Narcissus was a handsome youth. His lovely face and graceful form were the admiration of all who looked upon him. And he knew it. He was proud that he thought no one buthimself was worthy to see his youthful beauty. Thus given up to sweet thoughts of self, Narcissus avoided all company. He roamed the wooded little valleys every day, madly in love withhimself.
When he was delightfully wandering through the woods oneday, a wood fairy maiden, echo by name, caught sight of him. She was excited at once. Joyfully coming down towards narcissus, she stretched out her loving arms. To her dismay, however, the young man roughly brushed her aside and went by without so much as a glance at her. The poor fairy maiden's face turned red and quickly withdrew to a shady spot, following the object of her love with her longing eyes.
Presently narcissus stopped to drink from a little stream. Kneeling down on the bank, he saw a lovely face in the clear water. His heart gave a beat. He smiled and was smiled back to. Thinking that it must be a maiden in love with him, he bent down to kiss her. And her lips also drew near his. But as soon a she touched the clear surface the lovely face disappeared. The angry youth was now desperate. Never had he been looked downupon like that before. Day and night, he stayed at the stream without drinking and eating. Before long he died, never suspecting that his maiden was just his own image in the stream. The gods took pity on the fair dead body and turned it into a flower bearing his name.
The intoxicated echo saw all this. Slowly she became weak for despised love, until at last nothing remained of her except her voice.