What was the fable-type short story about the bird that stabbed itself with a thorn to make a rose more red...

The bird stabbed itself for the color so that this boy would win the affection of a girl. In the end, the bird dies, and the girl throws the rose into the street. I wanted to remember what it was because I remember it really affected me when I was little.
What was the fable-type short story about the bird that stabbed itself with a thorn to make a rose more red...
There's a folktale about how the robin got its red breast that involves a thorn.

Your story sounds like something Hans Christian Andersen would come up with. I'll try to check on that.

Edit: I got it! It's "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde. Here's a link to the story: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-storie...
Reply:Aw, thanks. I'm a librarian. This is what I do--and I love it! Report It