TheAlchemistpickedupabookthatsomeoneinthecaravanhadbrought.Leafingthroughthepages,hefoundastoryaboutNarcissus.
ThealchemistknewthelegendofNarcissus,ayouthwhokneltdailybesidealaketocomtemplatehisownbeauty.Hewassofascinatedbyhimselfthat,onemorning,hefellintothelakeanddrowned.Atthespotwherehefell,aflowerwasborn,whichwascalledthenarcissus.
Butthiswasnothowtheauthorofthebookendedthestory.
HesaidthatwhenNarcissusdied,thegoddnessesoftheforestappearedandfoundthelake,whichhadbeenfreshwater,transformedintoalakeofsaltytears.
"Whydoyouweep?"thegoddnessesaskes.
"IweepforNarcissus,"thelakereplied.
"Ah,itisnosurprisethatyouweepforNarcissus,"theysaid,"forthoughwealwayspursuedhimintheforest,youalonecouldcontemplatehisbeautycloseathand."
"But...wasNarcissusbeautiful?"thelakeasked
"Whobetterthanyoutoknowthat?"thegoddnesssaidinwonder."Afterall,itwasbyyourbanksthatheknelteachdaytocontemplatehimself!"
Thelakewassilentforsometime.Finally,itsaid:
"IweepforNarcissus,butInevernoticedthatNarcissuswasbeautiful.Iweepbecause,eachtimehekneltbesidemybanks,Icouldsee,inthedepthsofhiseyes,myownbeautyreflected."
"Whatalovelystory,"thealchemistthought.
《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》讲述了牧羊少年圣地亚哥接连两次做了同一个梦,梦见埃及金字塔附近藏有一批宝藏。在撒冷之王的引导下,少年卖掉羊群,历尽千辛万苦一路向南,跨海来到非洲,穿越“死亡之海”撒哈拉大沙漠……期间奇遇不断,在一位炼金术士的指引下,他克服意志、心灵上的种种困难,终于到达金字塔前,悟出了宝藏的真正所在……