The Alchemist: Part Two Summary & Analysis

Santiago has now been working for the crystal merchant for almost a month. It is not the kind of job that makes him happy, but he sticks with it because the merchant treats him fairly. Santiago calculates that if he continues to work for the merchant, it will take a whole year to earn the money to buy a flock of sheep. He then comes to the crystal merchant with an idea. He proposes building a display case for the crystal that could be placed outside to attract the attention of people passing by. The merchant worries that the case will get bumped and the crystal will get broken.

The crystal merchant tells Santiago that business has improved, and soon Santiago will be able to return to his sheep. Why, he wonders, would Santiago ask any more from life? Santiago says that they must follow omens. The merchant understands what the boy is saying, because Santiago's very presence in the shop is an omen. The crystal merchant asks Santiago why he wants to get to the pyramids. Santiago says only that he wanted to visit because he's heard so much about them. He tells the crystal merchant that he must have never had dreams of travel.

Two days later, the crystal merchant speaks to Santiago about the display. He says that he does not like change. He asks Santiago why he thinks they should build the display. Santiago says that he wants to get back to his sheep faster and that they should take advantage of the situation, as luck is on their side. He calls that the “principle of favorability,” or beginner’s luck. The crystal merchant tells Santiago that, in the Koran, God gave every person just five obligations to satisfy. They are: believing in God, praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, and being charitable to the poor. Tears come to the crystal merchant’s eyes as he speaks about the Prophet (Muhammad, but unnamed here).

Santiago asks what the fifth obligation is. The crystal merchant says that the fifth obligation is a pilgrimage to Mecca. He says that when he was young, all he wanted was to make enough money so that he could travel to Mecca. While he has been working in his shop, he has met travelers on the way to Mecca, and some are much poorer than he.

Santiago wonders why the crystal merchant does not go to Mecca now. The crystal merchant explains that it's the thought of Mecca that keeps him alive. He is afraid that if his dream is realized, he’ll have no reason to go on living. He says that he just wants to dream about Mecca, and not actually achieve his dream. He is afraid it would be a disappointment to reach the holy city, and therefore prefers to simply dream. But he gives Santiago permission to build the outdoor display.

Two more months pass and the display brings many people into the crystal shop. Santiago estimates that if he works for six more months he can return to Spain and by sixty sheep. Now Egypt is just a distant dream for him, and he has become happy in his work. He remembers that Melchizedek said you must always know what it is you want, and Santiago feels that he knows what he wants and is working toward it. He's proud of himself: he has learned how to deal with crystal, he has learned about a language that transcends words, and he has learned about omens.

One day, Santiago overhears a man in the street complaining that it is impossible to find a decent place to get something to drink after the steep climb up the hill. The boy sees this as an omen, and he tells the crystal merchant that they should also sell tea in their shop. They could sell the tea in the crystal glasses so that people would buy the tea, and also be encouraged to buy the glasses.

The crystal merchant tells Santiago that he's had the shop for so long that he knows what will happen if they start to serve tea: the shop will expand and it will change the crystal merchant’s way of life. Santiago thinks this must be a good thing, but the crystal merchant disagrees, because he is used to the way things are. The crystal merchant tells Santiago that he has been a real blessing to him, but now he has also realized that every blessing, when it is ignored, becomes a curse. In this way, Santiago has become a curse because he has presented the crystal merchant with new possibilities. Now the crystal merchant knows the things he should be able to accomplish, even though he doesn't want to do these things.

The crystal merchant completes their conversation with the word “maktub.” Santiago asks him what this means. The crystal merchant translates it as "it is written.” He tells the boy that they can start selling tea in the crystal glasses. Sometimes there is no way to stop change when it is coming.

Customers climb the hill and are tired when they reach the top. They see a crystal shop which offers fresh mint tea. When they drink the tea from the beautiful crystal glasses, they are impressed and buy some crystal. Before long the news spreads, and many people climb the hill just to visit the shop that sells both crystal and tea.

The crystal merchant hires two other employees to keep up with growing demand. The months pass. One day Santiago awakes before dawn. It has been more than eleven months since he came to Africa. He dresses for the day in Arabian clothing. He smokes and drinks his morning tea in silence, and when he is finished, he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a bundle of money. It is enough money to buy one hundred and twenty sheep, plus a return ticket to his homeland and a license to import African products into his own country.

