Long, long ago there lived in Greece a young boy named Narcissus. All day long he tended his sheep on the hills, and drove them from place to place to find the very best pasture.

 

One day he came to a little stream and wanted to drink from it. The water was very clear and reflected everything that leaned over it. While Narcissus was waiting for the sheep to drunk, he chanced to see his own face in the water. He had never seen his likeness¹ before, and he was so pleased with the pretty picture that he looked at it for a long time. He forgot all about his sheep.

 

The sheep waited for a long time near the stream, but at last they wandered away without the shepherd and were lost. Jupiter, the great god of that country, was very angry whish Narcissus for forgetting his sheep, and made up his mind to punish him. So Narcissus looked at himself very log, and when he turned to look after his flock he found that his feet had taken root. He could not move nor lift his head, but had to keep it hung down.

 

Then, little by little, he changed into the flower that we know so well, the narcissus（水仙）. This is why we often find this dainty（美味的，秀丽的） flower growing on the banks of streams and always with its pretty head hung down.

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