Le Prunier

The Emperor's Plum Tree was translated from the French by Elizabeth Shub. It's a book well worth bringing into print in English. An emperor who requires beauty and perfection all around him is upset when one plum tree in his garden dies, throwing off the entire harmony of the design. He searches his kingdom looking for a replacement and finds a tree, commanding his servants to dig it up and bring it to his palace. The tree is the home of a nightingale who is the friend of a small boy, Musuko. The boy writes a note to the emperor on a small scroll and ties it to the branches of the tree as it is carried away. When the emperor goes out to enjoy his garden in its restored loveliness, he sees the scroll and asks that it be brought to him. When he reads the note (a beautiful drawing of the the plum tree with the nightingale perched on its branches and a poem) "At the long day's end/when the nightingale flies home/what shall I tell her?", the emperor is suddenly struck with the realization of his selfishness and restores the tree to its rightful home. This fable is perfect for the Preschool child. It is simple, cleanly written with not too much text on a page, and has lovely illustrations. It is a little-known story that is worth tracking down. I give it my highest recommendation.