A prince of modest means wishes to marry the Emperor's daughter. He brings the princess two gifts; a rose that grows on his father's grave and blooms only once every five years, and has the sweetest smell one can imagine; and a nightengale which sings the most beautiful music. The emperor weeps at the nightengale's song, as it reminds him of a music box owned by the late empress, but the princess spurns the gifts as they are "natural" and not "artificial."