1he A|chem|st

8y au|o Coe|ho

























1ranslaLed by Alan 8 Clarke ubllshed 1992
lS8n 0722332938








Ak1 1
1he boys name was SanLlago uusk was falllng as Lhe boy arrlved wlLh hls herd aL an abandoned church 1he roof had fallen ln
long ago and an enormous sycamore had grown on Lhe spoL where Lhe sacrlsLy had once sLood

Pe declded Lo spend Lhe nlghL Lhere Pe saw Lo lL LhaL all Lhe sheep enLered Lhrough Lhe rulned gaLe and Lhen lald some planks
across lL Lo prevenL Lhe flock from wanderlng away durlng Lhe nlghL 1here were no wolves ln Lhe reglon buL once an anlmal had
sLrayed durlng Lhe nlghL and Lhe boy had had Lo spend Lhe enLlre nexL day searchlng for lL

Pe swepL Lhe floor wlLh hls [ackeL and lay down uslng Lhe book he had [usL flnlshed readlng as a plllow Pe Lold hlmself LhaL he
would have Lo sLarL readlng Lhlcker books Lhey lasLed longer and made more comforLable plllows

lL was sLlll dark when he awoke and looklng up he could see Lhe sLars Lhrough Lhe halfdesLroyed roof l wanLed Lo sleep a llLLle
longer he LhoughL Pe had had Lhe same dream LhaL nlghL as a week ago and once agaln he had awakened before lL ended

Pe arose and Laklng up hls crook began Lo awaken Lhe sheep LhaL sLlll slepL Pe had noLlced LhaL as soon as he awoke mosL of
hls anlmals also began Lo sLlr lL was as lf some mysLerlous energy bound hls llfe Lo LhaL of Lhe sheep wlLh whom he had spenL
Lhe pasL Lwo years leadlng Lhem Lhrough Lhe counLryslde ln search of food and waLer 1hey are so used Lo me LhaL Lhey know
my schedule he muLLered

1hlnklng abouL LhaL for a momenL he reallzed LhaL lL could be Lhe oLher way around LhaL lL was he who had become
accusLomed Lo Lhelr schedule

8uL Lhere were cerLaln of Lhem who Look a blL longer Lo awaken 1he boy prodded Lhem one by one wlLh hls crook calllng each
by name Pe had always belleved LhaL Lhe sheep were able Lo undersLand whaL he sald So Lhere were Llmes when he read Lhem
parLs of hls books LhaL had made an lmpresslon on hlm or when he would Lell Lhem of Lhe lonellness or Lhe happlness of a
shepherd ln Lhe flelds SomeLlmes he would commenL Lo Lhem on Lhe Lhlngs he had seen ln Lhe vlllages Lhey passed

8uL for Lhe pasL few days he had spoken Lo Lhem abouL only one Lhlng Lhe glrl Lhe daughLer of a merchanL who llved ln Lhe
vlllage Lhey would reach ln abouL four days Pe had been Lo Lhe vlllage only once Lhe year before 1he merchanL was Lhe
proprleLor of a dry goods shop and he always demanded LhaL Lhe sheep be sheared ln hls presence so LhaL he would noL be
cheaLed A frlend had Lold Lhe boy abouL Lhe shop and he had Laken hls sheep Lhere

*

l need Lo sell some wool Lhe boy Lold Lhe merchanL

1he shop was busy and Lhe man asked Lhe shepherd Lo walL unLll Lhe afLernoon So Lhe boy saL on Lhe sLeps of Lhe shop and
Look a book from hls bag

l dldnL know shepherds knew how Lo read sald a glrls volce behlnd hlm

1he glrl was Lyplcal of Lhe reglon of Andalusla wlLh flowlng black halr and eyes LhaL vaguely recalled Lhe Moorlsh conquerors

Well usually l learn more from my sheep Lhan from books he answered uurlng Lhe Lwo hours LhaL Lhey Lalked she Lold hlm
she was Lhe merchanLs daughLer and spoke of llfe ln Lhe vlllage where each day was llke all Lhe oLhers 1he shepherd Lold her
of Lhe Andaluslan counLryslde and relaLed Lhe news from Lhe oLher Lowns where he had sLopped lL was a pleasanL change from
Lalklng Lo hls sheep

Pow dld you learn Lo read? Lhe glrl asked aL one polnL Llke everybody learns he sald ln school

Well lf you know how Lo read why are you [usL a shepherd?

1he boy mumbled an answer LhaL allowed hlm Lo avold respondlng Lo her quesLlon Pe was sure Lhe glrl would never
undersLand Pe wenL on Lelllng sLorles abouL hls Lravels and her brlghL Moorlsh eyes wenL wlde wlLh fear and surprlse As Lhe
Llme passed Lhe boy found hlmself wlshlng LhaL Lhe day would never end LhaL her faLher would sLay busy and keep hlm walLlng
for Lhree days Pe recognlzed LhaL he was feellng someLhlng he had never experlenced before Lhe deslre Lo llve ln one place
forever WlLh Lhe glrl wlLh Lhe raven halr hls days would never be Lhe same agaln

8uL flnally Lhe merchanL appeared and asked Lhe boy Lo shear four sheep Pe pald for Lhe wool and asked Lhe shepherd Lo come
back Lhe followlng year

*

And now lL was only four days before he would be back ln LhaL same vlllage Pe was exclLed and aL Lhe same Llme uneasy
maybe Lhe glrl had already forgoLLen hlm LoLs of shepherds passed Lhrough selllng Lhelr wool

lL doesnL maLLer he sald Lo hls sheep l know oLher glrls ln oLher places

8uL ln hls hearL he knew LhaL lL dld maLLer And he knew LhaL shepherds llke seamen and llke Lravellng salesmen always found a
Lown where Lhere was someone who could make Lhem forgeL Lhe [oys of carefree wanderlng

1he day was dawnlng and Lhe shepherd urged hls sheep ln Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe sun 1hey never have Lo make any declslons he
LhoughL Maybe LhaLs why Lhey always sLay close Lo me

1he only Lhlngs LhaL concerned Lhe sheep were food and waLer As long as Lhe boy knew how Lo flnd Lhe besL pasLures ln
Andalusla Lhey would be hls frlends ?es Lhelr days were all Lhe same wlLh Lhe seemlngly endless hours beLween sunrlse and
dusk and Lhey had never read a book ln Lhelr young llves and dldnL undersLand when Lhe boy Lold Lhem abouL Lhe slghLs of Lhe
clLles 1hey were conLenL wlLh [usL food and waLer and ln exchange Lhey generously gave of Lhelr wool Lhelr company and
once ln a whlleLhelr meaL

lf l became a monsLer Loday and declded Lo klll Lhem one by one Lhey would become aware only afLer mosL of Lhe flock had
been slaughLered LhoughL Lhe boy 1hey LrusL me and Lheyve forgoLLen how Lo rely on Lhelr own lnsLlncLs because l lead Lhem
Lo nourlshmenL

1he boy was surprlsed aL hls LhoughLs Maybe Lhe church wlLh Lhe sycamore growlng from wlLhln had been haunLed lL had
caused hlm Lo have Lhe same dream for a second Llme and lL was causlng hlm Lo feel anger Loward hls falLhful companlons Pe
drank a blL from Lhe wlne LhaL remalned from hls dlnner of Lhe nlghL before and he gaLhered hls [ackeL closer Lo hls body Pe
knew LhaL a few hours from now wlLh Lhe sun aL lLs zenlLh Lhe heaL would be so greaL LhaL he would noL be able Lo lead hls
flock across Lhe flelds lL was Lhe Llme of day when all of Spaln slepL durlng Lhe summer 1he heaL lasLed unLll nlghLfall and all
LhaL Llme he had Lo carry hls [ackeL 8uL when he LhoughL Lo complaln abouL Lhe burden of lLs welghL he remembered LhaL
because he had Lhe [ackeL he had wlLhsLood Lhe cold of Lhe dawn

We have Lo be prepared for change he LhoughL and he was graLeful for Lhe [ackeLs welghL and warmLh 1he [ackeL had a
purpose and so dld Lhe boy Pls purpose ln llfe was Lo Lravel and afLer Lwo years of walklng Lhe Andaluslan Lerraln he knew all
Lhe clLles of Lhe reglon Pe was plannlng on Lhls vlslL Lo explaln Lo Lhe glrl how lL was LhaL a slmple shepherd knew how Lo read

1haL he had aLLended a semlnary unLll he was slxLeen Pls parenLs had wanLed hlm Lo become a prlesL and Lhereby a source of
prlde for a slmple farm famlly 1hey worked hard [usL Lo have food and waLer llke Lhe sheep Pe had sLudled LaLln Spanlsh and
Lheology 8uL ever slnce he had been a chlld he had wanLed Lo know Lhe world and Lhls was much more lmporLanL Lo hlm Lhan
knowlng Cod and learnlng abouL mans slns Cne afLernoon on a vlslL Lo hls famlly he had summoned up Lhe courage Lo Lell hls
faLher LhaL he dldnL wanL Lo become a prlesL 1haL he wanLed Lo Lravel

*

eople from all over Lhe world have passed Lhrough Lhls vlllage son sald hls faLher 1hey come ln search of new Lhlngs buL
when Lhey leave Lhey are baslcally Lhe same people Lhey were when Lhey arrlved 1hey cllmb Lhe mounLaln Lo see Lhe casLle
and Lhey wlnd up Lhlnklng LhaL Lhe pasL was beLLer Lhan whaL we have now 1hey have blond halr or dark skln buL baslcally
Lheyre Lhe same as Lhe people who llve rlghL here

8uL ld llke Lo see Lhe casLles ln Lhe Lowns where Lhey llve Lhe boy explalned

1hose people when Lhey see our land say LhaL Lhey would llke Lo llve here forever hls faLher conLlnued

Well ld llke Lo see Lhelr land and see how Lhey llve sald hls son

1he people who come here have a loL of money Lo spend so Lhey can afford Lo Lravel hls faLher sald AmongsL us Lhe only
ones who Lravel are Lhe shepherds

Well Lhen lll be a shepherd!

Pls faLher sald no more 1he nexL day he gave hls son a pouch LhaL held Lhree anclenL Spanlsh gold colns

l found Lhese one day ln Lhe flelds l wanLed Lhem Lo be a parL of your lnherlLance 8uL use Lhem Lo buy your flock 1ake Lo Lhe
flelds and someday youll learn LhaL our counLryslde ls Lhe besL and our women Lhe mosL beauLlful

And he gave Lhe boy hls blesslng 1he boy could see ln hls faLhers gaze a deslre Lo be able hlmself Lo Lravel Lhe worlda deslre
LhaL was sLlll allve desplLe hls faLhers havlng had Lo bury lL over dozens of years under Lhe burden of sLruggllng for waLer Lo
drlnk food Lo eaL and Lhe same place Lo sleep every nlghL of hls llfe

*

1he horlzon was Llnged wlLh red and suddenly Lhe sun appeared 1he boy LhoughL back Lo LhaL conversaLlon wlLh hls faLher and
felL happy he had already seen many casLles and meL many women (buL none Lhe equal of Lhe one who awalLed hlm several
days hence) Pe owned a [ackeL a book LhaL he could Lrade for anoLher and a flock of sheep 8uL mosL lmporLanL he was able
every day Lo llve ouL hls dream lf he were Lo Llre of Lhe Andaluslan flelds he could sell hls sheep and go Lo sea 8y Lhe Llme he
had had enough of Lhe sea he would already have known oLher clLles oLher women and oLher chances Lo be happy l couldnL
have found Cod ln Lhe semlnary he LhoughL as he looked aL Lhe sunrlse

Whenever he could he soughL ouL a new road Lo Lravel Pe had never been Lo LhaL rulned church before ln splLe of havlng
Lravelled Lhrough Lhose parLs many Llmes 1he world was huge and lnexhausLlble he had only Lo allow hls sheep Lo seL Lhe rouLe
for a whlle and he would dlscover oLher lnLeresLlng Lhlngs 1he problem ls LhaL Lhey donL even reallze LhaL Lheyre walklng a
new road every day 1hey donL see LhaL Lhe flelds are new and Lhe seasons change All Lhey Lhlnk abouL ls food and waLer

Maybe were all LhaL way Lhe boy mused Lven mel havenL LhoughL of oLher women slnce l meL Lhe merchanLs daughLer
Looklng aL Lhe sun he calculaLed LhaL he would reach 1arlfa before mldday 1here he could exchange hls book for a Lhlcker one
flll hls wlne boLLle shave and have a halrcuL he had Lo prepare hlmself for hls meeLlng wlLh Lhe glrl and he dldnL wanL Lo Lhlnk
abouL Lhe posslblllLy LhaL some oLher shepherd wlLh a larger flock of sheep had arrlved Lhere before hlm and asked for her
hand

lLs Lhe posslblllLy of havlng a dream come Lrue LhaL makes llfe lnLeresLlng he LhoughL as he looked agaln aL Lhe poslLlon of Lhe
sun and hurrled hls pace Pe had suddenly remembered LhaL ln 1arlfa Lhere was an old woman who lnLerpreLed dreams

*

1he old woman led Lhe boy Lo a room aL Lhe back of her house lL was separaLed from her llvlng room by a curLaln of collared
beads 1he rooms furnlshlngs conslsLed of a Lable an lmage of Lhe Sacred PearL of !esus and Lwo chalrs

1he woman saL down and Lold hlm Lo be seaLed as well 1hen she Look boLh of hls hands ln hers and began quleLly Lo pray

lL sounded llke a Cypsy prayer 1he boy had already had experlence on Lhe road wlLh Cypsles Lhey also Lravelled buL Lhey had
no flocks of sheep eople sald LhaL Cypsles spenL Lhelr llves Lrlcklng oLhers lL was also sald LhaL Lhey had a pacL wlLh Lhe devll
and LhaL Lhey kldnapped chlldren and Laklng Lhem away Lo Lhelr mysLerlous camps made Lhem Lhelr slaves As a chlld Lhe boy
had always been frlghLened Lo deaLh LhaL he would be capLured by Cypsles and Lhls chlldhood fear reLurned when Lhe old
woman Look hls hands ln hers

8uL she has Lhe Sacred PearL of !esus Lhere he LhoughL Lrylng Lo reassure hlmself Pe dldnL wanL hls hand Lo begln Lrembllng
showlng Lhe old woman LhaL he was fearful Pe reclLed an Cur laLher sllenLly

very lnLeresLlng sald Lhe woman never Laklng her eyes from Lhe boys hands and Lhen she fell sllenL 1he boy was becomlng
nervous Pls hands began Lo Lremble and Lhe woman sensed lL Pe qulckly pulled hls hands away

l dldnL come here Lo have you read my palm he sald already regreLLlng havlng come Pe LhoughL for a momenL LhaL lL would
be beLLer Lo pay her fee and leave wlLhouL learnlng a Lhlng LhaL he was glvlng Loo much lmporLance Lo hls recurrenL dream

?ou came so LhaL you could learn abouL your dreams sald Lhe old woman And dreams are Lhe language of Cod When he
speaks ln our language l can lnLerpreL whaL he has sald 8uL lf he speaks ln Lhe language of Lhe soul lL ls only you who can
undersLand 8uL whlchever lL ls lm golng Lo charge you for Lhe consulLaLlon

AnoLher Lrlck Lhe boy LhoughL 8uL he declded Lo Lake a chance A shepherd always Lakes hls chances wlLh wolves and wlLh
droughL and LhaLs whaL makes a shepherds llfe exclLlng

l have had Lhe same dream Lwlce he sald l dreamed LhaL l was ln a fleld wlLh my sheep when a chlld appeared and began Lo
play wlLh Lhe anlmals l donL llke people Lo do LhaL because Lhe sheep are afrald of sLrangers 8uL chlldren always seem Lo be
able Lo play wlLh Lhem wlLhouL frlghLenlng Lhem l donL know why l donL know how anlmals know Lhe age of human belngs

1ell me more abouL your dream sald Lhe woman l have Lo geL back Lo my cooklng and slnce you donL have much money l
canL glve you a loL of Llme

1he chlld wenL on playlng wlLh my sheep for qulLe a whlle conLlnued Lhe boy a blL upseL And suddenly Lhe chlld Look me by
boLh hands and LransporLed me Lo Lhe LgypLlan pyramlds

Pe paused for a momenL Lo see lf Lhe woman knew whaL Lhe LgypLlan pyramlds were 8uL she sald noLhlng

1hen aL Lhe LgypLlan pyramldshe sald Lhe lasL Lhree words slowly so LhaL Lhe old woman would undersLandLhe chlld
sald Lo me lf you come here you wlll flnd a hldden Lreasure And [usL as she was abouL Lo show me Lhe exacL locaLlon l woke
up 8oLh Llmes

1he woman was sllenL for some Llme 1hen she agaln Look hls hands and sLudled Lhem carefully

lm noL golng Lo charge you anyLhlng now she sald 8uL l wanL oneLenLh of Lhe Lreasure lf you flnd lL 1he boy laughedouL
of happlness Pe was golng Lo be able Lo save Lhe llLLle money he had because of a dream abouL hldden Lreasure! Well
lnLerpreL Lhe dream he sald

llrsL swear Lo me Swear LhaL you wlll glve me oneLenLh of your Lreasure ln exchange for whaL l am golng Lo Lell you

1he shepherd swore LhaL he would 1he old woman asked hlm Lo swear agaln whlle looklng aL Lhe lmage of Lhe Sacred PearL of
!esus

lLs a dream ln Lhe language of Lhe world she sald l can lnLerpreL lL buL Lhe lnLerpreLaLlon ls very dlfflculL 1haLs why l feel
LhaL l deserve a parL of whaL you flnd

And Lhls ls my lnLerpreLaLlon you musL go Lo Lhe yramlds ln LgypL l have never heard of Lhem buL lf lL was a chlld who
showed Lhem Lo you Lhey exlsL 1here you wlll flnd a Lreasure LhaL wlll make you a rlch man

1he boy was surprlsed and Lhen lrrlLaLed Pe dldnL need Lo seek ouL Lhe old woman for Lhls! 8uL Lhen he remembered LhaL he
wasnL golng Lo have Lo pay anyLhlng

l dldnL need Lo wasLe my Llme [usL for Lhls he sald

l Lold you LhaL your dream was a dlfflculL one lLs Lhe slmple Lhlngs ln llfe LhaL are Lhe mosL exLraordlnary only wlse men are
able Lo undersLand Lhem And slnce l am noL wlse l have had Lo learn oLher arLs such as Lhe readlng of palms

Well how am l golng Lo geL Lo LgypL?

l only lnLerpreL dreams l donL know how Lo Lurn Lhem lnLo reallLy 1haLs why l have Lo llve off whaL my daughLers provlde me
wlLh

And whaL lf l never geL Lo LgypL?

1hen l donL geL pald lL wouldnL be Lhe flrsL Llme

And Lhe woman Lold Lhe boy Lo leave saylng she had already wasLed Loo much Llme wlLh hlm

So Lhe boy was dlsappolnLed he declded LhaL he would never agaln belleve ln dreams Pe remembered LhaL he had a number of
Lhlngs he had Lo Lake care of he wenL Lo Lhe markeL for someLhlng Lo eaL he Lraded hls book for one LhaL was Lhlcker and he
found a bench ln Lhe plaza where he could sample Lhe new wlne he had boughL 1he day was hoL and Lhe wlne was refreshlng
1he sheep were aL Lhe gaLes of Lhe clLy ln a sLable LhaL belonged Lo a frlend 1he boy knew a loL of people ln Lhe clLy

1haL was whaL made Lravellng appeal Lo hlmhe always made new frlends and he dldnL need Lo spend all of hls Llme wlLh
Lhem When someone sees Lhe same people every day as had happened wlLh hlm aL Lhe semlnary Lhey wlnd up becomlng a
parL of LhaL persons llfe And Lhen Lhey wanL Lhe person Lo change lf someone lsnL whaL oLhers wanL Lhem Lo be Lhe oLhers
become angry Lveryone seems Lo have a clear ldea of how oLher people should lead Lhelr llves buL none abouL hls or her own

Pe declded Lo walL unLll Lhe sun had sunk a blL lower ln Lhe sky before followlng hls flock back Lhrough Lhe flelds 1hree days
from now he would be wlLh Lhe merchanLs daughLer Pe sLarLed Lo read Lhe book he had boughL Cn Lhe very flrsL page lL
descrlbed a burlal ceremony And Lhe names of Lhe people lnvolved were very dlfflculL Lo pronounce lf he ever wroLe a book he
LhoughL he would presenL one person aL a Llme so LhaL Lhe reader wouldnL have Lo worry abouL memorlzlng a loL of names

When he was flnally able Lo concenLraLe on whaL he was readlng he llked Lhe book beLLer Lhe burlal was on a snowy day and
he welcomed Lhe feellng of belng cold As he read on an old man saL down aL hls slde and Lrled Lo sLrlke up a conversaLlon

WhaL are Lhey dolng? Lhe old man asked polnLlng aL Lhe people ln Lhe plaza

Worklng Lhe boy answered dryly maklng lL look as lf he wanLed Lo concenLraLe on hls readlng

AcLually he was Lhlnklng abouL shearlng hls sheep ln fronL of Lhe merchanLs daughLer so LhaL she could see LhaL he was
someone who was capable of dolng dlfflculL Lhlngs Pe had already lmaglned Lhe scene many Llmes every Llme Lhe glrl became
fasclnaLed when he explalned LhaL Lhe sheep had Lo be sheared from back Lo fronL Pe also Lrled Lo remember some good
sLorles Lo relaLe as he sheared Lhe sheep MosL of Lhem he had read ln books buL he would Lell Lhem as lf Lhey were from hls
personal experlence She would never know Lhe dlfference because she dldnL know how Lo read

Meanwhlle Lhe old man perslsLed ln hls aLLempL Lo sLrlke up a conversaLlon Pe sald LhaL he was Llred and LhlrsLy and asked lf
he mlghL have a slp of Lhe boys wlne 1he boy offered hls boLLle hoplng LhaL Lhe old man would leave hlm alone

8uL Lhe old man wanLed Lo Lalk and he asked Lhe boy whaL book he was readlng 1he boy was LempLed Lo be rude and move Lo
anoLher bench buL hls faLher had LaughL hlm Lo be respecLful of Lhe elderly So he held ouL Lhe book Lo Lhe manfor Lwo
reasons flrsL LhaL he hlmself wasnL sure how Lo pronounce Lhe LlLle and second LhaL lf Lhe old man dldnL know how Lo read
he would probably feel ashamed and declde of hls own accord Lo change benches

Pmm sald Lhe old man looklng aL all sldes of Lhe book as lf lL were some sLrange ob[ecL 1hls ls an lmporLanL book buL lLs
really lrrlLaLlng

1he boy was shocked 1he old man knew how Lo read and had already read Lhe book And lf Lhe book was lrrlLaLlng as Lhe old
man had sald Lhe boy sLlll had Llme Lo change lL for anoLher

lLs a book LhaL says Lhe same Lhlng almosL all Lhe oLher books ln Lhe world say conLlnued Lhe old man lL descrlbes peoples
lnablllLy Lo choose Lhelr own desLlnles And lL ends up saylng LhaL everyone belleves Lhe worlds greaLesL lle

WhaLs Lhe worlds greaLesL lle? Lhe boy asked compleLely surprlsed

lLs Lhls LhaL aL a cerLaln polnL ln our llves we lose conLrol of whaLs happenlng Lo us and our llves become conLrolled by faLe
1haLs Lhe worlds greaLesL lle

1haLs never happened Lo me Lhe boy sald 1hey wanLed me Lo be a prlesL buL l declded Lo become a shepherd

Much beLLer sald Lhe old man 8ecause you really llke Lo Lravel

Pe knew whaL l was Lhlnklng Lhe boy sald Lo hlmself 1he old man meanwhlle was leaflng Lhrough Lhe book wlLhouL seemlng
Lo wanL Lo reLurn lL aL all 1he boy noLlced LhaL Lhe mans cloLhlng was sLrange Pe looked llke an Arab whlch was noL unusual ln
Lhose parLs Afrlca was only a few hours from 1arlfa one had only Lo cross Lhe narrow sLralLs by boaL Arabs ofLen appeared ln
Lhe clLy shopplng and chanLlng Lhelr sLrange prayers several Llmes a day

Where are you from? Lhe boy asked lrom many places

no one can be from many places Lhe boy sald lm a shepherd and l have been Lo many places buL l come from only one
placefrom a clLy near an anclenL casLle 1haLs where l was born Well Lhen we could say LhaL l was born ln Salem

1he boy dldnL know where Salem was buL he dldnL wanL Lo ask fearlng LhaL he would appear lgnoranL Pe looked aL Lhe
people ln Lhe plaza for a whlle Lhey were comlng and golng and all of Lhem seemed Lo be very busy

So whaL ls Salem llke? he asked Lrylng Lo geL some sorL of clue lLs llke lL always has been

no clue yeL 8uL he knew LhaL Salem wasnL ln Andalusla lf lL were he would already have heard of lL And whaL do you do ln
Salem? he lnslsLed

WhaL do l do ln Salem? 1he old man laughed Well lm Lhe klng of Salem!

eople say sLrange Lhlngs Lhe boy LhoughL SomeLlmes lLs beLLer Lo be wlLh Lhe sheep who donL say anyLhlng And beLLer sLlll
Lo be alone wlLh ones books 1hey Lell Lhelr lncredlble sLorles aL Lhe Llme when you wanL Lo hear Lhem 8uL when youre Lalklng
Lo people Lhey say some Lhlngs LhaL are so sLrange LhaL you donL know how Lo conLlnue Lhe conversaLlon

My name ls Melchlzedek sald Lhe old man Pow many sheep do you have?

Lnough sald Lhe boy Pe could see LhaL Lhe old man wanLed Lo know more abouL hls llfe Well Lhen weve goL a problem l
canL help you lf you feel youve goL enough sheep

1he boy was geLLlng lrrlLaLed Pe wasnL asklng for help lL was Lhe old man who had asked for a drlnk of hls wlne and had
sLarLed Lhe conversaLlon

Clve me my book Lhe boy sald l have Lo go and gaLher my sheep and geL golng

Clve me oneLenLh of your sheep sald Lhe old man and lll Lell you how Lo flnd Lhe hldden Lreasure 1he boy remembered
hls dream and suddenly everyLhlng was clear Lo hlm 1he old woman hadnL charged hlm anyLhlng buL Lhe old manmaybe he
was her husbandwas golng Lo flnd a way Lo geL much more money ln exchange for lnformaLlon abouL someLhlng LhaL dldnL
even exlsL 1he old man was probably a Cypsy Loo

8uL before Lhe boy could say anyLhlng Lhe old man leaned over plcked up a sLlck and began Lo wrlLe ln Lhe sand of Lhe plaza
SomeLhlng brlghL reflecLed from hls chesL wlLh such lnLenslLy LhaL Lhe boy was momenLarlly bllnded WlLh a movemenL LhaL was
Loo qulck for someone hls age Lhe man covered whaLever lL was wlLh hls cape When hls vlslon reLurned Lo normal Lhe boy was
able Lo read whaL Lhe old man had wrlLLen ln Lhe sand

1here ln Lhe sand of Lhe plaza of LhaL small clLy Lhe boy read Lhe names of hls faLher and hls moLher and Lhe name of Lhe
semlnary he had aLLended Pe read Lhe name of Lhe merchanLs daughLer whlch he hadnL even known and he read Lhlngs he
had never Lold anyone

*

lm Lhe klng of Salem Lhe old man had sald

Why would a klng be Lalklng wlLh a shepherd? Lhe boy asked awed and embarrassed

lor several reasons 8uL leLs say LhaL Lhe mosL lmporLanL ls LhaL you have succeeded ln dlscoverlng your desLlny

1he boy dldnL know whaL a persons desLlny was

lLs whaL you have always wanLed Lo accompllsh Lveryone when Lhey are young knows whaL Lhelr desLlny ls

AL LhaL polnL ln Lhelr llves everyLhlng ls clear and everyLhlng ls posslble 1hey are noL afrald Lo dream and Lo yearn for
everyLhlng Lhey would llke Lo see happen Lo Lhem ln Lhelr llves 8uL as Llme passes a mysLerlous force beglns Lo convlnce Lhem
LhaL lL wlll be lmposslble for Lhem Lo reallze Lhelr desLlny

none of whaL Lhe old man was saylng made much sense Lo Lhe boy 8uL he wanLed Lo know whaL Lhe mysLerlous force was
Lhe merchanLs daughLer would be lmpressed when he Lold her abouL LhaL!

lLs a force LhaL appears Lo be negaLlve buL acLually shows you how Lo reallze your desLlny lL prepares your splrlL and your wlll
because Lhere ls one greaL LruLh on Lhls planeL whoever you are or whaLever lL ls LhaL you do when you really wanL someLhlng
lLs because LhaL deslre orlglnaLed ln Lhe soul of Lhe unlverse lLs your mlsslon on earLh

Lven when all you wanL Lo do ls Lravel? Cr marry Lhe daughLer of a LexLlle merchanL?

?es or even search for Lreasure 1he Soul of Lhe World ls nourlshed by peoples happlness And also by unhapplness envy and
[ealousy 1o reallze ones desLlny ls a persons only real obllgaLlon All Lhlngs are one

And when you wanL someLhlng all Lhe unlverse consplres ln helplng you Lo achleve lL

1hey were boLh sllenL for a Llme observlng Lhe plaza and Lhe Lownspeople lL was Lhe old man who spoke flrsL

Why do you Lend a flock of sheep? 8ecause l llke Lo Lravel

1he old man polnLed Lo a baker sLandlng ln hls shop wlndow aL one corner of Lhe plaza When he was a chlld LhaL man wanLed
Lo Lravel Loo 8uL he declded flrsL Lo buy hls bakery and puL some money aslde When hes an old man hes golng Lo spend a
monLh ln Afrlca Pe never reallzed LhaL people are capable aL any Llme ln Lhelr llves of dolng whaL Lhey dream of

Pe should have declded Lo become a shepherd Lhe boy sald

Well he LhoughL abouL LhaL Lhe old man sald 8uL bakers are more lmporLanL people Lhan shepherds 8akers have homes
whlle shepherds sleep ouL ln Lhe open arenLs would raLher see Lhelr chlldren marry bakers Lhan shepherds

1he boy felL a pang ln hls hearL Lhlnklng abouL Lhe merchanLs daughLer 1here was surely a baker ln her Lown

1he old man conLlnued ln Lhe long run whaL people Lhlnk abouL shepherds and bakers becomes more lmporLanL for Lhem
Lhan Lhelr own desLlnles

1he old man leafed Lhrough Lhe book and fell Lo readlng a page he came Lo 1he boy walLed and Lhen lnLerrupLed Lhe old man
[usL as he hlmself had been lnLerrupLed Why are you Lelllng me all Lhls?