When the crystal merchant wakes up and comes into the shop, Santiago tells him that he is leaving that day. They both have enough money to fulfill their dreams. Santiago asks the crystal merchant for his blessing. The crystal merchant says that he is proud of Santiago, but he says that he is not going to Mecca, just as Santiago is not going to buy back his sheep. Santiago is startled, and wonders who told the merchant this. “Maktub,” the crystal merchant replies.

Santiago goes to his room and packs his belongings, and as he's leaving he find his old shepherd’s pouch. As he removes his jacket from the pouch, the stones Urim and Thummim fall to the ground, The stones make Santiago remember Melchizedek, and he is startled by how long it has been since he has thought of the old king, and his reminder to never stop dreaming. Santiago picks up the stones and has a strange feeling, as if the old king is nearby. He reflects that his sheep taught him something very important: that there was a language in the world that everyone understands.

Santiago remembers that Melchizedek told him that when you want something, the universe conspires to help you achieve it, but he hadn't said anything about the hardships that Santiago would face. Santiago picks up his pouch and puts it with his other packed belongings. Downstairs, he finds the crystal merchant helping a foreign couple. For the first time, he reflects on the similarities between the crystal merchant and the old king. He leaves without saying goodbye, because he does not want to cry in front of the clients. He is going to miss the shop and the things that he learned there.

Santiago tells himself that he is going to return to the fields he knows and to his flock, but he is not happy with this decision. He wonders if it is better to be like the crystal merchant and never go to Mecca, or to go through life trying to realize one’s dream, but failing. But Umin and Thummim have now reminded him of the old king, and Santiago convinces himself that he should go to the pyramids in Egypt, because he may never have another chance. Although he is only two hours from home and a desert away from the pyramids, he decides to think of this in terms of being two hours closer to his treasure.

Santiago decides to pursue his treasure, and suddenly feels tremendously happy. He reminds himself that he can always go back to being a shepherd, or that he can become a crystal salesman again. He seeks out a caravan crossing the desert and he holds Urim and Thummim in his hand as he does so. He remembers the old king telling him that he is always nearby whenever someone wants to realize his Personal Legend.

Meanwhile, an Englishman is sitting on a bench in a warehouse. As he leafs through his chemical journal, he tells himself that he thought he would never end up in a place like this. He believes in omens, and he's working on finding the one true language of the universe. First he studied Esperanto, then world religions, and most recently alchemy. He feels that although he has discovered important truths about alchemy, he is not yet an alchemist. He hopes to find an alchemist to serve as his mentor.

The Englishman has spent much of his family's fortune seeking the Philosopher’s Stone, which is the Master Work of all alchemists. Through his research, he learned of a famous alchemist who is said to have discovered the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life. He learned that this alchemist lives in the desert, at the Al-Fayoum oasis, so he decided to go in search of the alchemist.

As the Englishman is waiting for the caravan, a young Arab arrives. The Arab boy asks the Englishman where he is headed. The Englishman does not want to talk, so the boy takes out a book and begins to read. The Englishman notices that the boy’s book is written in Spanish, and he is relieved, because his Spanish is better than his Arabic.

Santiago is trying to read the burial scene at the beginning of his book. He realizes that he has never been able to read past the first few pages of this book. Instead of reading, Santiago reflects that when he had decided to seek out his treasure, he actually ended up working in the crystal shop. Now he has decided to join a desert caravan, but the next step of this journey is a mystery to him. Nearby, the Englishman is also reading.

Santiago puts away his book and takes out Urim and Thummim. The Englishman recognizes the stones, and Santiago immediately returns them into his pocket. “They're not for sale,” he tells the Englishman, who laughingly says that they're not worth much, but that those who know about such things would immediately have recognized them. Santiago tells him that a king gave the stones to him as a present. The Englishman takes a matching pair of stones out of his pocket.

Santiago says that the Englishman must not believe a king would talk to someone like him, a simple shepherd. The Englishmen says that shepherds were the first to recognize a king when the rest of the world did not, so it's not surprising that any king would talk to shepherds. He tells Santiago that this story is in the Bible, and that the Bible is the same book that taught him about Urim and Thummim. In the Bible, priests would carry these stones embedded in their golden breastplates.

The Englishman tells Santiago that there is a universal language already understood by everybody. He says he is in search of that language, and hopes to find an alchemist in the desert who can teach him more.

