PART ONE

 

The Student in Love

 

            In a nest, in a tree, in a garden a nightingale sang. Her song was beautiful: she sang of love and happiness. One day she saw a young student in the garden.

            “She says she will dance with me if I give her a red rose”, said the Student, “but in my garden there is no red rose”. And when he said this, his eyes filled with tears. “Every day I study philosophy and I read all the things that wise men say about happiness. Now my happiness depends on a red rose”!

            The Nightingale heard this and said to herself, “Finally, here is a true lover. Every night I sing of love and this young man suffers for love”.

            The Student continued: “I love the Professor’s daughter and tomorrow there is a ball at the Prince’s palace. My love will be there. If I take her a red rose she will dance with me. If I have no red rose she will not speak to me”. The young student looked around the garden”. […]

            “Ah”, said the Nightingale, “Love is a wonderful thing: it is more precious than emeralds, opals and pearls, you cannot buy love in the market place with gold coins”.

            “The musicians will play their violins and my love will dance to their music. But she will not dance with me. I have no red rose to give her”. The Student fell onto the grass and started to cry.

            […]

 

 PART FOUR

 

The Professor’s Daugther

 

            The next day, at lunchtime, the Student woke up and looked out of his window. “That’s lucky”, he said, “here is a red rose. It is an extremely beautiful red rose. I’m sure it has a long Latin name”. He took the rose from the tree. He put on his hat and ran to the Professor’s house. The Professor’s daughter was sitting near the door.

            “Look, here is a red rose for you. Tonight you must dance with me as you promised. You will wear it next to your heart and I will say “I love you”.

            The girl didn’t smile but she looked at him. “I’m sorry”, she said, “I don’t like the colour. My dress is blue and the rose is red. And another thing, the Chamberlain’s son gave me jewels. Everybody knows that jewels are more expensive than flowers. I don’t want your rose”.

            “You are very ungrateful”, said the Student angrily, and he threw the rose into the street. At that moment a cart passed and the wheels crushed the flower.

            “You are very rude”, said the girl. “I will dance with the Chamberlain’s son, not with you”. Then she stood up and went into her house.

            The student started to walk home. “Love is a stupid thing”, he said, “I prefer to study books. They are much more interesting and useful… Yes, logic is much more useful than love. I will go home and study philosophy and metaphysics”. And that’s what he did.