Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
Introducing the Lesson
Vocabulary for the Selection
There is no vocabulary for this selection.
Ask students to consider, as they read, how the
character, Narcissa, might be like a flower and
like the character in the Greek myth. (Flowers
are pleasing to behold. The character in the
Greek myth is mesmerized by self-reflection.)
Prereading
Close Reading
Discuss with students the Prereading note on page
70 before they begin reading the selection. Discuss
the following with students before they begin
reading:
Have students glance through the questions under
Key Ideas and Details on page 73 and answer these
questions as they read through the selection. (See
the answers given below under “Answer Key.”)
• Lyric Poetry. A lyric poem is musical (or
euphonious) and expresses the emotions of a
speaker. The speaker in this poem by Gwendolyn
Brooks is not the girl in the poem but a person
who is observing the girl. In other words, the
speaker is a third-person narrator.
• Allusion. Explain that an allusion is a reference
in a literary work to something outside the work.
This poems makes an allusion to a Greek myth,
the story of Narcissus. A brief paraphrase of
the myth appears in the Prereading. However,
you may wish to summarize the story for your
students before they read the poem so that they
will know it in more detail. The story of Echo and
Narcissus is reprinted, in two versions, in the
Additional Resources section at the end of these
teachers’ notes).
• Ambiguity. One characteristic of poetic language
is that it often makes use of language that
has multiple meanings, that is purposefully
ambiguous. An example is the name of character
who is the subject of this poem. The name is
triply ambiguous. It refers to the girl. It also
refers to a flower (the narcissus) and to a
character from a Greek myth. The reader is
meant, in his or her imagination, to transfer
to the subject being described (the girl) some,
though not all, of the characteristics of the
things with which the subject is associated.
Checktest
After students have read the selection, administer
the multiple-choice checktest to ensure that they
have done the reading.
Discussing the Selection
After students have finished the checktest, hold a
class discussion of the selection.
Summarize for your students A Reading of the
Selection on page 72. Point out to students that
in a work of literature, the form should match the
content. In this case, the form of the poem is that
of simple quatrains (four-line stanzas) of the kind
used in nursery rhymes, which is appropriate to
a poem about childhood. Invite your students to
define the word imagination. Imagination is the
faculty of bringing to mind that which is not actually
present or creating that which is new. Point out that
each of has a Self but that the Self is not a fixed
thing, like a table or chair. It is constantly changing,
developing, growing. Ask students to think about
how imagination can help one to change, develop,
or grow. (Answer: Imagination enables us to think
about how we might be, thus giving us a target to
grow toward. So, for example, one might imagine
being a basketball star. That creates the goal. Then,
one can work hard toward that goal by training as
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
a basketball player. Point out that children engage
in imaginative play all the time. For example, they
might play at making tea or teaching school. Such
play is practice for the real world. The child is trying
on and learning about various possible roles that he
or she might later assume. So, children’s imaginative
play is serious business. As Fred Rogers once pointed
out, “Play is the work of childhood.”
Choose a student to read aloud the note on the
Cultural/Historical Context of the selection. Explain
that Gwendolyn Brooks is a widely loved poet. Some
of her most famous poems, which student might
want to look up on their own, include the following:
“We Real Cool”
“The Bean Eaters”
“A Song in the Front Yard”
Read the note under About the Author on page 72.
Explain that the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry
to the Library of Congress, formerly the Consultant
in Poetry to the Library of Congress, is appointed by
Librarian of the United States Congress. It is largely
an honorary position, with few required duties
beyond giving an annual lecture and reading of his
or her poetry and introducing other poets at poetry
events held at the Library.
Refer students to the questions raised under
Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, and
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas on page 73.
Discuss the questions raised in these sections, in
turn. (See the answers given below under “Answer
Key.”
Answer Key
Key Ideas and Details
1. What
are the other girls doing? What is Narcissa
not doing?
Some of the girls are playing jacks, and some are
playing ball.
2. Where is Narcissa sitting?
She is sitting on a brick in her backyard.
3. What is Narcissa looking at? What motion does
she make?
She is looking at tigerlilies. She shakes her head
hard.
4. What does Narcissa imagine herself being ?
She imagines herself being “an ancient queen,” “a
singing wind,” and “a nightingale.” (Point out that
the nightingale is a bird known for its beautiful
song and thus traditionally associated with poetry
and singing.)