8ecause you are Lrylng Lo reallze your desLlny And you are aL Lhe polnL where youre abouL Lo glve lL all up

And LhaLs when you always appear on Lhe scene?

noL always ln Lhls way buL l always appear ln one form or anoLher SomeLlmes l appear ln Lhe form of a soluLlon or a good
ldea AL oLher Llmes aL a cruclal momenL l make lL easler for Lhlngs Lo happen 1here are oLher Lhlngs l do Loo buL mosL of Lhe
Llme people donL reallze lve done Lhem

1he old man relaLed LhaL Lhe week before he had been forced Lo appear before a mlner and had Laken Lhe form of a sLone
1he mlner had abandoned everyLhlng Lo go mlnlng for emeralds lor flve years he had been worklng a cerLaln rlver and had
examlned hundreds of Lhousands of sLones looklng for an emerald 1he mlner was abouL Lo glve lL all up rlghL aL Lhe polnL when
lf he were Lo examlne [usL one more sLone[usL one more he would flnd hls emerald Slnce Lhe mlner had sacrlflced
everyLhlng Lo hls desLlny Lhe old man declded Lo become lnvolved Pe Lransformed hlmself lnLo a sLone LhaL rolled up Lo Lhe
mlners fooL 1he mlner wlLh all Lhe anger and frusLraLlon of hls flve frulLless years plcked up Lhe sLone and Lhrew lL aslde 8uL
he had Lhrown lL wlLh such force LhaL lL broke Lhe sLone lL fell upon and Lhere embedded ln Lhe broken sLone was Lhe mosL
beauLlful emerald ln Lhe world

eople learn early ln Lhelr llves whaL ls Lhelr reason for belng sald Lhe old man wlLh a cerLaln blLLerness Maybe LhaLs why
Lhey glve up on lL so early Loo 8uL LhaLs Lhe way lL ls

1he boy remlnded Lhe old man LhaL he had sald someLhlng abouL hldden Lreasure

1reasure ls uncovered by Lhe force of flowlng waLer and lL ls burled by Lhe same currenLs sald Lhe old man lf you wanL Lo
learn abouL your own Lreasure you wlll have Lo glve me oneLenLh of your flock

WhaL abouL oneLenLh of my Lreasure?

1he old man looked dlsappolnLed lf you sLarL ouL by promlslng whaL you donL even have yeL youll lose your deslre Lo work
Loward geLLlng lL

1he boy Lold hlm LhaL he had already promlsed Lo glve oneLenLh of hls Lreasure Lo Lhe Cypsy

Cypsles are experLs aL geLLlng people Lo do LhaL slghed Lhe old man ln any case lLs good LhaL youve learned LhaL everyLhlng
ln llfe has lLs prlce 1hls ls whaL Lhe Warrlors of Lhe LlghL Lry Lo Leach

1he old man reLurned Lhe book Lo Lhe boy

1omorrow aL Lhls same Llme brlng me a LenLh of your flock And l wlll Lell you how Lo flnd Lhe hldden Lreasure Cood
afLernoon

And he vanlshed around Lhe corner of Lhe plaza

*

1he boy began agaln Lo read hls book buL he was no longer able Lo concenLraLe Pe was Lense and upseL because he knew LhaL
Lhe old man was rlghL Pe wenL over Lo Lhe bakery and boughL a loaf of bread Lhlnklng abouL wheLher or noL he should Lell Lhe
baker whaL Lhe old man had sald abouL hlm SomeLlmes lLs beLLer Lo leave Lhlngs as Lhey are he LhoughL Lo hlmself and
declded Lo say noLhlng lf he were Lo say anyLhlng Lhe baker would spend Lhree days Lhlnklng abouL glvlng lL all up even Lhough
he had goLLen used Lo Lhe way Lhlngs were

1he boy could cerLalnly reslsL causlng LhaL klnd of anxleLy for Lhe baker So he began Lo wander Lhrough Lhe clLy and found
hlmself aL Lhe gaLes 1here was a small bulldlng Lhere wlLh a wlndow aL whlch people boughL LlckeLs Lo Afrlca And he knew LhaL
LgypL was ln Afrlca

Can l help you? asked Lhe man behlnd Lhe wlndow

Maybe Lomorrow sald Lhe boy movlng away lf he sold [usL one of hls sheep hed have enough Lo geL Lo Lhe oLher shore of
Lhe sLralL 1he ldea frlghLened hlm

AnoLher dreamer sald Lhe LlckeL seller Lo hls asslsLanL waLchlng Lhe boy walk away Pe doesnL have enough money Lo
Lravel

Whlle sLandlng aL Lhe LlckeL wlndow Lhe boy had remembered hls flock and declded he should go back Lo belng a shepherd ln
Lwo years he had learned everyLhlng abouL shepherdlng he knew how Lo shear sheep how Lo care for pregnanL ewes and how
Lo proLecL Lhe sheep from wolves Pe knew all Lhe flelds and pasLures of Andalusla And he knew whaL was Lhe falr prlce for
every one of hls anlmals

Pe declded Lo reLurn Lo hls frlends sLable by Lhe longesL rouLe posslble As he walked pasL Lhe clLys casLle he lnLerrupLed hls
reLurn and cllmbed Lhe sLone ramp LhaL led Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe wall lrom Lhere he could see Afrlca ln Lhe dlsLance Someone had
once Lold hlm LhaL lL was from Lhere LhaL Lhe Moors had come Lo occupy all of Spaln

Pe could see almosL Lhe enLlre clLy from where he saL lncludlng Lhe plaza where he had Lalked wlLh Lhe old man Curse Lhe
momenL l meL LhaL old man he LhoughL Pe had come Lo Lhe Lown only Lo flnd a woman who could lnLerpreL hls dream nelLher
Lhe woman nor Lhe old man were aL all lmpressed by Lhe facL LhaL he was a shepherd 1hey were sollLary lndlvlduals who no
longer belleved ln Lhlngs and dldnL undersLand LhaL shepherds become aLLached Lo Lhelr sheep Pe knew everyLhlng abouL
each member of hls flock he knew whlch ones were lame whlch one was Lo glve blrLh Lwo monLhs from now and whlch were
Lhe lazlesL Pe knew how Lo shear Lhem and how Lo slaughLer Lhem lf he ever declded Lo leave Lhem Lhey would suffer

1he wlnd began Lo plck up Pe knew LhaL wlnd people called lL Lhe levanLer because on lL Lhe Moors had come from Lhe LevanL
aL Lhe easLern end of Lhe MedlLerranean

1he levanLer lncreased ln lnLenslLy Pere l am beLween my flock and my Lreasure Lhe boy LhoughL Pe had Lo choose beLween
someLhlng he had become accusLomed Lo and someLhlng he wanLed Lo have 1here was also Lhe merchanLs daughLer buL she
wasnL as lmporLanL as hls flock because she dldnL depend on hlm Maybe she dldnL even remember hlm Pe was sure LhaL lL
made no dlfference Lo her on whlch day he appeared for her every day was Lhe same and when each day ls Lhe same as Lhe
nexL lLs because people fall Lo recognlze Lhe good Lhlngs LhaL happen ln Lhelr llves every day LhaL Lhe sun rlses

l lefL my faLher my moLher and Lhe Lown casLle behlnd 1hey have goLLen used Lo my belng away and so have l 1he sheep wlll
geL used Lo my noL belng Lhere Loo Lhe boy LhoughL

lrom where he saL he could observe Lhe plaza eople conLlnued Lo come and go from Lhe bakers shop A young couple saL on
Lhe bench where he had Lalked wlLh Lhe old man and Lhey klssed

1haL baker he sald Lo hlmself wlLhouL compleLlng Lhe LhoughL 1he levanLer was sLlll geLLlng sLronger and he felL lLs force on
hls face 1haL wlnd had broughL Lhe Moors yes buL lL had also broughL Lhe smell of Lhe deserL and of velled women lL had
broughL wlLh lL Lhe sweaL and Lhe dreams of men who had once lefL Lo search for Lhe unknown and for gold and advenLure
and for Lhe yramlds 1he boy felL [ealous of Lhe freedom of Lhe wlnd and saw LhaL he could have Lhe same freedom 1here was
noLhlng Lo hold hlm back excepL hlmself 1he sheep Lhe merchanLs daughLer and Lhe flelds of Andalusla were only sLeps along
Lhe way Lo hls desLlny

1he nexL day Lhe boy meL Lhe old man aL noon Pe broughL slx sheep wlLh hlm

lm surprlsed Lhe boy sald My frlend boughL all Lhe oLher sheep lmmedlaLely Pe sald LhaL he had always dreamed of belng a
shepherd and LhaL lL was a good omen

1haLs Lhe way lL always ls sald Lhe old man lLs called Lhe prlnclple of favourablllLy When you play cards Lhe flrsL Llme you
are almosL sure Lo wln 8eglnners luck

Why ls LhaL?

8ecause Lhere ls a force LhaL wanLs you Lo reallze your desLlny lL wheLs your appeLlLe wlLh a LasLe of success

1hen Lhe old man began Lo lnspecL Lhe sheep and he saw LhaL one was lame 1he boy explalned LhaL lL wasnL lmporLanL slnce
LhaL sheep was Lhe mosL lnLelllgenL of Lhe flock and produced Lhe mosL wool

Where ls Lhe Lreasure? he asked lLs ln LgypL near Lhe yramlds
1he boy was sLarLled 1he old woman had sald Lhe same Lhlng 8uL she hadnL charged hlm anyLhlng

ln order Lo flnd Lhe Lreasure you wlll have Lo follow Lhe omens Cod has prepared a paLh for everyone Lo follow ?ou [usL have
Lo read Lhe omens LhaL he lefL for you

8efore Lhe boy could reply a buLLerfly appeared and fluLLered beLween hlm and Lhe old man Pe remembered someLhlng hls
grandfaLher had once Lold hlm LhaL buLLerflles were a good omen Llke crlckeLs and llke expecLaLlons llke llzards and fourleaf
clovers

1haLs rlghL sald Lhe old man able Lo read Lhe boys LhoughLs !usL as your grandfaLher LaughL you 1hese are good omens

1he old man opened hls cape and Lhe boy was sLruck by whaL he saw 1he old man wore a breasLplaLe of heavy gold covered
wlLh preclous sLones 1he boy recalled Lhe brllllance he had noLlced on Lhe prevlous day

Pe really was a klng! Pe musL be dlsgulsed Lo avold encounLers wlLh Lhleves

1ake Lhese sald Lhe old man holdlng ouL a whlLe sLone and a black sLone LhaL had been embedded aL Lhe cenLre of Lhe
breasLplaLe 1hey are called urlm and 1hummlm 1he black slgnlfles yes and Lhe whlLe no When you are unable Lo read Lhe
omens Lhey wlll help you Lo do so Always ask an ob[ecLlve quesLlon

8uL lf you can Lry Lo make your own declslons 1he Lreasure ls aL Lhe yramlds LhaL you already knew 8uL l had Lo lnslsL on
Lhe paymenL of slx sheep because l helped you Lo make your declslon

1he boy puL Lhe sLones ln hls pouch lrom Lhen on he would make hls own declslons

uonL forgeL LhaL everyLhlng you deal wlLh ls only one Lhlng and noLhlng else And donL forgeL Lhe language of omens And
above all donL forgeL Lo follow your desLlny Lhrough Lo lLs concluslon

8uL before l go l wanL Lo Lell you a llLLle sLory
A cerLaln shopkeeper senL hls son Lo learn abouL Lhe secreL of happlness from Lhe wlsesL man ln Lhe world 1he lad wandered
Lhrough Lhe deserL for forLy days and flnally came upon a beauLlful casLle hlgh aLop a mounLaln lL was Lhere LhaL Lhe wlse man
llved

8aLher Lhan flndlng a salnLly man Lhough our hero on enLerlng Lhe maln room of Lhe casLle saw a hlve of acLlvlLy Lradesmen
came and wenL people were converslng ln Lhe corners a small orchesLra was playlng sofL muslc and Lhere was a Lable covered
wlLh plaLLers of Lhe mosL dellclous food ln LhaL parL of Lhe world 1he wlse man conversed wlLh everyone and Lhe boy had Lo
walL for Lwo hours before lL was hls Lurn Lo be glven Lhe mans aLLenLlon

1he wlse man llsLened aLLenLlvely Lo Lhe boys explanaLlon of why he had come buL Lold hlm LhaL he dldnL have Llme [usL Lhen
Lo explaln Lhe secreL of happlness Pe suggesLed LhaL Lhe boy look around Lhe palace and reLurn ln Lwo hours

Meanwhlle l wanL Lo ask you Lo do someLhlng sald Lhe wlse man handlng Lhe boy a Leaspoon LhaL held Lwo drops of oll As
you wander around carry Lhls spoon wlLh you wlLhouL allowlng Lhe oll Lo splll

1he boy began cllmblng and descendlng Lhe many sLalrways of Lhe palace keeplng hls eyes flxed on Lhe spoon AfLer Lwo hours
he reLurned Lo Lhe room where Lhe wlse man was

Well asked Lhe wlse man dld you see Lhe erslan LapesLrles LhaL are hanglng ln my dlnlng hall? uld you see Lhe garden LhaL lL
Look Lhe masLer gardener Len years Lo creaLe? uld you noLlce Lhe beauLlful parchmenLs ln my llbrary?

1he boy was embarrassed and confessed LhaL he had observed noLhlng Pls only concern had been noL

Lo splll Lhe oll LhaL Lhe wlse man had enLrusLed Lo hlm

1hen go back and observe Lhe marvels of my world sald Lhe wlse man ?ou cannoL LrusL a man lf you donL know hls house

8elleved Lhe boy plcked up Lhe spoon and reLurned Lo hls exploraLlon of Lhe palace Lhls Llme observlng all of Lhe works of arL
on Lhe celllngs and Lhe walls Pe saw Lhe gardens Lhe mounLalns all around hlm Lhe beauLy of Lhe flowers and Lhe LasLe wlLh
whlch everyLhlng had been selecLed upon reLurnlng Lo Lhe wlse man he relaLed ln deLall everyLhlng he had seen

8uL where are Lhe drops of oll l enLrusLed Lo you? asked Lhe wlse man Looklng down aL Lhe spoon he held Lhe boy saw LhaL
Lhe oll was gone

Well Lhere ls only one plece of advlce l can glve you sald Lhe wlsesL of wlse men 1he secreL of happlness ls Lo see all Lhe
marvels of Lhe world and never Lo forgeL Lhe drops of oll on Lhe spoon

1he shepherd sald noLhlng Pe had undersLood Lhe sLory Lhe old klng had Lold hlm A shepherd may llke Lo Lravel buL he should
never forgeL abouL hls sheep

1he old man looked aL Lhe boy and wlLh hls hands held LogeLher made several sLrange gesLures over Lhe boys head 1hen
Laklng hls sheep he walked away

*

AL Lhe hlghesL polnL ln 1arlfa Lhere ls an old forL bullL by Lhe Moors lrom aLop lLs walls one can caLch a gllmpse of Afrlca
Melchlzedek Lhe klng of Salem saL on Lhe wall of Lhe forL LhaL afLernoon and felL Lhe levanLer blowlng ln hls face 1he sheep
fldgeLed nearby uneasy wlLh Lhelr new owner and exclLed by so much change All Lhey wanLed was food and waLer

Melchlzedek waLched a small shlp LhaL was ploughlng lLs way ouL of Lhe porL Pe would never agaln see Lhe boy [usL as he had
never seen Abraham agaln afLer havlng charged hlm hls oneLenLh fee 1haL was hls work

1he gods should noL have deslres because Lhey donL have desLlnles 8uL Lhe klng of Salem hoped desperaLely LhaL Lhe boy
would be successful

lLs Loo bad LhaL hes qulckly golng Lo forgeL my name he LhoughL l should have repeaLed lL for hlm 1hen when he spoke abouL
me he would say LhaL l am Melchlzedek Lhe klng of Salem

Pe looked Lo Lhe skles feellng a blL abashed and sald l know lLs Lhe vanlLy of vanlLles as you sald my
Lord 8uL an old klng someLlmes has Lo Lake some prlde ln hlmself

*

Pow sLrange Afrlca ls LhoughL Lhe boy

Pe was slLLlng ln a bar very much llke Lhe oLher bars he had seen along Lhe narrow sLreeLs of 1angler Some men were smoklng
from a glganLlc plpe LhaL Lhey passed from one Lo Lhe oLher ln [usL a few hours he had seen men walklng hand ln hand women
wlLh Lhelr faces covered and prlesLs LhaL cllmbed Lo Lhe Lops of Lowers and chanLedas everyone abouL hlm wenL Lo Lhelr
knees and placed Lhelr foreheads on Lhe ground

A pracLlce of lnfldels he sald Lo hlmself As a chlld ln church he had always looked aL Lhe lmage of SalnL SanLlago MaLamoros
on hls whlLe horse hls sword unsheaLhed and flgures such as Lhese kneellng aL hls feeL 1he boy felL lll and Lerrlbly alone 1he
lnfldels had an evll look abouL Lhem

8esldes Lhls ln Lhe rush of hls Lravels he had forgoLLen a deLall [usL one deLall whlch could keep hlm from hls Lreasure for a long
Llme only Arablc was spoken ln Lhls counLry

1he owner of Lhe bar approached hlm and Lhe boy polnLed Lo a drlnk LhaL had been served aL Lhe nexL Lable lL Lurned ouL Lo be
a blLLer Lea 1he boy preferred wlne

8uL he dldnL need Lo worry abouL LhaL rlghL now WhaL he had Lo be concerned abouL was hls Lreasure and how he was golng
Lo go abouL geLLlng lL 1he sale of hls sheep had lefL hlm wlLh enough money ln hls pouch and Lhe boy knew LhaL ln money Lhere
was maglc whoever has money ls never really alone 8efore long maybe ln [usL a few days he would be aL Lhe yramlds An old
man wlLh a breasLplaLe of gold wouldnL have lled [usL Lo acqulre slx sheep

1he old man had spoken abouL slgns and omens and as Lhe boy was crosslng Lhe sLralL he had LhoughL abouL omens ?es Lhe
old man had known whaL he was Lalklng abouL durlng Lhe Llme Lhe boy had spenL ln Lhe flelds of Andalusla he had become
used Lo learnlng whlch paLh he should Lake by observlng Lhe ground and Lhe sky Pe had dlscovered LhaL Lhe presence of a
cerLaln blrd meanL LhaL a snake was nearby and LhaL a cerLaln shrub was a slgn LhaL Lhere was waLer ln Lhe area 1he sheep had
LaughL hlm LhaL

lf Cod leads Lhe sheep so well he wlll also lead a man he LhoughL and LhaL made hlm feel beLLer 1he Lea seemed less blLLer

Who are you? he heard a volce ask hlm ln Spanlsh

1he boy was relleved Pe was Lhlnklng abouL omens and someone had appeared

Pow come you speak Spanlsh? he asked 1he new arrlval was a young man ln WesLern dress buL Lhe colour of hls skln
suggesLed he was from Lhls clLy Pe was abouL Lhe same age and helghL as Lhe boy

AlmosL everyone here speaks Spanlsh Were only Lwo hours from Spaln

SlL down and leL me LreaL you Lo someLhlng sald Lhe boy And ask for a glass of wlne for me l haLe Lhls Lea

1here ls no wlne ln Lhls counLry Lhe young man sald 1he rellglon here forblds lL

1he boy Lold hlm Lhen LhaL he needed Lo geL Lo Lhe yramlds Pe almosL began Lo Lell abouL hls Lreasure buL declded noL Lo do
so lf he dld lL was posslble LhaL Lhe Arab would wanL a parL of lL as paymenL for Laklng hlm Lhere Pe remembered whaL Lhe old
man had sald abouL offerlng someLhlng you dldnL even have yeL

ld llke you Lo Lake me Lhere lf you can l can pay you Lo serve as my gulde uo you have any ldea how Lo geL Lhere? Lhe
newcomer asked

1he boy noLlced LhaL Lhe owner of Lhe bar sLood nearby llsLenlng aLLenLlvely Lo Lhelr conversaLlon Pe felL uneasy aL Lhe mans
presence 8uL he had found a gulde and dldnL wanL Lo mlss ouL on an opporLunlLy

?ou have Lo cross Lhe enLlre Sahara deserL sald Lhe young man And Lo do LhaL you need money l
need Lo know wheLher you have enough

1he boy LhoughL lL a sLrange quesLlon 8uL he LrusLed ln Lhe old man who had sald LhaL when you really wanL someLhlng Lhe
unlverse always consplres ln your favour

Pe Look hls money from hls pouch and showed lL Lo Lhe young man 1he owner of Lhe bar came over
and looked as well 1he Lwo men exchanged some words ln Arablc and Lhe bar owner seemed lrrlLaLed

LeLs geL ouL of here sald Lhe new arrlval Pe wanLs us Lo leave

1he boy was relleved Pe goL up Lo pay Lhe blll buL Lhe owner grabbed hlm and began Lo speak Lo hlm ln an angry sLream of
words 1he boy was sLrong and wanLed Lo reLallaLe buL he was ln a forelgn counLry Pls new frlend pushed Lhe owner aslde
and pulled Lhe boy ouLslde wlLh hlm

Pe wanLed your money he sald

1angler ls noL llke Lhe resL of Afrlca 1hls ls a porL and every porL has lLs Lhleves

1he boy LrusLed hls new frlend Pe had helped hlm ouL ln a dangerous slLuaLlon Pe Look ouL hls money and counLed lL

We could geL Lo Lhe yramlds by Lomorrow sald Lhe oLher Laklng Lhe money 8uL l have Lo buy Lwo camels

1hey walked LogeLher Lhrough Lhe narrow sLreeLs of 1angler Lverywhere Lhere were sLalls wlLh lLems for sale 1hey reached Lhe
cenLre of a large plaza where Lhe markeL was held 1here were Lhousands of people Lhere argulng selllng and buylng
vegeLables for sale amongsL daggers and carpeLs dlsplayed alongslde Lobacco

8uL Lhe boy never Look hls eye off hls new frlend AfLer all he had all hls money Pe LhoughL abouL asklng hlm Lo glve lL back buL
declded LhaL would be unfrlendly Pe knew noLhlng abouL Lhe cusLoms of Lhe sLrange land he was ln

lll [usL waLch hlm he sald Lo hlmself Pe knew he was sLronger Lhan hls frlend

Suddenly Lhere ln Lhe mldsL of all LhaL confuslon he saw Lhe mosL beauLlful sword he had ever seen 1he scabbard was
embossed ln sllver and Lhe handle was black and encrusLed wlLh preclous sLones 1he boy promlsed hlmself LhaL when he
reLurned from LgypL he would buy LhaL sword

Ask Lhe owner of LhaL sLall how much Lhe sword cosLs he sald Lo hls frlend 1hen he reallzed LhaL he had been dlsLracLed for a
few momenLs looklng aL Lhe sword Pls hearL squeezed as lf hls chesL had suddenly compressed lL Pe was afrald Lo look
around because he knew whaL he would flnd Pe conLlnued Lo look aL Lhe beauLlful sword for a blL longer unLll he summoned
Lhe courage Lo Lurn around

All around hlm was Lhe markeL wlLh people comlng and golng shouLlng and buylng and Lhe aroma of sLrange foods buL
nowhere could he flnd hls new companlon

1he boy wanLed Lo belleve LhaL hls frlend had slmply become separaLed from hlm by accldenL Pe declded Lo sLay rlghL Lhere and
awalL hls reLurn As he walLed a prlesL cllmbed Lo Lhe Lop of a nearby Lower and began hls chanL everyone ln Lhe markeL fell Lo
Lhelr knees Louched Lhelr foreheads Lo Lhe ground and Look up Lhe chanL 1hen llke a colony of worker anLs Lhey dlsmanLled
Lhelr sLalls and lefL

1he sun began lLs deparLure as well 1he boy waLched lL Lhrough lLs Lra[ecLory for some Llme unLll lL was hldden behlnd Lhe
whlLe house surroundlng Lhe plaza Pe recalled LhaL when Lhe sun had rlsen LhaL mornlng he was on anoLher conLlnenL sLlll a
shepherd wlLh slxLy sheep and looklng forward Lo meeLlng wlLh a glrl 1haL mornlng he had known everyLhlng LhaL was golng Lo
happen Lo hlm as he walked Lhrough Lhe famlllar flelds 8uL now as Lhe sun began Lo seL he was ln a dlfferenL counLry a
sLranger ln a sLrange land where he couldnL even speak Lhe language Pe was no longer a shepherd and he had noLhlng noL
even Lhe money Lo reLurn and sLarL everyLhlng over

All Lhls happened beLween sunrlse and sunseL Lhe boy LhoughL Pe was feellng sorry for hlmself and lamenLlng Lhe facL LhaL hls
llfe could have changed so suddenly and so drasLlcally

Pe was so ashamed LhaL he wanLed Lo cry Pe had never even wepL ln fronL of hls own sheep 8uL Lhe markeLplace was empLy
and he was far from home so he wepL Pe wepL because Cod was unfalr and because Lhls was Lhe way Cod repald Lhose who
belleved ln Lhelr dreams

When l had my sheep l was happy and l made Lhose around me happy eople saw me comlng and welcomed me he LhoughL
8uL now lm sad and alone lm golng Lo become blLLer and dlsLrusLful of people because one person beLrayed me lm golng Lo
haLe Lhose who have found Lhelr Lreasure because l never found mlne And lm golng Lo hold on Lo whaL llLLle l have because
lm Loo lnslgnlflcanL Lo conquer Lhe world

Pe opened hls pouch Lo see whaL was lefL of hls possesslons maybe Lhere was a blL lefL of Lhe sandwlch he had eaLen on Lhe
shlp 8uL all he found was Lhe heavy book hls [ackeL and Lhe Lwo sLones Lhe old
man had glven hlm

As he looked aL Lhe sLones he felL relleved for some reason Pe had exchanged slx sheep for Lwo preclous sLones LhaL had been
Laken from a gold breasLplaLe Pe could sell Lhe sLones and buy a reLurn LlckeL 8uL Lhls Llme lll be smarLer Lhe boy LhoughL
removlng Lhem from Lhe pouch so he could puL Lhem ln hls pockeL 1hls was a porL Lown and Lhe only LruLhful Lhlng hls frlend
had Lold hlm was LhaL porL Lowns are full of Lhleves

now he undersLood why Lhe owner of Lhe bar had been so upseL he was Lrylng Lo Lell hlm noL Lo LrusL LhaL man

lm llke everyone elsel see Lhe world ln Lerms of whaL l would llke Lo see happen noL whaL acLually does

Pe ran hls flngers slowly over Lhe sLones senslng Lhelr LemperaLure and feellng Lhelr surfaces 1hey were hls Lreasure !usL
handllng Lhem made hlm feel beLLer 1hey remlnded hlm of Lhe old man

When you wanL someLhlng all Lhe unlverse consplres ln helplng you Lo achleve lL he had sald

1he boy was Lrylng Lo undersLand Lhe LruLh of whaL Lhe old man had sald 1here he was ln Lhe empLy markeLplace wlLhouL a
cenL Lo hls name and wlLh noL a sheep Lo guard Lhrough Lhe nlghL 8uL Lhe sLones were proof LhaL he had meL wlLh a klnga
klng who knew of Lhe boys pasL

1heyre called urlm and 1hummlm and Lhey can help you Lo read Lhe omens

1he boy puL Lhe sLones back ln Lhe pouch and declded Lo do an experlmenL 1he old man had sald Lo ask very clear quesLlons
and Lo do LhaL Lhe boy had Lo know whaL he wanLed So he asked lf Lhe old mans blesslng was sLlll wlLh hlm

Pe Look ouL one of Lhe sLones lL was yes

Am l golng Lo flnd my Lreasure? he asked

Pe sLuck hls hand lnLo Lhe pouch and felL around for one of Lhe sLones As he dld so boLh of Lhem pushed Lhrough a hole ln Lhe
pouch and fell Lo Lhe ground 1he boy had never even noLlced LhaL Lhere was a hole ln hls pouch Pe knelL down Lo flnd urlm
and 1hummlm and puL Lhem back ln Lhe pouch 8uL as he saw Lhem lylng Lhere on Lhe ground anoLher phrase came Lo hls mlnd

Learn Lo recognlze omens and follow Lhem Lhe old klng had sald

An omen 1he boy smlled Lo hlmself Pe plcked up Lhe Lwo sLones and puL Lhem back ln hls pouch Pe dldnL conslder mendlng
Lhe holeLhe sLones could fall Lhrough any Llme Lhey wanLed Pe had learned LhaL Lhere were cerLaln Lhlngs one shouldnL ask
abouL so as noL Lo flee from ones own desLlny l promlsed LhaL l would make my own declslons he sald Lo hlmself

8uL Lhe sLones had Lold hlm LhaL Lhe old man was sLlll wlLh hlm and LhaL made hlm feel more confldenL Pe looked around aL
Lhe empLy plaza agaln feellng less desperaLe Lhan before 1hls wasnL a sLrange place lL was a new one

AfLer all whaL he had always wanLed was [usL LhaL Lo know new places Lven lf he never goL Lo Lhe yramlds he had already
Lravelled farLher Lhan any shepherd he knew Ch lf Lhey only knew how dlfferenL Lhlngs are [usL Lwo hours by shlp from where
Lhey are he LhoughL AlLhough hls new world aL Lhe momenL was [usL an empLy markeLplace he had already seen lL when lL was
Leemlng wlLh llfe and he
would never forgeL lL Pe remembered Lhe sword lL hurL hlm a blL Lo Lhlnk abouL lL buL he had never seen one llke lL before As
he mused abouL Lhese Lhlngs he reallzed LhaL he had Lo choose beLween Lhlnklng of hlmself as Lhe poor vlcLlm of a Lhlef and as
an advenLurer ln quesL of hls Lreasure

lm an advenLurer looklng for Lreasure he sald Lo hlmself

*

Pe was shaken lnLo wakefulness by someone Pe had fallen asleep ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe markeLplace and llfe ln Lhe plaza was
abouL Lo resume

Looklng around he soughL hls sheep and Lhen reallzed LhaL he was ln a new world 8uL lnsLead of belng saddened he was
happy Pe no longer had Lo seek ouL food and waLer for Lhe sheep he could go ln search of hls Lreasure lnsLead Pe had noL a
cenL ln hls pockeL buL he had falLh Pe had declded Lhe nlghL before LhaL he would be as much an advenLurer as Lhe ones he
had admlred ln books

