Who doesn’t love a good flower myth? Here is the retelling of the myth of the Narcissus flower, originally published in 1909.
A Beautiful Flower
When children run into the woods to gather flowers, they find in sheltered places by the side of little brooks the beautiful flower Narcissus.
This is a very ancient flower, and poets of all times have sung about it. It bloomed even as long ago as when the gods and goddesses were supposed to live on the earth.
The old Grecian legends say it was the flower the maiden Proserpine was gathering when Pluto took her away to his dark home under the ground.
Another legend tells about a beautiful youth names Narcissus.
His father was a river god names Cephisus, and his mother a nymph called Liriope.
The wonderful beauty of the youth caused many to love him, but he was cold and indifferent to all.
A poor little nymph called Echo loved him so dearly that she pined away and died because he would not care for her.
At last, Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, decided to punish him for his hard heart.
She caused him to fall in love with his own image as he looked into a stream, and as he could never reach this beautiful reflection, he gradually perished with hopeless love.
His body was changed into the beautiful flowers, which ave ever after borne his name.
Source: Bisbee daily review. (Bisbee, Ariz.), 02 Sept. 1909.
