TheNightingaleAndTheRoseOscarWilde"ShesaidthatshewoulddancewithmeifIbroughtherredroses,"criedtheyoungStudent,"butinallmygardenthereisnoredrose."Fromhernestintheoaktree（栎树）theNightingaleheardhim,andshelookedoutthroughtheleavesandwondered."Noredroseinallmygarden!"hecried,andhisbeautifuleyesfilledwithtears."Ah,onwhatlittlethingsdoeshappinessdepend!Ihavereadallthatthewisemenhavewritten,andallthesecretsofphilosophyaremine,yetforwantofaredroseismylifemadewretched."（不幸的、悲惨的）"Hereatlastisatruelover,"saidtheNightingale."NightafternighthaveIsungofhim,thoughIknewhimnot:nightafternighthaveItoldhisstorytothestarsandnowIseehim.Hishairisdarkasthehyacinth(风信子)--blossom,andhislipsareredastheroseofhisdesire;butpassionhasmadehisfacelikepaleivory,andsorrowhassethersealuponhisbrow.""ThePrincegivesaballto-morrownight,"murmuredtheyoungstudent,"andmylovewillbeofthecompany.IfIbringheraredroseshewilldancewithmetilldawn.IfIbringheraredrose,Ishouldholdherinmyarms,andshewillleanherheaduponmyshoulder,andherhandwillbeclaspedinmine.Butthereisnoredroseinmygarden,soIshallsitlonely,andshewillpassmeby.Shewillhavenoheedofme,andmyheartwillbreak.""Here,indeed,isthetruelover,"saidtheNightingale."WhatIsingof,hesuffers:whatisjoytome,tohimispain.Surelyloveisawonderfulthing.Itismorepreciousthanemeralds（绿宝石）,anddearerthanfineopals（猫眼石）.Pearlsandpomegranates（石榴石）cannotbuyit,norisitsetforthinthemarket-place.Itmaynotbepurchasedofthemerchants,norcanitbeweighedoutinthebalanceforgold.""Themusicianswillsitintheirgallery,"saidtheyoungStudent,"andplayupontheirstringedinstruments,andmylovewilldancetothesoundoftheharpandtheviolin.Shewilldancesolightlythatherfeetwillnottouchthefloor,andthecourtiersintheirgaydresseswillthrongroundher.Butwithmeshewillnotdance,forIhavenoredrosetogiveher:"andheflunghimselfdownonthegrass,andburiedhisfaceinhishands,andwept."Whyisheweeping?"askedalittleGreenLizard,asheranpasthimwithhistailintheair."Why,indeed?"saidaButterfly,whowasflutteringaboutafterasunbeam."Why,indeed?"whisperedaDaisytohisneighbour,inasoft,lowvoice."Heisweepingforaredrose,"saidtheNightingale."Foraredrose?"theycried:"howveryridiculous!"andthelittleLizard,whowassomethingofacynic,laughedoutright.ButtheNightingaleunderstoodthesecretoftheStudent’ssorrow,andshesatsilentintheoak-tree,andthoughtaboutthemysteryofLove.Suddenlyshespreadherbrownwingsforflight,andsoaredintotheair.Shepassedthroughthegrovelikeashadowandlikeashadowshesailedacrossthegarden.Inthecenterofthegrass-plotwasstandingabeautifulRose-tree,andwhenshesawitsheflewovertoit,andlituponaspray."Givemearedrose,"shecried,"andIwillsingyoumysweetestsong."ButtheTreeshookitshead."Myrosesarewhite,"itanswered;"aswhiteasthefoamofthesea,andwhiterthanthesnowuponthemountain.Butgotomybrotherwhogrowsroundtheoldsun-dial（日规）,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhatyouwant."SotheNightingaleflewovertotheRose-treethatwasgrowingroundtheoldsun-dial."Givemearedrose,"shecried,"andIwillsingyoumysweetestsong."ButtheTreeshookitshead."Myrosesareyellow,"itanswered;"asyellowasthehairofthemermaiden（美人鱼）whositsuponanamberthrone,andyellowerthanthedaffodilthatbloomsinthemeadow（割草机）beforethemowercomeswithhisscythe.ButgotomybrotherwhogrowsbeneaththeStudent’swindow,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhatyouwant."SotheNightingaleflewovertotheRose-treethatwasgrowingbeneaththeStudent’swindow."Giv...
