There was a beautiful nymph named Echo.

Echo had a special gift: she spoke Very Well! Her voice was melodious! Her stories were enchanting!

But... she had a problem: she talked TOO Much.

Echo chattered non-stop! She told stories! Made jokes! Conversed for hours and hours!

The other nymphs loved it! "Echo is so fun!"

But the goddess Hera didn't find it funny at all.

It happens that Zeus (Hera's husband) often escaped from Olympus to visit nymphs on Earth.

And Echo, knowing this, helped Zeus.

When Hera came down looking for Zeus, Echo distracted her with long conversations.

"Oh Hera! Let me tell you about...!" and Echo talked, talked, talked!

While Echo distracted Hera, Zeus had time to escape.

One day, Hera realized the trick.

"ECHO! You deceived me! You used your voice to protect Zeus's betrayals!"

Hera was Furious.

"You like to talk so much? Then I'll give you a special gift!"

Hera cursed Echo:

"From now on, you will NEVER be able to speak first! You'll only be able to repeat the last words you hear!"

"No!" shouted Echo! "Please—"

But it was too late! The curse was already done!

Echo tried to say something... but couldn't! Her mouth opened but no original words came out!

She could only wait for someone to speak... and repeat.

Echo was sad! She who loved to talk could now only repeat!

The other nymphs tried to console her:

"Echo, are you okay?"

"...are you okay?" Echo sadly repeated.

"Talk to us!"

"...to us!" Echo repeated.

It was terrible! To have so much to say but not be able to speak!

Echo began avoiding the other nymphs! It was too painful!

She wandered the forests alone.

One day, Echo saw the most beautiful young man who ever existed: Narcissus.

Narcissus was son of the river-god Cephisus and the nymph Liriope.

When he was born, the prophet Tiresias told his mother: "He will live a long life... as long as he never knows himself!"

Strange! But the prophecy was forgotten!

Narcissus grew up and became Gorgeous! Golden hair! Eyes blue as sky! Perfect face!

Everyone fell in love with Narcissus - men, women, nymphs, gods.

But Narcissus was vain and cruel.

"You want my love?" Narcissus said with arrogance! "No one is good enough for me!"

He rejected everyone with cruelty.

"You? So ugly! Get away!"

"You? You don't even deserve to look at me!"

Heart after heart he broke without mercy.

Narcissus thought no one was worthy of him! That he was superior to everyone!

But then... he met Echo in the forest.

Echo hid behind the trees.

One look... and she fell madly in love.

She wanted to talk to him! To say "You're beautiful! I love you!"

But she couldn't! She could only repeat!

Echo followed him through the forest! Waiting for a chance!

Narcissus, sensing a presence, shouted: "Who's there?"

Finally! A chance to speak!

"...is there?" Echo repeated!

Narcissus looked around! "Show yourself!"

"...yourself!" Echo repeated!

"Come to me!" ordered Narcissus!

"...to me!" Echo ran out from the trees with open arms!

Echo hugged Narcissus! Her eyes shone with love!

But Narcissus pushed her away in disgust.

"Get away! I'd rather DIE than let you touch me!"

Echo was shattered! Tears flowed!

She tried to speak, explain, beg.

But could only repeat: "...touch me! ...touch me!"

Narcissus laughed cruelly! "Ridiculous! You think you deserve my love? Look at you!"

And he left.

Echo fell to her knees, crying.

Her voice repeated his last words: "...at you! ...at you!"

Echo became so sad that she stopped eating! Stopped sleeping!

She only thought about Narcissus.

Days passed! Weeks! Months!

Echo withered! Her body disappeared!

Until only her Voice remained.

Her body evaporated completely! But her voice remained!

Even today, when you call in the mountains, Echo answers.

She's still there! Still repeating! Still remembering Narcissus!

But Echo wasn't the only one Narcissus cruelly rejected.

There were dozens! Hundreds! All suffering!

One rejected youth prayed to Nemesis, goddess of revenge:

"Nemesis! May Narcissus feel what we feel! May he love without being loved back! May he suffer as we suffer!"

Nemesis heard! And agreed!

"Narcissus will learn about cruel love!" promised Nemesis!

One hot day, Narcissus was hunting in the forest.

Tired and thirsty, he found a spring of crystal clear water.

"Perfect!" he thought! "I'll drink!"

He knelt by the perfectly calm water.

And saw his reflection.

Narcissus was paralyzed.

"Who... who is this beautiful person?"

He didn't realize it was HIS OWN Reflection.

He thought it was another youth in the water.

"I've never seen anyone so beautiful!" Narcissus whispered!

Narcissus reached out to touch the beautiful youth.

But when he touched the water... the reflection distorted and disappeared.

"No! Come back!"

Narcissus waited! The water calmed! The reflection returned!

"There you are! So beautiful!"

Narcissus tried to kiss! But again the reflection disappeared in the ripples!

"Please! Don't leave me! I love you!"

Narcissus finally felt what he caused others - desperate unrequited love.

Narcissus couldn't leave.

He stayed there looking at the reflection.

"You're perfect! More beautiful than everyone! I love you!"

Hours passed! Days!

Narcissus didn't eat! Didn't drink! Didn't sleep!

He only looked at the reflection.

"I can't live without you!" he cried!

But of course he couldn't reach it! It was Impossible! It was his own reflection!

Slowly, Narcissus began to wither.

His body became weaker! Thinner!

Echo (now only a voice) saw everything from the mountains.

Even after the cruel rejection, she still loved Narcissus.

When Narcissus sighed "Woe is me!", Echo repeated: "...is me!"

When Narcissus cried "Farewell!", Echo repeated: "...Farewell!"

Finally, Narcissus died there, looking at the reflection.

His last words were: "Farewell, impossible love!"

And Echo, crying, repeated: "...impossible love!"

When the nymphs came to get Narcissus's body to bury it... it had disappeared.

In the place where he lay, a flower was growing.

Beautiful! White with yellow center! Bent as if looking down!

"It's Narcissus!" said the nymphs! "The gods transformed him into a flower!"

The flower was called narcissus.

And even today, narcissus flowers grow near water.

Always bent! As if looking at their own reflection!

Forever remembering the youth who loved only himself.

And Echo?

Her voice still echoes in the mountains.

When you shout "HELLOOOO!", she answers: "...LOOOO!"

When you say "I LOVE YOU!", she repeats: "...LOVE YOU!"

Echo is still there! Repeating! Remembering!

A voice without body! A love without hope!

Forever.