Explain the significance in that Paulo Coelho opens The Alchemist with the modified myth of Narcissus: how is it of importance to the plot?

The
start of Paul Coelho's is a retelling of the myth of Narcissus. In the
famous story, Narcissus loves himself more than any other, and his rejection of a nymph named
Echo causes her to wander in the forest until the end of her life. The goddess Nemesis, bringer
of revenge, punishes Narcissus by luring him to a pool where he can gaze upon his own
reflection. He, like the many women who have met him, falls in love immediately. Upon
understanding he has fallen in love with his own reflection and that the love can never be
fulfilled, he kills himself. In Coelho's version, Narcissus looks into a lake until he loses his
footing and falls in, drowning. The lake mourns the loss of Narcissus, because she could see her
own reflection in his eyes.

In the grand scheme of The
Alchemist , the story of Narcissus serves to show that beauty is in the eye of the
beholder. Throughout his journey, Santiago is attempting to fulfill his own personal legend. He
doesn't know what his legend is, or...