| C h a p t e r  ε  |
| E c h o  &  N a r c i s s u s |

“CURSED BY THE QUEEN OF THE GODS HERA, MOUNTAIN NYMPH ECHO LOST HER VOICE AND COULD ONLY REPEAT THE LAST WORDS SPOKEN BY SOMEONE ELSE. ONE DAY, ECHO SAW THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MAN NARCISSUS IN THE FOREST, AND FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM AT FIRST SIGHT. SHE WAS VERY IN LOVE, BUT BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT EXPRESS HER AFFECTION IN A PROPER WAY, THE LOVE AFFAIR ENDED IN MISUNDERSTANDING AND REGRET. COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN, ECHO FADED FROM EXISTENCE AND HER BODY WITHERED AWAY. ALL THAT REMAINED OF HER WAS HER VOICE, UTTERING THE NAMEOF NARCISSUS.

WE THINK THAT IF WE CROSS MOUNTAINS AND SEAS, AND FOLLOW THE GOLDEN THREAD, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THE IMAGINARY EXIT. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF A TINY YELLOW FLOWER BY THE LAKE, WE DESPERATELY TAKE OFF OUR WAXEN WINGS AND THROW AWAY THE GOLDEN THREAD IN OUR HANDS. WE BURY OUR HEADS IN A YELLOW ROSE THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO US. WE ONLY CARE ABOUT SATISFYING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, AND EVEN IF WE FORGET ABOUT OUR DIRECTION, WE STILL WISH TO REGARD THAT RIPPLELESS LAKE AS OUR DESTINATION...

“I OFFER YOU THE MEMORY OF A YELLOW ROSE SEEN AT SUNSET, YEARS BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.” — IN POEM “WHAT CAN I HOLD YOU WITH?” BY JORGE LUIS BORGES”