Pe walked slowly Lhrough Lhe markeL 1he merchanLs were assembllng Lhelr sLalls and Lhe boy helped a candy seller Lo do hls
1he candy seller had a smlle on hls face he was happy aware of whaL hls llfe was abouL and ready Lo begln a days work Pls
smlle remlnded Lhe boy of Lhe old manLhe mysLerlous old klng he had meL 1hls candy merchanL lsnL maklng candy so LhaL
laLer he can Lravel or marry a shopkeepers daughLer Pes dolng lL because lLs whaL he wanLs Lo do LhoughL Lhe boy Pe
reallzed LhaL he could do Lhe same Lhlng Lhe old man had donesense wheLher a person was near Lo or far from hls desLlny

!usL by looklng aL Lhem lLs easy and yeL lve never done lL before he LhoughL

When Lhe sLall was assembled Lhe candy seller offered Lhe boy Lhe flrsL sweeL he had made for Lhe day 1he boy Lhanked hlm
aLe lL and wenL on hls way When he had gone only a shorL dlsLance he reallzed LhaL whlle Lhey were erecLlng Lhe sLall one of
Lhem had spoken Arablc and Lhe oLher Spanlsh

And Lhey had undersLood each oLher perfecLly well

1here musL be a language LhaL doesnL depend on words Lhe boy LhoughL lve already had LhaL experlence wlLh my sheep and
now lLs happenlng wlLh people

Pe was learnlng a loL of new Lhlngs Some of Lhem were Lhlngs LhaL he had already experlenced and werenL really new buL
LhaL he had never percelved before And he hadnL percelved Lhem because he
had become accusLomed Lo Lhem Pe reallzed lf l can learn Lo undersLand Lhls language wlLhouL words l
can learn Lo undersLand Lhe world

8elaxed and unhurrled he resolved LhaL he would walk Lhrough Lhe narrow sLreeLs of 1angler Cnly ln LhaL way would he be able
Lo read Lhe omens Pe knew lL would requlre a loL of paLlence buL shepherds know all abouL paLlence Cnce agaln he saw LhaL
ln LhaL sLrange land he was applylng Lhe same lessons he had learned wlLh hls sheep

All Lhlngs are one Lhe old man had sald

*

1he crysLal merchanL awoke wlLh Lhe day and felL Lhe same anxleLy LhaL he felL every mornlng Pe had been ln Lhe same place
for LhlrLy years a shop aL Lhe Lop of a hllly sLreeL where few cusLomers passed now lL was Loo laLe Lo change anyLhlngLhe
only Lhlng he had ever learned Lo do was Lo buy and sell crysLal glassware 1here had been a Llme when many people knew of
hls shop Arab merchanLs lrench and Lngllsh geologlsLs Cerman soldlers who were always wellheeled ln Lhose days lL had
been wonderful Lo be selllng crysLal and he had LhoughL how he would become rlch and have beauLlful women aL hls slde as he
grew older

8uL as Llme passed 1angler had changed 1he nearby clLy of CeuLa had grown fasLer Lhan 1angler and buslness had fallen off
nelghbours moved away and Lhere remalned only a few small shops on Lhe hlll And no one was golng Lo cllmb Lhe hlll [usL Lo
browse Lhrough a few small shops

8uL Lhe crysLal merchanL had no cholce Pe had llved LhlrLy years of hls llfe buylng and selllng crysLal pleces and now lL was Loo
laLe Lo do anyLhlng else

Pe spenL Lhe enLlre mornlng observlng Lhe lnfrequenL comlngs and golngs ln Lhe sLreeL Pe had done Lhls for years and knew
Lhe schedule of everyone who passed 8uL [usL before lunchLlme a boy sLopped ln fronL of Lhe shop Pe was dressed normally
buL Lhe pracLlced eyes of Lhe crysLal merchanL could see LhaL Lhe boy had no money Lo spend neverLheless Lhe merchanL
declded Lo delay hls lunch for a few mlnuLes unLll Lhe boy moved on

*

A card hanglng ln Lhe doorway announced LhaL several languages were spoken ln Lhe shop 1he boy saw a man appear behlnd
Lhe counLer

l can clean up Lhose glasses ln Lhe wlndow lf you wanL sald Lhe boy 1he way Lhey look now nobody ls golng Lo wanL Lo buy
Lhem

1he man looked aL hlm wlLhouL respondlng

ln exchange you could glve me someLhlng Lo eaL

1he man sLlll sald noLhlng and Lhe boy sensed LhaL he was golng Lo have Lo make a declslon ln hls pouch he had hls [ackeLhe
cerLalnly wasnL golng Lo need lL ln Lhe deserL 1aklng Lhe [ackeL ouL he began Lo clean Lhe glasses ln half an hour he had
cleaned all Lhe glasses ln Lhe wlndow and as he was dolng so Lwo cusLomers had enLered Lhe shop and boughL some crysLal

When he had compleLed Lhe cleanlng he asked Lhe man for someLhlng Lo eaL LeLs go and have some lunch sald Lhe crysLal
merchanL

Pe puL a slgn on Lhe door and Lhey wenL Lo a small cafe nearby As Lhey saL down aL Lhe only Lable ln Lhe place Lhe crysLal
merchanL laughed

?ou dldnL have Lo do any cleanlng he sald 1he koran requlres me Lo feed a hungry person Well Lhen why dld you leL me
do lL? Lhe boy asked

8ecause Lhe crysLal was dlrLy And boLh you and l needed Lo cleanse our mlnds of negaLlve LhoughLs

When Lhey had eaLen Lhe merchanL Lurned Lo Lhe boy and sald ld llke you Lo work ln my shop 1wo cusLomers came ln Loday
whlle you were worklng and LhaLs a good omen

eople Lalk a loL abouL omens LhoughL Lhe shepherd 8uL Lhey really donL know whaL Lheyre saylng !usL as l hadnL reallzed
LhaL for so many years l had been speaklng a language wlLhouL words Lo my sheep

uo you wanL Lo go Lo work for me? Lhe merchanL asked

l can work for Lhe resL of Loday Lhe boy answered lll work all nlghL unLll dawn and lll clean every plece of crysLal ln your
shop ln reLurn l need money Lo geL Lo LgypL Lomorrow

1he merchanL laughed Lven lf you cleaned my crysLal for an enLlre year even lf you earned a good commlsslon selllng every
plece you would sLlll have Lo borrow money Lo geL Lo LgypL 1here are Lhousands of kllomeLres of deserL beLween here and
Lhere

1here was a momenL of sllence so profound LhaL lL seemed Lhe clLy was asleep no sound from Lhe bazaars no argumenLs
among Lhe merchanLs no men cllmblng Lo Lhe Lowers Lo chanL no hope no advenLure no old klngs or desLlnles no Lreasure
and no yramlds lL was as lf Lhe world had fallen sllenL because Lhe boys soul had Pe saL Lhere sLarlng blankly Lhrough Lhe
door of Lhe cafe wlshlng LhaL he had dled and LhaL everyLhlng would end forever aL LhaL momenL

1he merchanL looked anxlously aL Lhe boy All Lhe [oy he had seen LhaL mornlng had suddenly dlsappeared

l can glve you Lhe money you need Lo geL back Lo your counLry my son sald Lhe crysLal merchanL 1he boy sald noLhlng Pe
goL up ad[usLed hls cloLhlng and plcked up hls pouch

lll work for you he sald

And afLer anoLher long sllence he added l need money Lo buy some sheep







Ak1 2

1he boy had been worklng for Lhe crysLal merchanL for almosL a monLh and he could see LhaL lL wasnL exacLly Lhe klnd of [ob
LhaL would make hlm happy 1he merchanL spenL Lhe enLlre day mumbllng behlnd Lhe counLer Lelllng Lhe boy Lo be careful wlLh
Lhe pleces and noL Lo break anyLhlng

8uL he sLayed wlLh Lhe [ob because Lhe merchanL alLhough he was an old grouch LreaLed hlm falrly Lhe boy recelved a good
commlsslon for each plece he sold and had already been able Lo puL some money aslde 1haL mornlng he had done some
calculaLlng lf he conLlnued Lo work every day as he had been he would need a whole year Lo be able Lo buy some sheep

ld llke Lo bulld a dlsplay case for Lhe crysLal Lhe boy sald Lo Lhe merchanL We could place lL ouLslde and aLLracL Lhose
people who pass aL Lhe boLLom of Lhe hlll

lve never had one before Lhe merchanL answered eople wlll pass by and bump lnLo lL and pleces wlll be broken

Well when l Look my sheep Lhrough Lhe flelds some of Lhem mlghL have dled lf we had come upon a snake 8uL LhaLs Lhe way
llfe ls wlLh sheep and wlLh shepherds

1he merchanL Lurned Lo a cusLomer who wanLed Lhree crysLal glasses Pe was selllng beLLer Lhan ever as lf Llme had Lurned
back Lo Lhe old days when Lhe sLreeL had been one of 1anglers ma[or aLLracLlons

8uslness has really lmproved he sald Lo Lhe boy afLer Lhe cusLomer had lefL lm dolng much beLLer and soon youll be able
Lo reLurn Lo your sheep Why ask more ouL of llfe?

8ecause we have Lo respond Lo omens Lhe boy sald almosL wlLhouL meanlng Lo Lhen he regreLLed whaL he had sald because
Lhe merchanL had never meL Lhe klng

lLs called Lhe prlnclple of favourablllLy beglnners luck 8ecause llfe wanLs you Lo achleve your desLlny Lhe old klng had sald

8uL Lhe merchanL undersLood whaL Lhe boy had sald 1he boys very presence ln Lhe shop was an omen and as Llme passed and
money was pourlng lnLo Lhe cash drawer he had no regreLs abouL havlng hlred Lhe boy 1he boy was belng pald more money
Lhan he deserved because Lhe merchanL Lhlnklng LhaL sales wouldnL amounL Lo much had offered Lhe boy a hlgh commlsslon
raLe Pe had assumed he would soon reLurn Lo hls sheep

Why dld you wanL Lo geL Lo Lhe yramlds? he asked Lo geL away from Lhe buslness of Lhe dlsplay 8ecause lve always heard
abouL Lhem Lhe boy answered saylng noLhlng abouL hls dream 1he Lreasure was now noLhlng buL a palnful memory and he
Lrled Lo avold Lhlnklng abouL lL

l donL know anyone around here who would wanL Lo cross Lhe deserL [usL Lo see Lhe yramlds sald Lhe merchanL 1heyre
[usL a plle of sLones ?ou could bulld one ln your backyard

?ouve never had dreams of Lravel sald Lhe boy Lurnlng Lo walL on a cusLomer who had enLered Lhe shop

1wo days laLer Lhe merchanL spoke Lo Lhe boy abouL Lhe dlsplay

l donL much llke change he sald ?ou and l arenL llke Passan LhaL rlch merchanL lf he makes a buylng mlsLake lL doesnL
affecL hlm much 8uL we Lwo have Lo llve wlLh our mlsLakes

1haLs Lrue enough Lhe boy LhoughL ruefully Why dld you Lhlnk we should have Lhe dlsplay?

l wanL Lo geL back Lo my sheep fasLer We have Lo Lake advanLage when luck ls on our slde and do as much Lo help lL as lLs
dolng Lo help us lLs called Lhe prlnclple of favourablllLy Cr beglnners luck

1he merchanL was sllenL for a few momenLs 1hen he sald 1he ropheL gave us Lhe koran and lefL us [usL flve obllgaLlons Lo
saLlsfy durlng our llves 1he mosL lmporLanL ls Lo belleve only ln Lhe one Lrue Cod 1he oLhers are Lo pray flve Llmes a day fasL
durlng 8amadan and be charlLable Lo Lhe poor

Pe sLopped Lhere Pls eyes fllled wlLh Lears as he spoke of Lhe ropheL Pe was a devouL man and even wlLh all hls lmpaLlence
he wanLed Lo llve hls llfe ln accordance wlLh Musllm law

WhaLs Lhe flfLh obllgaLlon? Lhe boy asked

1wo days ago you sald LhaL l had never dreamed of Lravel Lhe merchanL answered 1he flfLh obllgaLlon of every Musllm ls a
pllgrlmage We are obllged aL leasL once ln our llves Lo vlslL Lhe holy clLy of Mecca
Mecca ls a loL farLher away Lhan Lhe yramlds When l was young all l wanLed Lo do was puL LogeLher enough money Lo sLarL
Lhls shop l LhoughL LhaL someday ld be rlch and could go Lo Mecca l began Lo make some money buL l could never brlng
myself Lo leave someone ln charge of Lhe shop Lhe crysLals are dellcaLe Lhlngs AL Lhe same Llme people were passlng my shop
all Lhe Llme headlng for Mecca Some of Lhem were rlch pllgrlms Lravellng ln caravans wlLh servanLs and camels buL mosL of
Lhe people maklng Lhe pllgrlmage were poorer Lhan l

All who wenL Lhere were happy aL havlng done so 1hey placed Lhe symbols of Lhe pllgrlmage on Lhe doors of Lhelr houses Cne
of Lhem a cobbler who made hls llvlng mendlng booLs sald LhaL he had Lravelled for almosL a year Lhrough Lhe deserL buL LhaL
he goL more Llred when he had Lo walk Lhrough Lhe sLreeLs of 1angler buylng hls leaLher

Well why donL you go Lo Mecca now? asked Lhe boy

8ecause lLs Lhe LhoughL of Mecca LhaL keeps me allve 1haLs whaL helps me face Lhese days LhaL are all Lhe same Lhese muLe
crysLals on Lhe shelves and lunch and dlnner aL LhaL same horrlble cafe lm afrald LhaL lf my dream ls reallzed lll have no
reason Lo go on llvlng

?ou dream abouL your sheep and Lhe yramlds buL youre dlfferenL from me because you wanL Lo reallze your dreams l [usL
wanL Lo dream abouL Mecca lve already lmaglned a Lhousand Llmes crosslng Lhe deserL arrlvlng aL Lhe laza of Lhe Sacred
SLone Lhe seven Llmes l walk around lL before allowlng myself Lo Louch lL lve already lmaglned Lhe people who would be aL my
slde and Lhose ln fronL of me and Lhe conversaLlons and prayers we would share 8uL lm afrald LhaL lL would all be a
dlsappolnLmenL so l prefer [usL Lo dream abouL lL

1haL day Lhe merchanL gave Lhe boy permlsslon Lo bulld Lhe dlsplay noL everyone can see hls dreams come Lrue ln Lhe same
way

*

1wo more monLhs passed and Lhe shelf broughL many cusLomers lnLo Lhe crysLal shop 1he boy esLlmaLed LhaL lf he worked for
slx more monLhs he could reLurn Lo Spaln and buy slxLy sheep and yeL anoLher slxLy ln less Lhan a year he would have doubled
hls flock and he would be able Lo do buslness wlLh Lhe Arabs because he was now able Lo speak Lhelr sLrange language Slnce
LhaL mornlng ln Lhe markeLplace he had never agaln made use of urlm and 1hummlm because LgypL was now [usL as dlsLanL a
dream for hlm as was Mecca for Lhe merchanL Anyway Lhe boy had become happy ln hls work and LhoughL all Lhe Llme abouL
Lhe day when he would dlsembark aL 1arlfa as a wlnner

?ou musL always know whaL lL ls LhaL you wanL Lhe old klng had sald 1he boy knew and was now worklng Loward lL Maybe lL
was hls Lreasure Lo have wound up ln LhaL sLrange land meL up wlLh a Lhlef and doubled Lhe slze of hls flock wlLhouL spendlng a
cenL

Pe was proud of hlmself Pe had learned some lmporLanL Lhlngs llke how Lo deal ln crysLal and abouL Lhe language wlLhouL
words and abouL omens Cne afLernoon he had seen a man aL Lhe Lop of Lhe hlll complalnlng LhaL lL was lmposslble Lo flnd a
decenL place Lo geL someLhlng Lo drlnk afLer such a cllmb 1he boy accusLomed Lo recognlzlng omens spoke Lo Lhe merchanL

LeLs sell Lea Lo Lhe people who cllmb Lhe hlll

LoLs of places sell Lea around here Lhe merchanL sald

8uL we could sell Lea ln crysLal glasses 1he people wlll en[oy Lhe Lea and wanL Lo buy Lhe glasses l have been Lold LhaL beauLy ls
Lhe greaL seducer of men

1he merchanL dldnL respond buL LhaL afLernoon afLer saylng hls prayers and closlng Lhe shop he lnvlLed Lhe boy Lo slL wlLh hlm
and share hls hookah LhaL sLrange plpe used by Lhe Arabs

WhaL ls lL youre looklng for? asked Lhe old merchanL

lve already Lold you l need Lo buy my sheep back so l have Lo earn Lhe money Lo do so 1he merchanL puL some new coals ln
Lhe hookah and lnhaled deeply

lve had Lhls shop for LhlrLy years l know good crysLal from bad and everyLhlng else Lhere ls Lo know abouL crysLal l know lLs
dlmenslons and how lL behaves lf we serve Lea ln crysLal Lhe shop ls golng Lo expand And Lhen lll have Lo change my way of
llfe

Well lsnL LhaL good?

lm already used Lo Lhe way Lhlngs are 8efore you came l was Lhlnklng abouL how much Llme l had wasLed ln Lhe same place
whlle my frlends had moved on and elLher wenL bankrupL or dld beLLer Lhan Lhey had before lL made me very depressed now
l can see LhaL lL hasnL been Loo bad 1he shop ls exacLly Lhe slze l always wanLed lL Lo be l donL wanL Lo change anyLhlng
because l donL know how Lo deal wlLh change lm used Lo Lhe way l am

1he boy dldnL know whaL Lo say 1he old man conLlnued ?ou have been a real blesslng Lo me 1oday l undersLand someLhlng l
dldnL see before every blesslng lgnored becomes a curse l donL wanL anyLhlng else ln llfe 8uL you are forclng me Lo look aL
wealLh and aL horlzons l have never known now LhaL l have seen Lhem and now LhaL l see how lmmense my posslblllLles are
lm golng Lo feel worse Lhan l dld before you arrlved 8ecause l know Lhe Lhlngs l should be able Lo accompllsh and l donL wanL
Lo do so

lLs good l refralned from saylng anyLhlng Lo Lhe baker ln 1arlfa LhoughL Lhe boy Lo hlmself

1hey wenL on smoklng Lhe plpe for a whlle as Lhe sun began Lo seL 1hey were converslng ln Arablc and Lhe boy was proud of
hlmself for belng able Lo do so 1here had been a Llme when he LhoughL LhaL hls sheep could Leach hlm everyLhlng he needed Lo
know abouL Lhe world 8uL Lhey could never have LaughL hlm Arablc

1here are probably oLher Lhlngs ln Lhe world LhaL Lhe sheep canL Leach me LhoughL Lhe boy as he regarded Lhe old merchanL
All Lhey ever do really ls look for food and waLer And maybe lL wasnL LhaL Lhey were Leachlng me buL LhaL l was learnlng from
Lhem

MakLub Lhe merchanL sald flnally WhaL does LhaL mean?

?ou would have Lo have been born an Arab Lo undersLand he answered 8uL ln your language lL would be someLhlng llke lL ls
wrlLLen

And as he smoLhered Lhe coals ln Lhe hookah he Lold Lhe boy LhaL he could begln Lo sell Lea ln Lhe crysLal glasses SomeLlmes
Lheres [usL no way Lo hold back Lhe rlver

*

1he men cllmbed Lhe hlll and Lhey were Llred when Lhey reached Lhe Lop 8uL Lhere Lhey saw a crysLal shop LhaL offered
refreshlng mlnL Lea 1hey wenL ln Lo drlnk Lhe Lea whlch was served ln beauLlful crysLal glasses

My wlfe never LhoughL of Lhls sald one and he boughL some crysLalhe was enLerLalnlng guesLs LhaL nlghL and Lhe guesLs
would be lmpressed by Lhe beauLy of Lhe glassware 1he oLher man remarked LhaL Lea was always more dellclous when lL was
served ln crysLal because Lhe aroma was reLalned 1he Lhlrd sald LhaL lL was a LradlLlon ln Lhe CrlenL Lo use crysLal glasses for
Lea because lL had maglcal powers

8efore long Lhe news spread and a greaL many people began Lo cllmb Lhe hlll Lo see Lhe shop LhaL was dolng someLhlng new ln
a Lrade LhaL was so old CLher shops were opened LhaL served Lea ln crysLal buL Lhey werenL aL Lhe Lop of a hlll and Lhey had
llLLle buslness

LvenLually Lhe merchanL had Lo hlre Lwo more employees Pe began Lo lmporL enormous quanLlLles of Lea along wlLh hls
crysLal and hls shop was soughL ouL by men and women wlLh a LhlrsL for Lhlngs new

And ln LhaL way Lhe monLhs passed

*

1he boy awoke before dawn lL had been eleven monLhs and nlne days slnce he had flrsL seL fooL on Lhe Afrlcan conLlnenL

Pe dressed ln hls Arablan cloLhlng of whlLe llnen boughL especlally for Lhls day Pe puL hls head cloLh ln place and secured lL
wlLh a rlng made of camel skln Wearlng hls new sandals he descended Lhe sLalrs sllenLly

1he clLy was sLlll sleeplng Pe prepared hlmself a sandwlch and drank some hoL Lea from a crysLal glass 1hen he saL ln Lhe sun
fllled doorway smoklng Lhe hookah

Pe smoked ln sllence Lhlnklng of noLhlng and llsLenlng Lo Lhe sound of Lhe wlnd LhaL broughL Lhe scenL of Lhe deserL When he
had flnlshed hls smoke he reached lnLo one of hls pockeLs and saL Lhere for a few momenLs regardlng whaL he had wlLhdrawn

lL was a bundle of money Lnough Lo buy hlmself a hundred and LwenLy sheep a reLurn LlckeL and a llcense Lo lmporL producLs
from Afrlca lnLo hls own counLry

Pe walLed paLlenLly for Lhe merchanL Lo awaken and open Lhe shop 1hen Lhe Lwo wenL off Lo have some more Lea

lm leavlng Loday sald Lhe boy l have Lhe money l need Lo buy my sheep And you have Lhe money you need Lo go Lo
Mecca

1he old man sald noLhlng

Wlll you glve me your blesslng? asked Lhe boy ?ou have helped me 1he man conLlnued Lo prepare hls Lea saylng noLhlng
1hen he Lurned Lo Lhe boy

l am proud of you he sald ?ou broughL a new feellng lnLo my crysLal shop 8uL you know LhaL lm noL golng Lo go Lo Mecca
!usL as you know LhaL youre noL golng Lo buy your sheep

Who Lold you LhaL? asked Lhe boy sLarLled MakLub sald Lhe old crysLal merchanL

And he gave Lhe boy hls blesslng

*

1he boy wenL Lo hls room and packed hls belonglngs 1hey fllled Lhree sacks As he was leavlng he saw ln Lhe corner of Lhe
room hls old shepherds pouch lL was bunched up and he had hardly LhoughL of lL for a long Llme As he Look hls [ackeL ouL of
Lhe pouch Lhlnklng Lo glve lL Lo someone ln Lhe sLreeL Lhe Lwo sLones fell Lo Lhe floor urlm and 1hummlm

lL made Lhe boy Lhlnk of Lhe old klng and lL sLarLled hlm Lo reallze how long lL had been slnce he had LhoughL of hlm lor nearly
a year he had been worklng lncessanLly Lhlnklng only of puLLlng aslde enough money so LhaL he could reLurn Lo Spaln wlLh
prlde

never sLop dreamlng Lhe old klng had sald lollow Lhe omens

1he boy plcked up urlm and 1hummlm and once agaln had Lhe sLrange sensaLlon LhaL Lhe old klng was nearby Pe had worked
hard for a year and Lhe omens were LhaL lL was Llme Lo go

lm golng Lo go back Lo dolng [usL whaL l dld before Lhe boy LhoughL Lven Lhough Lhe sheep dldnL Leach me Lo speak Arablc

8uL Lhe sheep had LaughL hlm someLhlng even more lmporLanL LhaL Lhere was a language ln Lhe world LhaL everyone
undersLood a language Lhe boy had used LhroughouL Lhe Llme LhaL he was Lrylng Lo lmprove Lhlngs aL Lhe shop lL was Lhe
language of enLhuslasm of Lhlngs accompllshed wlLh love and purpose and as parL of a search for someLhlng belleved ln and
deslred 1angler was no longer a sLrange clLy and he felL LhaL [usL as he had conquered Lhls place he could conquer Lhe world

When you wanL someLhlng all Lhe unlverse consplres Lo help you achleve lL Lhe old klng had sald

8uL Lhe old klng hadnL sald anyLhlng abouL belng robbed or abouL endless deserLs or abouL people who know whaL Lhelr
dreams are buL donL wanL Lo reallze Lhem 1he old klng hadnL Lold hlm LhaL Lhe yramlds were [usL a plle of sLones or LhaL
anyone could bulld one ln hls backyard And he had forgoLLen Lo menLlon LhaL when you have enough money Lo buy a flock
larger Lhan Lhe one you had before you should buy lL

1he boy plcked up hls pouch and puL lL wlLh hls oLher Lhlngs Pe wenL down Lhe sLalrs and found Lhe merchanL walLlng on a
forelgn couple whlle Lwo oLher cusLomers walked abouL Lhe shop drlnklng Lea from crysLal glasses lL was more acLlvlLy Lhan
usual for Lhls Llme of Lhe mornlng lrom where he sLood he saw for Lhe flrsL Llme LhaL Lhe old merchanLs halr was very much
llke Lhe halr of Lhe old klng Pe remembered Lhe smlle of Lhe candy seller on hls flrsL day ln 1angler when he had noLhlng Lo eaL
and nowhere Lo goLhaL smlle had also been llke Lhe old klngs smlle

lLs almosL as lf he had been here and lefL hls mark he LhoughL And yeL none of Lhese people has ever meL Lhe old klng Cn Lhe
oLher hand he sald LhaL he always appeared Lo help Lhose who are Lrylng Lo reallze Lhelr desLlny

Pe lefL wlLhouL saylng goodbye Lo Lhe crysLal merchanL Pe dldnL wanL Lo cry wlLh Lhe oLher people Lhere Pe was golng Lo mlss
Lhe place and all Lhe good Lhlngs he had learned Pe was more confldenL ln hlmself Lhough and felL as Lhough he could conquer
Lhe world

8uL lm golng back Lo Lhe flelds LhaL l know Lo Lake care of my flock agaln Pe sald LhaL Lo hlmself wlLh cerLalnLy buL he was no
longer happy wlLh hls declslon Pe had worked for an enLlre year Lo make a dream come Lrue and LhaL dream mlnuLe by
mlnuLe was becomlng less lmporLanL Maybe because LhaL wasnL really hls dream

Who knows maybe lLs beLLer Lo be llke Lhe crysLal merchanL never go Lo Mecca and [usL go Lhrough llfe wanLlng Lo do so he
LhoughL agaln Lrylng Lo convlnce hlmself 8uL as he held urlm and 1hummlm ln hls hand Lhey had LransmlLLed Lo hlm Lhe
sLrengLh and wlll of Lhe old klng 8y colncldenceor maybe lL was an omen Lhe boy LhoughLhe came Lo Lhe bar he had
enLered on hls flrsL day Lhere 1he Lhlef wasnL Lhere and Lhe owner broughL hlm a cup of Lea

l can always go back Lo belng a shepherd Lhe boy LhoughL l learned how Lo care for sheep and l havenL forgoLLen how LhaLs
done 8uL maybe lll never have anoLher chance Lo geL Lo Lhe yramlds ln LgypL 1he old man wore a breasLplaLe of gold and he
knew abouL my pasL Pe really was a klng a wlse klng

1he hllls of Andalusla were only Lwo hours away buL Lhere was an enLlre deserL beLween hlm and Lhe yramlds ?eL Lhe boy felL
LhaL Lhere was anoLher way Lo regard hls slLuaLlon he was acLually Lwo hours closer Lo hls Lreasure Lhe facL LhaL Lhe Lwo hours
had sLreLched lnLo an enLlre year dldnL maLLer

l know why l wanL Lo geL back Lo my flock he LhoughL l undersLand sheep Lheyre no longer a problem and Lhey can be good
frlends Cn Lhe oLher hand l donL know lf Lhe deserL can be a frlend and lLs ln Lhe deserL LhaL l have Lo search for my Lreasure
lf l donL flnd lL l can always go home l flnally have enough money and all Lhe Llme l need Why noL?

Pe suddenly felL Lremendously happy Pe could always go back Lo belng a shepherd Pe could always become a crysLal salesman
agaln Maybe Lhe world had oLher hldden Lreasures buL he had a dream and he had meL wlLh a klng 1haL doesnL happen Lo
[usL anyone!

Pe was plannlng as he lefL Lhe bar Pe had remembered LhaL one of Lhe crysLal merchanLs suppllers LransporLed hls crysLal by
means of caravans LhaL crossed Lhe deserL Pe held urlm and 1hummlm ln hls hand because of Lhose Lwo sLones he was once
agaln on Lhe way Lo hls Lreasure

l am always nearby when someone wanLs Lo reallze Lhelr desLlny Lhe old klng had Lold hlm

WhaL could lL cosL Lo go over Lo Lhe suppllers warehouse and flnd ouL lf Lhe yramlds were really LhaL far away?

