Holiday reading

The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho (translated by C.E. Landers)

Prologue

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 that 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 narcissus.

But this was not how the author of the book ended the story.

He said that when Narcissus died, the godesses 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 godesses 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 at hand."

"But... was Narcissus beautiful?" the lake asked.

"Who better than you to know that?" the godesses said in wonder. "After all, it is 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."

"What a lovely story," the alchemist thought.

* * * * * * * *

Yes, it is a lovely story. It is short but deep--deep enough for keeping you thinking even after you have finished the book. I can't get engrossed in another fiction after I finished it. I have to rest a bit before I proceed to another book.

* * * * * * * *

After reading Confessions of a Shopaholic (by Sophie Kinsella), I lost the impulse to shop. I head home right after I have finished my business, instead of wandering around the shopping centre which I usually do. And I am unwilling to spend a penny (unless in a social gathering).

I even lose the motive to buy food.

well, this is not bad.

Anyway, reading one book by Sophie Kinsella is more than enough, as all the books written by her are more or less the same.