The warehouse boss arrives, interrupting Santiago and the Englishman’s conversation. He tells them that there's a caravan leaving today for Al-Fayoum. The Englishman says that this must be a good luck omen. He feels it was no coincidence that he met Santiago, who also had Urim and Thummim with him. Santiago tells the Englishman that he is looking for a treasure. The Englishman responds that in a certain way, he is doing the same. Santiago admits to the Englishman that he doesn't know what alchemy is.

The leader of the caravan introduces himself to the people who will be accompanying him across the desert. There are about two hundred people and four hundred animals. The leader of the caravan says that there are a lot of different people accompanying the caravan, and they believe in many different forms of God. He tells his followers that the only God he serves is Allah, and he swears on Allah that he will do everything possible to protect the people in his caravan. But he wants the people to swear by their Gods that they will follow his instructions, because in the desert, disobedience means death.

Santiago swears to Jesus, but the Englishman says nothing. Santiago and the Englishman have both bought camels to ride. The Englishman continues his conversation with Santiago as the pair starts on their journey. The caravan begins to move, and it’s impossible to hear what the Englishman is saying. However, Santiago knows what he is trying to say, because he too has been led to the desert by a chain of connected events. The closer one gets to one’s Personal Legend, the more the Personal Legend defines one’s reason for being. The caravan travels toward the east, and Santiago spends his time silently observing the progress of the animals and people. In the desert the only sound is the wind and the movements of the animals.

One night Santiago talks to a camel driver, who tells him that, despite how many times he has crossed the desert, the infinite size of the desert still makes him feel small. Santiago understands what he means, although he has never visited the desert before. He reflects that he's learned things from his sheep and from working with crystal, and he should be able to learn something from the desert, too. He thinks of his sheep, but reminds himself that they're not his sheep anymore. He is glad that they have probably forgotten him. They are used to traveling, and therefore know how to move on.

Santiago also thinks about the merchant’s daughter, and feels certain that she has married someone else. He feels that his intuitive understanding of the camel driver’s comment about the desert means that he might be learning some of the universal language that connects all people. His mother used to refer to this as "hunches.” He thinks of the crystal merchant and says, “maktub.”

Sometimes as it travels, the caravan has to go around a boulder or rocky area, but whenever they make a major detour they still continue in generally the same direction. The Englishman is unaware of this, because he is focused on reading his books. Santiago also has his book, but he finds it more interesting to observe the caravan in the desert. He becomes friends with the camel driver, and at night as they sit around the fire together. Santiago tells him about being a shepherd, and the camel driver tells Santiago about himself. He had a happy life as a farmer, and had made at the pilgrimage to Mecca with his family. One day, there was an earthquake, and the Nile River overflowed its banks. The camel driver had never imagined that this was something that could happen to him. The land was ruined, and so he had to seek out another form of income.

The camel driver says that disaster taught him to understand that people need not fear the unknown if they're capable of achieving their needs and wants. He says that he sees how many people are afraid of losing what they have, but this fear is no longer relevant when they understand that human lives were written by the same hand that created the world.

Occasionally, the caravan encounters another group traveling in the desert. Sometimes men appear and share information about thieves and warring tribes. There is a sense of fear in the air when there is discussion of the tribal wars, even though no one comments on it. Santiago realizes that this awareness of shared fear is another aspect of the universal language without words.

The Englishman asks the camel driver if they're in danger from the tribal wars. The camel driver says that in the desert there's no going back, and so they must move forward through danger. “Maktub,” he says. Santiago tells the Englishman that he should pay more attention to the caravan. In turn, the Englishman tells Santiago that he should read more.

The caravan begins to travel faster, and the days and nights are passed in silence. One night the Englishman is unable to sleep, and he and Santiago go for a walk. Santiago tells the Englishman about his life, and the Englishman is fascinated with the progress Santiago was able to make with his innovative ideas in the crystal shop. He tells Santiago that there's a common principle that connects all things, which he refers to as the Soul of the World. Desiring something with all your heart brings you close to the Soul of the World. The Englishman says that everything, including animals, plants, and objects, has a soul. Therefore, in the crystal shop, even the glass may have been helping Santiago succeed.

Santiago says that he has observed the caravan carefully, and that the caravan and the desert speak the same language. It is this unity that will allow them to reach the oasis. He recognizes that if either of them had joined the caravan without an awareness of the universal language, the journey would have been much more difficult for them. The boy says he has seen how the guides read the signs of the desert, and how the desert and the caravan speak to each other. The Englishman admits that he should pay more attention to the caravan, and Santiago says that he would like to read the Englishman's books.