5. What does the speaker think of Narcissa? How
do you know? Why might the speaker have this
opinion?
The speaker says, directly, without a hint of irony,
that it is “fine to be Narcissa.” So, the speaker
evidently thinks highly of the girl. The speaker’s
subsequent statements suggest that the speaker is
impressed by Narcissa’s imaginative abilities.
Craft and Structure
Answers will vary. Possible answers are given.
Similarity between Narcissa and the narcissus flower:
both stay “planted in one place,” and both shake
their heads (the flower, when it is shaken by wind).
Similarities between Narcissa and Narcissus (from
the Greek myth): both sit still, both reflect on the
self.
Difference between Narcissa and Narcissus:
Narcissus’s self-reflection is vain (giving us the word
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Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
narcissistic); Narcissa’s self-reflection is not. It is,
rather, imaginative.
The poem has an abcb rhyme scheme (e.g., jacks/
ball/playing/all).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Answers will vary. The changes in Narcissa are taking
place in her mind—specifically, in her imagination.
(Note that at one point, Narcissa imagines being a
wind. Wind, in poetry, is itself a conventional symbol
of change because, of course, weather commonly
changes when a strong wind arises.) The German
philosopher Martin Heidegger is known, in part, for
his contention that what is definitive about the kind
of being that humans have is that it is a becoming.
In Heidegger’s words, we are always “toward the
future.” The neuroscientist and artificial intelligence
researcher Jeff Hawkins, author of On Intelligence,
argues that the fundamental operation of the brain is
prediction, including comparison of what is expected
with what actually happens. Clearly, we all, to a
some extent, are constantly imagining the future.
Personal change can come about when we imagine
ourselves being different in the future, when we
ask “what if?” questions about ourselves. What if I
went to college and studied art? What if I learned
Spanish? What if I cut my hair or made a new friend?
The importance of imagination was summed up in
a famous phrase attributed by Edward Kennedy to
his brother Robert: “Some people see things as they
are and say “Why?” I dream of things that never
were and say, “Why not?” This quotation is, in turn,
a paraphrase of a line from George Bernard Shaw’s
play Back to Methuselah: “ You see things; and you
say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I
say ‘Why not?’”
Writing Practice
Use the Writing Rubric: Narrative to assess the
student’s work. This rubric is available at http://
callistoeducation.com/Teacher9.htm.
Speaking and Listening Practice
Answers will vary. Imagination is an activity whereby
the mind entertains ideas about that which is not
present currently (and/or has not been present in
the past). An excellent imagination conceives of
that which others might not think of, sees things
freshly (from a unique perspective), and generates
by this means ideas that are fruitful in some way
(e.g., because they are surprising, interesting,
or useful). Children’s play and art both require
imagination and so are good training for use of the
imagination in other parts of one’s life. Imagination
has many practical uses. For example, a graphic
designer has to imagine possibilities for how a piece
of communication, such as an ad layout or a book
cover, might look. A product designer has to imagine
possibilities for how products might look, function,
be composed of, be used, and so on. A policy maker
has to imagine what will happen if certain policies
are implemented. We have all known people who
were particularly imaginative or unimaginative.
However, the imagination can be trained. Some rules
of thumb, or heuristics, for imagination include the
following:
Systematically consider all the possibilities
Combine two things that are not ordinarily
combined, taking features or components of each
Add a feature that is currently missing but that would
be valuable in some way
Simplify
Fix some aspect of the thing that doesn’t currently
work or isn’t optimal
Systematically vary current features or characteristics
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
Language Practice
suggestible
Refer students to any good dictionary for the
current definitions of these words. Have students use a browser to check the meaning of
the each word, typing into the search engine
the word itself and the words origin and mythology, as follows:
origin: fro the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos
tantalize AND origin AND mythology.
1. t antalize
current meaning: Torment or tease with the
sight or promise of something
origin: from the character Tantalus, in Greek
and Roman mythology, who as punishment for
his wickedness, was forced to spend eternity in
a pool of water, with fruit hanging above him.
Whenever he stooped to drink or reached up
to pluck the fruit, these would recede from
him.
