• A fun fact inspired by a recent Metaflora answer

• Answers to last week's games

Nothing says “go love yourself” like a daffodil

Whether in the woods, surrounded by tall trees, on the floor of a canyon, or even a city courtyard, the experience of an echo feels mysterious and timeless. Almost as much as the narcissus flower, a.k.a. the daffodil (Metaflora plant #219). The story of the daffodil is a story of metamorphosis and transformation, of death and rebirth, of love and longing. In his book of poetry, Metamorphoses, the Roman poet Ovid’s account of “Echo and Narcissus” tells the story of a woman only capable of repeating the words she hears and the young man she loved. Narcissus was an undeniably beautiful young man, so much so that anyone who saw him was in love. Sadly, Narcissus was unable to return affection to anyone. Echo saw him in the forest and was enamored beyond comprehension, but she could only speak to him by repeating his words. One day when Narcissus was searching and calling out for Echo, she could only answer by repeating her own name. She ran out to hug him and was rejected. She would spend the rest of her days hiding in the forest, leaving only her voice behind for all time. Narcissus saw his own reflection. He was paralyzed by his own beauty, and eventually fell into the water and drowned. Soon after, a flower appeared where he had been. To this day, that flower is known by his name, Narcissus, and also called by the name Daffodil. 

In his 1937 masterpiece, Metamorphosis of Narcissus (Métamorphose de Narcisse), surrealist painter Salvador Dalí depicts Narcissus in his transformation, representing the delusional hallucination that consumes the narcissist and those who love him. As our world struggles with identity, the appearance of the daffodil is a sign that better times are just around the corner. 

Answers to last week's games

Monday, May 6 to Sunday, May 12.

Linxicon

The following are the shortest paths from last week:

• #84 civilian -> technician -> fixer -> installer -> install

• #85 theme -> trend -> forecast -> predict

• #86 breast -> clothes -> shopper -> visitor

• #87 adequate -> ample -> mountain -> climb

• #88 following -> followers -> relatives -> relative -> relatively

• #89 strength -> childhood -> babies -> baby

• #90 complex -> complicated -> straightforward -> quick -> soon

• #91 Play now!

Forgeous

Carriera, Rosalba. Gustavus Hamilton (1710–1746), Second Viscount Boyne, in Masquerade Costume. 1730. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The Met, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438544.

Play Forgeous for May 13.

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