The Tale of Echo

Echo cheated jealous Hera
by chattering to distract her haughty gaze
from wayward Zeus' philandering ways.
Hera, enraged, threatened the nymph
and banned use of her voice at all
except to repeat in answer to someone else's call.

Echo wandered through the woods
and came upon a handsome boy
whose beauty filled her heart with neverending joy.
Narcissus heard someone follow him
and shouted aloud, "Who's here?"
But Echo could not answer, except to repeat in his ear.
Echo fell desperately in love
with Narcissus as he shouted again,
"Come!" "Come," Echo replied in vain.

She ran to Narcissus deep in the woods,
but when they met, he spurned her affection
and turned to a nearby pool where he was drawn to his reflection.

Narcissus, enchanted by the sight,
fell in love with his own face
and could not tear himself away from that enchanted place.
So Narcissus perished with time
as a love-struck, selfish fool,
while Echo faded away for her unrequited love at the pool.
Now nothing remains but a simple, white flower
which grows in the wood each year
and a voice in the valley beyond which always repeats loud and clear.
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Inspired by Kenneth C. Davis' Don't Know Much About Mythology and Waterhouse's painting.