Yarning along

The Alchemist :: by Paulo Coelho. ' A fable about following your dreams '.

The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought. Leafing through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus.
The Alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that , one morning , he fell into the lake and drowned.  At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the narcissus.
But this was not how the author of the book ended the story.
He said that when Narcissus died, the goddess of the forest appeared and found the lake, which had  been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.
"Why do you weep?" the goddess asked.
" I weep for Narcissus, " the lake replied.
"Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus," they said , " for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand."
" But ... was Narcissus beautiful ? " the lake asked.
" Who better than you to know that ? " the goddess said in wonder. " After all, it was by your banks that he knelt each day to contemplate himself !"

The lake was silent for some time . Finally , it said :
" I weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, I could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty
reflected."

_________________________________________________________________________

Isn't that amazing ?
This book was found and collected at a yardsale, its previous owner said it had been enjoyed and read by her many times. She also said the author had several other good books. I 'm about halfway into it , and it is really a book that opens up one's eyes/ mind/ ideas/ beliefs. It is just the kind of book that I am drawn toward.

kNITTing THIS.
jOINing here.