“noredroseinallmygarden!”hecried,andhisbeauifuleyesfilledwihears“ah,onwhalilehingsdoeshappinessdepend!ihavereadallhahewisemenhavewrien,andallhesecresofphilosophyaremine,yeforwanofaredroseismylifemadewreched”

“hereasisaruelover,”saidhenighingale“nighafernighhaveisungofhim,houghiknewhimno:nighafernighhaveioldhissoryohesars,andnowiseehimhishairisdarkashehyacinhblossom,andhislipsareredasheroseofhisdesire;bupassionhasmadehisfacelikepaleivory,andsorrowhassehersealuponhisbrow”

“heprincegivesaballomorrownigh,”murmuredheyoungsuden,“andmylovewillbeofhecompanyifibringheraredroseshewilldancewihmeilldawnifibringheraredrose,ishallholdherinmyarms,andshewillleanherheaduponmyshoulder,andherhandwillbecspedinminebuhereisnoredroseinmygarden,soishallsilonely,andshewillpassmebyshewillhavenoheedofme,andmyhearwillbreak”

“hereindeedisheruelover,”saidhenighingale“whaisingof,hesuffers:whaisjoyome,ohimispainsurelyloveisawonderfulhingiismoreprecioushanemeralds,anddearerhanfineopalspearlsandpomegranaesca

obuyi,norisiseforhinhemarkepceimaynobepurchasedofhemerchans,norcanibeweighedouinhebanceforgold”

“hemusicianswillsiinheirgallery,”saidheyoungsuden,“andpyuponheirsringedinsrumens,andmylovewilldanceohesoundofheharpandheviolinshewilldancesolighlyhaherfeewillnoouchhefloor,andhecouriersinheirgaydresseswillhrongroundherbuwihmeshewillnodance,forihavenoredroseogiveher”;andheflunghimselfdownonhegrass,andburiedhisfaceinhishands,andwep

“whyisheweeping?”askedalilegreenlizard,asheranpashimwihhisailinheair

“why,indeed?”saidabuerfly,whowasflueringabouaferasunbeam

“why,indeed?”whisperedadaisyohisneighbour,inasof,lowvoice

“heisweepingforaredrose,”saidhenighingale

“foraredrose?”heycried;“howveryridiculous!”andhelilelizard,whowassomehingofacynic,ughedourigh

buhenighingaleundersoodhesecreofhesuden’ssorrow,andshesasileninheoakree,andhoughabouhemyseryoflove

suddenlyshespreadherbrownwingsforfligh,andsoaredinoheairshepassedhroughhegrovelikeashadow,andlikeashadowshesailedacrosshegarden

inhecenreofhegrassplowassandingabeauifulroseree,andwhenshesawisheflewoveroi,andliuponaspray

“givemearedrose,”shecried,“andiwillsingyoumysweeessong”

buhereeshookishead

“myrosesarewhie,”ianswered;“aswhieashefoamofhesea,andwhierhanhesnowuponhemounainbugoomybroherwhogrowsroundheoldsundial,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhayouwan”

sohenighingaleflewoveroherosereehawasgrowingroundheoldsundial

“givemearedrose,”shecried,“andiwillsingyoumysweeessong”

buhereeshookishead

“myrosesareyellow,”ianswered;“asyellowashehairofhemermaidenwhosisuponanamberhrone,andyellowerhanhedaffodilhabloomsinhemeadowbeforehemowercomeswihhisscyhebugoomybroherwhogrowsbeneahhesuden’swindow,andperhapshewillgiveyouwhayouwan”

sohenighingaleflewoveroherosereehawasgrowingbeneahhesuden’swindow

“givemearedrose,”shecried,“andiwillsingyoumysweeessong”

buhereeshookishead

“myrosesarered,”ianswered,“asredashefeeofhedove,andredderhanhegreafansofcoralhawaveandwaveinheoceancavernbuhewinerhaschilledmyveins,andhefroshasnippedmybuds,andhesormhasbrokenmybranches,andishallhavenorosesaallhisyear”

“oneredroseisalliwan,”criedhenighingale,“onlyoneredrose!isherenowaybywhichicangei?”

“hereisaway,”answeredheree;“buiissoerriblehaidarenoellioyou”

“elliome,”saidhenighingale,“iamnoafraid”

“ifyouwanaredrose,”saidheree,“youmusbuildiouofmusicbymoonligh,andsainiwihyourownhear’sbloodyoumussingomewihyourbreasagainsahornallnighlongyoumussingome,andhehornmuspierceyourhear,andyourlifebloodmusflowinomyveins,andbecomemine”

“deahisagreapriceopayforaredrose,”criedhenighingale,“andlifeisverydearoalliispleasanosiinhegreenwood,andowachhesuninhischarioofgold,andhemooninhercharioofpearlsweeishescenofhehawhorn,andsweearehebluebellshahideinhevalley,andheheaherhablowsonhehillyeloveisbeerhanlife,andwhaishehearofabirdcomparedohehearofaman?”

soshespreadherbrownwingsforfligh,andsoaredinoheairsheswepoverhegardenlikeashadow,andlikeashadowshesailedhroughhegrove

heyoungsudenwassilllyingonhegrass,whereshehadlefhim,andheearswerenoyedryinhisbeauifuleyes

“behappy,”criedhenighingale,“behappy;youshallhaveyourredroseiwillbuildiouofmusicbymoonligh,andsainiwihmyownhear’sbloodallhaiaskofyouinreurnishayouwillbearuelover,forloveiswiserhanphilosophy,houghsheiswise,andmighierhanpower,houghheismighyfmecolouredarehiswings,andcolouredlikefmeishisbodyhislipsaresweeashoney,andhisbreahislikefrankincense”