The Englishman's books teach many strange ideas. In one book, Santiago learns that the most important item in alchemy is the Emerald Tablet. Santiago wonders why, if this single text explains everything about the study of alchemy, do alchemists need so many books about their subject? The Englishman says that all the other books help them to understand the few lines that are inscribed on the Emerald Tablet. Santiago enjoys reading the stories of the most famous alchemists. They worked on purifying metals in their laboratories, and tried to discover the Master Work, which required them to understand the universal language.

Santiago asks the Englishman if observing the world is sufficient for learning to understand the universal language. The Englishman responds that Santiago is obsessed with simplifying everything. He feels that the many steps of alchemy are important. The two parts of the Master Work are the creation of the Elixir of Life, and the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Elixir of Life keeps the maker from growing old, and the Philosopher’s Stone can turn other metals into gold. The Englishmen says that in the process of purifying metals, the alchemists purified themselves.

Santiago realizes that the crystal merchant had a similar understanding of his work, because he said it was a good thing to clean crystal in order to free oneself from negative thoughts. Santiago begins to believe that one can learn alchemy in everyday life. Santiago is particularly interested in the Philosopher’s Stone, but whenever he tries to learn how to achieve the Master Work, he becomes completely overwhelmed by the obscure texts.

Santiago asks the Englishman why the alchemists of the past have made the processes of alchemy so complicated. The Englishman replies that the complexity allows only those with enough responsibility to understand, as not just anyone should be able to transform lead into gold. Only those who are willing to study deeply achieve the Master Work. The Englishman doesn't respond to all of Santiago’s questions, but instead shares that he has been observing the caravan, and has only noticed the increasing talk of war.

Santiago returns the alchemy books to the Englishman. The Englishman asks him what he has earned. Santiago says that he learned about the Soul of the World, and that many alchemists realize their Personal Legends by discovering the Soul of the World. Most importantly, however, he learned that all these things were so simple they could be inscribed in a few lines on the surface of the Emerald Tablet.

The Englishman is disappointed, because none of the complexity and years of research involved in alchemy have made an impression on Santiago. He tells Santiago to go back to watching the caravan, saying that that activity did didn't teach him anything either. Santiago returns to his contemplation, reflecting that everyone has his own way of learning things, and he respects the Englishman for pursuing his Personal Legend.

The caravan travels day and night, and the animals are exhausted from being pushed at a faster pace. Only the camel driver seems unconcerned by the threat of war. He tells Santiago that he focuses on the activity that he is doing in the moment, and on the fact that he is alive. He doesn't live in his past or his future. He says that if you can concentrate on the present, you'll be happy. Two nights, later he points out the oasis on the horizon. Santiago asks why they don't hurry there, and the camel driver responds, "because we have to sleep."

Santiago awakes with the sunrise and can see the date palms of the oasis. The Englishman exclaims happily, but Santiago is quiet and content to look at the trees of the oasis. He recognizes that he still has a long way to go to reach the pyramids. But now he has learned from the camel driver, and he wants to live in the moment. In this moment, the presence of the date palms signifies shade, water, and refuge from danger.

At the oasis, the alchemist is watching the caravan arrive. All types of new activity stir up dust, and the children of the oasis excitedly greet the new arrivals. None of this energy matters to the alchemist, as he has seen so many people come and go, and in all that time, the desert that holds them has not changed.

This time, however, the alchemist knows that in the caravan there is a man to whom he can teach some of his secrets. Omens have revealed this to him, and he believes he will know the man when he sees him. He reflects that the secrets of alchemy need to be transmitted by word-of-mouth. His only explanation for this is that the truths that he will teach are of a kind that cannot be captured in pictures or words. Pictures and words can distract people from the Language of the World.

Santiago is surprised to see that the oasis is larger than many towns in Spain. The Englishman observes that it looks like something out of One Thousand and One Nights. Curious children surround them, and men and women ask about the fighting and the products that they've brought over the desert. The camel driver has explained to Santiago that the oases are considered neutral territories, because most of the inhabitants are women and children. When the tribes fight, they leave the oases as places of refuge.

