A young Student longs for a red rose to win the affection of a girl who promises to dance with him if he brings her one. Desperate and heartbroken, he laments the absence of such a rose in his garden. A Nightingale, hearing his sorrow, decides to help him, recognizing the depth of his love. She learns from a series of rose trees that to obtain a red rose, she must sacrifice herself by creating it from music and her own heart's blood. The Nightingale, undeterred by the cost, sings through the night, pressing her breast against a thorn to draw blood. As she sings, a beautiful crimson rose blooms, symbolizing the love that transcends life and death. However, the Nightingale dies from her sacrifice, lying lifeless in the grass. The next day, the Student discovers the rose and is initially overjoyed. He presents it to the girl, but she dismisses it as inferior to the jewels given to her by another suitor. Angered by her ingratitude, he throws the rose away, where it is crushed by a passing cart. Disillusioned, he concludes that love is impractical and returns to his studies, prioritizing logic and philosophy over the emotional truths embodied in the Nightingale's sacrifice.
By Oscar Wilde · First published 1894 · Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Allegory