The Alchemist

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……