The leader of the caravan calls his people together and gives them instructions. They plan to stay at the oasis until the conflict between the tribes is over. He asks everyone to hand over any weapons that they might be carrying, because in the neutral zone of the oases no one is allowed to carry weapons. Santiago is surprised to see that the Englishman has a revolver. He says that carrying a revolver helped him “to trust in people.”

Santiago realizes that the closer he gets to his treasure, the more difficult pursuing it has become. He does not want to push forward impulsively and ignore omens from God. He thinks of the camel driver, and reminds himself to do everything in its own time. On their first day in the oasis, the travelers sleep. Santiago is assigned to a tent with other young men, and he tells them about his life as a shepherd and about working in the crystal shop. The Englishman comes into the tent while Santiago is sharing his story, and says that he's been looking for him. He wants Santiago to help him find where the alchemist lives. The two search for the alchemist, and discover that the oasis is larger than they could have imagined.

The Englishman frets that they've wasted an entire day in their search, and Santiago says that they need to ask for help. They sit down near the wells and the Englishman says that Santiago, who speaks better Arabic, should ask people about the alchemist. Santiago approaches a woman who has come to the well for water, but the woman says she has never heard of the alchemist, and quickly hurries away. Before she does so, she tells Santiago that it is against their custom for him to converse with a married woman. The Englishman is disappointed, because he fears that he has come all this way for nothing. Santiago points out that he had never heard of alchemy, so maybe others in the oasis simply don't know the alchemist by that title. The Englishman agrees, and decides to ask for the person who cures illnesses.

They ask a man who comes to the well, and he wonders why they want to find that person. The man reflects that perhaps they are asking about a certain powerful man, whom not even the tribal chieftains are able to see when they wish to. He warns them to wait for the end of the war, and then leave with the caravan. Despite this word of warning, the Englishman is excited to hear that they are on the right track.

A young woman appears at the well, and is not dressed in black like the married woman. Santiago approaches her to ask about the alchemist, and suddenly he feels the life of the Soul of the World. Immediately he realizes that the language that everyone on earth can understand is love. The young woman smiles, and Santiago sees that as a good omen. Even though his family told him to meet and get to know a girl before committing himself to her, he knows in that moment that he is in love. He feels that she has been waiting for him in the desert. Only that present moment matters, andSantiago is suddenly certain that everything that exists was written by the same hand, and with great love. "Maktub," he thinks.

Santiago asks the girl her name, and she says it is Fatima. The Englishman prods Santiago to ask about a man who cures illnesses. Fatima says that there is a man who knows all the secrets of the world, and who communicates with genies of the desert. She points in the direction of where the man lives. Then, filling her vessel with water, she leaves the well. The Englishman leaves in the direction that Fatima pointed, but Santiago sits at the well for a long time. He realizes that he loved Fatima even before he knew her.

The next day Santiago returns to the well, hoping to see Fatima. She is not there, but the Englishman is. He tells Santiago that he encountered the alchemist, and told him of his goal. The alchemist then asked him if he had ever transformed lead into gold, and the Englishman responded that he has come to the oasis to learn how to do so. The alchemist responded that he should try his hand at this on his own first. The Englishman says that he is going to try, and he's going to start this very day.

The Englishman leaves, and Fatima arrives at the well. Santiago tells her that he loves her and wishes to marry her. He tells her that he has come into the desert in search of a treasure near the pyramids. He thought of the war as a curse, but now he sees it as a blessing, because it has brought him to the oasis and to Fatima. Fatima points out that the war is going to end someday. Santiago feels in his heart that Fatima is more important than his treasure. Fatima says that the tribesmen are always in search of treasure, and that the women of the desert are proud of them. She fills her vessel with water and leaves.

Santiago goes to the well every day to meet Fatima. He tells her about his life as a shepherd, his encounter with Melchizedek, and his work in the crystal shop. The two become friends. Santiago tells Fatima that the leader of the caravan called a meeting, and told those traveling with the caravan that he didn't know when the war would end and allow the caravan to continue its journey. Fatima says that she has learned from Santiago about the universal language and the Soul of the World. She says that she has now become a part of Santiago and his quest.

Fatima realizes that she has been waiting for Santiago at the oasis for a long time. Ever since she was a child, she dreamed that a wonderful present would appear for her from the desert. Fatima says that because Santiago has told her about his dreams and about the omens, she now realizes that those omens have brought them together. She says that, because of this, she wants Santiago to continue toward his goal and pursue his dream. The desert never changes, and their love too will never change. Fatima says "maktub," and tells Santiago that if they are really part of the same dream, and meant to be together, then he'll return to her one day.

