Ayan_Salman

PART ONE
 The boy's name wasSantiago . Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with his herd at an abandoned
church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the
sacristy had once stood.
 He decided to spend the night there. He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the ruined gate, and
then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering away during the night. There were no
wolves in the region, but once an animal had strayed during the night, and the boy had had to spend the
entire next day searching for it.
 He swept the floor with his jacket and lay down, using the book he had just finished reading as a pillow.
He told himself that he would have to start reading thicker books: they lasted longer, and made more
comfortable pillows.
 It was still dark when he awoke, and, looking up, he could see the stars through the half-destroyed roof.
 I wanted to sleep a little longer, he thought. He had had the same dream that night as a week ago, and
once again he had awakened before it ended.

Table of The Alchemis

Table of contents

Volume 1