*

1he Lngllshman was slLLlng on a bench ln a sLrucLure LhaL smelled of anlmals sweaL and dusL lL was parL warehouse parL
corral l never LhoughL ld end up ln a place llke Lhls he LhoughL as he leafed Lhrough Lhe pages of a chemlcal [ournal 1en years
aL Lhe unlverslLy and here l am ln a corral

8uL he had Lo move on Pe belleved ln omens All hls llfe and all hls sLudles were almed aL flndlng Lhe one Lrue language of Lhe
unlverse llrsL he had sLudled LsperanLo Lhen Lhe worlds rellglons and now lL was alchemy Pe knew how Lo speak LsperanLo
he undersLood all Lhe ma[or rellglons well buL he wasnL yeL an alchemlsL Pe had unravelled Lhe LruLhs behlnd lmporLanL
quesLlons buL hls sLudles had Laken hlm Lo a polnL beyond whlch he could noL seem Lo go Pe had Lrled ln valn Lo esLabllsh a
relaLlonshlp wlLh an alchemlsL 8uL Lhe alchemlsLs were sLrange people who LhoughL only abouL Lhemselves and almosL always
refused Lo help hlm Who knows maybe Lhey had falled Lo dlscover Lhe secreL of Lhe MasLer WorkLhe hllosophers SLone
and for Lhls reason kepL Lhelr knowledge Lo Lhemselves

Pe had already spenL much of Lhe forLune lefL Lo hlm by hls faLher frulLlessly seeklng Lhe hllosophers SLone Pe had spenL
enormous amounLs of Llme aL Lhe greaL llbrarles of Lhe world and had purchased all Lhe raresL and mosL lmporLanL volumes on
alchemy ln one he had read LhaL many years ago a famous Arablan alchemlsL had vlslLed Lurope lL was sald LhaL he was more
Lhan Lwo hundred years old and LhaL he had dlscovered Lhe hllosophers SLone and Lhe Lllxlr of Llfe 1he Lngllshman had been
profoundly lmpressed by Lhe sLory 8uL he would never have LhoughL lL more Lhan [usL a myLh had noL a frlend of hlsreLurnlng
from an archaeologlcal expedlLlon ln Lhe deserLLold hlm abouL an Arab LhaL was possessed of excepLlonal powers

Pe llves aL Lhe Allayoum oasls hls frlend had sald And people say LhaL he ls Lwo hundred years old and ls able Lo Lransform
any meLal lnLo gold

1he Lngllshman could noL conLaln hls exclLemenL Pe cancelled all hls commlLmenLs and pulled LogeLher Lhe mosL lmporLanL of
hls books and now here he was slLLlng lnslde a dusLy smelly warehouse CuLslde a huge caravan was belng prepared for a
crosslng of Lhe Sahara and was scheduled Lo pass Lhrough Allayoum

lm golng Lo flnd LhaL damned alchemlsL Lhe Lngllshman LhoughL And Lhe odour of Lhe anlmals became a blL more Lolerable

A young Arab also loaded down wlLh baggage enLered and greeLed Lhe Lngllshman Where are you bound? asked Lhe young
Arab

lm golng lnLo Lhe deserL Lhe man answered Lurnlng back Lo hls readlng Pe dldnL wanL any conversaLlon aL Lhls polnL WhaL
he needed Lo do was revlew all he had learned over Lhe years because Lhe alchemlsL would cerLalnly puL hlm Lo Lhe LesL

1he young Arab Look ouL a book and began Lo read 1he book was wrlLLen ln Spanlsh 1haLs good LhoughL Lhe Lngllshman Pe
spoke Spanlsh beLLer Lhan Arablc and lf Lhls boy was golng Lo Allayoum Lhere would be someone Lo Lalk Lo when Lhere were
no oLher lmporLanL Lhlngs Lo do

*

1haLs sLrange sald Lhe boy as he Lrled once agaln Lo read Lhe burlal scene LhaL began Lhe book lve been Lrylng for Lwo
years Lo read Lhls book and l never geL pasL Lhese flrsL few pages Lven wlLhouL a klng Lo provlde an lnLerrupLlon he was
unable Lo concenLraLe

Pe sLlll had some doubLs abouL Lhe declslon he had made 8uL he was able Lo undersLand one Lhlng maklng a declslon was only
Lhe beglnnlng of Lhlngs When someone makes a declslon he ls really dlvlng lnLo a sLrong currenL LhaL wlll carry hlm Lo places he
had never dreamed of when he flrsL made Lhe declslon

When l declded Lo seek ouL my Lreasure l never lmaglned LhaL ld wlnd up worklng ln a crysLal shop he LhoughL And [olnlng Lhls
caravan may have been my declslon buL where lL goes ls golng Lo be a mysLery Lo me

nearby was Lhe Lngllshman readlng a book Pe seemed unfrlendly and had looked lrrlLaLed when Lhe boy had enLered 1hey
mlghL even have become frlends buL Lhe Lngllshman closed off Lhe conversaLlon

1he boy closed hls book Pe felL LhaL he dldnL wanL Lo do anyLhlng LhaL mlghL make hlm look llke Lhe Lngllshman Pe Look urlm
and 1hummlm from hls pockeL and began playlng wlLh Lhem 1he sLranger shouLed urlm and 1hummlm!

ln a flash Lhe boy puL Lhem back ln hls pockeL 1heyre noL for sale he sald

1heyre noL worLh much Lhe Lngllshman answered 1heyre only made of rock crysLal and Lhere are mllllons of rock crysLals
ln Lhe earLh 8uL Lhose who know abouL such Lhlngs would know LhaL Lhose are urlm and 1hummlm l dldnL know LhaL Lhey had
Lhem ln Lhls parL of Lhe world

1hey were glven Lo me as a presenL by a klng Lhe boy sald

1he sLranger dldnL answer lnsLead he puL hls hand ln hls pockeL and Look ouL Lwo sLones LhaL were Lhe same as Lhe boys

uld you say a klng? he asked

l guess you donL belleve LhaL a klng would Lalk Lo someone llke me a shepherd he sald wanLlng Lo end Lhe conversaLlon

noL aL all lL was shepherds who were Lhe flrsL Lo recognlze a klng LhaL Lhe resL of Lhe world refused Lo acknowledge So lLs noL
surprlslng LhaL klngs would Lalk Lo shepherds

And he wenL on fearlng LhaL Lhe boy wouldnL undersLand whaL he was Lalklng abouL lLs ln Lhe 8lble 1he same book LhaL
LaughL me abouL urlm and 1hummlm 1hese sLones were Lhe only form of dlvlnaLlon permlLLed by Cod 1he prlesLs carrled Lhem
ln a golden breasLplaLe

1he boy was suddenly happy Lo be Lhere aL Lhe warehouse Maybe Lhls ls an omen sald Lhe Lngllshman half aloud
Who Lold you abouL omens? 1he boys lnLeresL was lncreaslng by Lhe momenL

LveryLhlng ln llfe ls an omen sald Lhe Lngllshman now closlng Lhe [ournal he was readlng 1here ls a unlversal language
undersLood by everybody buL already forgoLLen l am ln search of LhaL unlversal language among oLher Lhlngs 1haLs why lm
here l have Lo flnd a man who knows LhaL unlversal language An alchemlsL

1he conversaLlon was lnLerrupLed by Lhe warehouse boss

?oure ln luck you Lwo Lhe faL Arab sald 1heres a caravan leavlng Loday for Allayoum 8uL lm golng Lo LgypL Lhe boy
sald

Allayoum ls ln LgypL sald Lhe Arab WhaL klnd of Arab are you?

1haLs a good luck omen Lhe Lngllshman sald afLer Lhe faL Arab had gone ouL lf l could ld wrlLe a huge encyclopaedla [usL
abouL Lhe words luck and colncldence lLs wlLh Lhose words LhaL Lhe unlversal language ls wrlLLen

Pe Lold Lhe boy lL was no colncldence LhaL he had meL hlm wlLh urlm and 1hummlm ln hls hand And he asked Lhe boy lf he Loo
were ln search of Lhe alchemlsL

lm looklng for a Lreasure sald Lhe boy and he lmmedlaLely regreLLed havlng sald lL 8uL Lhe Lngllshman appeared noL Lo
aLLach any lmporLance Lo lL

ln a way so am l he sald

l donL even know whaL alchemy ls Lhe boy was saylng when Lhe warehouse boss called Lo Lhem Lo come ouLslde

*

lm Lhe leader of Lhe caravan sald a darkeyed bearded man l hold Lhe power of llfe and deaLh for every person l Lake wlLh
me 1he deserL ls a caprlclous lady and someLlmes she drlves men crazy

1here were almosL Lwo hundred people gaLhered Lhere and four hundred anlmalscamels horses mules and fowl ln Lhe
crowd were women chlldren and a number of men wlLh swords aL Lhelr belLs and rlfles slung on Lhelr shoulders 1he
Lngllshman had several sulLcases fllled wlLh books 1here was a babble of nolse and Lhe leader had Lo repeaL hlmself several
Llmes for everyone Lo undersLand whaL he was saylng

1here are a loL of dlfferenL people here and each has hls own Cod 8uL Lhe only Cod l serve ls Allah and ln hls name l swear
LhaL l wlll do everyLhlng posslble once agaln Lo wln ouL over Lhe deserL 8uL l wanL each and every one of you Lo swear by Lhe
Cod you belleve ln LhaL you wlll follow my orders no maLLer whaL ln Lhe deserL dlsobedlence means deaLh

1here was a murmur from Lhe crowd Lach was swearlng quleLly Lo hls or her own Cod 1he boy swore Lo !esus ChrlsL 1he
Lngllshman sald noLhlng And Lhe murmur lasLed longer Lhan a slmple vow would have 1he people were also praylng Lo heaven
for proLecLlon

A long noLe was sounded on a bugle and everyone mounLed up 1he boy and Lhe Lngllshman had boughL camels and cllmbed
uncerLalnly onLo Lhelr backs 1he boy felL sorry for Lhe Lngllshmans camel loaded down as he was wlLh Lhe cases of books

1heres no such Lhlng as colncldence sald Lhe Lngllshman plcklng up Lhe conversaLlon where lL had been lnLerrupLed ln Lhe
warehouse lm here because a frlend of mlne heard of an Arab who

8uL Lhe caravan began Lo move and lL was lmposslble Lo hear whaL Lhe Lngllshman was saylng 1he boy knew whaL he was
abouL Lo descrlbe Lhough Lhe mysLerlous chaln LhaL llnks one Lhlng Lo anoLher Lhe same chaln LhaL had caused hlm Lo become
a shepherd LhaL had caused hls recurrlng dream LhaL had broughL hlm Lo a clLy near Afrlca Lo flnd a klng and Lo be robbed ln
order Lo meeL a crysLal merchanL and

1he closer one geLs Lo reallzlng hls desLlny Lhe more LhaL desLlny becomes hls Lrue reason for belng LhoughL Lhe boy

1he caravan moved Loward Lhe easL lL Lravelled durlng Lhe mornlng halLed when Lhe sun was aL lLs sLrongesL and resumed laLe
ln Lhe afLernoon 1he boy spoke very llLLle wlLh Lhe Lngllshman who spenL mosL of hls Llme wlLh hls books

1he boy observed ln sllence Lhe progress of Lhe anlmals and people across Lhe deserL now everyLhlng was qulLe dlfferenL from
how lL was LhaL day Lhey had seL ouL Lhen Lhere had been confuslon and shouLlng Lhe crles of chlldren and Lhe whlnnylng of
anlmals all mlxed wlLh Lhe nervous orders of Lhe guldes and Lhe merchanLs

8uL ln Lhe deserL Lhere was only Lhe sound of Lhe eLernal wlnd and of Lhe hoof beaLs of Lhe anlmals Lven Lhe guldes spoke
very llLLle Lo one anoLher

lve crossed Lhese sands many Llmes sald one of Lhe camel drlvers one nlghL 8uL Lhe deserL ls so huge and Lhe horlzons so
dlsLanL LhaL Lhey make a person feel small and as lf he should remaln sllenL

1he boy undersLood lnLulLlvely whaL he meanL even wlLhouL ever havlng seL fooL ln Lhe deserL before Whenever he saw Lhe
sea or a flre he fell sllenL lmpressed by Lhelr elemenLal force

lve learned Lhlngs from Lhe sheep and lve learned Lhlngs from crysLal he LhoughL l can learn someLhlng from Lhe deserL Loo
lL seems old and wlse

1he wlnd never sLopped and Lhe boy remembered Lhe day he had saL aL Lhe forL ln 1arlfa wlLh Lhls same wlnd blowlng ln hls
face lL remlnded hlm of Lhe wool from hls sheep hls sheep who were now seeklng food and waLer ln Lhe flelds of Andalusla as
Lhey always had

1heyre noL my sheep anymore he sald Lo hlmself wlLhouL nosLalgla 1hey musL be used Lo Lhelr new shepherd and have
probably already forgoLLen me 1haLs good CreaLures llke Lhe sheep LhaL are used Lo Lravellng know abouL movlng on

Pe LhoughL of Lhe merchanLs daughLer and was sure LhaL she had probably marrled erhaps Lo a baker or Lo anoLher
shepherd who could read and could Lell her exclLlng sLorlesafLer all he probably wasnL Lhe only one 8uL he was exclLed aL hls
lnLulLlve undersLandlng of Lhe camel drlvers commenL maybe he was also learnlng Lhe unlversal language LhaL deals wlLh Lhe
pasL and Lhe presenL of all people Punches hls moLher used Lo call Lhem 1he boy was beglnnlng Lo undersLand LhaL lnLulLlon
ls really a sudden lmmerslon of Lhe soul lnLo Lhe unlversal currenL of llfe where Lhe hlsLorles of all people are connecLed and we
are able Lo know everyLhlng because lLs all wrlLLen Lhere

MakLub Lhe boy sald rememberlng Lhe crysLal merchanL

1he deserL was all sand ln some sLreLches and rocky ln oLhers When Lhe caravan was blocked by a boulder lL had Lo go around
lL lf Lhere was a large rocky area Lhey had Lo make a ma[or deLour lf Lhe sand was Loo flne for Lhe anlmals hooves Lhey soughL
a way where Lhe sand was more subsLanLlal ln some places Lhe ground was covered wlLh Lhe salL of drledup lakes 1he anlmals
balked aL such places and Lhe camel drlvers were forced Lo dlsmounL and unburden Lhelr charges 1he drlvers carrled Lhe frelghL
Lhemselves over such Lreacherous fooLlng and Lhen reloaded Lhe camels lf a gulde were Lo fall lll or dle Lhe camel drlvers
would draw loLs and appolnL a new one

8uL all Lhls happened for one baslc reason no maLLer how many deLours and ad[usLmenLs lL made Lhe caravan moved Loward
Lhe same compass polnL Cnce obsLacles were overcome lL reLurned Lo lLs course slghLlng on a sLar LhaL lndlcaLed Lhe locaLlon
of Lhe oasls When Lhe people saw LhaL sLar shlnlng ln Lhe mornlng sky Lhey knew Lhey were on Lhe rlghL course Loward waLer
palm Lrees shelLer and oLher people lL was only Lhe Lngllshman who was unaware of all Lhls he was for Lhe mosL parL
lmmersed ln readlng hls books

1he boy Loo had hls book and he had Lrled Lo read lL durlng Lhe flrsL few days of Lhe [ourney 8uL he found lL much more
lnLeresLlng Lo observe Lhe caravan and llsLen Lo Lhe wlnd As soon as he had learned Lo know hls camel beLLer and Lo esLabllsh a
relaLlonshlp wlLh hlm he Lhrew Lhe book away AlLhough Lhe boy had developed a supersLlLlon LhaL each Llme he opened Lhe
book he would learn someLhlng lmporLanL he declded lL was an unnecessary burden

Pe became frlendly wlLh Lhe camel drlver who Lravelled alongslde hlm AL nlghL as Lhey saL around Lhe flre Lhe boy relaLed Lo
Lhe drlver hls advenLures as a shepherd

uurlng one of Lhese conversaLlons Lhe drlver Lold of hls own llfe

l used Lo llve near Ll Calrum he sald l had my orchard my chlldren and a llfe LhaL would change noL aL all unLll l dled Cne
year when Lhe crop was Lhe besL ever we all wenL Lo Mecca and l saLlsfled Lhe only unmeL obllgaLlon ln my llfe l could dle
happlly and LhaL made me feel good

Cne day Lhe earLh began Lo Lremble and Lhe nlle overflowed lLs banks lL was someLhlng LhaL l LhoughL could happen only Lo
oLhers never Lo me My nelghbours feared Lhey would lose all Lhelr ollve Lrees ln Lhe flood and my wlfe was afrald LhaL we
would lose our chlldren l LhoughL LhaL everyLhlng l owned would be desLroyed

1he land was rulned and l had Lo flnd some oLher way Lo earn a llvlng So now lm a camel drlver 8uL LhaL dlsasLer LaughL me
Lo undersLand Lhe word of Allah people need noL fear Lhe unknown lf Lhey are capable of achlevlng whaL Lhey need and wanL

We are afrald of loslng whaL we have wheLher lLs our llfe or our possesslons and properLy 8uL Lhls fear evaporaLes when we
undersLand LhaL our llfe sLorles and Lhe hlsLory of Lhe world were wrlLLen by Lhe same hand

SomeLlmes Lhelr caravan meL wlLh anoLher Cne always had someLhlng LhaL Lhe oLher neededas lf everyLhlng were lndeed
wrlLLen by one hand As Lhey saL around Lhe flre Lhe camel drlvers exchanged lnformaLlon abouL wlndsLorms and Lold sLorles
abouL Lhe deserL

AL oLher Llmes mysLerlous hooded men would appear Lhey were 8edoulns who dld survelllance along Lhe caravan rouLe 1hey
provlded warnlngs abouL Lhleves and barbarlan Lrlbes 1hey came ln sllence and deparLed Lhe same way dressed ln black
garmenLs LhaL showed only Lhelr eyes Cne nlghL a camel drlver came Lo Lhe flre where Lhe Lngllshman and Lhe boy were
slLLlng 1here are rumours of Lrlbal wars he Lold Lhem

1he Lhree fell sllenL 1he boy noLed LhaL Lhere was a sense of fear ln Lhe alr even Lhough no one sald anyLhlng Cnce agaln he
was experlenclng Lhe language wlLhouL words Lhe unlversal language

1he Lngllshman asked lf Lhey were ln danger

Cnce you geL lnLo Lhe deserL Lheres no golng back sald Lhe camel drlver And when you canL go back you have Lo worry
only abouL Lhe besL way of movlng forward 1he resL ls up Lo Allah lncludlng Lhe danger

And he concluded by saylng Lhe mysLerlous word MakLub

?ou should pay more aLLenLlon Lo Lhe caravan Lhe boy sald Lo Lhe Lngllshman afLer Lhe camel drlver had lefL We make a loL
of deLours buL were always headlng for Lhe same desLlnaLlon

And you oughL Lo read more abouL Lhe world answered Lhe Lngllshman 8ooks are llke caravans ln LhaL respecL

1he lmmense collecLlon of people and anlmals began Lo Lravel fasLer 1he days had always been sllenL buL now even Lhe
nlghLswhen Lhe Lravellers were accusLomed Lo Lalklng around Lhe flreshad also become quleL And one day Lhe leader of
Lhe caravan made Lhe declslon LhaL Lhe flres should no longer be llghLed so as noL Lo aLLracL aLLenLlon Lo Lhe caravan

1he Lravellers adopLed Lhe pracLlce of arranglng Lhe anlmals ln a clrcle aL nlghL sleeplng LogeLher ln Lhe cenLre as proLecLlon
agalnsL Lhe nocLurnal cold And Lhe leader posLed armed senLlnels aL Lhe frlnges of Lhe group

1he Lngllshman was unable Lo sleep one nlghL Pe called Lo Lhe boy and Lhey Look a walk along Lhe dunes surroundlng Lhe
encampmenL 1here was a full moon and Lhe boy Lold Lhe Lngllshman Lhe sLory of hls llfe

1he Lngllshman was fasclnaLed wlLh Lhe parL abouL Lhe progress achleved aL Lhe crysLal shop afLer Lhe boy began worklng Lhere

1haLs Lhe prlnclple LhaL governs all Lhlngs he sald ln alchemy lLs called Lhe Soul of Lhe World When you wanL someLhlng
wlLh all your hearL LhaLs when you are closesL Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World lLs always a poslLlve force

Pe also sald LhaL Lhls was noL [usL a human glfL LhaL everyLhlng on Lhe face of Lhe earLh had a soul wheLher mlneral vegeLable
or anlmalor even [usL a slmple LhoughL

LveryLhlng on earLh ls belng conLlnuously Lransformed because Lhe earLh ls allve and lL has a soul We are parL of LhaL soul so
we rarely recognlze LhaL lL ls worklng for us 8uL ln Lhe crysLal shop you probably reallzed LhaL even Lhe glasses were
collaboraLlng ln your success

1he boy LhoughL abouL LhaL for a whlle as he looked aL Lhe moon and Lhe bleached sands l have waLched Lhe caravan as lL
crossed Lhe deserL he sald 1he caravan and Lhe deserL speak Lhe same language and lLs for LhaL reason LhaL Lhe deserL
allows Lhe crosslng lLs golng Lo LesL Lhe caravans every sLep Lo see lf lLs ln Llme and lf lL ls we wlll make lL Lo Lhe oasls

lf elLher of us had [olned Lhls caravan based only on personal courage buL wlLhouL undersLandlng LhaL language Lhls [ourney
would have been much more dlfflculL

1hey sLood Lhere looklng aL Lhe moon

1haLs Lhe maglc of omens sald Lhe boy lve seen how Lhe guldes read Lhe slgns of Lhe deserL and how Lhe soul of Lhe
caravan speaks Lo Lhe soul of Lhe deserL

1he Lngllshman sald ld beLLer pay more aLLenLlon Lo Lhe caravan And ld beLLer read your books sald Lhe boy

*

1hey were sLrange books 1hey spoke abouL mercury salL dragons and klngs and he dldnL undersLand any of lL 8uL Lhere was
one ldea LhaL seemed Lo repeaL lLself LhroughouL all Lhe books all Lhlngs are Lhe manlfesLaLlon of one Lhlng only

ln one of Lhe books he learned LhaL Lhe mosL lmporLanL LexL ln Lhe llLeraLure of alchemy conLalned only a few llnes and had
been lnscrlbed on Lhe surface of an emerald

lLs Lhe Lmerald 1ableL sald Lhe Lngllshman proud LhaL he mlghL Leach someLhlng Lo Lhe boy Well Lhen why do we need all
Lhese books? Lhe boy asked

So LhaL we can undersLand Lhose few llnes Lhe Lngllshman answered wlLhouL appearlng really Lo belleve whaL he had sald

1he book LhaL mosL lnLeresLed Lhe boy Lold Lhe sLorles of Lhe famous alchemlsLs 1hey were men who had dedlcaLed Lhelr enLlre
llves Lo Lhe purlflcaLlon of meLals ln Lhelr laboraLorles Lhey belleved LhaL lf a meLal were heaLed for many years lL would free
lLself of all lLs lndlvldual properLles and whaL was lefL would be Lhe Soul of Lhe World 1hls Soul of Lhe World allowed Lhem Lo
undersLand anyLhlng on Lhe face of Lhe earLh because lL was Lhe language wlLh whlch all Lhlngs communlcaLed 1hey called LhaL
dlscovery Lhe MasLer WorklL was parL llquld and parL solld

CanL you [usL observe men and omens ln order Lo undersLand Lhe language? Lhe boy asked

?ou have a manla for slmpllfylng everyLhlng answered Lhe Lngllshman lrrlLaLed Alchemy ls a serlous dlsclpllne Lvery sLep
has Lo be followed exacLly as lL was followed by Lhe masLers

1he boy learned LhaL Lhe llquld parL of Lhe MasLer Work was called Lhe Lllxlr of Llfe and LhaL lL cured all lllnesses lL also kepL Lhe
alchemlsL from growlng old And Lhe solld parL was called Lhe hllosophers SLone

lLs noL easy Lo flnd Lhe hllosophers SLone sald Lhe Lngllshman 1he alchemlsLs spenL years ln Lhelr laboraLorles observlng
Lhe flre LhaL purlfled Lhe meLals 1hey spenL so much Llme close Lo Lhe flre LhaL gradually Lhey gave up Lhe vanlLles of Lhe world
1hey dlscovered LhaL Lhe purlflcaLlon of Lhe meLals had led Lo a purlflcaLlon of Lhemselves

1he boy LhoughL abouL Lhe crysLal merchanL Pe had sald LhaL lL was a good Lhlng for Lhe boy Lo clean Lhe crysLal pleces so LhaL
he could free hlmself from negaLlve LhoughLs 1he boy was becomlng more and more convlnced LhaL alchemy could be learned
ln ones dally llfe

Also sald Lhe Lngllshman Lhe hllosophers SLone has a fasclnaLlng properLy A small sllver of Lhe sLone can Lransform large
quanLlLles of meLal lnLo gold

Pavlng heard LhaL Lhe boy became even more lnLeresLed ln alchemy Pe LhoughL LhaL wlLh some paLlence hed be able Lo
Lransform everyLhlng lnLo gold Pe read Lhe llves of Lhe varlous people who had succeeded ln dolng so PelveLlus Lllas
lulcanelll and Ceber 1hey were fasclnaLlng sLorles each of Lhem llved ouL hls desLlny Lo Lhe end 1hey Lravelled spoke wlLh
wlse men performed mlracles for Lhe lncredulous and owned Lhe hllosophers SLone and Lhe Lllxlr of Llfe

8uL when Lhe boy wanLed Lo learn how Lo achleve Lhe MasLer Work he became compleLely losL 1here were [usL drawlngs
coded lnsLrucLlons and obscure LexLs

*

Why do Lhey make Lhlngs so compllcaLed? he asked Lhe Lngllshman one nlghL 1he boy had noLlced LhaL Lhe Lngllshman was
lrrlLable and mlssed hls books

So LhaL Lhose who have Lhe responslblllLy for undersLandlng can undersLand he sald lmaglne lf everyone wenL around
Lransformlng lead lnLo gold Cold would lose lLs value

lLs only Lhose who are perslsLenL and wllllng Lo sLudy Lhlngs deeply who achleve Lhe MasLer Work 1haLs why lm here ln Lhe
mlddle of Lhe deserL lm seeklng a Lrue alchemlsL who wlll help me Lo declpher Lhe codes

When were Lhese books wrlLLen? Lhe boy asked Many cenLurles ago

1hey dldnL have Lhe prlnLlng press ln Lhose days Lhe boy argued 1here was no way for everybody Lo know abouL alchemy
Why dld Lhey use such sLrange language wlLh so many drawlngs?

1he Lngllshman dldnL answer hlm dlrecLly Pe sald LhaL for Lhe pasL few days he had been paylng aLLenLlon Lo how Lhe caravan
operaLed buL LhaL he hadnL learned anyLhlng new 1he only Lhlng he had

noLlced was LhaL Lalk of war was becomlng more and more frequenL

*

1hen one day Lhe boy reLurned Lhe books Lo Lhe Lngllshman uld you learn anyLhlng? Lhe Lngllshman asked eager Lo hear
whaL lL mlghL be Pe needed someone Lo Lalk Lo so as Lo avold Lhlnklng abouL Lhe posslblllLy of war

l learned LhaL Lhe world has a soul and LhaL whoever undersLands LhaL soul can also undersLand Lhe language of Lhlngs l
learned LhaL many alchemlsLs reallzed Lhelr desLlnles and wound up dlscoverlng Lhe Soul of Lhe World Lhe hllosophers SLone
and Lhe Lllxlr of Llfe

8uL above all l learned LhaL Lhese Lhlngs are all so slmple LhaL Lhey could be wrlLLen on Lhe surface of an emerald

1he Lngllshman was dlsappolnLed 1he years of research Lhe maglc symbols Lhe sLrange words and Lhe laboraLory equlpmenL
none of Lhls had made an lmpresslon on Lhe boy Pls soul musL be Loo prlmlLlve Lo undersLand Lhose Lhlngs he LhoughL

Pe Look back hls books and packed Lhem away agaln ln Lhelr bags

Co back Lo waLchlng Lhe caravan he sald 1haL dldnL Leach me anyLhlng elLher

1he boy wenL back Lo conLemplaLlng Lhe sllence of Lhe deserL and Lhe sand ralsed by Lhe anlmals Lveryone has hls or her own
way of learnlng Lhlngs he sald Lo hlmself Pls way lsnL Lhe same as mlne nor mlne as hls 8uL were boLh ln search of our
desLlnles and l respecL hlm for LhaL

*

1he caravan began Lo Lravel day and nlghL 1he hooded 8edoulns reappeared more and more frequenLly and Lhe camel drlver
who had become a good frlend of Lhe boysexplalned LhaL Lhe war beLween Lhe Lrlbes had already begun 1he caravan would
be very lucky Lo reach Lhe oasls

1he anlmals were exhausLed and Lhe men Lalked among Lhemselves less and less 1he sllence was Lhe worsL aspecL of Lhe nlghL
when Lhe mere groan of a camelwhlch before had been noLhlng buL Lhe groan of a camelnow frlghLened everyone because
lL mlghL slgnal a rald

1he camel drlver Lhough seemed noL Lo be very concerned wlLh Lhe LhreaL of war

lm allve he sald Lo Lhe boy as Lhey aLe a bunch of daLes one nlghL wlLh no flres and no moon When lm eaLlng LhaLs all l
Lhlnk abouL lf lm on Lhe march l [usL concenLraLe on marchlng lf l have Lo flghL lL wlll be [usL as good a day Lo dle as any oLher

8ecause l donL llve ln elLher my pasL or my fuLure lm lnLeresLed only ln Lhe presenL lf you can concenLraLe always on Lhe
presenL youll be a happy man ?oull see LhaL Lhere ls llfe ln Lhe deserL LhaL Lhere are sLars ln Lhe heavens and LhaL Lrlbesmen
flghL because Lhey are parL of Lhe human race Llfe wlll be a parLy for you a grand fesLlval because llfe ls Lhe momenL were
llvlng rlghL now

1wo nlghLs laLer as he was geLLlng ready Lo bed down Lhe boy looked for Lhe sLar Lhey followed every nlghL Pe LhoughL LhaL
Lhe horlzon was a blL lower Lhan lL had been because he seemed Lo see sLars on Lhe deserL lLself

lLs Lhe oasls sald Lhe camel drlver

Well why donL we go Lhere rlghL now? Lhe boy asked 8ecause we have Lo sleep

*

1he boy awoke as Lhe sun rose 1here ln fronL of hlm where Lhe small sLars had been Lhe nlghL before was an endless row of
daLe palms sLreLchlng across Lhe enLlre deserL

Weve done lL! sald Lhe Lngllshman who had also awakened early

8uL Lhe boy was quleL Pe was aL home wlLh Lhe sllence of Lhe deserL and he was conLenL [usL Lo look aL Lhe Lrees Pe sLlll had a
long way Lo go Lo reach Lhe pyramlds and someday Lhls mornlng would [usL be a memory 8uL Lhls was Lhe presenL momenL
Lhe parLy Lhe camel drlver had menLlonedand he wanLed Lo llve lL as he dld Lhe lessons of hls pasL and hls dreams of Lhe
fuLure AlLhough Lhe vlslon of Lhe daLe palms would someday be [usL a memory rlghL now lL slgnlfled shade waLer and a refuge
from Lhe war ?esLerday Lhe camels groan slgnalled danger and now a row of daLe palms could herald a mlracle

1he world speaks many languages Lhe boy LhoughL

*

1he Llmes rush pasL and so do Lhe caravans LhoughL Lhe alchemlsL as he waLched Lhe hundreds of people and anlmals arrlvlng
aL Lhe oasls eople were shouLlng aL Lhe new arrlvals dusL obscured Lhe deserL sun and Lhe chlldren of Lhe oasls were bursLlng
wlLh exclLemenL aL Lhe arrlval of Lhe sLrangers 1he alchemlsL saw Lhe Lrlbal chlefs greeL Lhe leader of Lhe caravan and converse
wlLh hlm aL lengLh