Santiago is sad after he says farewell to Fatima that day. He thinks of the difficulty of telling a loved one that you must leave them behind and travel. The next time he sees Fatima, she explains that women of the desert are used to departures. The desert always takes men away from the oasis. She knows that sometimes these men don't return, and if they don't return they become a part of everything, a part of the Soul of the World. She says that she will become one of the women who wait. As a desert woman, she wants her husband to be able to wander free, and she knows that if he never returned to her, she could accept the fact that he had become part of the Soul of the World.

Santiago goes in search of the Englishman, to tell him about Fatima. He finds that the Englishman has built a furnace outside his tent. The Englishman seems livelier than he did before, and he says that he has begun the first phase of the job to purify the metals and start the Master Work. He says that before this, he was held back by his fear of failure. But now he's beginning what he should have begun ten years ago. He's happy that he didn't wait twenty more years to start the Master Work, at least.

Santiago feels the urge to walk out into the desert. He listens to the wind and feels the stones beneath his feet. He finds a few shells and realizes that once upon a time the desert had been a sea. As he sits in the desert thinking, he sees a pair of hawks flying in the sky. He wonders if these desert birds could explain to him the meaning of love without ownership. Suddenly one of the hawks attacks the other end and, with this action, the boy is given a sudden vision. The vision is of an army attacking the oasis.Santiago wishes he could forget the vision and return to his earlier thoughts, but he cannot. Melchizedek had told him to always pay attention to omens.

Santiago returns to the oasis and finds the camel driver. Santiago tells him that he knows an army is coming, because he has had a vision. He also tells the camel driver about the hawks, and about his feeling that he was in touch with the Soul of the World. The camel driver understands, because he knows that anything on the face of the earth could teach a person about the history of all things. Seers are able to access the Soul of the World, but the tribespeople only consult seers tentatively, because they know that knowing the future could paralyze them in the present. But the camel driver is not a worrier, and therefore has consulted several seers, some of whom turned out to be right and some of whom turned out to be wrong.

Once, an old seer asked the camel driver why he was so interested in the future. The camel driver had responded that he hoped to change things he didn’t want to happen. The seer pointed out that then these things would not be part of his future. The camel driver responded that maybe he simply wants to prepare himself for the future. The seer said that if good things are coming they will be good, and if bad things are coming then he will only suffer more in anticipating them before they occur.

The old seer told the camel driver that the future truly belongs only to God. In his line of work, he guesses at the future based on the secrets concealed in the present. He says it's important to pay attention to the present so you can improve on it. If you improve on the present, you will be improving on the future. The seer encouraged the camel driver to forget about the future, and to focus on the present. The camel driver then asked the seer when God would permit him to see the future. The old seer responded that occasionally God himself chooses to reveal the future, but this only happens when the future is written with the intention that it be altered. Therefore, the vision must have been revealed to Santiago intentionally, so that the future can be altered.

The camel driver tells Santiago to go and speak to the tribal chieftains and tell them what he has seen. He reassures Santiago that these men of the desert are used to dealing with omens, and that they will listen to them. This has happened before, and this time it simply happens to be Santiago who is the instrument of revealing the future.

Santiago goes to see the chieftains. He approaches the guard at the entrance to the huge white tent at the center of the oasis. When he announces his intention and says that he has brought omens from the desert, the guard goes into the tent. He reemerges with a young man dressed in white and gold. The man asks him to wait and, as the Santiago waits, night falls. After hours of waiting, the guard asks Santiago to enter the tent. Santiago is astonished by the extravagance inside. The ground is covered with beautiful carpets and lamps of gold with lit candles decorating the space. The tribal chieftains are seated in a semi-circle on silk cushions, supplied with tea and hookah.

Santiago can immediately see which one of the chieftains is the most important: old man dressed in white and gold and seated at the center of the semi-circle. One of the chieftains asks who Santiago is, and he reports what he has seen in his vision. Another chieftain asks why the desert would reveal such things to a stranger. Santiago says it is because his eyes are not used to the desert, and so he can notice things that others might not. He also thinks, although he does not say this aloud, that it is also because he knows about the Soul of the World. The chieftains point out that the oasis is supposed to be neutral ground.

