunes. The bird they had now could be opened and the inside showed and explained. But if this was done to the other, it would die. Everyone agreed that what the bandmaster said was correct

and the emperor commanded that all the people of the people of the bandmaster said was correct, and the emperor commanded that all the people of the city should be allowed to listen to the bird's beautiful music on a certain day of the following week. So on the day appointed, the bandmaster showed the jeweled bird to the people. They had heard it sing, everyone said the music was wonderful. That is all. But the poor fisherman who had heard the real one, He said, This one looks very pretty, and is quite pleasant to listen to,

but its singing does not compare with that of the other. The Emperor. Artificial one was put on a golden perch by the side of his bed, and was given the title of Imperial Night Singer. Several months passed away, when one evening, as the Emperor lay in the Emperor lay in, in bed listening to it, something inside it snapped. And the music stopped.

The royal physician was summoned, but could do nothing. Then the royal clockmaker was called, and after examining it very carefully, he took out the works, which he found to me almost, to put these back again. but at last he got it into something like all that he said it must not be used more than once a year some time emperor became very ill as the physician said that he could not live successor was chosen

the poor emperor lay all and as everyone believed four tears left him to pay their respects to the new ruler but he was only in a trance and when he came out of this he felt very lonely indeed to speak to him he turned his head and saw the artificial bird by his bedside

a great longing for music came over him and he cried sing golden bird please sing but there was no one to wind it up and he was too weak to do this himself. It was so quiet and he felt so terribly lonely and sad that he was sure he was going to die.

Suddenly there came through the open window, the sound of such beautiful music that new life came back to the sick man. He raised his head and saw, sitting upon the bow of a large tree the real bird whom he had vanished from his kingdom. What divine singing, said the Emperor, you have given me new life

in return for my unkindness in banishing you from my kingdom. What can I do to reward you and the sight of the tears which came to your eyes when I first sang to you

said the nightingale. That is something which I can never forget, but now you must sleep. And tomorrow, when you feel much stronger, I can promise you such music as you would not believe that possible the Emperor smiled happily, and fell at once into a deep, calm sleep. awakened in the morning, which was shining brightly. So much better did he feel that he was able to get out of bed and walk to the open window. Every bow of the tree in front of him were perched many birds, and in the centre of them sat on the poor fishermen who held to his lips on seeing the emperor out of the window out of

At the window he gave a sign the throats of the assembled birds. Such a glorious burst of melody, the tears of thankfulness flowed from the emperor's eyes, we believe. Thus such wonderful music was possible, was he a sick man? The bird chorus had brought back to him the health and strength which he was he a sick man. which all the doctors with their medicines had not been able to do. In his gratitude to the birds, he gave them the tree for their very own, and the poor fisherman he appointed bandmaster in chief.