8uL none of LhaL maLLered Lo Lhe alchemlsL Pe had already seen many people come and go and Lhe deserL remalned as lL was
Pe had seen klngs and beggars walklng Lhe deserL sands 1he dunes were changed consLanLly by Lhe wlnd yeL Lhese were Lhe
same sands he had known slnce he was a chlld Pe always en[oyed seelng Lhe happlness LhaL Lhe Lravellers experlenced when
afLer weeks of yellow sand and blue sky Lhey flrsL saw Lhe green of Lhe daLe palms Maybe Cod creaLed Lhe deserL so LhaL man
could appreclaLe Lhe daLe Lrees he LhoughL

Pe declded Lo concenLraLe on more pracLlcal maLLers Pe knew LhaL ln Lhe caravan Lhere was a man Lo whom he was Lo Leach
some of hls secreLs 1he omens had Lold hlm so Pe dldnL know Lhe man yeL buL hls pracLlced eye would recognlze hlm when he
appeared Pe hoped LhaL lL would be someone as capable as hls prevlous apprenLlce

l donL know why Lhese Lhlngs have Lo be LransmlLLed by word of mouLh he LhoughL lL wasnL exacLly LhaL Lhey were secreLs
Cod revealed hls secreLs easlly Lo all hls creaLures

Pe had only one explanaLlon for Lhls facL Lhlngs have Lo be LransmlLLed Lhls way because Lhey were made up from Lhe pure llfe
and Lhls klnd of llfe cannoL be capLured ln plcLures or words

8ecause people become fasclnaLed wlLh plcLures and words and wlnd up forgeLLlng Lhe Language of Lhe World

*

1he boy couldnL belleve whaL he was seelng Lhe oasls raLher Lhan belng [usL a well surrounded by a few palm Lreesas he had
seen once ln a geography bookwas much larger Lhan many Lowns back ln Spaln 1here were Lhree hundred wells flfLy
Lhousand daLe Lrees and lnnumerable collared LenLs spread among Lhem

lL looks llke 1he 1housand and Cne nlghLs sald Lhe Lngllshman lmpaLlenL Lo meeL wlLh Lhe alchemlsL

1hey were surrounded by chlldren curlous Lo look aL Lhe anlmals and people LhaL were arrlvlng 1he men of Lhe oasls wanLed Lo
know lf Lhey had seen any flghLlng and Lhe women compeLed wlLh one anoLher for access Lo Lhe cloLh and preclous sLones
broughL by Lhe merchanLs 1he sllence of Lhe deserL was a dlsLanL dream Lhe Lravellers ln Lhe caravan were Lalklng lncessanLly
laughlng and shouLlng as lf Lhey had emerged from Lhe splrlLual world and found Lhemselves once agaln ln Lhe world of people
1hey were relleved and happy

1hey had been Laklng careful precauLlons ln Lhe deserL buL Lhe camel drlver explalned Lo Lhe boy LhaL oases were always
consldered Lo be neuLral LerrlLorles because Lhe ma[orlLy of Lhe lnhablLanLs were women and chlldren 1here were oases
LhroughouL Lhe deserL buL Lhe Lrlbesmen foughL ln Lhe deserL leavlng Lhe oases as places of refuge

WlLh some dlfflculLy Lhe leader of Lhe caravan broughL all hls people LogeLher and gave Lhem hls lnsLrucLlons 1he group was Lo
remaln Lhere aL Lhe oasls unLll Lhe confllcL beLween Lhe Lrlbes was over Slnce Lhey were vlslLors Lhey would have Lo share llvlng
space wlLh Lhose who llved Lhere and would be glven Lhe besL accommodaLlons 1haL was Lhe law of hosplLallLy 1hen he asked
LhaL everyone lncludlng hls own senLlnels hand over Lhelr arms Lo Lhe men appolnLed by Lhe Lrlbal chlefLalns

1hose are Lhe rules of war Lhe leader explalned 1he oases may noL shelLer armles or Lroops

1o Lhe boys surprlse Lhe Lngllshman Look a chromeplaLed revolver ouL of hls bag and gave lL Lo Lhe men who were collecLlng
Lhe arms

Why a revolver? he asked

lL helped me Lo LrusL ln people Lhe Lngllshman answered

Meanwhlle Lhe boy LhoughL abouL hls Lreasure 1he closer he goL Lo Lhe reallzaLlon of hls dream Lhe more dlfflculL Lhlngs
became lL seemed as lf whaL Lhe old klng had called beglnners luck were no longer funcLlonlng ln hls pursulL of Lhe dream he
was belng consLanLly sub[ecLed Lo LesLs of hls perslsLence and courage So he could noL be hasLy nor lmpaLlenL lf he pushed
forward lmpulslvely he would fall Lo see Lhe slgns and omens lefL by Cod along hls paLh

Cod placed Lhem along my paLh Pe had surprlsed hlmself wlLh Lhe LhoughL unLll Lhen he had consldered Lhe omens Lo be
Lhlngs of Lhls world Llke eaLlng or sleeplng or llke seeklng love or flndlng a [ob Pe had never LhoughL of Lhem ln Lerms of a
language used by Cod Lo lndlcaLe whaL he should do

uonL be lmpaLlenL he repeaLed Lo hlmself lLs llke Lhe camel drlver sald LaL when lLs Llme Lo eaL And move along when lLs
Llme Lo move along

1haL flrsL day everyone slepL from exhausLlon lncludlng Lhe Lngllshman 1he boy was asslgned a place far from hls frlend ln a
LenL wlLh flve oLher young men of abouL hls age 1hey were people of Lhe deserL and clamoured Lo hear hls sLorles abouL Lhe
greaL clLles

1he boy Lold Lhem abouL hls llfe as a shepherd and was abouL Lo Lell Lhem of hls experlences aL Lhe crysLal shop when Lhe
Lngllshman came lnLo Lhe LenL

lve been looklng for you all mornlng he sald as he led Lhe boy ouLslde l need you Lo help me flnd ouL where Lhe alchemlsL
llves

llrsL Lhey Lrled Lo flnd hlm on Lhelr own An alchemlsL would probably llve ln a manner LhaL was dlfferenL from LhaL of Lhe resL
of Lhe people aL Lhe oasls and lL was llkely LhaL ln hls LenL an oven was conLlnuously burnlng 1hey searched everywhere and
found LhaL Lhe oasls was much larger Lhan Lhey could have lmaglned Lhere were hundreds of LenLs

Weve wasLed almosL Lhe enLlre day sald Lhe Lngllshman slLLlng down wlLh Lhe boy near one of Lhe wells

Maybe wed beLLer ask someone Lhe boy suggesLed

1he Lngllshman dldnL wanL Lo Lell oLhers abouL hls reasons for belng aL Lhe oasls and couldnL make up hls mlnd 8uL flnally he
agreed LhaL Lhe boy who spoke beLLer Arablc Lhan he should do so 1he boy approached a woman who had come Lo Lhe well Lo
flll a goaLskln wlLh waLer

Cood afLernoon maam lm Lrylng Lo flnd ouL where Lhe alchemlsL llves here aL Lhe oasls

1he woman sald she had never heard of such a person and hurrled away 8uL before she fled she advlsed Lhe boy LhaL he had
beLLer noL Lry Lo converse wlLh women who were dressed ln black because Lhey were marrled women Pe should respecL
LradlLlon

1he Lngllshman was dlsappolnLed lL seemed he had made Lhe long [ourney for noLhlng 1he boy was also saddened hls frlend
was ln pursulL of hls desLlny And when someone was ln such pursulL Lhe enLlre unlverse made an efforL Lo help hlm succeed
LhaLs whaL Lhe old klng had sald Pe couldnL have been wrong

l had never heard of alchemlsLs before Lhe boy sald Maybe no one here has elLher

1he Lngllshmans eyes llL up 1haLs lL! Maybe no one here knows whaL an alchemlsL ls! llnd ouL who lL ls who cures Lhe
peoples lllnesses!

Several women dressed ln black came Lo Lhe well for waLer buL Lhe boy would speak Lo none of Lhem desplLe Lhe Lngllshmans
lnslsLence 1hen a man approached

uo you know someone here who cures peoples lllnesses? Lhe boy asked

Allah cures our lllnesses sald Lhe man clearly frlghLened of Lhe sLrangers ?oure looklng for wlLch docLors Pe spoke some
verses from Lhe koran and moved on

AnoLher man appeared Pe was older and was carrylng a small buckeL 1he boy repeaLed hls quesLlon Why do you wanL Lo
flnd LhaL sorL of person? Lhe Arab asked

8ecause my frlend here has Lravelled for many monLhs ln order Lo meeL wlLh hlm Lhe boy sald

lf such a man ls here aL Lhe oasls he musL be Lhe very powerful one sald Lhe old man afLer Lhlnklng for a few momenLs noL
even Lhe Lrlbal chlefLalns are able Lo see hlm when Lhey wanL Lo Cnly when he consenLs

WalL for Lhe end of Lhe war 1hen leave wlLh Lhe caravan uonL Lry Lo enLer lnLo Lhe llfe of Lhe oasls he sald and walked away

8uL Lhe Lngllshman was exulLanL 1hey were on Lhe rlghL Lrack

llnally a young woman approached who was noL dressed ln black She had a vessel on her shoulder and her head was covered
by a vell buL her face was uncovered 1he boy approached her Lo ask abouL Lhe alchemlsL

AL LhaL momenL lL seemed Lo hlm LhaL Llme sLood sLlll and Lhe Soul of Lhe World surged wlLhln hlm When he looked lnLo her
dark eyes and saw LhaL her llps were polsed beLween a laugh and sllence he learned Lhe mosL lmporLanL parL of Lhe language
LhaL all Lhe world spokeLhe language LhaL everyone on earLh was capable of undersLandlng ln Lhelr hearL lL was love
SomeLhlng older Lhan humanlLy more anclenL Lhan Lhe deserL SomeLhlng LhaL exerLed Lhe same force whenever Lwo palrs of
eyes meL as had Lhelrs here aL Lhe well She smlled and LhaL was cerLalnly an omenLhe omen he had been awalLlng wlLhouL
even knowlng he was for all hls llfe 1he omen he had soughL Lo flnd wlLh hls sheep and ln hls books ln Lhe crysLals and ln Lhe
sllence of Lhe deserL

lL was Lhe pure Language of Lhe World lL requlred no explanaLlon [usL as Lhe unlverse needs none as lL Lravels Lhrough endless
Llme WhaL Lhe boy felL aL LhaL momenL was LhaL he was ln Lhe presence of Lhe only woman ln hls llfe and LhaL wlLh no need for
words she recognlzed Lhe same Lhlng Pe was more cerLaln of lL Lhan of anyLhlng ln Lhe world Pe had been Lold by hls parenLs
and grandparenLs LhaL he musL fall ln love and really know a person before becomlng commlLLed 8uL maybe people who felL
LhaL way had never learned Lhe unlversal language 8ecause when you know LhaL language lLs easy Lo undersLand LhaL
someone ln Lhe world awalLs you wheLher lLs ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe deserL or ln some greaL clLy And when Lwo such people
encounLer each oLher and Lhelr eyes meeL Lhe pasL and Lhe fuLure become unlmporLanL 1here ls only LhaL momenL and Lhe
lncredlble cerLalnLy LhaL everyLhlng under Lhe sun has been wrlLLen by one hand only lL ls Lhe hand LhaL evokes love and
creaLes a Lwln soul for every person ln Lhe world WlLhouL such love ones dreams would have no meanlng

MakLub LhoughL Lhe boy

1he Lngllshman shook Lhe boy Come on ask her!

1he boy sLepped closer Lo Lhe glrl and when she smlled he dld Lhe same WhaLs your name? he asked
laLlma Lhe glrl sald averLlng her eyes

1haLs whaL some women ln my counLry are called

lLs Lhe name of Lhe ropheLs daughLer laLlma sald 1he lnvaders carrled Lhe name everywhere 1he beauLlful glrl spoke of
Lhe lnvaders wlLh prlde

1he Lngllshman prodded hlm and Lhe boy asked her abouL Lhe man who cured peoples lllnesses

1haLs Lhe man who knows all Lhe secreLs of Lhe world she sald Pe communlcaLes wlLh Lhe genles of Lhe deserL

1he genles were Lhe splrlLs of good and evll And Lhe glrl polnLed Lo Lhe souLh lndlcaLlng LhaL lL was Lhere Lhe sLrange man llved
1hen she fllled her vessel wlLh waLer and lefL

1he Lngllshman vanlshed Loo gone Lo flnd Lhe alchemlsL And Lhe boy saL Lhere by Lhe well for a long Llme rememberlng LhaL
one day ln 1arlfa Lhe levanLer had broughL Lo hlm Lhe perfume of LhaL woman and reallzlng LhaL he had loved her before he
even knew she exlsLed Pe knew LhaL hls love for her would enable hlm Lo dlscover every Lreasure ln Lhe world

1he nexL day Lhe boy reLurned Lo Lhe well hoplng Lo see Lhe glrl 1o hls surprlse Lhe Lngllshman was Lhere looklng ouL aL Lhe
deserL

l walLed all afLernoon and evenlng he sald Pe appeared wlLh Lhe flrsL sLars of evenlng l Lold hlm whaL l was seeklng and he
asked me lf l had ever Lransformed lead lnLo gold l Lold hlm LhaL was whaL l had come here Lo learn

Pe Lold me l should Lry Lo do so 1haLs all he sald Co and Lry

1he boy dldnL say anyLhlng 1he poor Lngllshman had Lravelled all Lhls way only Lo be Lold LhaL he should repeaL whaL he had
already done so many Llmes

So Lhen Lry he sald Lo Lhe Lngllshman

1haLs whaL lm golng Lo do lm golng Lo sLarL now

As Lhe Lngllshman lefL laLlma arrlved and fllled her vessel wlLh waLer

l came Lo Lell you [usL one Lhlng Lhe boy sald l wanL you Lo be my wlfe l love you 1he glrl dropped Lhe conLalner and Lhe
waLer spllled

lm golng Lo walL here for you every day l have crossed Lhe deserL ln search of a Lreasure LhaL ls somewhere near Lhe yramlds
and for me Lhe war seemed a curse 8uL now lLs a blesslng because lL broughL me Lo you

1he war ls golng Lo end someday Lhe glrl sald

1he boy looked around hlm aL Lhe daLe palms Pe remlnded hlmself LhaL he had been a shepherd and LhaL he could be a
shepherd agaln laLlma was more lmporLanL Lhan hls Lreasure

1he Lrlbesmen are always ln search of Lreasure Lhe glrl sald as lf she had guessed whaL he was Lhlnklng And Lhe women of
Lhe deserL are proud of Lhelr Lrlbesmen

She refllled her vessel and lefL

1he boy wenL Lo Lhe well every day Lo meeL wlLh laLlma Pe Lold her abouL hls llfe as a shepherd abouL Lhe klng and abouL Lhe
crysLal shop 1hey became frlends and excepL for Lhe flfLeen mlnuLes he spenL wlLh her each day seemed LhaL lL would never
pass When he had been aL Lhe oasls for almosL a monLh Lhe leader of Lhe caravan called a meeLlng of all of Lhe people Lravellng
wlLh hlm

We donL know when Lhe war wlll end so we canL conLlnue our [ourney he sald 1he baLLles may lasL for a long Llme
perhaps even years 1here are powerful forces on boLh sldes and Lhe war ls lmporLanL Lo boLh armles lLs noL a baLLle of good
agalnsL evll lLs a war beLween forces LhaL are flghLlng for Lhe balance of power and when LhaL Lype of baLLle beglns lL lasLs
longer Lhan oLhersbecause Allah ls on boLh sldes

1he people wenL back Lo where Lhey were llvlng and Lhe boy wenL Lo meeL wlLh laLlma LhaL afLernoon Pe Lold her abouL Lhe
mornlngs meeLlng 1he day afLer we meL laLlma sald you Lold me LhaL you loved me 1hen you LaughL me someLhlng of Lhe
unlversal language and Lhe Soul of Lhe World 8ecause of LhaL l have become a parL of you

1he boy llsLened Lo Lhe sound of her volce and LhoughL lL Lo be more beauLlful Lhan Lhe sound of Lhe wlnd ln Lhe daLe palms

l have been walLlng for you here aL Lhls oasls for a long Llme l have forgoLLen abouL my pasL abouL my LradlLlons and Lhe way
ln whlch men of Lhe deserL expecL women Lo behave Lver slnce l was a chlld l have dreamed LhaL Lhe deserL would brlng me a
wonderful presenL now my presenL has arrlved and lLs you

1he boy wanLed Lo Lake her hand 8uL laLlmas hands held Lo Lhe handles of her [ug

?ou have Lold me abouL your dreams abouL Lhe old klng and your Lreasure And youve Lold me abouL omens So now l fear
noLhlng because lL was Lhose omens LhaL broughL you Lo me And l am a parL of your dream a parL of your desLlny as you call
lL

1haLs why l wanL you Lo conLlnue Loward your goal lf you have Lo walL unLll Lhe war ls over Lhen walL 8uL lf you have Lo go
before Lhen go on ln pursulL of your dream 1he dunes are changed by Lhe wlnd buL Lhe deserL never changes 1haLs Lhe way lL
wlll be wlLh our love for each oLher

MakLub she sald lf l am really a parL of your dream youll come back one day

1he boy was sad as he lefL her LhaL day Pe LhoughL of all Lhe marrled shepherds he had known 1hey had a dlfflculL Llme
convlnclng Lhelr wlves LhaL Lhey had Lo go off lnLo dlsLanL flelds Love requlred Lhem Lo sLay wlLh Lhe people Lhey loved

Pe Lold laLlma LhaL aL Lhelr nexL meeLlng

1he deserL Lakes our men from us and Lhey donL always reLurn she sald We know LhaL and we are used Lo lL 1hose who
donL reLurn become a parL of Lhe clouds a parL of Lhe anlmals LhaL hlde ln Lhe ravlnes and of Lhe waLer LhaL comes from Lhe
earLh 1hey become a parL of everyLhlng Lhey become Lhe Soul of Lhe World

Some do come back And Lhen Lhe oLher women are happy because Lhey belleve LhaL Lhelr men may one day reLurn as well l
used Lo look aL Lhose women and envy Lhem Lhelr happlness now l Loo wlll be one of Lhe women who walL

lm a deserL woman and lm proud of LhaL l wanL my husband Lo wander as free as Lhe wlnd LhaL shapes Lhe dunes And lf l
have Lo l wlll accepL Lhe facL LhaL he has become a parL of Lhe clouds and Lhe anlmals and Lhe waLer of Lhe deserL

1he boy wenL Lo look for Lhe Lngllshman Pe wanLed Lo Lell hlm abouL laLlma Pe was surprlsed when he saw LhaL Lhe
Lngllshman had bullL hlmself a furnace ouLslde hls LenL lL was a sLrange furnace fuelled by flrewood wlLh a LransparenL flask
heaLlng on Lop As Lhe Lngllshman sLared ouL aL Lhe deserL hls eyes seemed brlghLer Lhan Lhey had when he was readlng hls
books

1hls ls Lhe flrsL phase of Lhe [ob he sald l have Lo separaLe ouL Lhe sulphur 1o do LhaL successfully l musL have no fear of
fallure lL was my fear of fallure LhaL flrsL kepL me from aLLempLlng Lhe MasLer Work now lm beglnnlng whaL l could have
sLarLed Len years ago 8uL lm happy aL leasL LhaL l dldnL walL LwenLy years

Pe conLlnued Lo feed Lhe flre and Lhe boy sLayed on unLll Lhe deserL Lurned plnk ln Lhe seLLlng sun Pe felL Lhe urge Lo go ouL
lnLo Lhe deserL Lo see lf lLs sllence held Lhe answers Lo hls quesLlons

Pe wandered for a whlle keeplng Lhe daLe palms of Lhe oasls wlLhln slghL Pe llsLened Lo Lhe wlnd and felL Lhe sLones beneaLh
hls feeL Pere and Lhere he found a shell and reallzed LhaL Lhe deserL ln remoLe Llmes had been a sea Pe saL on a sLone and
allowed hlmself Lo become hypnoLlzed by Lhe horlzon Pe Lrled Lo deal wlLh Lhe concepL of love as dlsLlncL from possesslon and
couldnL separaLe Lhem 8uL laLlma was a woman of Lhe deserL and lf anyLhlng could help hlm Lo undersLand lL was Lhe deserL

As he saL Lhere Lhlnklng he sensed movemenL above hlm Looklng up he saw a palr of hawks flylng hlgh ln Lhe sky

Pe waLched Lhe hawks as Lhey drlfLed on Lhe wlnd AlLhough Lhelr fllghL appeared Lo have no paLLern lL made a cerLaln klnd of
sense Lo Lhe boy lL was [usL LhaL he couldnL grasp whaL lL meanL Pe followed Lhe movemenL of Lhe blrds Lrylng Lo read
someLhlng lnLo lL Maybe Lhese deserL blrds could explaln Lo hlm Lhe meanlng of love wlLhouL ownershlp

Pe felL sleepy ln hls hearL he wanLed Lo remaln awake buL he also wanLed Lo sleep l am learnlng Lhe Language of Lhe World
and everyLhlng ln Lhe world ls beglnnlng Lo make sense Lo me even Lhe fllghL of Lhe hawks he sald Lo hlmself And ln LhaL
mood he was graLeful Lo be ln love When you are ln love Lhlngs make even more sense he LhoughL

Suddenly one of Lhe hawks made a flashlng dlve Lhrough Lhe sky aLLacklng Lhe oLher As lL dld so a sudden fleeLlng lmage
came Lo Lhe boy an army wlLh lLs swords aL Lhe ready rldlng lnLo Lhe oasls 1he vlslon vanlshed lmmedlaLely buL lL had shaken
hlm Pe had heard people speak of mlrages and had already seen some hlmself Lhey were deslres LhaL because of Lhelr
lnLenslLy maLerlallzed over Lhe sands of Lhe deserL 8uL he cerLalnly dldnL deslre LhaL an army lnvade Lhe oasls

Pe wanLed Lo forgeL abouL Lhe vlslon and reLurn Lo hls medlLaLlon Pe Lrled agaln Lo concenLraLe on Lhe plnk shades of Lhe
deserL and lLs sLones 8uL Lhere was someLhlng Lhere ln hls hearL LhaL wouldnL allow hlm Lo do so

Always heed Lhe omens Lhe old klng had sald 1he boy recalled whaL he had seen ln Lhe vlslon and sensed LhaL lL was acLually
golng Lo occur

Pe rose and made hls way back Loward Lhe palm Lrees Cnce agaln he percelved Lhe many languages ln Lhe Lhlngs abouL hlm
Lhls Llme Lhe deserL was safe and lL was Lhe oasls LhaL had become dangerous

1he camel drlver was seaLed aL Lhe base of a palm Lree observlng Lhe sunseL Pe saw Lhe boy appear from Lhe oLher slde of Lhe
dunes

An army ls comlng Lhe boy sald l had a vlslon

1he deserL fllls mens hearLs wlLh vlslons Lhe camel drlver answered

8uL Lhe boy Lold hlm abouL Lhe hawks LhaL he had been waLchlng Lhelr fllghL and had suddenly felL hlmself Lo have plunged Lo
Lhe Soul of Lhe World

1he camel drlver undersLood whaL Lhe boy was saylng Pe knew LhaL any glven Lhlng on Lhe face of Lhe earLh could reveal Lhe
hlsLory of all Lhlngs Cne could open a book Lo any page or look aL a persons hand one could Lurn a card or waLch Lhe fllghL of
Lhe blrds whaLever Lhe Lhlng observed one could flnd a connecLlon wlLh hls experlence of Lhe momenL AcLually lL wasnL LhaL
Lhose Lhlngs ln Lhemselves revealed anyLhlng aL all lL was [usL LhaL people looklng aL whaL was occurrlng around Lhem could
flnd a means of peneLraLlon Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World

1he deserL was full of men who earned Lhelr llvlng based on Lhe ease wlLh whlch Lhey could peneLraLe Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World
1hey were known as seers and Lhey were held ln fear by women and Lhe elderly 1rlbesmen were also wary of consulLlng Lhem
because lL would be lmposslble Lo be effecLlve ln baLLle lf one knew LhaL he was faLed Lo dle 1he Lrlbesmen preferred Lhe LasLe
of baLLle and Lhe Lhrlll of noL knowlng whaL Lhe ouLcome would be Lhe fuLure was already wrlLLen by Allah and whaL he had
wrlLLen was always for Lhe good of man So Lhe Lrlbesmen llved only for Lhe presenL because Lhe presenL was full of surprlses
and Lhey had Lo be aware of many Lhlngs Where was Lhe enemys sword? Where was hls horse? WhaL klnd of blow should one
dellver nexL ln order Lo remaln allve? 1he camel drlver was noL a flghLer and he had consulLed wlLh seers Many of Lhem had
been rlghL abouL whaL Lhey sald whlle some had been wrong 1hen one day Lhe oldesL seer he had ever soughL ouL (and Lhe
one mosL Lo be feared) had asked why Lhe camel drlver was so lnLeresLed ln Lhe fuLure

Well so l can do Lhlngs he had responded And so l can change Lhose Lhlngs LhaL l donL wanL Lo happen

8uL Lhen Lhey wouldnL be a parL of your fuLure Lhe seer had sald

Well maybe l [usL wanL Lo know Lhe fuLure so l can prepare myself for whaLs comlng

lf good Lhlngs are comlng Lhey wlll be a pleasanL surprlse sald Lhe seer lf bad Lhlngs are and you know ln advance you wlll
suffer greaLly before Lhey even occur

l wanL Lo know abouL Lhe fuLure because lm a man Lhe camel drlver had sald Lo Lhe seer And men always llve Lhelr llves
based on Lhe fuLure

1he seer was a speclallsL ln Lhe casLlng of Lwlgs he Lhrew Lhem on Lhe ground and made lnLerpreLaLlons based on how Lhey fell
1haL day he dldnL make a casL Pe wrapped Lhe Lwlgs ln a plece of cloLh and puL Lhem back ln hls bag

l make my llvlng forecasLlng Lhe fuLure for people he sald l know Lhe sclence of Lhe Lwlgs and l know how Lo use Lhem Lo
peneLraLe Lo Lhe place where all ls wrlLLen 1here l can read Lhe pasL dlscover whaL has already been forgoLLen and undersLand
Lhe omens LhaL are here ln Lhe presenL

When people consulL me lLs noL LhaL lm readlng Lhe fuLure l am guesslng aL Lhe fuLure 1he fuLure belongs Lo Cod and lL ls
only he who reveals lL under exLraordlnary clrcumsLances Pow do l guess aL Lhe fuLure? 8ased on Lhe omens of Lhe presenL
1he secreL ls here ln Lhe presenL lf you pay aLLenLlon Lo Lhe presenL you can lmprove upon lL And lf you lmprove on Lhe
presenL whaL comes laLer wlll also be beLLer lorgeL abouL Lhe fuLure and llve each day accordlng Lo Lhe Leachlngs confldenL
LhaL Cod loves hls chlldren Lach day ln lLself brlngs wlLh lL an eLernlLy

1he camel drlver had asked whaL Lhe clrcumsLances were under whlch Cod would allow hlm Lo see Lhe fuLure

Cnly when he hlmself reveals lL And Cod only rarely reveals Lhe fuLure When he does so lL ls for only one reason lLs a fuLure
LhaL was wrlLLen so as Lo be alLered

Cod had shown Lhe boy a parL of Lhe fuLure Lhe camel drlver LhoughL Why was lL LhaL he wanLed Lhe boy Lo serve as hls
lnsLrumenL?

