Diana had many young and lovely nymphs, who attended her in her rambles over the wooded hills. Among these maids was Echo, a very graceful and merry nymph of the mountain. Echo had one serious fault, however. She was too fond of talking, and was always anxious to say the last word.

One day she angered Juno, with whom she was talking, and the goddess punished her severely. She said,—“Echo, this shall be your punishment for trying to deceive me. You may still have the last word as you are so fond of it, but never the first. You shall not have the power to begin the conversation; you may only reply.”

Soon after this Echo met Narcissus, a handsome youth who was hunting upon the mountain. She admired his grace and skill in the hunt and wished very much to join in the chase. But she could not speak to him, and when he called to his companions she could only repeat the last words. Narcissus did not care to please the nymph, and so refused to speak with her or to allow her to join in the hunt.

After Narcissus left the mountain, Echo sought a lonely cave amid the rocks; and she grieved so over her punishment, that she pined away until nothing was left of the lovely nymph but her voice. Sometimes, in the lonely mountain paths, if you call, you will hear Echo repeating your words softly from a distance. But you will never see her; she is nothing but a voice.