Echo and Narcissus

Echo was a beautiful nymph with a merry laugh and a gift for story telling. She spent her days singing and dancing with the other nymphs in the woods. However if the other nymphs wanted to have some secret fun, or if Zeus sought out their company, Echo would be sent to keep Hera entertained with her stories. The goddess loved to hear Echo talk, and would not notice the time passing. Until one day, when she discovered the nymph's trick. She was furious and cursed Echo. She decreed that Echo would not be able to speak of her own will, but must always repeat the last words said in her presence. Echo was distraught and fled from her friends, to wonder the forests and mountainsides by herself.

One day, a youth called Narcissus got separated from his friends while hunting. He was a beautiful young man, but he desired nothing but his own pleasure. Although he was loved by many, he knew nothing of love, and therefore little of grief. The blind seer Teiresias had made a prophecy at his birth that "So long as he knows not himself he shall live and be happy."

When Echo saw Narcissus she immediately fell in love with him and followed him as he searched for his companions. After a while, realising he was really lost Narcissus began to shout for his companions.
"Where are you?" he cried.
"Where are you?" Echo was forced to reply.
Narcissus paused, and looked around, but he could not see anyone. "I am in the woods." He answered.
"In the woods." Came the reply.
"Come here" he shouted
"Come here" Echo replied.
Narcissus walked towards the sound of her voice, but Echo seeing that he was approaching her, ran away from him. But he kept calling her, and she had to reply, each time leading him closer to her. They stopped in a clearing by a clear pool. Narcissus tried to find out her name, but each time he enquired "Who are you?" she replied "who are you?". Eventually he tired of this game, and became angry shouting abuse at her. She had to echo his cruel words, all the time weeping and longing to say words of love to him.

Narcissus sat down, exhausted, by the pool. As he looked into it, he saw a beautiful youth staring back at him. He immediately fell in love with the beautiful young man. He tried to reach out to the youth, but as he touched the water, ripples covered the image. He thought he had scared the man away by moving too quickly. He sighed, and Echo replied with a sigh. He lent forward and softly said "I love you." and again the nymph echoed his words. Narcissus tried again and again to reach the beautiful youth, but he kept fleeing to the bottom of the pool. Eventually Narcissus decided to chase his love to the bottom of the pool, and he threw himself into the pool, where he drowned. Thus fulfilling Teiresias' prophecy.

Echo saw all that happened, but was unable to reach Narcissus in time to prevent him drowning. She sat beside the pool and wept for her lost love, until she wasted away. Although the nymph was dead, Hera's curse remained and to this day invisible Echo haunts the forests and caves, repeating the words she hears. Beside the pool, from where Echo's tears hit the ground grew beautiful white and golden flowers in memory of the youth who fell in love with his reflection.