Co and speak Lo Lhe Lrlbal chlefLalns sald Lhe camel drlver 1ell Lhem abouL Lhe armles LhaL are approachlng

1heyll laugh aL me

1hey are men of Lhe deserL and Lhe men of Lhe deserL are used Lo deallng wlLh omens Well Lhen Lhey probably already
know

1heyre noL concerned wlLh LhaL rlghL now 1hey belleve LhaL lf Lhey have Lo know abouL someLhlng Allah wanLs Lhem Lo know
someone wlll Lell Lhem abouL lL lL has happened many Llmes before 8uL Lhls Llme Lhe person ls you

1he boy LhoughL of laLlma And he declded he would go Lo see Lhe chlefs of Lhe Lrlbes

*

1he boy approached Lhe guard aL Lhe fronL of Lhe huge whlLe LenL aL Lhe cenLre of Lhe oasls

l wanL Lo see Lhe chlefLalns lve broughL omens from Lhe deserL

WlLhouL respondlng Lhe guard enLered Lhe LenL where he remalned for some Llme When he emerged lL was wlLh a young
Arab dressed ln whlLe and gold 1he boy Lold Lhe younger man whaL he had seen and Lhe man asked hlm Lo walL Lhere Pe
dlsappeared lnLo Lhe LenL

nlghL fell and an assorLmenL of flghLlng men and merchanLs enLered and exlLed Lhe LenL Cne by one Lhe campflres were
exLlngulshed and Lhe oasls fell as quleL as Lhe deserL Cnly Lhe llghLs ln Lhe greaL LenL remalned uurlng all Lhls Llme Lhe boy
LhoughL abouL laLlma and he was sLlll unable Lo undersLand hls lasL conversaLlon wlLh her

llnally afLer hours of walLlng Lhe guard bade Lhe boy enLer 1he boy was asLonlshed by whaL he saw lnslde never could he
have lmaglned LhaL Lhere ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe deserL Lhere exlsLed a LenL llke Lhls one 1he ground was covered wlLh Lhe mosL
beauLlful carpeLs he had ever walked upon and from Lhe Lop of Lhe sLrucLure hung lamps of handwroughL gold each wlLh a
llghLed candle 1he Lrlbal chlefLalns were seaLed aL Lhe back of Lhe LenL ln a semlclrcle resLlng upon rlchly embroldered sllk
cushlons ServanLs came and wenL wlLh sllver Lrays laden wlLh splces and Lea CLher servanLs malnLalned Lhe flres ln Lhe
hookahs 1he aLmosphere was suffused wlLh Lhe sweeL scenL of smoke

1here were elghL chlefLalns buL Lhe boy could see lmmedlaLely whlch of Lhem was Lhe mosL lmporLanL an Arab dressed ln whlLe
and gold seaLed aL Lhe cenLre of Lhe semlclrcle AL hls slde was Lhe young Arab Lhe boy had spoken wlLh earller

Who ls Lhls sLranger who speaks of omens? asked one of Lhe chlefLalns eyelng Lhe boy lL ls l Lhe boy answered And he Lold
whaL he had seen

Why would Lhe deserL reveal such Lhlngs Lo a sLranger when lL knows LhaL we have been here for generaLlons? sald anoLher of
Lhe chlefLalns

8ecause my eyes are noL yeL accusLomed Lo Lhe deserL Lhe boy sald l can see Lhlngs LhaL eyes hablLuaLed Lo Lhe deserL mlghL
noL see

And also because l know abouL Lhe Soul of Lhe World he LhoughL Lo hlmself 1he oasls ls neuLral ground no one aLLacks an
oasls sald a Lhlrd chlefLaln

l can only Lell you whaL l saw lf you donL wanL Lo belleve me you donL have Lo do anyLhlng abouL lL

1he men fell lnLo an anlmaLed dlscusslon 1hey spoke ln an Arablc dlalecL LhaL Lhe boy dldnL undersLand buL when he made Lo
leave Lhe guard Lold hlm Lo sLay 1he boy became fearful Lhe omens Lold hlm LhaL someLhlng was wrong Pe regreLLed havlng
spoken Lo Lhe camel drlver abouL whaL he had seen ln Lhe deserL

Suddenly Lhe elder aL Lhe cenLre smlled almosL lmpercepLlbly and Lhe boy felL beLLer 1he man hadnL parLlclpaLed ln Lhe
dlscusslon and ln facL hadnL sald a word up Lo LhaL polnL 8uL Lhe boy was already used Lo Lhe Language of Lhe World and he
could feel Lhe vlbraLlons of peace LhroughouL Lhe LenL now hls lnLulLlon was LhaL he had been rlghL ln comlng

1he dlscusslon ended 1he chlefLalns were sllenL for a few momenLs as Lhey llsLened Lo whaL Lhe old man was saylng 1hen he
Lurned Lo Lhe boy Lhls Llme hls expresslon was cold and dlsLanL

1wo Lhousand years ago ln a dlsLanL land a man who belleved ln dreams was Lhrown lnLo a dungeon and Lhen sold as a slave
Lhe old man sald now ln Lhe dlalecL Lhe boy undersLood Cur merchanLs boughL LhaL man and broughL hlm Lo LgypL All of us
know LhaL whoever belleves ln dreams also knows how Lo lnLerpreL Lhem

1he elder conLlnued When Lhe pharaoh dreamed of cows LhaL were Lhln and cows LhaL were faL Lhls man lm speaklng of
rescued LgypL from famlne Pls name was !oseph Pe Loo was a sLranger ln a sLrange land llke you and he was probably abouL
your age

Pe paused and hls eyes were sLlll unfrlendly

We always observe Lhe 1radlLlon 1he 1radlLlon saved LgypL from famlne ln Lhose days and made Lhe LgypLlans Lhe wealLhlesL
of peoples 1he 1radlLlon Leaches men how Lo cross Lhe deserL and how Lhelr chlldren should marry 1he 1radlLlon says LhaL an
oasls ls neuLral LerrlLory because boLh sldes have oases and so boLh are vulnerable

no one sald a word as Lhe old man conLlnued

8uL Lhe 1radlLlon also says LhaL we should belleve Lhe messages of Lhe deserL LveryLhlng we know was LaughL Lo us by Lhe
deserL

1he old man gave a slgnal and everyone sLood 1he meeLlng was over 1he hookahs were exLlngulshed and Lhe guards sLood aL
aLLenLlon 1he boy made ready Lo leave buL Lhe old man spoke agaln

1omorrow we are golng Lo break Lhe agreemenL LhaL says LhaL no one aL Lhe oasls may carry arms 1hroughouL Lhe enLlre day
we wlll be on Lhe lookouL for our enemles When Lhe sun seLs Lhe men wlll once agaln surrender Lhelr arms Lo me lor every Len
dead men among our enemles you wlll recelve a plece of gold

8uL arms cannoL be drawn unless Lhey also go lnLo baLLle Arms are as caprlclous as Lhe deserL and lf Lhey are noL used Lhe
nexL Llme Lhey mlghL noL funcLlon lf aL leasL one of Lhem hasnL been used by Lhe end of Lhe day Lomorrow one wlll be used on
you

When Lhe boy lefL Lhe LenL Lhe oasls was lllumlnaLed only by Lhe llghL of Lhe full moon Pe was LwenLy mlnuLes from hls LenL
and began Lo make hls way Lhere

Pe was alarmed by whaL had happened Pe had succeeded ln reachlng Lhrough Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World and now Lhe prlce for
havlng done so mlghL be hls llfe lL was a frlghLenlng beL 8uL he had been maklng rlsky beLs ever slnce Lhe day he had sold hls
sheep Lo pursue hls desLlny And as Lhe camel drlver had sald Lo dle Lomorrow was no worse Lhan dylng on any oLher day
Lvery day was Lhere Lo be llved or Lo mark ones deparLure from Lhls world LveryLhlng depended on one word MakLub

Walklng along ln Lhe sllence he had no regreLs lf he dled Lomorrow lL would be because Cod was noL wllllng Lo change Lhe
fuLure Pe would aL leasL have dled afLer havlng crossed Lhe sLralL afLer havlng worked ln a crysLal shop and afLer havlng known
Lhe sllence of Lhe deserL and laLlmas eyes Pe had llved every one of hls days lnLensely slnce he had lefL home so long ago lf he
dled Lomorrow he would already have seen more Lhan oLher shepherds and he was proud of LhaL

Suddenly he heard a Lhunderlng sound and he was Lhrown Lo Lhe ground by a wlnd such as he had never known 1he area was
swlrllng ln dusL so lnLense LhaL lL hld Lhe moon from vlew 8efore hlm was an enormous whlLe horse rearlng over hlm wlLh a
frlghLenlng scream

When Lhe bllndlng dusL had seLLled a blL Lhe boy Lrembled aL whaL he saw AsLrlde Lhe anlmal was a horseman dressed
compleLely ln black wlLh a falcon perched on hls lefL shoulder Pe wore a Lurban and hls enLlre face excepL for hls eyes was
covered wlLh a black kerchlef Pe appeared Lo be a messenger from Lhe deserL buL hls presence was much more powerful Lhan
LhaL of a mere messenger

1he sLrange horseman drew an enormous curved sword from a scabbard mounLed on hls saddle 1he sLeel of lLs blade gllLLered
ln Lhe llghL of Lhe moon

Who dares Lo read Lhe meanlng of Lhe fllghL of Lhe hawks? he demanded so loudly LhaL hls words seemed Lo echo Lhrough Lhe
flfLy Lhousand palm Lrees of Allayoum

lL ls l who dared Lo do so sald Lhe boy Pe was remlnded of Lhe lmage of SanLlago MaLamoros mounLed on hls whlLe horse
wlLh Lhe lnfldels beneaLh hls hooves 1hls man looked exacLly Lhe same excepL LhaL now Lhe roles were reversed

lL ls l who dared Lo do so he repeaLed and he lowered hls head Lo recelve a blow from Lhe sword

Many llves wlll be saved because l was able Lo see Lhrough Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World

1he sword dldnL fall lnsLead Lhe sLranger lowered lL slowly unLll Lhe polnL Louched Lhe boys forehead lL drew a dropleL of
blood

1he horseman was compleLely lmmoblle as was Lhe boy lL dldnL even occur Lo Lhe boy Lo flee ln hls hearL he felL a sLrange
sense of [oy he was abouL Lo dle ln pursulL of hls desLlny And for laLlma 1he omens had been Lrue afLer all Pere he was face
Loface wlLh hls enemy buL Lhere was no need Lo be concerned abouL dylngLhe Soul of Lhe World awalLed hlm and he would
soon be a parL of lL And Lomorrow hls enemy would also be a parL of LhaL Soul

1he sLranger conLlnued Lo hold Lhe sword aL Lhe boys forehead Why dld you read Lhe fllghL of Lhe blrds?

l read only whaL Lhe blrds wanLed Lo Lell me 1hey wanLed Lo save Lhe oasls 1omorrow all of you wlll dle because Lhere are
more men aL Lhe oasls Lhan you have

1he sword remalned where lL was Who are you Lo change whaL Allah has wllled?

Allah creaLed Lhe armles and he also creaLed Lhe hawks Allah LaughL me Lhe language of Lhe blrds LveryLhlng has been
wrlLLen by Lhe same hand Lhe boy sald rememberlng Lhe camel drlvers words

1he sLranger wlLhdrew Lhe sword from Lhe boys forehead and Lhe boy felL lmmensely relleved 8uL he sLlll couldnL flee

8e careful wlLh your prognosLlcaLlons sald Lhe sLranger When someLhlng ls wrlLLen Lhere ls no way Lo change lL

All l saw was an army sald Lhe boy l dldnL see Lhe ouLcome of Lhe baLLle

1he sLranger seemed saLlsfled wlLh Lhe answer 8uL he kepL Lhe sword ln hls hand WhaL ls a sLranger dolng ln a sLrange land?

l am followlng my desLlny lLs noL someLhlng you would undersLand 1he sLranger placed hls sword ln lLs scabbard and Lhe
boy relaxed

l had Lo LesL your courage Lhe sLranger sald Courage ls Lhe quallLy mosL essenLlal Lo undersLandlng Lhe Language of Lhe
World

1he boy was surprlsed 1he sLranger was speaklng of Lhlngs LhaL very few people knew abouL

?ou musL noL leL up even afLer havlng come so far he conLlnued

?ou musL love Lhe deserL buL never LrusL lL compleLely 8ecause Lhe deserL LesLs all men lL challenges every sLep and kllls
Lhose who become dlsLracLed

WhaL he sald remlnded Lhe boy of Lhe old klng

lf Lhe warrlors come here and your head ls sLlll on your shoulders aL sunseL come and flnd me sald Lhe sLranger

1he same hand LhaL had brandlshed Lhe sword now held a whlp 1he horse reared agaln ralslng a cloud of dusL

Where do you llve? shouLed Lhe boy as Lhe horseman rode away 1he hand wlLh Lhe whlp polnLed Lo Lhe souLh
1he boy had meL Lhe alchemlsL

*

nexL mornlng Lhere were Lwo Lhousand armed men scaLLered LhroughouL Lhe palm Lrees aL Allayoum 8efore Lhe sun had
reached lLs hlgh polnL flve hundred Lrlbesmen appeared on Lhe horlzon 1he mounLed Lroops enLered Lhe oasls from Lhe norLh
lL appeared Lo be a peaceful expedlLlon buL Lhey all carrled arms hldden ln Lhelr robes When Lhey reached Lhe whlLe LenL aL Lhe
cenLre of Allayoum Lhey wlLhdrew Lhelr sclmlLars and rlfles And Lhey aLLacked an empLy LenL

1he men of Lhe oasls surrounded Lhe horsemen from Lhe deserL and wlLhln half an hour all buL one of Lhe lnLruders were dead
1he chlldren had been kepL aL Lhe oLher slde of a grove of palm Lrees and saw noLhlng of whaL had happened 1he women had
remalned ln Lhelr LenLs praylng for Lhe safekeeplng of Lhelr husbands and saw noLhlng of Lhe baLLle elLher Were lL noL for Lhe
bodles Lhere on Lhe ground lL would have appeared Lo be a normal day aL Lhe oasls

1he only Lrlbesman spared was Lhe commander of Lhe baLLallon 1haL afLernoon he was broughL before Lhe Lrlbal chlefLalns
who asked hlm why he had vlolaLed Lhe 1radlLlon 1he commander sald LhaL hls men had been sLarvlng and LhlrsLy exhausLed
from many days of baLLle and had declded Lo Lake Lhe oasls so as Lo be able Lo reLurn Lo Lhe war

1he Lrlbal chlefLaln sald LhaL he felL sorry for Lhe Lrlbesmen buL LhaL Lhe 1radlLlon was sacred Pe condemned Lhe commander
Lo deaLh wlLhouL honour 8aLher Lhan belng kllled by a blade or a bulleL he was hanged from a dead palm Lree where hls body
LwlsLed ln Lhe deserL wlnd

1he Lrlbal chlefLaln called for Lhe boy and presenLed hlm wlLh flfLy pleces of gold Pe repeaLed hls sLory abouL !oseph of LgypL
and asked Lhe boy Lo become Lhe counsellor of Lhe oasls

*

When Lhe sun had seL and Lhe flrsL sLars made Lhelr appearance Lhe boy sLarLed Lo walk Lo Lhe souLh Pe evenLually slghLed a
slngle LenL and a group of Arabs passlng by Lold Lhe boy LhaL lL was a place lnhablLed by genles 8uL Lhe boy saL down and
walLed

noL unLll Lhe moon was hlgh dld Lhe alchemlsL rlde lnLo vlew Pe carrled Lwo dead hawks over hls shoulder

l am here Lhe boy sald

?ou shouldnL be here Lhe alchemlsL answered Cr ls lL your desLlny LhaL brlngs you here? WlLh Lhe wars beLween Lhe
Lrlbes lLs lmposslble Lo cross Lhe deserL So l have come here

1he alchemlsL dlsmounLed from hls horse and slgnalled LhaL Lhe boy should enLer Lhe LenL wlLh hlm lL was a LenL llke many aL
Lhe oasls 1he boy looked around for Lhe ovens and oLher apparaLus used ln alchemy buL saw none 1here were only some
books ln a plle a small cooklng sLove and Lhe carpeLs covered wlLh mysLerlous deslgns

SlL down Well have someLhlng Lo drlnk and eaL Lhese hawks sald Lhe alchemlsL

1he boy suspecLed LhaL Lhey were Lhe same hawks he had seen on Lhe day before buL he sald noLhlng 1he alchemlsL llghLed Lhe
flre and soon a dellclous aroma fllled Lhe LenL lL was beLLer Lhan Lhe scenL of Lhe hookahs

Why dld you wanL Lo see me? Lhe boy asked

8ecause of Lhe omens Lhe alchemlsL answered 1he wlnd Lold me you would be comlng and LhaL you would need help

lLs noL l Lhe wlnd spoke abouL lLs Lhe oLher forelgner Lhe Lngllshman Pes Lhe one LhaLs looklng for you

Pe has oLher Lhlngs Lo do flrsL 8uL hes on Lhe rlghL Lrack Pe has begun Lo Lry Lo undersLand Lhe deserL

And whaL abouL me?

When a person really deslres someLhlng all Lhe unlverse consplres Lo help LhaL person Lo reallze hls dream sald Lhe alchemlsL
echolng Lhe words of Lhe old klng 1he boy undersLood AnoLher person was Lhere Lo help hlm Loward hls desLlny

So you are golng Lo lnsLrucL me?

no ?ou already know all you need Lo know l am only golng Lo polnL you ln Lhe dlrecLlon of your Lreasure

8uL Lheres a Lrlbal war Lhe boy relLeraLed l know whaLs happenlng ln Lhe deserL

l have already found my Lreasure l have a camel l have my money from Lhe crysLal shop and l have flfLy gold pleces ln my
own counLry l would be a rlch man

8uL none of LhaL ls from Lhe yramlds sald Lhe alchemlsL

l also have laLlma She ls a Lreasure greaLer Lhan anyLhlng else l have won She wasnL found aL Lhe yramlds elLher

1hey aLe ln sllence 1he alchemlsL opened a boLLle and poured a red llquld lnLo Lhe boys cup lL was Lhe mosL dellclous wlne he
had ever LasLed

lsnL wlne prohlblLed here? Lhe boy asked

lLs noL whaL enLers mens mouLhs LhaLs evll sald Lhe alchemlsL lLs whaL comes ouL of Lhelr mouLhs LhaL ls

1he alchemlsL was a blL daunLlng buL as Lhe boy drank Lhe wlne he relaxed AfLer Lhey flnlshed eaLlng Lhey saL ouLslde Lhe LenL
under a moon so brllllanL LhaL lL made Lhe sLars pale

urlnk and en[oy yourself sald Lhe alchemlsL noLlclng LhaL Lhe boy was feellng happler 8esL well LonlghL as lf you were a
warrlor preparlng for combaL 8emember LhaL wherever your hearL ls Lhere you wlll flnd your Lreasure ?ouve goL Lo flnd Lhe
Lreasure so LhaL everyLhlng you have learned along Lhe way can make sense

1omorrow sell your camel and buy a horse Camels are LralLorous Lhey walk Lhousands of paces and never seem Lo Llre 1hen
suddenly Lhey kneel and dle 8uL horses Llre blL by blL ?ou always know how much you can ask of Lhem and when lL ls LhaL Lhey
are abouL Lo dle

*

1he followlng nlghL Lhe boy appeared aL Lhe alchemlsLs LenL wlLh a horse 1he alchemlsL was ready and he mounLed hls own
sLeed and placed Lhe falcon on hls lefL shoulder Pe sald Lo Lhe boy Show me where Lhere ls llfe ouL ln Lhe deserL Cnly Lhose
who can see such slgns of llfe are able Lo flnd Lreasure

1hey began Lo rlde ouL over Lhe sands wlLh Lhe moon llghLlng Lhelr way l donL know lf lll be able Lo flnd llfe ln Lhe deserL Lhe
boy LhoughL l donL know Lhe deserL LhaL well yeL

Pe wanLed Lo say so Lo Lhe alchemlsL buL he was afrald of Lhe man 1hey reached Lhe rocky place where Lhe boy had seen Lhe
hawks ln Lhe sky buL now Lhere was only sllence and Lhe wlnd

l donL know how Lo flnd llfe ln Lhe deserL Lhe boy sald l know LhaL Lhere ls llfe here buL l donL know where Lo look

Llfe aLLracLs llfe Lhe alchemlsL answered

And Lhen Lhe boy undersLood Pe loosened Lhe relns on hls horse who galloped forward over Lhe rocks and sand 1he alchemlsL
followed as Lhe boys horse ran for almosL half an hour 1hey could no longer see Lhe palms of Lhe oaslsonly Lhe glganLlc moon
above Lhem and lLs sllver reflecLlons from Lhe sLones of Lhe deserL Suddenly for no apparenL reason Lhe boys horse began Lo
slow

1heres llfe here Lhe boy sald Lo Lhe alchemlsL l donL know Lhe language of Lhe deserL buL my horse knows Lhe language of
llfe

1hey dlsmounLed and Lhe alchemlsL sald noLhlng Advanclng slowly Lhey searched among Lhe sLones 1he alchemlsL sLopped
abrupLly and benL Lo Lhe ground 1here was a hole Lhere among Lhe sLones 1he alchemlsL puL hls hand lnLo Lhe hole and Lhen
hls enLlre arm up Lo hls shoulder SomeLhlng was movlng Lhere and Lhe alchemlsLs eyesLhe boy could see only hls eyes
squlnLed wlLh hls efforL Pls arm seemed Lo be baLLllng wlLh whaLever was ln Lhe hole 1hen wlLh a moLlon LhaL sLarLled Lhe boy
he wlLhdrew hls arm and leaped Lo hls feeL ln hls hand he grasped a snake by Lhe Lall

1he boy leapL as well buL away from Lhe alchemlsL 1he snake foughL franLlcally maklng hlsslng sounds LhaL shaLLered Lhe
sllence of Lhe deserL lL was a cobra whose venom could klll a person ln mlnuLes

WaLch ouL for hls venom Lhe boy sald 8uL even Lhough Lhe alchemlsL had puL hls hand ln Lhe hole and had surely already
been blLLen hls expresslon was calm 1he alchemlsL ls Lwo hundred years old Lhe Lngllshman had Lold hlm Pe musL know
how Lo deal wlLh Lhe snakes of Lhe deserL

1he boy waLched as hls companlon wenL Lo hls horse and wlLhdrew a sclmlLar WlLh lLs blade he drew a clrcle ln Lhe sand and
Lhen he placed Lhe snake wlLhln lL 1he serpenL relaxed lmmedlaLely

noL Lo worry sald Lhe alchemlsL Pe wonL leave Lhe clrcle ?ou found llfe ln Lhe deserL Lhe omen LhaL l needed

Why was LhaL so lmporLanL?

8ecause Lhe yramlds are surrounded by Lhe deserL

1he boy dldnL wanL Lo Lalk abouL Lhe yramlds Pls hearL was heavy and he had been melancholy slnce Lhe prevlous nlghL 1o
conLlnue hls search for Lhe Lreasure meanL LhaL he had Lo abandon laLlma

lm golng Lo gulde you across Lhe deserL Lhe alchemlsL sald

l wanL Lo sLay aL Lhe oasls Lhe boy answered lve found laLlma and as far as lm concerned shes worLh more Lhan
Lreasure

laLlma ls a woman of Lhe deserL sald Lhe alchemlsL She knows LhaL men have Lo go away ln order Lo reLurn And she already
has her Lreasure lLs you now she expecLs LhaL you wlll flnd whaL lL ls youre looklng for

Well whaL lf l declde Lo sLay?

LeL me Lell you whaL wlll happen ?oull be Lhe counsellor of Lhe oasls ?ou have enough gold Lo buy many sheep and many
camels ?oull marry laLlma and youll boLh be happy for a year ?oull learn Lo love Lhe deserL and youll geL Lo know every one
of Lhe flfLy Lhousand palms ?oull waLch Lhem as Lhey grow demonsLraLlng how Lhe world ls always changlng And youll geL
beLLer and beLLer aL undersLandlng omens because Lhe deserL ls Lhe besL Leacher Lhere ls

SomeLlme durlng Lhe second year youll remember abouL Lhe Lreasure 1he omens wlll begln lnslsLenLly Lo speak of lL and
youll Lry Lo lgnore Lhem ?oull use your knowledge for Lhe welfare of Lhe oasls and lLs lnhablLanLs 1he Lrlbal chlefLalns wlll
appreclaLe whaL you do And your camels wlll brlng you wealLh and power

uurlng Lhe Lhlrd year Lhe omens wlll conLlnue Lo speak of your Lreasure and your desLlny ?oull walk around nlghL afLer nlghL
aL Lhe oasls and laLlma wlll be unhappy because shell feel lL was she who lnLerrupLed your quesL 8uL you wlll love her and
shell reLurn your love ?oull remember LhaL she never asked you Lo sLay because a woman of Lhe deserL knows LhaL she musL
awalL her man So you wonL blame her 8uL many Llmes youll walk Lhe sands of Lhe deserL Lhlnklng LhaL maybe you could have
lefL LhaL you could have LrusLed more ln your love for laLlma 8ecause whaL kepL you aL Lhe oasls was your own fear LhaL you
mlghL never come back AL LhaL polnL Lhe omens wlll Lell you LhaL your Lreasure ls burled forever

1hen someLlme durlng Lhe fourLh year Lhe omens wlll abandon you because youve sLopped llsLenlng Lo Lhem 1he Lrlbal
chlefLalns wlll see LhaL and youll be dlsmlssed from your poslLlon as counsellor 8uL by Lhen youll be a rlch merchanL wlLh
many camels and a greaL deal of merchandlse ?oull spend Lhe resL of your days knowlng LhaL you dldnL pursue your desLlny
and LhaL now lLs Loo laLe

?ou musL undersLand LhaL love never keeps a man from pursulng hls desLlny lf he abandons LhaL pursulL lLs because lL wasnL
Lrue love Lhe love LhaL speaks Lhe Language of Lhe World

1he alchemlsL erased Lhe clrcle ln Lhe sand and Lhe snake sllLhered away among Lhe rocks 1he boy remembered Lhe crysLal
merchanL who had always wanLed Lo go Lo Mecca and Lhe Lngllshman ln search of Lhe alchemlsL Pe LhoughL of Lhe woman
who had LrusLed ln Lhe deserL And he looked ouL over Lhe deserL LhaL had broughL hlm Lo Lhe woman he loved

1hey mounLed Lhelr horses and Lhls Llme lL was Lhe boy who followed Lhe alchemlsL back Lo Lhe oasls 1he wlnd broughL Lhe
sounds of Lhe oasls Lo Lhem and Lhe boy Lrled Lo hear laLlmas volce

8uL LhaL nlghL as he had waLched Lhe cobra wlLhln Lhe clrcle Lhe sLrange horseman wlLh Lhe falcon on hls shoulder had spoken
of love and Lreasure of Lhe women of Lhe deserL and of hls desLlny

lm golng wlLh you Lhe boy sald And he lmmedlaLely felL peace ln hls hearL Well leave Lomorrow before sunrlse was Lhe
alchemlsLs only response

*

1he boy spenL a sleepless nlghL 1wo hours before dawn he awoke one of Lhe boys who slepL ln hls LenL and asked hlm Lo show
hlm where laLlma llved 1hey wenL Lo her LenL and Lhe boy gave hls frlend enough gold Lo buy a sheep

1hen he asked hls frlend Lo go Lo lnLo Lhe LenL where laLlma was sleeplng and Lo awaken her and Lell her LhaL he was walLlng
ouLslde 1he young Arab dld as he was asked and was glven enough gold Lo buy yeL anoLher sheep

now leave us alone sald Lhe boy Lo Lhe young Arab 1he Arab reLurned Lo hls LenL Lo sleep proud Lo have helped Lhe
counsellor of Lhe oasls and happy aL havlng enough money Lo buy hlmself some sheep

laLlma appeared aL Lhe enLrance Lo Lhe LenL 1he Lwo walked ouL among Lhe palms 1he boy knew LhaL lL was a vlolaLlon of Lhe
1radlLlon buL LhaL dldnL maLLer Lo hlm now

lm golng away he sald And l wanL you Lo know LhaL lm comlng back l love you because uonL say anyLhlng laLlma
lnLerrupLed Cne ls loved because one ls loved no reason ls needed for lovlng

8uL Lhe boy conLlnued l had a dream and l meL wlLh a klng l sold crysLal and crossed Lhe deserL And because Lhe Lrlbes
declared war l wenL Lo Lhe well seeklng Lhe alchemlsL So l love you because Lhe enLlre unlverse consplred Lo help me flnd
you

1he Lwo embraced lL was Lhe flrsL Llme elLher had Louched Lhe oLher lll be back Lhe boy sald

8efore Lhls l always looked Lo Lhe deserL wlLh longlng sald laLlma now lL wlll be wlLh hope My faLher wenL away one day
buL he reLurned Lo my moLher and he has always come back slnce Lhen

1hey sald noLhlng else 1hey walked a blL farLher among Lhe palms and Lhen Lhe boy lefL her aL Lhe enLrance Lo her LenL

lll reLurn [usL as your faLher came back Lo your moLher he sald Pe saw LhaL laLlmas eyes were fllled wlLh Lears
?oure crylng?

lm a woman of Lhe deserL she sald averLlng her face 8uL above all lm a woman

laLlma wenL back Lo her LenL and when dayllghL came she wenL ouL Lo do Lhe chores she had done for years 8uL everyLhlng
had changed 1he boy was no longer aL Lhe oasls and Lhe oasls would never agaln have Lhe same meanlng lL had had only
yesLerday lL would no longer be a place wlLh flfLy Lhousand palm Lrees and Lhree hundred wells where Lhe pllgrlms arrlved
relleved aL Lhe end of Lhelr long [ourneys lrom LhaL day on Lhe oasls would be an empLy place for her

lrom LhaL day on lL was Lhe deserL LhaL would be lmporLanL She would look Lo lL every day and would Lry Lo guess whlch sLar
Lhe boy was followlng ln search of hls Lreasure She would have Lo send her klsses on Lhe wlnd hoplng LhaL Lhe wlnd would
Louch Lhe boys face and would Lell hlm LhaL she was allve 1haL she was walLlng for hlm a woman awalLlng a courageous man
ln search of hls Lreasure lrom LhaL day on Lhe deserL would represenL only one Lhlng Lo her Lhe hope for hls reLurn

*

uonL Lhlnk abouL whaL youve lefL behlnd Lhe alchemlsL sald Lo Lhe boy as Lhey began Lo rlde across Lhe sands of Lhe deserL
LveryLhlng ls wrlLLen ln Lhe Soul of Lhe World and Lhere lL wlll sLay forever

Men dream more abouL comlng home Lhan abouL leavlng Lhe boy sald Pe was already accusLomed Lo deserLs sllence

lf whaL one flnds ls made of pure maLLer lL wlll never spoll And one can always come back lf whaL you had found was only a
momenL of llghL llke Lhe exploslon of a sLar you would flnd noLhlng on your reLurn

1he man was speaklng Lhe language of alchemy 8uL Lhe boy knew LhaL he was referrlng Lo laLlma

lL was dlfflculL noL Lo Lhlnk abouL whaL he had lefL behlnd 1he deserL wlLh lLs endless monoLony puL hlm Lo dreamlng 1he boy
could sLlll see Lhe palm Lrees Lhe wells and Lhe face of Lhe woman he loved Pe could see Lhe Lngllshman aL hls experlmenLs
and Lhe camel drlver who was a Leacher wlLhouL reallzlng lL Maybe Lhe alchemlsL has never been ln love Lhe boy LhoughL

1he alchemlsL rode ln fronL wlLh Lhe falcon on hls shoulder 1he blrd knew Lhe language of Lhe deserL well and whenever Lhey
sLopped he flew off ln search of game Cn Lhe flrsL day he reLurned wlLh a rabblL and on Lhe second wlLh Lwo blrds

AL nlghL Lhey spread Lhelr sleeplng gear and kepL Lhelr flres hldden 1he deserL nlghLs were cold and were becomlng darker and
darker as Lhe phases of Lhe moon passed 1hey wenL on for a week speaklng only of Lhe precauLlons Lhey needed Lo follow ln
order Lo avold Lhe baLLles beLween Lhe Lrlbes 1he war conLlnued and aL Llmes Lhe wlnd carrled Lhe sweeL slckly smell of blood
8aLLles had been foughL nearby and Lhe wlnd remlnded Lhe boy LhaL Lhere was Lhe language of omens always ready Lo show
hlm whaL hls eyes had falled Lo observe

Cn Lhe sevenLh day Lhe alchemlsL declded Lo make camp earller Lhan usual 1he falcon flew off Lo flnd game and Lhe alchemlsL
offered hls waLer conLalner Lo Lhe boy

?ou are almosL aL Lhe end of your [ourney sald Lhe alchemlsL l congraLulaLe you for havlng pursued your desLlny

And youve Lold me noLhlng along Lhe way sald Lhe boy l LhoughL you were golng Lo Leach me some of Lhe Lhlngs you know
A whlle ago l rode Lhrough Lhe deserL wlLh a man who had books on alchemy 8uL l wasnL able Lo learn anyLhlng from Lhem

1here ls only one way Lo learn Lhe alchemlsL answered lLs Lhrough acLlon LveryLhlng you need Lo know you have learned
Lhrough your [ourney ?ou need Lo learn only one Lhlng more

1he boy wanLed Lo know whaL LhaL was buL Lhe alchemlsL was searchlng Lhe horlzon looklng for Lhe falcon

Why are you called Lhe alchemlsL? 8ecause LhaLs whaL l am

And whaL wenL wrong when oLher alchemlsLs Lrled Lo make gold and were unable Lo do so?