2. h
erculean
current meaning: extremely difficult, as in “ a
herculean task”
origin: from Hercules (Greek Heracles), the
legendary strong man of Greek and Roman
myth.
3. a
tlas
current meaning: book of maps or charts
origin: from Atlas, a character in Greek and
Roman mythology forced to hold up the sky
throughout eternity
4. h
ypnotism
current meaning: the study or practice
of hypnosis, the creation of a state of
consciousness in which people lose their
power of voluntary action and are highly
5. t yphoon
current meaning: a tropical storm in the region
of the Indian or western Pacific Oceans
origin: from the Greek typhon, meaning
“whirlwind.” In Greek mythology, Typhon was
the most fearsome of monsters, a creature
with a hundred dragon heads feared even by
the gods.
6. v ulcanism
current meaning: also spelled volcanism, the
processes by which magma is extruded onto
the earth’s surface
origin: from the Roman god of the forge (and
thus of fire, smoke, and volcanoes), Vulcan
7. f ortune
current meaning: chance, fate, or luck; good
luck; riches
origin: from Latin fortuna, “chance, fate, good
luck”; the Romans personified good luck as the
goddess Fortuna.
8. h
eliotrope
current meaning: A plant of the borage family
cultivated for its purple or blue flowers; any
plant that turns or grows toward the sun
origin: from Greek helios, “sun,” and tropos,
“turn”; Helios was the Greek god of the sun
9. m
ercury
current meaning: a silvery heavy metal that is
liquid at room temperatures
original meaning: from the Roman god
Mercury, the messenger of the gods; the
metal mercury, because it is liquid at room
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
temperatures, moves about quickly and easily,
like Mercury
10. m
artial
current meaning: warlike, having to do with
war or fighting
original meaning: from Mars, the Roman god
of war
Differentiating the Instruction
Here are some ideas for differentiating your
instruction for the selection:
• Ability with spoken language generally outpaces
reading and writing ability. You may wish to read
aloud part or all of the Prereading and other
study apparatus for the selection to your English
language learners.
• Consider reading part of the selection aloud to
you class and having them then complete the
reading on their own.
• Divide you class into study groups and have each
group choose, with your assistance, a gifted
reader to introduce (and read aloud) each part
of the study apparatus.
Additional Resources
Here are some additional resources for teaching
the lesson (two versions of the Narcissus and Echo
story):
ECHO AND NARCISSUS
from The Age of Fable, by Thomas Bullfinch
Echo was a beautiful nymph, fond of the woods
and hills, where she devoted herself to woodland
sports. She was a favourite of Diana, and attended
her in the chase. But Echo had one failing; she was
fond of talking, and whether in chat or argument,
would have the last word. One day Juno was
seeking her husband, who, she had reason to fear,
was amusing himself among the nymphs. Echo by
her talk contrived to detain the goddess till the
nymphs made their escape. When Juno discovered
it, she passed sentence upon Echo in these words:
“You shall forfeit the use of that tongue with which
you have cheated me, except for that one purpose
you are so fond of- reply. You shall still have the last
word, but no power to speak first.”
This nymph saw Narcissus, a beautiful youth,
as he pursued the chase upon the mountains. She
loved him and followed his footsteps. O how she
longed to address him in the softest accents, and
win him to converse! but it was not in her power.
She waited with impatience for him to speak first,
and had her answer ready. One day the youth,
being separated from his companions, shouted
aloud, “Who’s here?” Echo replied, “Here.”
Narcissus looked around, but seeing no one, called
out, “Come.” Echo answered, “Come.” As no one
came, Narcissus called again, “Why do you shun
me?” Echo asked the same question. “Let us join
one another,” said the youth. The maid answered
with all her heart in the same words, and hastened
to the spot, ready to throw her arms about his
neck. He started back, exclaiming, “Hands off! I
would rather die than you should have me!” “Have
me,” said she; but it was all in vain. He left her, and
she went to hide her blushes in the recesses of the
woods. From that time forth she lived in caves and
among mountain cliffs. Her form faded with grief,
till at last all her flesh shrank away. Her bones were
changed into rocks and there was nothing left of
her but her voice. With that she is still ready to
reply to any one who calls her, and keeps up her
old habit of having the last word.