The chieftains speak amongst themselves in an Arabic dialect that Santiago does not know. Finally, the elder chief smiles and Santiago is reassured. The discussion ends, and the chieftains are silent as they listen to the elder. The elder chieftain turns to Santiago and explains that all of the chiefs know that whoever believes in dreams also knows how to interpret them. He speaks of Joseph, a man who believed in dreams and who was a stranger in a strange land, like Santiago.

The elder chieftain explains that the tribespeople observe traditions because they have helped their people survive. And tradition says that the oasis is a neutral territory. At the same time, tradition says that the people of the desert should believe the desert’s messages. The elder chieftain announces that the next day the men will break the agreement of the oasis and carry arms—but weapons have a spirit, and if they are not used, they may not function the next time. Therefore, if, at the end of the day, the weapons have not been used, then Santiago will lose his life.

Santiago leaves the tent to find the oasis illuminated by the light of a full moon. He is alarmed by the elder chieftain’s decision. Santiago has been successful at reaching the Soul of the World and receiving his vision, but now he might have to pay for that success with his life. But he reminds himself of the camel driver’s words—that to die one day is no worse than dying on any other. Santiago realizes that he has no regrets. Even if he dies the next day, he will have experienced much of the world and he will have lived his life in pursuit of his Personal Legend.

Suddenly there is a wind and a thundering sound, and Santiago is knocked to the ground. As the dust settles, Santiago sees a horse and a rider completely dressed in black. The strange horseman has an enormous curved sword, and he confronts Santiago, demanding to know who dares to read the flight of the hawks. Santiago speaks up, saying that he dared to do so, and that because he dared many lives will be saved. The stranger lowers the sword until it touches Santiago's forehead. It does not occur to Santiago to try to flee. He feels a sense of joy in his awareness that he is about to die, but to die in pursuit of his Personal Legend, and while seeing his vision of violence in the oasis actualized.

Again the stranger questions Santiago about why he read the flight of the hawks. Santiago says that he was only able to read what the birds wanted him to know. The stranger questions who he is to change the future that Allah has willed. Santiago points out that Allah also created the birds, and taught him the language of the hawks. The stranger cautions him to be careful with his predictions of the future. Santiago says that although he saw an army, he did not see the outcome of the confrontation.

The stranger seems pleased, and asks Santiago what he is doing in the oasis. Santiago says that he is following his Personal Legend. The stranger says that he had to test Santiago's courage, because courage is essential when one wants to understand the Language of the World. Santiago is surprised that the stranger knows this. The stranger continues that Santiago must maintain his courage, and if he survives till the end of the next day, then he should seek him out. Santiago asks where the man lives. As the man turns his horse away, he points to the south. Santiago has met the alchemist.

The next day five hundred tribesmen appear on the horizon, but the men of the oasis surround the attackers and kill all of them. The children had been camped at the other side of the oasis, and they do not witness the battle. The women are safe in their tents. Only the commander of the enemy tribesmen is spared. The commander is brought before the tribal chieftains and asked why he violated the tradition. He explains that he and his men had acted out of starvation. The elder chieftain expresses sympathy for the commander, but says that the sacred tradition is more important. He orders the commander hanged from a palm tree, and then he calls for Santiago. He gives Santiago fifty pieces of gold, and asks him to be one of his counselors.

That evening Santiago heads south through the oasis. He discovers a solitary tent and is told that it is a place inhabited by genies. He sits down to wait for the alchemist. The alchemist arrives when the moon is high, with two dead hawks in his hand. The alchemist asks Santiago if it is his Personal Legend that brings him into the desert. Santiago says that because of the war between the tribes, it has been impossible to cross the desert toward the Egyptian Pyramids. The alchemist welcomes Santiago into his tent. Santiago looks around for the implements of alchemy, but does not see any. The alchemist invites him to have a drink and to eat the cooked birds with him. Santiago suspects that they are the same hawks he had seen the day before.

Santiago asks the alchemist why he wanted to see him. Because of omens, the alchemist replies. The omens showed the alchemist that Santiago would be coming, and that he would need his help. Santiago insists that the omens spoke about the Englishman who wished to meet the alchemist. The alchemist says that the Englishman is on the right track, but that he has other things he needs to do first. The alchemist says of Santiago that he is not going to instruct him, as he already knows everything he needs to know, but he is going to point him in the direction of his treasure.

