Un coeur simple

by Gustave Flaubert

"Un coeur simple" by Gustave Flaubert is a short story published in 1877 as part of Three Tales. It follows Felicité, a devoted servant girl whose lover abandons her to avoid military service. Working in a widow's household, she pours her affection into others—her mistress's children, her distant nephew, and eventually a pet parrot. Loss follows her at every turn, yet she continues to love without expectation of return. As her simple, unexamined life draws to a close, her humble devotion takes on an unexpected spiritual dimension.