Cathay, a kingdom with harmony and peace. A simple kitchen maid, whose mother is very sick, learns of magical faeries and a root that can cure even the worst disease. She also comes across a beautiful bird, the nightingale, that she soon falls in love with its song. The emperor, is unpleased to learn that his great and vast palace does not completly please the poets, rather a simple bird, the nightingale, does. His royal court gets the bird, with the help of the kitchen maid, and the emperor is very pleased. After a while, an artificial bird is given to the emperor as a gift. He banishes the other the nightingale. But when the artificial bird breaks, he suddenly becomes deathly ill. It's up to the nightingale to save him, but will she after he banished her? Mick Jagger portrays the emperor very well, Barbara Hershey is superb as the kitchen maid, and Edward James Olomos is great as the prime minister. The Nightingale has a great message and great fun!