Oscar Wilde

The Nightingale and the Rose

Die Nachtigall und die Rose

A young student weeps in his garden because he has no red rose, and the girl he loves has said she will dance with him only if he brings her one. A nightingale who has sung night after night of true love hears him, and resolves to get him the rose.

B120 minAudio

Read

How it begins

EnglishGerman

“She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,” cried the young Student; “but in all my garden there is no red rose.”

„Sie sagte, sie würde mit mir tanzen, wenn ich ihr rote Rosen brächte“, rief der junge Student; „aber in meinem ganzen Garten gibt es keine rote Rose.“

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

Von ihrem Nest in der Steineiche aus hörte die Nachtigall ihn, blickte durch die Blätter und wunderte sich.

“No red rose in all my garden!” he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. “Ah, on what little things does happiness depend!

„Keine rote Rose in meinem ganzen Garten!“, rief er, und seine schönen Augen füllten sich mit Tränen. „Ach, von welch kleinen Dingen hängt das Glück doch ab!

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

The Nightingale and the Rose · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 2,328 words · ~20 min · Audio
Die Nachtigall und die Rose · GermanB1 Intermediate · 2,237 words · ~20 min · Audio
Το Αηδόνι και το Τριαντάφυλλο · GreekB1 Intermediate · 2,237 words · ~20 min
El ruiseñor y la rosa · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 2,282 words · ~20 min · Audio
Le Rossignol et la Rose · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 2,459 words · ~20 min · Audio
बुलबुल और गुलाब · HindiB1 Intermediate · 2,515 words · ~20 min
Burung Bulbul dan Bunga Mawar · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 2,034 words · ~15 min
L’usignolo e la rosa · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 2,115 words · ~20 min
ナイチンゲールとバラ · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
나이팅게일과 장미 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 1,487 words · ~10 min
De nachtegaal en de roos · DutchB1 Intermediate · 2,370 words · ~20 min
Słowik i róża · PolishB1 Intermediate · 1,875 words · ~15 min
O Rouxinol e a Rosa · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 2,336 words · ~20 min
Privighetoarea și trandafirul · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 2,208 words · ~20 min
Bülbül ile Gül · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 1,553 words · ~15 min
Chim Họa Mi và Hoa Hồng · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 2,866 words · ~25 min
夜莺与玫瑰 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Nightingale and the Rose in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 2,328 words: around 5–25 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

The Nightingale and the Rose

How it begins

Languages

Questions

More stories at this level