Echo Biography

Hello! I am Echo an Oread, or as you might know, a mountain nymph. I once lived in the mountains with many other nymphs of my kind. However, thanks to Zeus's wife Hera that is no longer possible for me. As I'm sure you may know, Zeus loved consorting with many beautiful women, especially the other nymphs I lived with, so it was very common to see him on Earth. Eventually Hera became suspicious of Zeus's absence in Mt. Olympus, so she came down herself in an attempt to catch him with the other nymphs. Since I did not fool around with Zeus like some of the others, he offered me the task of distracting Hera by entertaining her with long, amusing stories. I imedietly agreed to his offer not only to help protect him, but to here my own voice; I am so in love with the sound of myself, that it is impossible for me to pass up a chance to here myself talk. When Hera found out about this plan, let us just say she was less than thrilled. Instead of punishing the other nymphs, she punished me by taking away my voice, never letting me speak again unless it was to repeat another's shouted words!

Despite this udder tragedy, I fell in love with Narcissus. Narcissus was the son of Lirope of Thespia, a blue nymph, and the river god Cephisus. One day I spotted Narcissus hunting bucks, male deer, so I decided to quietly follow him through the woods. I was desperate to talk to him, but unable to speak unless he shouted something so I could repeat! The forest was very quite, and with one slight step on a crunchy branch or twig, I don't remember which, Narcissus finally figured out that he was being followed. Finally he shouted the words " Who's there?!", to which I could only reply back " Who's there?!". This went on for a while until I finally musterd up the courage to show myself. Rushing over excitedly to hug him, I was denied as he pushed me away and strictly told me to leave him alone. Heartbroken, I left crying; I cried for the rest of my life until finally I became stone. Now all that's left of me is an invisible echo, my voice, which know haunts the Earth.