In Greece long ago there lived a beautiful youth called Narcissus. At
his birth it was foretold that he should live happily until he beheld
his own face.
So he grew up, free from care, and light of heart, and was greatly
beloved of all the lovely wood and water nymphs.
But he paid little heed to them; for Narcissus was vain, and loved no
one but himself.
There was one nymph who loved him more dearly than the others, and her
name was Echo. She was very lovely and graceful, and she did all in her
power to win the heart of Narcissus. Alas! it was in vain; and at last
poor Echo pined away till there was nothing left of her but her soft
voice, that still answers from the glens and woodlands.
His vanity was the unhappy cause of this sad event, for one day
Narcissus had bent over a stream to drink, and, seeing his own face
reflected in the clear water, he instantly fell in love with what he
imagined to be a beautiful water nymph. From that moment Narcissus knew
no peace or happiness. He determined to win her for his bride, but no
answer could he ever obtain to all his passionate appeals. The beautiful
face only mocked him as it imitated all his expressions.
[Illustration: Story page layout titled 'ECHO' showing a woman's faded
face blending into dark waves and long-stemmed narcissus flowers.]
Every day he returned to the same spot, and sat gazing at his fancied
love, till in despair he grew pale and thin, and at length pined away
and died, or, as others say, perished in the very water pool which had
charmed him with its reflections. Thus was poor Echo avenged, and the
old prophecy made at his birth fulfilled.
His name was not, however, to be forgotten, for, by the bank of the
stream where he died, there sprang up the beautiful flowers that are
called Narcissus to this day. And, when the nymphs came to place his
body for the burning on the funeral pile they had raised, this was all
they found.
[Illustration: Color illustration of Jesus praying against a tree in a
moonlit garden filled with red lilies, while a crowd of soldiers with
swords approaches in the background.]
[Illustration: A vertical or horizontal decorative page accent showing
three minimal pen-and-ink line drawings of stylized lily flowers on
braided leafy stems.]