Narcissus’s cruelty in this case was not the only
instance. He shunned all the rest of the nymphs,
as he had done poor Echo. One day a maiden who
had in vain endeavoured to attract him uttered a
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
5
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
prayer that he might some time or other feel what
it was to love and meet no return of affection. The
avenging goddess heard and granted the prayer.
There was a clear fountain, with water like silver,
to which the shepherds never drove their flocks,
nor the mountain goats resorted, nor any of the
beasts of the forests; neither was it defaced with
fallen leaves or branches; but the grass grew fresh
around it, and the rocks sheltered it from the sun.
Hither came one day the youth, fatigued with
hunting, heated and thirsty. He stooped down
to drink, and saw his own image in the water; he
thought it was some beautiful water-spirit living in
the fountain. He stood gazing with admiration at
those bright eyes, those locks curled like the locks
of Bacchus or Apollo, the rounded cheeks, the ivory
neck, the parted lips, and the glow of health and
exercise over all. He fell in love with himself. He
brought his lips near to take a kiss; he plunged his
arms in to embrace the beloved object. It fled at
the touch, but returned again after a moment and
renewed the fascination. He could not tear himself
away; he lost all thought of food or rest. while he
hovered over the brink of the fountain gazing upon
his own image. He talked with the supposed spirit:
“Why, beautiful being, do you shun me? Surely my
face is not one to repel you. The nymphs love me,
and you yourself look not indifferent upon me.
When I stretch forth my arms you do the same; and
you smile upon me and answer my beckonings with
the like.” His tears fell into the water and disturbed
the image. As he saw it depart, he exclaimed,
“Stay, I entreat you! Let me at least gaze upon
you, if I may not touch you.” With this, and much
more of the same kind, he cherished the flame
that consumed him, so that by degrees be lost his
colour, his vigour, and the beauty which formerly
had so charmed the nymph Echo. She kept near
him, however, and when he exclaimed, “Alas! alas!
she answered him with the same words. He pined
away and died; and when his shade passed the
Stygian river, it leaned over the boat to catch a look
of itself in the waters. The nymphs mourned for
him, especially the water-nymphs; and when they
smote their breasts Echo smote hers also. They
prepared a funeral pile and would have burned the
body, but it was nowhere to be found; but in its
place a flower, purple within, and surrounded with
white leaves, which bears the name and preserves
the memory of Narcissus.
NARCISSUS AND ECHO, THE HOUSE OF CADMUS
from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, trans. Brooke Moore
Tiresias’ fame of prophecy was spread through
all the cities of Aonia, for his unerring answers unto
all who listened to his words. And first of those that
harkened to his fateful prophecies, a lovely Nymph,
named Liriope, came with her dear son, who then
fifteen, might seem a man or boy—he who was
born to her upon the green merge of Cephissus’
stream—that mighty River-God whom she declared
the father of her boy. – she questioned him.
Imploring him to tell her if her son, unequalled for
his beauty, whom she called Narcissus, might attain
a ripe old age. To which the blind seer answered
in these words, “If he but fail to recognize himself,
a long life he may have, beneath the sun,”—so,
frivolous the prophet’s words appeared; and yet
the event, the manner of his death, the strange
delusion of his frenzied love, confirmed it. Three
times five years so were passed. Another fiveyears, and the lad might seem a young man or a
boy. And many a youth, and many a damsel sought
to gain his love; but such his mood and spirit and
his pride, none gained his favour.
Once a noisy Nymph, (who never held her
tongue when others spoke, who never spoke till
others had begun) mocking Echo, spied him as he
drove, in his delusive nets, some timid stags.—For
Echo was a Nymph, in olden time,—and, more than
vapid sound,—possessed a form: and she was then
deprived the use of speech, except to babble and
repeat the words, once spoken, over and over. Juno
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6
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
confused her silly tongue, because she often held
that glorious goddess with her endless tales, till
many a hapless Nymph, from Jove’s embrace, had
made escape adown a mountain. But for this, the
goddess might have caught them. Thus the glorious
Juno, when she knew her guile; “Your tongue,
so freely wagged at my expense, shall be of little
use; your endless voice, much shorter than your
tongue.” At once the Nymph was stricken as the
goddess had decreed;—and, ever since, she only
mocks the sounds of others’ voices, or, perchance,
returns their final words.
