The central idea of the story "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde is the theme of love and sacrifice. The story revolves around a young student who falls in love with a beautiful girl, but she refuses to dance with him unless he brings her a red rose. The student is heartbroken as he cannot find a red rose anywhere in the garden.

The Nightingale's Sacrifice
- In desperation, the student turns to a nightingale for help. The nightingale feels sorry for the student and decides to help him by sacrificing herself.
- The nightingale flies around the garden all night in search of a red rose. Finally, she finds a rose tree that can produce a red rose but warns the nightingale that it requires a sacrifice of her life to produce the rose.
- The nightingale decides to sacrifice her life for the sake of love and sings a beautiful melody while pressing her breast against the thorn of the tree. The blood from her heart flows into the tree, and a red rose blooms.

The Student's Betrayal
- The student is overjoyed to find the red rose and takes it to the girl. However, the girl rejects the rose as she has found someone else to dance with.
- The student is shattered, and the rose withers away in his hand. He realizes too late the true value of the nightingale's sacrifice for love.

The Theme of Love and Sacrifice
- The story highlights the theme of love and sacrifice, where love can inspire selfless acts of sacrifice.
- The nightingale's sacrifice shows the depth of her love for the student and the willingness to give her life for the sake of his love.
- The student's betrayal shows the superficial nature of his love, where he is more concerned about his own desires than the sacrifice made for him.

In conclusion, "The Nightingale and the Rose" is a poignant story that highlights the theme of love and sacrifice. The nightingale's selfless act of sacrifice for love is contrasted with the student's superficial love, which leads to his betrayal of the nightingale's sacrifice.