1hey were looklng only for gold hls companlon answered 1hey were seeklng Lhe Lreasure of Lhelr desLlny wlLhouL wanLlng
acLually Lo llve ouL Lhe desLlny

WhaL ls lL LhaL l sLlll need Lo know? Lhe boy asked

8uL Lhe alchemlsL conLlnued Lo look Lo Lhe horlzon And flnally Lhe falcon reLurned wlLh Lhelr meal 1hey dug a hole and llL Lhelr
flre ln lL so LhaL Lhe llghL of Lhe flames would noL be seen

lm an alchemlsL slmply because lm an alchemlsL he sald as he prepared Lhe meal l learned Lhe sclence from my
grandfaLher who learned from hls faLher and so on back Lo Lhe creaLlon of Lhe world ln Lhose Llmes Lhe MasLer Work could be
wrlLLen slmply on an emerald 8uL men began Lo re[ecL slmple Lhlngs and Lo wrlLe LracLs lnLerpreLaLlons and phllosophlcal
sLudles 1hey also began Lo feel LhaL Lhey knew a beLLer way Lhan oLhers had ?eL Lhe Lmerald 1ableL ls sLlll allve Loday

WhaL was wrlLLen on Lhe Lmerald 1ableL? Lhe boy wanLed Lo know

1he alchemlsL began Lo draw ln Lhe sand and compleLed hls drawlng ln less Lhan flve mlnuLes As he drew Lhe boy LhoughL of
Lhe old klng and Lhe plaza where Lhey had meL LhaL day lL seemed as lf lL had Laken place years and years ago

1hls ls whaL was wrlLLen on Lhe Lmerald 1ableL sald Lhe alchemlsL when he had flnlshed 1he boy Lrled Lo read whaL was
wrlLLen ln Lhe sand

lLs a code sald Lhe boy a blL dlsappolnLed lL looks llke whaL l saw ln Lhe Lngllshmans books

no Lhe alchemlsL answered lLs llke Lhe fllghL of Lhose Lwo hawks lL canL be undersLood by reason alone 1he Lmerald
1ableL ls a dlrecL passage Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World

1he wlse men undersLood LhaL Lhls naLural world ls only an lmage and a copy of paradlse 1he exlsLence of Lhls world ls slmply a
guaranLee LhaL Lhere exlsLs a world LhaL ls perfecL Cod creaLed Lhe world so LhaL Lhrough lLs vlslble ob[ecLs men could
undersLand hls splrlLual Leachlngs and Lhe marvels of hls wlsdom 1haLs whaL l mean by acLlon

Should l undersLand Lhe Lmerald 1ableL? Lhe boy asked

erhaps lf you were ln a laboraLory of alchemy Lhls would be Lhe rlghL Llme Lo sLudy Lhe besL way Lo undersLand Lhe Lmerald
1ableL 8uL you are ln Lhe deserL So lmmerse yourself ln lL 1he deserL wlll glve you an undersLandlng of Lhe world ln facL
anyLhlng on Lhe face of Lhe earLh wlll do LhaL ?ou donL even have Lo undersLand Lhe deserL all you have Lo do ls conLemplaLe a
slmple graln of sand and you wlll see ln lL all Lhe marvels of creaLlon

Pow do l lmmerse myself ln Lhe deserL?

LlsLen Lo your hearL lL knows all Lhlngs because lL came from Lhe Soul of Lhe World and lL wlll one day reLurn Lhere

*

1hey crossed Lhe deserL for anoLher Lwo days ln sllence 1he alchemlsL had become much more cauLlous because Lhey were
approachlng Lhe area where Lhe mosL vlolenL baLLles were belng waged As Lhey moved along Lhe boy Lrled Lo llsLen Lo hls
hearL

lL was noL easy Lo do ln earller Llmes hls hearL had always been ready Lo Lell lLs sLory buL laLely LhaL wasnL Lrue 1here had
been Llmes when hls hearL spenL hours Lelllng of lLs sadness and aL oLher Llmes lL became so emoLlonal over Lhe deserL sunrlse
LhaL Lhe boy had Lo hlde hls Lears Pls hearL beaL fasLesL when lL spoke Lo Lhe boy of Lreasure and more slowly when Lhe boy
sLared enLranced aL Lhe endless horlzons of Lhe deserL 8uL hls hearL was never quleL even when Lhe boy and Lhe alchemlsL had
fallen lnLo sllence

Why do we have Lo llsLen Lo our hearLs? Lhe boy asked when Lhey had made camp LhaL day 8ecause wherever your hearL ls
LhaL ls where youll flnd your Lreasure

8uL my hearL ls aglLaLed Lhe boy sald lL has lLs dreams lL geLs emoLlonal and lLs become passlonaLe over a woman of Lhe
deserL lL asks Lhlngs of me and lL keeps me from sleeplng many nlghLs when lm Lhlnklng abouL her

Well LhaLs good ?our hearL ls allve keep llsLenlng Lo whaL lL has Lo say

uurlng Lhe nexL Lhree days Lhe Lwo Lravellers passed by a number of armed Lrlbesmen and saw oLhers on Lhe horlzon 1he
boys hearL began Lo speak of fear lL Lold hlm sLorles lL had heard from Lhe Soul of Lhe World sLorles of men who soughL Lo flnd
Lhelr Lreasure and never succeeded SomeLlmes lL frlghLened Lhe boy wlLh Lhe ldea LhaL he mlghL noL flnd hls Lreasure or LhaL he
mlghL dle Lhere ln Lhe deserL AL oLher Llmes lL Lold Lhe boy LhaL lL was saLlsfled lL had found love and rlches

My hearL ls a LralLor Lhe boy sald Lo Lhe alchemlsL when Lhey had paused Lo resL Lhe horses lL doesnL wanL me Lo go on

1haL makes sense Lhe alchemlsL answered naLurally lLs afrald LhaL ln pursulng your dream you mlghL lose everyLhlng
youve won

Well Lhen why should l llsLen Lo my hearL?

8ecause you wlll never agaln be able Lo keep lL quleL Lven lf you preLend noL Lo have heard whaL lL Lells you lL wlll always be
Lhere lnslde you repeaLlng Lo you whaL youre Lhlnklng abouL llfe and abouL Lhe world

?ou mean l should llsLen even lf lLs Lreasonous?

1reason ls a blow LhaL comes unexpecLedly lf you know your hearL well lL wlll never be able Lo do LhaL Lo you 8ecause youll
know lLs dreams and wlshes and wlll know how Lo deal wlLh Lhem

?ou wlll never be able Lo escape from your hearL So lLs beLLer Lo llsLen Lo whaL lL has Lo say 1haL way youll never have Lo fear
an unanLlclpaLed blow

1he boy conLlnued Lo llsLen Lo hls hearL as Lhey crossed Lhe deserL Pe came Lo undersLand lLs dodges and Lrlcks and Lo accepL lL
as lL was Pe losL hls fear and forgoL abouL hls need Lo go back Lo Lhe oasls because one afLernoon hls hearL Lold hlm LhaL lL
was happy

Lven Lhough l complaln someLlmes lL sald lLs because lm Lhe hearL of a person and peoples hearLs are LhaL way eople
are afrald Lo pursue Lhelr mosL lmporLanL dreams because Lhey feel LhaL Lhey donL deserve Lhem or LhaL Lheyll be unable Lo
achleve Lhem We Lhelr hearLs become fearful [usL Lhlnklng of loved ones who go away forever or of momenLs LhaL could have
been good buL werenL or of Lreasures LhaL mlghL have been found buL were forever hldden ln Lhe sands 8ecause when Lhese
Lhlngs happen we suffer Lerrlbly

My hearL ls afrald LhaL lL wlll have Lo suffer Lhe boy Lold Lhe alchemlsL one nlghL as Lhey looked up aL Lhe moonless sky

1ell your hearL LhaL Lhe fear of sufferlng ls worse Lhan Lhe sufferlng lLself And LhaL no hearL has ever suffered when lL goes ln
search of lLs dreams because every second of Lhe search ls a seconds encounLer wlLh Cod and wlLh eLernlLy

Lvery second of Lhe search ls an encounLer wlLh Cod Lhe boy Lold hls hearL When l have been Lruly searchlng for my
Lreasure every day has been lumlnous because lve known LhaL every hour was a parL of Lhe dream LhaL l would flnd lL When l
have been Lruly searchlng for my Lreasure lve dlscovered Lhlngs along Lhe way LhaL l never would have seen had l noL had Lhe
courage Lo Lry Lhlngs LhaL seemed lmposslble for a shepherd Lo achleve

So hls hearL was quleL for an enLlre afLernoon 1haL nlghL Lhe boy slepL deeply and when he awoke hls hearL began Lo Lell hlm
Lhlngs LhaL came from Lhe Soul of Lhe World lL sald LhaL all people who are happy have Cod wlLhln Lhem And LhaL happlness
could be found ln a graln of sand from Lhe deserL as Lhe alchemlsL had sald 8ecause a graln of sand ls a momenL of creaLlon
and Lhe unlverse has Laken mllllons of years Lo creaLe lL Lveryone on earLh has a Lreasure LhaL awalLs hlm hls hearL sald We
peoples hearLs seldom say much abouL Lhose Lreasures because people no longer wanL Lo go ln search of Lhem We speak of
Lhem only Lo chlldren LaLer we slmply leL llfe proceed ln lLs own dlrecLlon Loward lLs own faLe 8uL unforLunaLely very few
follow Lhe paLh lald ouL for LhemLhe paLh Lo Lhelr desLlnles and Lo happlness MosL people see Lhe world as a LhreaLenlng
place and because Lhey do Lhe world Lurns ouL lndeed Lo be a LhreaLenlng place

So we Lhelr hearLs speak more and more sofLly We never sLop speaklng ouL buL we begln Lo hope LhaL our words wonL be
heard we donL wanL people Lo suffer because Lhey donL follow Lhelr hearLs Why donL peoples hearLs Lell Lhem Lo conLlnue
Lo follow Lhelr dreams? Lhe boy asked Lhe alchemlsL 8ecause LhaLs whaL makes a hearL suffer mosL and hearLs donL llke Lo
suffer

lrom Lhen on Lhe boy undersLood hls hearL Pe asked lL please never Lo sLop speaklng Lo hlm Pe asked LhaL when he
wandered far from hls dreams hls hearL press hlm and sound Lhe alarm 1he boy swore LhaL every Llme he heard Lhe alarm he
would heed lLs message

1haL nlghL he Lold all of Lhls Lo Lhe alchemlsL And Lhe alchemlsL undersLood LhaL Lhe boys hearL had reLurned Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe
World

So whaL should l do now? Lhe boy asked

ConLlnue ln Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe yramlds sald Lhe alchemlsL And conLlnue Lo pay heed Lo Lhe omens ?our hearL ls sLlll
capable of showlng you where Lhe Lreasure ls

ls LhaL Lhe one Lhlng l sLlll needed Lo know?

no Lhe alchemlsL answered WhaL you sLlll need Lo know ls Lhls before a dream ls reallzed Lhe Soul
of Lhe World LesLs everyLhlng LhaL was learned along Lhe way lL does Lhls noL because lL ls evll buL so LhaL we can ln addlLlon Lo
reallzlng our dreams masLer Lhe lessons weve learned as weve moved Loward LhaL dream 1haLs Lhe polnL aL whlch mosL
people glve up lLs Lhe polnL aL whlch as we say ln Lhe language of Lhe deserL one dles of LhlrsL [usL when Lhe palm Lrees have
appeared on Lhe horlzon

Lvery search beglns wlLh beglnners luck And every search ends wlLh Lhe vlcLors belng severely LesLed

1he boy remembered an old proverb from hls counLry lL sald LhaL Lhe darkesL hour of Lhe nlghL came [usL before Lhe dawn

*

Cn Lhe followlng day Lhe flrsL clear slgn of danger appeared 1hree armed Lrlbesmen approached and asked whaL Lhe boy and
Lhe alchemlsL were dolng Lhere

lm hunLlng wlLh my falcon Lhe alchemlsL answered

Were golng Lo have Lo search you Lo see wheLher youre armed one of Lhe Lrlbesmen sald 1he alchemlsL dlsmounLed slowly
and Lhe boy dld Lhe same

Why are you carrylng money? asked Lhe Lrlbesman when he had searched Lhe boys bag l need lL Lo geL Lo Lhe yramlds he
sald

1he Lrlbesman who was searchlng Lhe alchemlsLs belonglngs found a small crysLal flask fllled wlLh a llquld and a yellow glass egg
LhaL was sllghLly larger Lhan a chlckens egg

WhaL are Lhese Lhlngs? he asked

1haLs Lhe hllosophers SLone and Lhe Lllxlr of Llfe lLs Lhe MasLer Work of Lhe alchemlsLs Whoever swallows LhaL ellxlr wlll
never be slck agaln and a fragmenL from LhaL sLone Lurns any meLal lnLo gold

1he Arabs laughed aL hlm and Lhe alchemlsL laughed along 1hey LhoughL hls answer was amuslng and Lhey allowed Lhe boy
and Lhe alchemlsL Lo proceed wlLh all of Lhelr belonglngs

Are you crazy? Lhe boy asked Lhe alchemlsL when Lhey had moved on WhaL dld you do LhaL for? 1o show you one of llfes
slmple lessons Lhe alchemlsL answered When you possess greaL Lreasures
wlLhln you and Lry Lo Lell oLhers of Lhem seldom are you belleved

1hey conLlnued across Lhe deserL WlLh every day LhaL passed Lhe boys hearL became more and more sllenL lL no longer
wanLed Lo know abouL Lhlngs of Lhe pasL or fuLure lL was conLenL slmply Lo conLemplaLe Lhe deserL and Lo drlnk wlLh Lhe boy
from Lhe Soul of Lhe World 1he boy and hls hearL had become frlends and nelLher was capable now of beLraylng Lhe oLher

When hls hearL spoke Lo hlm lL was Lo provlde a sLlmulus Lo Lhe boy and Lo glve hlm sLrengLh because Lhe days of sllence Lhere
ln Lhe deserL were wearlsome Pls hearL Lold Lhe boy whaL hls sLrongesL quallLles were hls courage ln havlng glven up hls sheep
and ln Lrylng Lo llve ouL hls desLlny and hls enLhuslasm durlng Lhe Llme he had worked aL Lhe crysLal shop

And hls hearL Lold hlm someLhlng else LhaL Lhe boy had never noLlced lL Lold Lhe boy of dangers LhaL had LhreaLened hlm buL
LhaL he had never percelved Pls hearL sald LhaL one Llme lL had hldden Lhe rlfle Lhe boy had Laken from hls faLher because of
Lhe posslblllLy LhaL Lhe boy mlghL wound hlmself And lL remlnded Lhe boy of Lhe day when he had been lll and vomlLlng ouL ln
Lhe flelds afLer whlch he had fallen lnLo a deep sleep 1here had been Lwo Lhleves farLher ahead who were plannlng Lo sLeal Lhe
boys sheep and murder hlm 8uL slnce Lhe boy hadnL passed by Lhey had declded Lo move on Lhlnklng LhaL he had changed
hls rouLe

uoes a mans hearL always help hlm? Lhe boy asked Lhe alchemlsL

MosLly [usL Lhe hearLs of Lhose who are Lrylng Lo reallze Lhelr desLlnles 8uL Lhey do help chlldren drunkards and Lhe elderly
Loo

uoes LhaL mean LhaL lll never run lnLo danger?

lL means only LhaL Lhe hearL does whaL lL can Lhe alchemlsL sald

Cne afLernoon Lhey passed by Lhe encampmenL of one of Lhe Lrlbes AL each corner of Lhe camp were Arabs garbed ln beauLlful
whlLe robes wlLh arms aL Lhe ready 1he men were smoklng Lhelr hookahs and Lradlng sLorles from Lhe baLLlefleld no one pald
any aLLenLlon Lo Lhe Lwo Lravellers

1heres no danger Lhe boy sald when Lhey had moved on pasL Lhe encampmenL

1he alchemlsL sounded angry 1rusL ln your hearL buL never forgeL LhaL youre ln Lhe deserL When men are aL war wlLh one
anoLher Lhe Soul of Lhe World can hear Lhe screams of baLLle no one falls Lo suffer Lhe consequences of everyLhlng under Lhe
sun

All Lhlngs are one Lhe boy LhoughL And Lhen as lf Lhe deserL wanLed Lo demonsLraLe LhaL Lhe alchemlsL was rlghL Lwo
horsemen appeared from behlnd Lhe Lravellers

?ou canL go any farLher one of Lhem sald ?oure ln Lhe area where Lhe Lrlbes are aL war

lm noL golng very far Lhe alchemlsL answered looklng sLralghL lnLo Lhe eyes of Lhe horsemen 1hey were sllenL for a momenL
and Lhen agreed LhaL Lhe boy and Lhe alchemlsL could move along

1he boy waLched Lhe exchange wlLh fasclnaLlon ?ou domlnaLed Lhose horsemen wlLh Lhe way you looked aL Lhem he sald

?our eyes show Lhe sLrengLh of your soul answered Lhe alchemlsL

1haLs Lrue Lhe boy LhoughL Pe had noLlced LhaL ln Lhe mldsL of Lhe mulLlLude of armed men back aL Lhe encampmenL Lhere
had been one who sLared flxedly aL Lhe Lwo Pe had been so far away LhaL hls face wasnL even vlslble 8uL Lhe boy was cerLaln
LhaL he had been looklng aL Lhem

llnally when Lhey had crossed Lhe mounLaln range LhaL exLended along Lhe enLlre horlzon Lhe alchemlsL sald LhaL Lhey were
only Lwo days from Lhe yramlds

lf were golng Lo go our separaLe ways soon Lhe boy sald Lhen Leach me abouL alchemy

?ou already know abouL alchemy lL ls abouL peneLraLlng Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World and dlscoverlng Lhe Lreasure LhaL has been
reserved for you

no LhaLs noL whaL l mean lm Lalklng abouL Lransformlng lead lnLo gold

1he alchemlsL fell as sllenL as Lhe deserL and answered Lhe boy only afLer Lhey had sLopped Lo eaL LveryLhlng ln Lhe unlverse
evolved he sald And for wlse men gold ls Lhe meLal LhaL evolved Lhe furLhesL uonL ask me why l donL know why l [usL
know LhaL Lhe 1radlLlon ls always rlghL

Men have never undersLood Lhe words of Lhe wlse So gold lnsLead of belng seen as a symbol of evoluLlon became Lhe basls
for confllcL

1here are many languages spoken by Lhlngs Lhe boy sald 1here was a Llme when for me a camels whlnnylng was noLhlng
more Lhan whlnnylng 1hen lL became a slgnal of danger And flnally lL became [usL a whlnny agaln

8uL Lhen he sLopped 1he alchemlsL probably already knew all LhaL

l have known Lrue alchemlsLs Lhe alchemlsL conLlnued 1hey locked Lhemselves ln Lhelr laboraLorles and Lrled Lo evolve as
gold had And Lhey found Lhe hllosophers SLone because Lhey undersLood LhaL when someLhlng evolves everyLhlng around
LhaL Lhlng evolves as well

CLhers sLumbled upon Lhe sLone by accldenL 1hey already had Lhe glfL and Lhelr souls were readler for such Lhlngs Lhan Lhe
souls of oLhers 8uL Lhey donL counL 1heyre qulLe rare

And Lhen Lhere were Lhe oLhers who were lnLeresLed only ln gold 1hey never found Lhe secreL 1hey forgoL LhaL lead copper
and lron have Lhelr own desLlnles Lo fulfll And anyone who lnLerferes wlLh Lhe desLlny of anoLher Lhlng never wlll dlscover hls
own

1he alchemlsLs words echoed ouL llke a curse Pe reached over and plcked up a shell from Lhe ground

1hls deserL was once a sea he sald l noLlced LhaL Lhe boy answered
1he alchemlsL Lold Lhe boy Lo place Lhe shell over hls ear Pe had done LhaL many Llmes when he was a chlld and had heard Lhe
sound of Lhe sea

1he sea has llved on ln Lhls shell because LhaLs lLs desLlny And lL wlll never cease dolng so unLll Lhe deserL ls once agaln
covered by waLer

1hey mounLed Lhelr horses and rode ouL ln Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe yramlds of LgypL

*

1he sun was seLLlng when Lhe boys hearL sounded a danger slgnal 1hey were surrounded by glganLlc dunes and Lhe boy looked
aL Lhe alchemlsL Lo see wheLher he had sensed anyLhlng 8uL he appeared Lo be unaware of any danger llve mlnuLes laLer Lhe
boy saw Lwo horsemen walLlng ahead of Lhem 8efore he could say anyLhlng Lo Lhe alchemlsL Lhe Lwo horsemen had become
Len and Lhen a hundred And Lhen Lhey were everywhere ln Lhe dunes

1hey were Lrlbesmen dressed ln blue wlLh black rlngs surroundlng Lhelr Lurbans 1helr faces were hldden behlnd blue vells wlLh
only Lhelr eyes showlng

Lven from a dlsLance Lhelr eyes conveyed Lhe sLrengLh of Lhelr souls And Lhelr eyes spoke of deaLh

*

1he Lwo were Laken Lo a nearby mlllLary camp A soldler shoved Lhe boy and Lhe alchemlsL lnLo a LenL where Lhe chlef was
holdlng a meeLlng wlLh hls sLaff

1hese are Lhe sples sald one of Lhe men Were [usL Lravellers Lhe alchemlsL answered
?ou were seen aL Lhe enemy camp Lhree days ago And you were Lalklng wlLh one of Lhe Lroops Lhere

lm [usL a man who wanders Lhe deserL and knows Lhe sLars sald Lhe alchemlsL l have no lnformaLlon abouL Lroops or abouL
Lhe movemenL of Lhe Lrlbes l was slmply acLlng as a gulde for my frlend here

Who ls your frlend? Lhe chlef asked

An alchemlsL sald Lhe alchemlsL Pe undersLands Lhe forces of naLure And he wanLs Lo show you hls exLraordlnary powers

1he boy llsLened quleLly And fearfully

WhaL ls a forelgner dolng here? asked anoLher of Lhe men

Pe has broughL money Lo glve Lo your Lrlbe sald Lhe alchemlsL before Lhe boy could say a word And selzlng Lhe boys bag Lhe
alchemlsL gave Lhe gold colns Lo Lhe chlef

1he Arab accepLed Lhem wlLhouL a word 1here was enough Lhere Lo buy a loL of weapons WhaL ls an alchemlsL? he asked
flnally

lLs a man who undersLands naLure and Lhe world lf he wanLed Lo he could desLroy Lhls camp [usL wlLh Lhe force of Lhe wlnd

1he men laughed 1hey were used Lo Lhe ravages of war and knew LhaL Lhe wlnd could noL dellver Lhem a faLal blow ?eL each
felL hls hearL beaL a blL fasLer 1hey were men of Lhe deserL and Lhey were fearful of sorcerers

l wanL Lo see hlm do lL sald Lhe chlef

Pe needs Lhree days answered Lhe alchemlsL Pe ls golng Lo Lransform hlmself lnLo Lhe wlnd [usL Lo demonsLraLe hls powers
lf he canL do so we humbly offer you our llves for Lhe honour of your Lrlbe

?ou canL offer me someLhlng LhaL ls already mlne Lhe chlef sald arroganLly 8uL he granLed Lhe Lravellers Lhree days

1he boy was shaklng wlLh fear buL Lhe alchemlsL helped hlm ouL of Lhe LenL

uonL leL Lhem see LhaL youre afrald Lhe alchemlsL sald 1hey are brave men and Lhey desplse cowards

8uL Lhe boy couldnL even speak Pe was able Lo do so only afLer Lhey had walked Lhrough Lhe cenLre of Lhe camp 1here was no
need Lo lmprlson Lhem Lhe Arabs slmply conflscaLed Lhelr horses So once agaln Lhe world had demonsLraLed lLs many
languages Lhe deserL only momenLs ago had been endless and free and now lL was an lmpeneLrable wall

?ou gave Lhem everyLhlng l had! Lhe boy sald LveryLhlng lve saved ln my enLlre llfe!

Well whaL good would lL be Lo you lf you had L6 dle? Lhe alchemlsL answered ?our money saved us for Lhree days lLs noL
ofLen LhaL money saves a persons llfe

8uL Lhe boy was Loo frlghLened Lo llsLen Lo words of wlsdom Pe had no ldea how he was golng Lo Lransform hlmself lnLo Lhe
wlnd Pe wasnL an alchemlsL!

1he alchemlsL asked one of Lhe soldlers for some Lea and poured some on Lhe boys wrlsLs A wave of rellef washed over hlm
and Lhe alchemlsL muLLered some words LhaL Lhe boy dldnL undersLand

uonL glve ln Lo your fears sald Lhe alchemlsL ln a sLrangely genLle volce lf you do you wonL be able Lo Lalk Lo your hearL

8uL l have no ldea how Lo Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd

lf a person ls llvlng ouL hls desLlny he knows everyLhlng he needs Lo know 1here ls only one Lhlng LhaL makes a dream
lmposslble Lo achleve Lhe fear of fallure

lm noL afrald of falllng lLs [usL LhaL l donL know how Lo Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd

Well youll have Lo learn your llfe depends on lL 8uL whaL lf l canL?

1hen youll dle ln Lhe mldsL of Lrylng Lo reallze your desLlny 1haLs a loL beLLer Lhan dylng llke mllllons of oLher people who
never even knew whaL Lhelr desLlnles were

8uL donL worry Lhe alchemlsL conLlnued usually Lhe LhreaL of deaLh makes people a loL more aware of Lhelr llves

*

1he flrsL day passed 1here was a ma[or baLLle nearby and a number of wounded were broughL back Lo Lhe camp 1he dead
soldlers were replaced by oLhers and llfe wenL on ueaLh doesnL change anyLhlng Lhe boy LhoughL

?ou could have dled laLer on a soldler sald Lo Lhe body of one of hls companlons ?ou could have dled afLer peace had been
declared 8uL ln any case you were golng Lo dle

AL Lhe end of Lhe day Lhe boy wenL looklng for Lhe alchemlsL who had Laken hls falcon ouL lnLo Lhe deserL

l sLlll have no ldea how Lo Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd Lhe boy repeaLed

8emember whaL l Lold you Lhe world ls only Lhe vlslble aspecL of Cod And LhaL whaL alchemy does ls Lo brlng splrlLual
perfecLlon lnLo conLacL wlLh Lhe maLerlal plane

WhaL are you dolng?

leedlng my falcon

lf lm noL able Lo Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd were golng Lo dle Lhe boy sald Why feed your falcon? ?oure Lhe one who may
dle Lhe alchemlsL sald l already know how Lo Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd

*

Cn Lhe second day Lhe boy cllmbed Lo Lhe Lop of a cllff near Lhe camp 1he senLlnels allowed hlm Lo go Lhey had already heard
abouL Lhe sorcerer who could Lurn hlmself lnLo Lhe wlnd and Lhey dldnL wanL Lo go near hlm ln any case Lhe deserL was
lmpassable

Pe spenL Lhe enLlre afLernoon of Lhe second day looklng ouL over Lhe deserL and llsLenlng Lo hls hearL 1he boy knew Lhe deserL
sensed hls fear 1hey boLh spoke Lhe same language

*

Cn Lhe Lhlrd day Lhe chlef meL wlLh hls offlcers Pe called Lhe alchemlsL Lo Lhe meeLlng and sald LeLs go see Lhe boy who Lurns
hlmself lnLo Lhe wlnd

LeLs Lhe alchemlsL answered


1he boy Look Lhem Lo Lhe cllff where he had been on Lhe prevlous day Pe Lold Lhem all Lo be seaLed lLs golng Lo Lake a whlle
Lhe boy sald

Were ln no hurry Lhe chlef answered We are men of Lhe deserL

1he boy looked ouL aL Lhe horlzon 1here were mounLalns ln Lhe dlsLance And Lhere were dunes rocks and planLs LhaL lnslsLed
on llvlng where survlval seemed lmposslble 1here was Lhe deserL LhaL he had wandered for so many monLhs desplLe all LhaL
Llme he knew only a small parL of lL WlLhln LhaL small parL he had found an Lngllshman caravans Lrlbal wars and an oasls wlLh
flfLy Lhousand palm Lrees and Lhree hundred wells

WhaL do you wanL here Loday? Lhe deserL asked hlm uldnL you spend enough Llme looklng aL me yesLerday?

Somewhere you are holdlng Lhe person l love Lhe boy sald So when l look ouL over your sands l am also looklng aL her l
wanL Lo reLurn Lo her and l need your help so LhaL l can Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd

WhaL ls love? Lhe deserL asked

Love ls Lhe falcons fllghL over your sands 8ecause for hlm you are a green fleld from whlch he always reLurns wlLh game Pe
knows your rocks your dunes and your mounLalns and you are generous Lo hlm

1he falcons beak carrles blLs of me myself Lhe deserL sald lor years l care for hls game feedlng lL wlLh Lhe llLLle waLer LhaL l
have and Lhen l show hlm where Lhe game ls And one day as l en[oy Lhe facL LhaL hls game Lhrlves on my surface Lhe falcon
dlves ouL of Lhe sky and Lakes away whaL lve creaLed

8uL LhaLs why you creaLed Lhe game ln Lhe flrsL place Lhe boy answered 1o nourlsh Lhe falcon And Lhe falcon Lhen
nourlshes man And evenLually man wlll nourlsh your sands where Lhe game wlll once agaln flourlsh 1haLs how Lhe world
goes

So ls LhaL whaL love ls?

?es LhaLs whaL love ls lLs whaL makes Lhe game become Lhe falcon Lhe falcon become man and man ln hls Lurn Lhe deserL
lLs whaL Lurns lead lnLo gold and makes Lhe gold reLurn Lo Lhe earLh

l donL undersLand whaL youre Lalklng abouL Lhe deserL sald

8uL you can aL leasL undersLand LhaL somewhere ln your sands Lhere ls a woman walLlng for me And LhaLs why l have Lo Lurn
myself lnLo Lhe wlnd

1he deserL dldnL answer hlm for a few momenLs

1hen lL Lold hlm lll glve you my sands Lo help Lhe wlnd Lo blow buL alone l canL do anyLhlng ?ou have Lo ask for help from
Lhe wlnd

A breeze began Lo blow 1he Lrlbesmen waLched Lhe boy from a dlsLance Lalklng among Lhemselves ln a language LhaL Lhe boy
couldnL undersLand

1he alchemlsL smlled 1he wlnd approached Lhe boy and Louched hls face lL knew of Lhe boys Lalk wlLh Lhe deserL because Lhe
wlnds know everyLhlng 1hey blow across Lhe world wlLhouL a blrLhplace and wlLh no place Lo dle

Pelp me Lhe boy sald Cne day you carrled Lhe volce of my loved one Lo me Who LaughL you Lo speak Lhe language of Lhe
deserL and Lhe wlnd?