One day, when she observed Narcissus
wandering in the pathless woods, she loved him
and she followed him, with soft and stealthy
tread.—The more she followed him the hotter did
she burn, as when the flame flares upward from
the sulphur on the torch. Oh, how she longed to
make her passion known! To plead in soft entreaty!
to implore his love! But now, till others have begun,
a mute of Nature she must be. She cannot choose
but wait the moment when his voice may give
to her an answer. Presently the youth, by chance
divided from his trusted friends, cries loudly, “Who
is here?” and Echo, “Here!” Replies. Amazed, he
casts his eyes around, and calls with louder voice,
“Come here!” “Come here!” She calls the youth
who calls.—He turns to see who calls him and,
beholding naught exclaims, “Avoid me not!” “Avoid
me not!” returns. He tries again, again, and is
deceived by this alternate voice, and calls aloud;
“Oh let us come together!” Echo cries, “Oh let us
come together!” Never sound seemed sweeter to
the Nymph, and from the woods she hastens in
accordance with her words, and strives to wind
her arms around his neck. He flies from her and
as he leaves her says, “Take off your hands! you
shall not fold your arms around me. Better death
than such a one should ever caress me!” Naught
she answers save, “Caress me!” Thus rejected she
lies hid in the deep woods, hiding her blushing
face with the green leaves; and ever after lives
concealed in lonely caverns in the hills. But her
great love increases with neglect; her miserable
body wastes away, wakeful with sorrows; leanness
shrivels up her skin, and all her lovely features
melt, as if dissolved upon the wafting winds—
nothing remains except her bones and voice—her
voice continues, in the wilderness; her bones have
turned to stone. She lies concealed in the wild
woods, nor is she ever seen on lonely mountain
range; for, though we hear her calling in the hills,
‘tis but a voice, a voice that lives, that lives among
the hills.
Thus he deceived the Nymph and many more,
sprung from the mountains or the sparkling waves;
and thus he slighted many an amorous youth.—
and therefore, some one whom he once despised,
lifting his hands to Heaven, implored the Gods, “If
he should love deny him what he loves!” and as the
prayer was uttered it was heard by Nemesis, who
granted her assent.
There was a fountain silver-clear and bright,
which neither shepherds nor the wild she-goats,
that range the hills, nor any cattle’s mouth had
touched—its waters were unsullied—birds
disturbed it not; nor animals, nor boughs that fall
so often from the trees. Around sweet grasses
nourished by the stream grew; trees that shaded
from the sun let balmy airs temper its waters.
Here Narcissus, tired of hunting and the heated
noon, lay down, attracted by the peaceful solitudes
and by the glassy spring. There as he stooped to
quench his thirst another thirst increased. While
he is drinking he beholds himself reflected in the
mirrored pool—and loves; loves an imagined body
which contains no substance, for he deems the
mirrored shade a thing of life to love. He cannot
move, for so he marvels at himself, and lies with
countenance unchanged, as if indeed a statue
carved of Parian marble. Long, supine upon the
bank, his gaze is fixed on his own eyes, twin stars;
his fingers shaped as Bacchus might desire, his
flowing hair as glorious as Apollo’s, and his cheeks
youthful and smooth; his ivory neck, his mouth
dreaming in sweetness, his complexion fair and
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
blushing as the rose in snow-drift white. All that
is lovely in himself he loves, and in his witless way
he wants himself:—he who approves is equally
approved; he seeks, is sought, he burns and he is
burnt. And how he kisses the deceitful fount; and
how he thrusts his arms to catch the neck that’s
pictured in the middle of the stream! Yet never
may he wreathe his arms around that image of
himself. He knows not what he there beholds, but
what he sees inflames his longing, and the error
that deceives allures his eyes. But why, O foolish
boy, so vainly catching at this flitting form? The
cheat that you are seeking has no place. Avert your
gaze and you will lose your love, for this that holds
your eyes is nothing save the image of yourself
reflected back to you. It comes and waits with you;
it has no life; it will depart if you will only go.
