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TheNightingaleandtheRoseOscarWilde1ShesaidthatshewoulddancewithmeifIbroughtherredroses,criedtheyoungStudent;butinallmygardenthereisnoredrose.2Fromhernestintheholm-oaktreetheNightingaleheardhim,andshelookedoutthroughtheleaves,andwondered.3Noredroseinallmygarden!hecried,andhisbeautifuleyesfilledwithtears.Ah,onwhatlittlethingsdoeshappinessdepend!Ihavereadallthatthewisemenhavewritten,andallthesecretsofphilosophyaremine,yetforwantofaredroseismylifemadewretched.4Hereatlastisatruelover,saidtheNightingale.NightafternighthaveIsungofhim,thoughIknewhimnot:nightafternighthaveItoldhisstorytothestars,andnowIseehim.Hishairisdarkasthehyacinth-blossom,andhislipsareredastheroseofhisdesire;butpassionhasmadehisfacelikepaleivory,andsorrowhassethersealuponhisbrow.5ThePrincegivesaballtomorrownight,murmuredtheyoungStudent,andmylovewillbeofthecompany.IfIbringheraredroseshewilldancewithmetilldawn.IfIbringheraredrose,Ishallholdherinmyarms,andshewillleanherheaduponmyshoulder,andherhandwillbeclaspedinmine.Butthereisnoredroseinmygarden,soIshallsitlonely,andshewillpassmeby.Shewillhavenoheedofme,andmyheartwillbreak.6Hereindeedisthetruelover,saidtheNightingale.WhatIsingof,hesuffers-whatisjoytome,tohimispain.SurelyLoveisawonderfulthing.Itismorepreciousthanemeralds,anddearerthanfineopals.Pearlsandpomegranatescannotbuyit,norisitsetforthinthemarketplace.Itmaynotbepurchasedofthemerchants,norcanitbeweighedoutinthebalanceforgold.7Themusicianswillsitintheirgallery,saidtheyoungStudent,andplayupontheirstringedinstruments,andmylovewilldancetothesoundoftheharpandtheviolin.Shewilldancesolightlythatherfeetwillnottouchthefloor,andthecourtiersintheirgaydresseswillthrongroundher.Butwithmeshewillnotdance,forIhavenoredrosetogiveher;andheflunghimselfdownonthegrass,andburiedhisfaceinhishands,andwept.8Whyisheweeping?askedalittleGreenLizard,asheranpasthimwithhistailintheair.9Why,indeed?saidaButterfly,whowasflutteringaboutafterasunbeam.10Why,indeed?whisperedaDaisytohisneighbour,inasoft,lowvoice.11Heisweepingforaredrose,saidtheNightingale.12Foraredrose?theycried;howveryridiculous!andthelittleLizard,whowassomethingofacynic,laughedoutright.13ButtheNightingaleunderstoodthesecretoftheStudent'ssorrow,andshesatsilentintheoak-tree,andthoughtaboutthemysteryofLove.14Suddenlyshespreadherbrownwingsforflight,andsoaredintotheair.Shepassedthroughthegrovelikeashadow,andlikeashadowshesailedacrossthegarden.15Inthecentreofthegrass-plotwasstandingabeautifulRose-tree,andwhenshesawitsheflewovertoit,andlituponaspray.16Givemearedrose,shecried,andIwillsingyoumysweetestsong.17ButtheTreeshookitshead.18Myrosesarewhite,itanswered;aswhiteasthefoamofthesea,andwhiterthanthesnowuponthemountain.Butgotomybrotherwhogrowsroundtheoldsun-dial,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhatyouwant.19SotheNightingaleflewovertotheRose-treethatwasgrowingroundtheoldsun-dial.20Givemearedrose,shecried,andIwillsingyoumysweetestsong.21ButtheTreeshookitshead.22Myrosesareyellow,itanswered;asyellowasthehairofthemermaidenwhositsuponanamberthrone,andyellowerthanthedaffodilthatbloomsinthemeadowbeforethemowercomeswithhisscythe.ButgotomybrotherwhogrowsbeneaththeStudent'swindow,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhatyouwant.23SotheNightingaleflewovertotheRose-treethatwasgrowingbeneaththeStudent'swindow.24Givemearedrose,shecried,andIwillsingyoumysweetestsong.25ButtheTreeshookitshead.26Myrosesarered,itanswered,asredasthefeetofthedove,andredderthanthegreatfansofcoralthatwaveandwaveintheocean-cavern.Butthewinterhaschilledmyveins,andthefrosthasnippedmybuds,andthestormhasbrokenmybranches,andIshallhavenorosesatallthisyear.27OneredroseisallIwant,criedtheNightingale,onlyoneredrose!IstherenowaybywhichIcangetit?28Thereisaway,answeredtheTree;butitissoterriblethatIdarenottellittoyou.29Tellittome,saidtheNightingale,Iamnotafraid.30Ifyouwantaredrose,saidtheTree,youmustbuilditoutofmusicbymoonlight,andstainitwithyourownheart's-blood.Youmustsingtomewithyourbreastagainstathorn.Allnightlongyoumustsingtome,andthethornmustpierceyourheart,andyourlife-bloodmustflowintomyveins,andbecomemine.31Deathisagreatpricetopayforaredrose,criedtheNightingale,andLifeisverydeartoall.Itispleasanttositinthegreenwood,andtowatchtheSuninhischariotofgold,andtheMooninherchariotofpearl.Sweetisthescentofthehawthorn,andsweetarethebluebellsthathideinthevalley,andtheheatherthatblowsonthehill.YetLoveisbetterthanLife,andwhatistheheartofabirdcomparedtotheheartofaman?32Soshespreadherbrownwingsforflight,andsoaredintotheair.Shesweptoverthegardenlikeashadow,andlikeashadowshesailedthroughthegrove.33TheyoungStudentwasstilllyingonthegrass,whereshehadlefthim,andthetearswerenotyetdryinhisbeautifuleyes.34Behappy,criedtheNightingale,behappy;youshallhaveyourredrose.Iwillbuilditoutofmusicbymoonlight,andstainitwithmyownheart's-blood.AllthatIaskofyouinreturnisthatyouwillbeatruelover,forLoveiswiserthanPhilosophy,thoughsheiswise,andmightierthanPower,thoughheismighty.Flame-colouredarehiswings,andcolouredlikeflameishisbody.Hislipsaresweetashoney,andhisbreathislikefrankincense.35TheStudentlookedupfromthegrass,andlistened,bu