Where have the narcissi gone?

Come to think of it, this year we have not seen bunches of narcissus flowers being sold in the markets and at traffic signals as plentifully as in the past, I wonder why? The narcissus is a pretty, small, creamy white flower on a long stem, somewhat like a miniature daffodil - there are yellow varieties as well - and it has a lovely, strong, heady scent which fills the room if you put a bunch of them in a vase in your room. It blooms in winter, especially around Christmas time and used to be available in plenty at flower shops and clutched in the hands of small boys and girls, men and women, who tried to sell them at traffic lights or by the roadside, but not this winter, for some reason.

The word narcissus is derived from the Greek word narke, meaning numbness or stupor. Some attribute the naming of the flower to its narcotic fragrance while others debate that it is associated with the poisonous nature of the Narcissus bulbs but according to Greek mythology, Narcissus or Narkissos was a hero of the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned for his beauty. Several versions of his myth have survived: it is said that he was so enamoured of his looks that he kept looking into a stream until he turned into the flower known by his name! Another story is a lesser known variant in which Narcissus had a twin sister. Both dressed similarly and hunted together. Narcissus loved her a lot and when she died, Narcissus pined after her and pretended that the reflection he saw in the water was his sister. Yet another story is that the Narcissus flower was created to entice Demeter's daughter Persephone away from her companions to enable Hades to abduct her.

There are many other myths and legends in the same vein – mainly about Narcissus good looks and the effect they had on people. They make for fascinating reading if you are interested in mythology.

The term ‘narcissus complex’ has been coined from his behaviour and applies to those who think that they are the most beautiful people on earth and therefore have a

superiority complex about their looks – I’m sure you know a number of such

people. I do!