Nor food nor rest can draw him thence—
outstretched upon the overshadowed green, his
eyes fixed on the mirrored image never may know
their longings satisfied, and by their sight he is
himself undone. Raising himself a moment, he
extends his arms around, and, beckoning to the
murmuring forest; “Oh, ye aisled wood was ever
man in love more fatally than I? Your silent paths
have sheltered many a one whose love was told,
and ye have heard their voices. Ages vast have
rolled away since your forgotten birth, but who is
he through all those weary years that ever pined
away as I? Alas, this fatal image wins my love, as
I behold it. But I cannot press my arms around
the form I see, the form that gives me joy. What
strange mistake has intervened betwixt us and
our love? It grieves me more that neither lands
nor seas nor mountains, no, nor walls with closed
gates deny our loves, but only a little water keeps
us far asunder. Surely he desires my love and my
embraces, for as oft I strive to kiss him, bending to
the limpid stream my lips, so often does he hold his
face fondly to me, and vainly struggles up. It seems
that I could touch him. ‘Tis a strange delusion that
is keeping us apart. Whoever thou art, Come up!
Deceive me not! Oh, whither when I fain pursue art
thou? Ah, surely I am young and fair, the Nymphs
have loved me; and when I behold thy smiles I
cannot tell thee what sweet hopes arise. When
I extend my loving arms to thee thine also are
extended me—thy smiles return my own. When I
was weeping, I have seen thy tears, and every sign
I make thou cost return; and often thy sweet lips
have seemed to move, that, peradventure words,
which I have never heard, thou hast returned.
No more my shade deceives me, I perceive ‘Tis
I in thee—I love myself—the flame arises in my
breast and burns my heart—what shall I do? Shall
I at once implore? Or should I linger till my love
is sought? What is it I implore? The thing that I
desire is mine—abundance makes me poor. Oh, I
am tortured by a strange desire unknown to me
before, for I would fain put off this mortal form;
which only means I wish the object of my love
away. Grief saps my strength, the sands of life are
run, and in my early youth am I cut off; but death is
not my bane—it ends my woe.—I would not death
for this that is my love, as two united in a single
soul would die as one.”
He spoke; and crazed with love, returned to
view the same face in the pool; and as he grieved
his tears disturbed the stream, and ripples on the
surface, glassy clear, defaced his mirrored form.
And thus the youth, when he beheld that lovely
shadow go; “Ah whither cost thou fly? Oh, I entreat
thee leave me not. Alas, thou cruel boy thus to
forsake thy lover. Stay with me that I may see thy
lovely form, for though I may not touch thee I shall
feed my eyes and soothe my wretched pains.” And
while he spoke he rent his garment from the upper
edge, and beating on his naked breast, all white
as marble, every stroke produced a tint as lovely
as the apple streaked with red, or as the glowing
grape when purple bloom touches the ripening
clusters. When as glass again the rippling waters
smoothed, and when such beauty in the stream
the youth observed, no more could he endure. As
in the flame the yellow wax, or as the hoar-frost
melts in early morning ‘neath the genial sun; so
copyright © 2012, Callisto School Publishing. All rights reserved.
8
Voices of the People: Our African-American Heritage
Teacher’s Guide, Grade 9, Level I
Narcissa, p. 70
did he pine away, by love consumed, and slowly
wasted by a hidden flame. No vermeil bloom now
mingled in the white of his complexion fair; no
strength has he, no vigor, nor the comeliness that
wrought for love so long: alas, that handsome form
by Echo fondly loved may please no more.
But when she saw him in his hapless plight,
though angry at his scorn, she only grieved. As
often as the love-lore boy complained, “Alas!”
“Alas!” her echoing voice returned; and as he
struck his hands against his arms, she ever
answered with her echoing sounds. And as he
gazed upon the mirrored pool he said at last, “Ah,
youth beloved in vain!” “In vain, in vain!” the spot
returned his words; and when he breathed a sad
“farewell!” “Farewell!” sighed Echo too. He laid
his wearied head, and rested on the verdant grass;
and those bright eyes, which had so loved to gaze,
entranced, on their own master’s beauty, sad
Night closed. And now although among the nether
shades his sad sprite roams, he ever loves to gaze
on his reflection in the Stygian wave. His Naiad
sisters mourned, and having clipped their shining
tresses laid them on his corpse: and all the Dryads
mourned: and Echo made lament anew. And these
would have upraised his funeral pyre, and waved
the flaming torch, and made his bier; but as they
turned their eyes where he had been, alas he was
not there! And in his body’s place a sweet flower
grew, golden and white, the white around the gold.
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