My hearL Lhe boy answered

1he wlnd has many names ln LhaL parL of Lhe world lL was called Lhe slrocco because lL broughL molsLure from Lhe oceans Lo
Lhe easL ln Lhe dlsLanL land Lhe boy came from Lhey called lL Lhe levanLer because Lhey belleved LhaL lL broughL wlLh lL Lhe
sands of Lhe deserL and Lhe screams of Lhe Moorlsh wars erhaps ln Lhe places beyond Lhe pasLures where hls sheep llved
men LhoughL LhaL Lhe wlnd came from Andalusla 8uL acLually Lhe wlnd came from no place aL all nor dld lL go Lo any place
LhaLs why lL was sLronger Lhan Lhe deserL Someone mlghL one day planL Lrees ln Lhe deserL and even ralse sheep Lhere buL
never would Lhey harness Lhe wlnd

?ou canL be Lhe wlnd Lhe wlnd sald Were Lwo very dlfferenL Lhlngs

1haLs noL Lrue Lhe boy sald l learned Lhe alchemlsLs secreLs ln my Lravels l have lnslde me Lhe wlnds Lhe deserLs Lhe
oceans Lhe sLars and everyLhlng creaLed ln Lhe unlverse We were all made by Lhe same hand and we have Lhe same soul l
wanL Lo be llke you able Lo reach every corner of Lhe world cross Lhe seas blow away Lhe sands LhaL cover my Lreasure and
carry Lhe volce of Lhe woman l love

l heard whaL you were Lalklng abouL Lhe oLher day wlLh Lhe alchemlsL Lhe wlnd sald Pe sald LhaL everyLhlng has lLs own
desLlny 8uL people canL Lurn Lhemselves lnLo Lhe wlnd

!usL Leach me Lo be Lhe wlnd for a few momenLs Lhe boy sald So you and l can Lalk abouL Lhe llmlLless posslblllLles of people
and Lhe wlnds

1he wlnds curloslLy was aroused someLhlng LhaL had never happened before lL wanLed Lo Lalk abouL Lhose Lhlngs buL lL dldnL
know how Lo Lurn a man lnLo Lhe wlnd And look how many Lhlngs Lhe wlnd already knew how Lo do! lL creaLed deserLs sank
shlps felled enLlre foresLs and blew Lhrough clLles fllled wlLh muslc and sLrange nolses lL felL LhaL lL had no llmlLs yeL here was
a boy saylng LhaL Lhere were oLher Lhlngs Lhe wlnd should be able Lo do

1hls ls whaL we call love Lhe boy sald seelng LhaL Lhe wlnd was close Lo granLlng whaL he requesLed When you are loved
you can do anyLhlng ln creaLlon When you are loved Lheres no need aL all Lo undersLand whaLs happenlng because everyLhlng
happens wlLhln you and even men can Lurn Lhemselves lnLo Lhe wlnd As long as Lhe wlnd helps of course

1he wlnd was a proud belng and lL was becomlng lrrlLaLed wlLh whaL Lhe boy was saylng lL commenced Lo blow harder ralslng
Lhe deserL sands 8uL flnally lL had Lo recognlze LhaL even maklng lLs way around Lhe world lL dldnL know how Lo Lurn a man
lnLo Lhe wlnd And lL knew noLhlng abouL love

ln my Lravels around Lhe world lve ofLen seen people speaklng of love and looklng Loward Lhe heavens Lhe wlnd sald furlous
aL havlng Lo acknowledge lLs own llmlLaLlons Maybe lLs beLLer Lo ask heaven

Well Lhen help me do LhaL Lhe boy sald llll Lhls place wlLh a sandsLorm so sLrong LhaL lL bloLs ouL Lhe sun 1hen l can look Lo
heaven wlLhouL bllndlng myself

So Lhe wlnd blew wlLh all lLs sLrengLh and Lhe sky was fllled wlLh sand 1he sun was Lurned lnLo a golden dlsk

AL Lhe camp lL was dlfflculL Lo see anyLhlng 1he men of Lhe deserL were already famlllar wlLh LhaL wlnd 1hey called lL Lhe
slmum and lL was worse Lhan a sLorm aL sea 1helr horses crled ouL and all Lhelr weapons were fllled wlLh sand
Cn Lhe helghLs one of Lhe commanders Lurned Lo Lhe chlef and sald Maybe we had beLLer end Lhls! 1hey could barely see Lhe
boy 1helr faces were covered wlLh Lhe blue cloLhs and Lhelr eyes showed fear

LeLs sLop Lhls anoLher commander sald

l wanL Lo see Lhe greaLness of Allah Lhe chlef sald wlLh respecL l wanL Lo see how a man Lurns hlmself lnLo Lhe wlnd

8uL he made a menLal noLe of Lhe names of Lhe Lwo men who had expressed Lhelr fear As soon as Lhe wlnd sLopped he was
golng Lo remove Lhem from Lhelr commands because Lrue men of Lhe deserL are noL afrald

1he wlnd Lold me LhaL you know abouL love Lhe boy sald Lo Lhe sun lf you know abouL love you musL also know abouL Lhe
Soul of Lhe World because lLs made of love

lrom where l am Lhe sun sald l can see Lhe Soul of Lhe World lL communlcaLes wlLh my soul and LogeLher we cause Lhe
planLs Lo grow and Lhe sheep Lo seek ouL shade lrom where l amand lm a long way from Lhe earLhl learned how Lo love l
know LhaL lf l came even a llLLle blL closer Lo Lhe earLh everyLhlng Lhere would dle and Lhe Soul of Lhe World would no longer
exlsL So we conLemplaLe each oLher and we wanL each oLher and l glve lL llfe and warmLh and lL glves me my reason for
llvlng

So you know abouL love Lhe boy sald

And l know Lhe Soul of Lhe World because we have Lalked aL greaL lengLh Lo each oLher durlng Lhls endless Lrlp Lhrough Lhe
unlverse lL Lells me LhaL lLs greaLesL problem ls LhaL up unLll now only Lhe mlnerals and vegeLables undersLand LhaL all Lhlngs
are one 1haL Lheres no need for lron Lo be Lhe same as copper or copper Lhe same as gold Lach performs lLs own exacL
funcLlon as a unlque belng and everyLhlng would be a symphony of peace lf Lhe hand LhaL wroLe all Lhls had sLopped on Lhe flfLh
day of creaLlon

8uL Lhere was a slxLh day Lhe sun wenL on

?ou are wlse because you observe everyLhlng from a dlsLance Lhe boy sald 8uL you donL know abouL love lf Lhere hadnL
been a slxLh day man would noL exlsL copper would always be [usL copper and lead [usL lead lLs Lrue LhaL everyLhlng has lLs
desLlny buL one day LhaL desLlny wlll be reallzed So each Lhlng has Lo Lransform lLself lnLo someLhlng beLLer and Lo acqulre a
new desLlny unLll someday Lhe Soul of Lhe World becomes one Lhlng only

1he sun LhoughL abouL LhaL and declded Lo shlne more brlghLly 1he wlnd whlch was en[oylng Lhe conversaLlon sLarLed Lo blow
wlLh greaLer force so LhaL Lhe sun would noL bllnd Lhe boy

1hls ls why alchemy exlsLs Lhe boy sald So LhaL everyone wlll search for hls Lreasure flnd lL and Lhen wanL Lo be beLLer Lhan
he was ln hls former llfe Lead wlll play lLs role unLll Lhe world has no furLher need for lead and Lhen lead wlll have Lo Lurn lLself
lnLo gold

1haLs whaL alchemlsLs do 1hey show LhaL when we sLrlve Lo become beLLer Lhan we are everyLhlng around us becomes
beLLer Loo

Well why dld you say LhaL l donL know abouL love? Lhe sun asked Lhe boy

8ecause lLs noL love Lo be sLaLlc llke Lhe deserL nor ls lL love Lo roam Lhe world llke Lhe wlnd And lLs noL love Lo see
everyLhlng from a dlsLance llke you do Love ls Lhe force LhaL Lransforms and lmproves Lhe Soul of Lhe World When l flrsL
reached Lhrough Lo lL l LhoughL Lhe Soul of Lhe World was perfecL 8uL laLer l could see LhaL lL was llke oLher aspecLs of creaLlon
and had lLs own passlons and wars lL ls we who nourlsh Lhe Soul of Lhe World and Lhe world we llve ln wlll be elLher beLLer or
worse dependlng on wheLher we become beLLer or worse And LhaLs where Lhe power of love comes ln 8ecause when we
love we always sLrlve Lo become beLLer Lhan we are So whaL do you wanL of me? Lhe sun asked

l wanL you Lo help me Lurn myself lnLo Lhe wlnd Lhe boy answered

naLure knows me as Lhe wlsesL belng ln creaLlon Lhe sun sald 8uL l donL know how Lo Lurn you lnLo Lhe wlnd

1hen whom should l ask?

1he sun LhoughL for a mlnuLe 1he wlnd was llsLenlng closely and wanLed Lo Lell every corner of Lhe world LhaL Lhe suns wlsdom
had lLs llmlLaLlons 1haL lL was unable Lo deal wlLh Lhls boy who spoke Lhe Language of Lhe World

Speak Lo Lhe hand LhaL wroLe all sald Lhe sun

1he wlnd screamed wlLh dellghL and blew harder Lhan ever 1he LenLs were belng blown from Lhelr Lles Lo Lhe earLh and Lhe
anlmals were belng freed from Lhelr LeLhers Cn Lhe cllff Lhe men cluLched aL each oLher as Lhey soughL Lo keep from belng
blown away

1he boy Lurned Lo Lhe hand LhaL wroLe all As he dld so he sensed LhaL Lhe unlverse had fallen sllenL and he declded noL Lo
speak

A currenL of love rushed from hls hearL and Lhe boy began Lo pray lL was a prayer LhaL he had never sald before because lL was
a prayer wlLhouL words or pleas Pls prayer dldnL glve Lhanks for hls sheep havlng found new pasLures lL dldnL ask LhaL Lhe boy
be able Lo sell more crysLal and lL dldnL beseech LhaL Lhe woman he had meL conLlnue Lo awalL hls reLurn ln Lhe sllence Lhe
boy undersLood LhaL Lhe deserL Lhe wlnd and Lhe sun were also Lrylng Lo undersLand Lhe slgns wrlLLen by Lhe hand and were
seeklng Lo follow Lhelr paLhs and Lo undersLand whaL had been wrlLLen on a slngle emerald Pe saw LhaL omens were scaLLered
LhroughouL Lhe earLh and ln space and LhaL Lhere was no reason or slgnlflcance aLLached Lo Lhelr appearance he could see LhaL
noL Lhe deserLs nor Lhe wlnds nor Lhe sun nor people knew why Lhey had been creaLed 8uL LhaL Lhe hand had a reason for all
of Lhls and LhaL only Lhe hand could perform mlracles or Lransform Lhe sea lnLo a deserL or a man lnLo Lhe wlnd 8ecause only
Lhe hand undersLood LhaL lL was a larger deslgn LhaL had moved Lhe unlverse Lo Lhe polnL aL whlch slx days of creaLlon had

evolved lnLo a MasLer Work

1he boy reached Lhrough Lo Lhe Soul of Lhe World and saw LhaL lL was a parL of Lhe Soul of Cod And he saw LhaL Lhe Soul of
Cod was hls own soul And LhaL he a boy could perform mlracles

*

1he slmoom blew LhaL day as lL had never blown before lor generaLlons LhereafLer Lhe Arabs recounLed Lhe legend of a boy
who had Lurned hlmself lnLo Lhe wlnd almosL desLroylng a mlllLary camp ln deflance of Lhe mosL powerful chlef ln Lhe deserL

When Lhe slmoom ceased Lo blow everyone looked Lo Lhe place where Lhe boy had been 8uL he was no longer Lhere he was
sLandlng nexL Lo a sandcovered senLlnel on Lhe far slde of Lhe camp

1he men were Lerrlfled aL hls sorcery 8uL Lhere were Lwo people who were smlllng Lhe alchemlsL because he had found hls
perfecL dlsclple and Lhe chlef because LhaL dlsclple had undersLood Lhe glory of Cod

1he followlng day Lhe general bade Lhe boy and Lhe alchemlsL farewell and provlded Lhem wlLh an escorL parLy Lo accompany
Lhem as far as Lhey chose

*

1hey rode for Lhe enLlre day 1oward Lhe end of Lhe afLernoon Lhey came upon a CopLlc monasLery 1he alchemlsL dlsmounLed
and Lold Lhe escorLs Lhey could reLurn Lo Lhe camp

lrom here on you wlll be alone Lhe alchemlsL sald ?ou are only Lhree hours from Lhe yramlds 1hank you sald Lhe boy

?ou LaughL me Lhe Language of Lhe World

l only lnvoked whaL you already knew

1he alchemlsL knocked on Lhe gaLe of Lhe monasLery A monk dressed ln black came Lo Lhe gaLes 1hey spoke for a few mlnuLes
ln Lhe CopLlc Longue and Lhe alchemlsL bade Lhe boy enLer

l asked hlm Lo leL me use Lhe klLchen for a whlle Lhe alchemlsL smlled

1hey wenL Lo Lhe klLchen aL Lhe back of Lhe monasLery 1he alchemlsL llghLed Lhe flre and Lhe monk broughL hlm some lead
whlch Lhe alchemlsL placed ln an lron pan When Lhe lead had become llquld Lhe alchemlsL Look from hls pouch Lhe sLrange
yellow egg Pe scraped from lL a sllver as Lhln as a halr wrapped lL ln wax and added lL Lo Lhe pan ln whlch Lhe lead had melLed

1he mlxLure Look on a reddlsh colour almosL Lhe colour of blood 1he alchemlsL removed Lhe pan from Lhe flre and seL lL aslde
Lo cool As he dld so he Lalked wlLh Lhe monk abouL Lhe Lrlbal wars

l Lhlnk Lheyre golng Lo lasL for a long Llme he sald Lo Lhe monk

1he monk was lrrlLaLed 1he caravans had been sLopped aL Clza for some Llme walLlng for Lhe wars Lo end 8uL Cods wlll be
done Lhe monk sald

LxacLly answered Lhe alchemlsL

When Lhe pan had cooled Lhe monk and Lhe boy looked aL lL dazzled 1he lead had drled lnLo Lhe shape of Lhe pan buL lL was
no longer lead lL was gold

Wlll l learn Lo do LhaL someday? Lhe boy asked

1hls was my desLlny noL yours Lhe alchemlsL answered 8uL l wanLed Lo show you LhaL lL was posslble

1hey reLurned Lo Lhe gaLes of Lhe monasLery 1here Lhe alchemlsL separaLed Lhe dlsk lnLo four parLs 1hls ls for you he sald
holdlng one of Lhe parLs ouL Lo Lhe monk lLs for your generoslLy Lo Lhe pllgrlms

8uL Lhls paymenL goes well beyond my generoslLy Lhe monk responded uonL say LhaL agaln Llfe mlghL be llsLenlng and glve
you less Lhe nexL Llme

1he alchemlsL Lurned Lo Lhe boy 1hls ls for you 1o make up for whaL you gave Lo Lhe general

1he boy was abouL Lo say LhaL lL was much more Lhan he had glven Lhe general 8uL he kepL quleL because he had heard whaL
Lhe alchemlsL sald Lo Lhe monk

And Lhls ls for me sald Lhe alchemlsL keeplng one of Lhe parLs 8ecause l have Lo reLurn Lo Lhe deserL where Lhere are Lrlbal
wars

Pe Look Lhe fourLh parL and handed lL Lo Lhe monk 1hls ls for Lhe boy lf he ever needs lL

8uL lm golng ln search of my Lreasure Lhe boy sald lm very close Lo lL now And lm cerLaln youll flnd lL Lhe alchemlsL
sald

1hen why Lhls?

8ecause you have already losL your savlngs Lwlce Cnce Lo Lhe Lhlef and once Lo Lhe general lm an old supersLlLlous Arab and
l belleve ln our proverbs 1heres one LhaL says LveryLhlng LhaL happens once can never happen agaln 8uL everyLhlng LhaL
happens Lwlce wlll surely happen a Lhlrd Llme

1hey mounLed Lhelr horses

*

l wanL Lo Lell you a sLory abouL dreams sald Lhe alchemlsL 1he boy broughL hls horse closer

ln anclenL 8ome aL Lhe Llme of Lmperor 1lberlus Lhere llved a good man who had Lwo sons Cne was ln Lhe mlllLary and had
been senL Lo Lhe mosL dlsLanL reglons of Lhe emplre 1he oLher son was a poeL and dellghLed all of 8ome wlLh hls beauLlful
verses


Cne nlghL Lhe faLher had a dream An angel appeared Lo hlm and Lold hlm LhaL Lhe words of one of hls sons would be learned
and repeaLed LhroughouL Lhe world for all generaLlons Lo come 1he faLher woke from hls dream graLeful and crylng because
llfe was generous and had revealed Lo hlm someLhlng any faLher would be proud Lo know

ShorLly LhereafLer Lhe faLher dled as he Lrled Lo save a chlld who was abouL Lo be crushed by Lhe wheels of a charloL Slnce he
had llved hls enLlre llfe ln a manner LhaL was correcL and falr he wenL dlrecLly Lo heaven where he meL Lhe angel LhaL had
appeared ln hls dream

?ou were always a good man Lhe angel sald Lo hlm ?ou llved your llfe ln a lovlng way and dled wlLh dlgnlLy l can now granL
you any wlsh you deslre

Llfe was good Lo me Lhe man sald When you appeared ln my dream l felL LhaL all my efforLs had been rewarded because my
sons poems wlll be read by men for generaLlons Lo come l donL wanL anyLhlng for myself 8uL any faLher would be proud of Lhe
fame achleved by one whom he had cared for as a chlld and educaLed as he grew up SomeLlme ln Lhe dlsLanL fuLure l would
llke Lo see my sons words

1he angel Louched Lhe mans shoulder and Lhey were boLh pro[ecLed far lnLo Lhe fuLure 1hey were ln an lmmense seLLlng
surrounded by Lhousands of people speaklng a sLrange language

1he man wepL wlLh happlness

l knew LhaL my sons poems were lmmorLal he sald Lo Lhe angel Lhrough hls Lears Can you please Lell me whlch of my sons
poems Lhese people are repeaLlng?

1he angel came closer Lo Lhe man and wlLh Lenderness led hlm Lo a bench nearby where Lhey saL down

1he verses of your son who was Lhe poeL were very popular ln 8ome Lhe angel sald Lveryone loved Lhem and en[oyed Lhem
8uL when Lhe relgn of 1lberlus ended hls poems were forgoLLen 1he words youre hearlng now are Lhose of your son ln Lhe
mlllLary

1he man looked aL Lhe angel ln surprlse

?our son wenL Lo serve aL a dlsLanL place and became a cenLurlon Pe was [usL and good Cne afLernoon one of hls servanLs
fell lll and lL appeared LhaL he would dle ?our son had heard of a rabbl who was able Lo cure lllnesses and he rode ouL for days
and days ln search of Lhls man Along Lhe way he learned LhaL Lhe man he was seeklng was Lhe Son of Cod Pe meL oLhers who
had been cured by hlm and Lhey lnsLrucLed your son ln Lhe mans Leachlngs And so desplLe Lhe facL LhaL he was a 8oman
cenLurlon he converLed Lo Lhelr falLh ShorLly LhereafLer he reached Lhe place where Lhe man he was looklng for was vlslLlng

Pe Lold Lhe man LhaL one of hls servanLs was gravely lll and Lhe rabbl made ready Lo go Lo hls house wlLh hlm 8uL Lhe
cenLurlon was a man of falLh and looklng lnLo Lhe eyes of Lhe rabbl he knew LhaL he was surely ln Lhe presence of Lhe Son of
Cod

And Lhls ls whaL your son sald Lhe angel Lold Lhe man 1hese are Lhe words he sald Lo Lhe rabbl aL LhaL polnL and Lhey have
never been forgoLLen My Lord l am noL worLhy LhaL you should come under my roof 8uL only speak a word and my servanL
wlll be healed

1he alchemlsL sald no maLLer whaL he does every person on earLh plays a cenLral role ln Lhe hlsLory of Lhe world And
normally he doesnL know lL

1he boy smlled Pe had never lmaglned LhaL quesLlons abouL llfe would be of such lmporLance Lo a shepherd

Coodbye Lhe alchemlsL sald Coodbye sald Lhe boy

*

1he boy rode along Lhrough Lhe deserL for several hours llsLenlng avldly Lo whaL hls hearL had Lo say lL was hls hearL LhaL would
Lell hlm where hls Lreasure was hldden

Where your Lreasure ls Lhere also wlll be your hearL Lhe alchemlsL had Lold hlm

8uL hls hearL was speaklng of oLher Lhlngs WlLh prlde lL Lold Lhe sLory of a shepherd who had lefL hls flock Lo follow a dream he
had on Lwo dlfferenL occaslons lL Lold of desLlny and of Lhe many men who had wandered ln search of dlsLanL lands or beauLlful
women confronLlng Lhe people of Lhelr Llmes wlLh Lhelr preconcelved noLlons lL spoke of [ourneys dlscoverles books and
change

As he was abouL Lo cllmb yeL anoLher dune hls hearL whlspered 8e aware of Lhe place where you are broughL Lo Lears 1haLs
where l am and LhaLs where your Lreasure ls

1he boy cllmbed Lhe dune slowly A full moon rose agaln ln Lhe sLarry sky lL had been a monLh slnce he had seL forLh from Lhe
oasls 1he moonllghL casL shadows Lhrough Lhe dunes creaLlng Lhe appearance of a rolllng sea lL remlnded Lhe boy of Lhe day
when LhaL horse had reared ln Lhe deserL and he had come Lo know Lhe alchemlsL And Lhe moon fell on Lhe deserLs sllence
and on a mans [ourney ln search of Lreasure

When he reached Lhe Lop of Lhe dune hls hearL leapL 1here lllumlnaLed by Lhe llghL of Lhe moon and Lhe brlghLness of Lhe
deserL sLood Lhe solemn and ma[esLlc yramlds of LgypL

1he boy fell Lo hls knees and wepL Pe Lhanked Cod for maklng hlm belleve ln hls desLlny and for leadlng hlm Lo meeL a klng a
merchanL an Lngllshman and an alchemlsL And above all for hls havlng meL a woman of Lhe deserL who had Lold hlm LhaL love
would never keep a man from hls desLlny

lf he wanLed Lo he could now reLurn Lo Lhe oasls go back Lo laLlma and llve hls llfe as a slmple shepherd AfLer all Lhe
alchemlsL conLlnued Lo llve ln Lhe deserL even Lhough he undersLood Lhe Language of Lhe World and knew how Lo Lransform
lead lnLo gold Pe dldnL need Lo demonsLraLe hls sclence and arL Lo anyone 1he boy Lold hlmself LhaL on Lhe way Loward
reallzlng hls own desLlny he had learned all he needed Lo know and had experlenced everyLhlng he mlghL have dreamed of

8uL here he was aL Lhe polnL of flndlng hls Lreasure and he remlnded hlmself LhaL no pro[ecL ls compleLed unLll lLs ob[ecLlve has
been achleved 1he boy looked aL Lhe sands around hlm and saw LhaL where hls Lears had fallen a scarab beeLle was scuLLllng
Lhrough Lhe sand uurlng hls Llme ln Lhe deserL he had learned LhaL ln LgypL Lhe scarab beeLles are a symbol of Cod

AnoLher omen! 1he boy began Lo dlg lnLo Lhe dune As he dld so he LhoughL of whaL Lhe crysLal merchanL had once sald LhaL
anyone could bulld a pyramld ln hls backyard 1he boy could see now LhaL he couldnL do so lf he placed sLone upon sLone for
Lhe resL of hls llfe

1hroughouL Lhe nlghL Lhe boy dug aL Lhe place he had chosen buL found noLhlng Pe felL welghLed down by Lhe cenLurles of
Llme slnce Lhe yramlds had been bullL 8uL he dldnL sLop Pe sLruggled Lo conLlnue dlgglng as he foughL Lhe wlnd whlch ofLen
blew Lhe sand back lnLo Lhe excavaLlon Pls hands were abraded and exhausLed buL he llsLened Lo hls hearL lL had Lold hlm Lo
dlg where hls Lears fell

As he was aLLempLlng Lo pull ouL Lhe rocks he encounLered he heard fooLsLeps Several flgures approached hlm 1helr backs
were Lo Lhe moonllghL and Lhe boy could see nelLher Lhelr eyes nor Lhelr faces

WhaL are you dolng here? one of Lhe flgures demanded

8ecause he was Lerrlfled Lhe boy dldnL answer Pe had found where hls Lreasure was and was frlghLened aL whaL mlghL
happen

Were refugees from Lhe Lrlbal wars and we need money Lhe oLher flgure sald WhaL are you hldlng Lhere?

lm noL hldlng anyLhlng Lhe boy answered

8uL one of Lhem selzed Lhe boy and yanked hlm back ouL of Lhe hole AnoLher who was searchlng Lhe boys bags found Lhe
plece of gold

1heres gold here he sald

1he moon shone on Lhe face of Lhe Arab who had selzed hlm and ln Lhe mans eyes Lhe boy saw deaLh Pes probably goL more
gold hldden ln Lhe ground

1hey made Lhe boy conLlnue dlgglng buL he found noLhlng As Lhe sun rose Lhe men began Lo beaL Lhe boy Pe was brulsed and
bleedlng hls cloLhlng was Lorn Lo shreds and he felL LhaL deaLh was near

WhaL good ls money Lo you lf youre golng Lo dle? lLs noL ofLen LhaL money can save someones llfe Lhe alchemlsL had sald
llnally Lhe boy screamed aL Lhe men lm dlgglng for Lreasure! And alLhough hls mouLh was bleedlng and swollen he Lold hls
aLLackers LhaL he had Lwlce dreamed of a Lreasure hldden near Lhe yramlds of LgypL

1he man who appeared Lo be Lhe leader of Lhe group spoke Lo one of Lhe oLhers Leave hlm Pe doesnL have anyLhlng else Pe
musL have sLolen Lhls gold

1he boy fell Lo Lhe sand nearly unconsclous 1he leader shook hlm and sald Were leavlng

8uL before Lhey lefL he came back Lo Lhe boy and sald ?oure noL golng Lo dle ?oull llve and youll learn LhaL a man shouldnL
be so sLupld 1wo years ago rlghL here on Lhls spoL l had a recurrenL dream Loo l dreamed LhaL l should Lravel Lo Lhe flelds of
Spaln and look for a rulned church where shepherds and Lhelr sheep slepL ln my dream Lhere was a sycamore growlng ouL of
Lhe rulns of Lhe sacrlsLy and l was Lold LhaL lf l dug aL Lhe rooLs of Lhe sycamore l would flnd a hldden Lreasure 8uL lm noL so
sLupld as Lo cross an enLlre deserL [usL because of a recurrenL dream

And Lhey dlsappeared

1he boy sLood up shaklly and looked once more aL Lhe yramlds 1hey seemed Lo laugh aL hlm and he laughed back hls hearL
bursLlng wlLh [oy

8ecause now he knew where hls Lreasure was

ILCGU


1he boy reached Lhe small abandoned church [usL as nlghL was falllng 1he sycamore was sLlll Lhere ln Lhe sacrlsLy and Lhe sLars
could sLlll be seen Lhrough Lhe halfdesLroyed roof Pe remembered Lhe Llme he had been Lhere wlLh hls sheep lL had been a
peaceful nlghL excepL for Lhe dream

now he was here noL wlLh hls flock buL wlLh a shovel

Pe saL looklng aL Lhe sky for a long Llme 1hen he Look from hls knapsack a boLLle of wlne and drank some Pe remembered Lhe
nlghL ln Lhe deserL when he had saL wlLh Lhe alchemlsL as Lhey looked aL Lhe sLars and drank wlne LogeLher Pe LhoughL of Lhe
many roads he had Lravelled and of Lhe sLrange way Cod had chosen Lo show hlm hls Lreasure lf he hadnL belleved ln Lhe
slgnlflcance of recurrenL dreams he would noL have meL Lhe Cypsy woman Lhe klng Lhe Lhlef or Well lLs a long llsL 8uL Lhe
paLh was wrlLLen ln Lhe omens and Lhere was no way l could go wrong he sald Lo hlmself

Pe fell asleep and when he awoke Lhe sun was already hlgh Pe began Lo dlg aL Lhe base of Lhe sycamore

?ou old sorcerer Lhe boy shouLed up Lo Lhe sky ?ou knew Lhe whole sLory ?ou even lefL a blL of gold aL Lhe monasLery so l
could geL back Lo Lhls church 1he monk laughed when he saw me come back ln LaLLers CouldnL you have saved me from LhaL?

no he heard a volce on Lhe wlnd say lf l had Lold you you wouldnL have seen Lhe yramlds 1heyre beauLlful arenL Lhey?

1he boy smlled and conLlnued dlgglng Palf an hour laLer hls shovel hlL someLhlng solld An hour laLer he had before hlm a
chesL of Spanlsh gold colns 1here were also preclous sLones gold masks adorned wlLh red and whlLe feaLhers and sLone sLaLues
embedded wlLh [ewels

1he spolls of a conquesL LhaL Lhe counLry had long ago forgoLLen and LhaL some conqulsLador had falled Lo Lell hls chlldren
abouL

1he boy Look ouL urlm and 1hummlm from hls bag Pe had used Lhe Lwo sLones only once one mornlng when he was aL a
markeLplace Pls llfe and hls paLh had always provlded hlm wlLh enough omens

Pe placed urlm and 1hummlm ln Lhe chesL 1hey were also a parL of hls new Lreasure because Lhey were a remlnder of Lhe old
klng whom he would never see agaln

lLs Lrue llfe really ls generous Lo Lhose who pursue Lhelr desLlny Lhe boy LhoughL 1hen he remembered LhaL he had Lo geL Lo
1arlfa so he could glve oneLenLh of hls Lreasure Lo Lhe Cypsy woman as he had promlsed 1hose Cypsles are really smarL he
LhoughL Maybe lL was because Lhey moved around so much

1he wlnd began Lo blow agaln lL was Lhe levanLer Lhe wlnd LhaL came from Afrlca lL dldnL brlng wlLh lL Lhe smell of Lhe deserL
nor Lhe LhreaL of Moorlsh lnvaslon lnsLead lL broughL Lhe scenL of a perfume he knew well and Lhe Louch of a klssa klss LhaL
came from far away slowly slowly unLll lL resLed on hls llps

1he boy smlled lL was Lhe flrsL Llme she had done LhaL lm comlng laLlma he sald