In a moonlit garden, where flowers swayed gently to a soft breeze, lived a lovely little nightingale named Nina. The stars twinkled brightly above her home in an old cherry tree, promising a special night ahead. Tonight was the night of the Starry Night concert, a magical gathering where songs of love and friendship filled the air.
Nina’s friends were all buzzing with excitement. Sophie the squirrel was dancing merrily, Leo the firefly was moving to and fro, and Benny the bunny cheered with others, saying, “Tonight, Nina, you will steal the show with your beautiful songs!” All the animals agreed that Nina’s voice was the sweetest and finest of all. But when they all praised her and told her so, Nina, looking up shyly beneath her lovely golden-brown plumage, answered, “Oh dear me!” and then turned away.
“You really don’t think I could sing the songs that those who are going to sing in the concert know?” she said. “I never had singing lessons or learned the notes, but always sang just what came into my little heart and head to sing. But if you think I knew songs enough, or was good enough to sing, I will try.”
The animals were all so happy at this answer, and when the stars came out brighter than ever, they all set off for the meadow at the bottom of the garden. Otto the old owl would conduct, and there were the other songsters all waiting on the platform under the trees.
Nina sat close to Sophie. She wanted to sing in the concert, but of all the songs that had been sung before it came to her turn, she did not think she knew a single one; but when she had listened to them all she felt very happy, and began to sing a song with which the stars were so familiar that they began to twinkle and shine brighter still. She sang of love and happiness, just what was in her little heart, and the animals were delighted. They clapped their paws and grimmed their faces and wanted her to sing again.
This time she sang one of the old children’s hymns that her mother had so often sung; her voice was soft and even, and every word was understood. When her singing was finished all the animals cried out, “Three cheers for Nina the nightingale!” as if she had been the strongest man and bravest sailor in all the world. And then it was that the sky grew more bright and starry, and the song of the nightingale rang from the old cherry tree in the moonlit garden.