168 ( LANGUAGE AND 
live happily until he beheld his own face. One 
day, when heated by the chase, Narcissus 
sought to quench his thirst in a stream • in so 
doing he beheld the reflection of his own lovely 
features, of which he immediately became en¬ 
amored, and, doubtless as a retribution for 
having slighted the charms of the nymph Echo, 
the conceited lad was spellbound to the spot, 
where he pined to death, and was metamor¬ 
phosed by the gods into the flower that now 
bears his name. When the Naiads had lament- 
ingly prepared the funeral pile for the beautiful 
youth, his body was missing; 
“ Instead whereof a yellow flower was found, 
With tufts of white about the button crowned.” 
and ever since is seen 
“ Narcissus fair 
As o’er the fabled fountain hanging still.” 
The poetic Narcissus has a snow-white flower, 
with a yellow cup in the centre, fringed on the 
border with a brilliant crimson circlet. It is 
sweet-scented, and flowers in May. The cup in 
the centre is supposed to contain the tears of the 
ill-fated Narcissus. Keats terms it “ a lovely 
flower 
“ A meek and forlorn flower, with nought of pride.” 
