Why read sad stories?

haikujaguar was asking why so many modern fiction stories end up with the protagonist getting special powers, going to fairyland (or equivalent), becoming special, and leaving behind their previous life entirely.

She was feeling dissatisfied with the prominence of that motif in recent fiction.

And it got me thinking about Peter S Beagle.

I have not seen a single story by Mr Beagle that had a perfectly happy ending. I read his stories, and they do more than tug at the heart. They tear it out and make you cry.

But oh, his stories are so beautiful. Even though I end up sniffling through one or two scenes, even though my heart aches for the people in these stories, I will return and read these books again. When my soul is parched, I will face the parts that hurt for the sake of that beauty.

Do any of these newer, ultimate happy-ending stories have the same depth? Do they feed the soul and nurture it? Do they bring back a reader, time and again? Do we even really care about the hero, or are they just a fantasy to daydream about?

So many outfits, but so few velveteen rabbits.