Santiago reminds him of the tribal war, and insists that he has already found his treasure, which includes the gold he received that day. The alchemist points out that none of that gold is from the pyramids. Santiago says that he has found Fatima, and that she is a greater treasure than anything else. The alchemist says that she was not found at the pyramids either. The alchemist serves Santiago a bottle of wine, and Santiago is surprised, assuming that wine was also forbidden in the oasis. The alchemist says that it's not what enters men's mouths that is evil, but what comes out of them.

After they eat, the two sit outside the tent under the brilliant moon. The alchemist tells Santiago to rest well and enjoy himself. He says that Santiago has to find his treasure so that his quest is complete, and so that everything he has learned already makes sense. He instructs Santiago to sell his camel and to buy a horse, because horses tire bit by bit, and he will be able to tell that his horse is tired when crossing the desert. A camel, on the other hand, will not show any signs of weariness until the moment when it drops dead.

The next night, Santiago arrives at the alchemist’s tent with a horse. The alchemist challenges Santiago to show him where there is life in the desert, because, he says, only those who can find the signs of life are able to find treasure. Santiago does not know if he'll be able to do this, as he doesn't know the desert very well yet. He says that he knows there is life in the desert, but he doesn't know where to look. The alchemist responds, “life attracts life.” Santiago understands, and he sets his horse free to lead him. The two follow the horse until it leads them to a stony area of the desert. The boy says that he knows there is life here, because his horse knows the language of life.

The alchemist searches among the stones and then reaches into a hole. He withdraws with a snake clasped in his hand. Santiago leaps back, because it is a cobra with poisonous venom. As he begins to warn the alchemist, he remembers what the Englishman had told him: the alchemist is over two hundred years old. Santiago assumes that the alchemist knows how to deal with desert snakes. The alchemist draws a circle in the sand and places the snake within it. He reassures Santiago that the snake won't leave the circle.

The alchemist tells the boy that his ability to find life in the desert was an omen that he needed, and he announces that he is going to guide Santiago across the desert. Santiago says that he wants to stay at the oasis because he has found Fatima. The alchemist says that because Fatima is a woman of the desert, she knows that men have to go away from time to time. She has found her treasure, and it is Santiago. Santiago asks what will happen if he decides to stay, and the alchemist paints him a portrait of this potential future.

In this future, Santiago will be a wealthy counselor to the oasis chieftains. He'll be married to Fatima and they will be happy. He will get better and better at interpreting omens from the desert. Sometime during the second year, he will remember his treasure and the omens will repeatedly insist that he seek it. During the third year, Santiago will be haunted by thoughts of his treasure and his Personal Legend. Fatima will be unhappy because she'll feel responsible for having interrupted Santiago's quest. Santiago will remember that Fatima never asked him to stay, so he won't blame her, but he'll regret that he did not trust more strongly in his love for Fatima—because the only thing that kept him at the oasis was his fear that he would not return. During the fourth year the omens will abandon Santiago. He will lose his position as a counselor, and he will live with the regret of knowing that he didn't pursue his Personal Legend before it was too late.

The alchemist tells Santiago that love never prevents a man from actualizing his Personal Legend. If he gives up his Personal Legend because of love, it was not a love that speaks the Language of the World. The alchemist erases the sand circle and the snake slithers away. Santiago thinks of the crystal merchant who wanted to go to Mecca, and of the Englishman and his search, and of the woman who trusts the desert. Santiago and the alchemist return to the oasis. Santiago announces that he is going in search of his treasure, and he feels peace fill his heart. The alchemist says they will leave the next day before dawn.

Santiago does not sleep that night. Two hours before dawn he goes in search of Fatima. He asks an Arab boy to wake her from her tent and to tell her that he's waiting to talk to her. Fatima appears outside the tent, and she and Santiago walk among the date palms. Santiago explains that he is going away, but he wants her to know that he will return. Fatima says that he does not need to explain his love for her, because no reason is needed for love. Santiago explains that he had a dream, met a king, worked for a crystal merchant, crossed the desert, and sought an alchemist at a well—and all these things led him to meet Fatima. The two embrace for the first time.

Santiago promises that he'll be back. Fatima says that she used to look to the desert with longing, but know she will look with hope. She has seen her father go away, and he has always come back. Santiago promises to return in the same way. He sees that Fatima's eyes are filled with tears. She tells him that she may be a woman of the desert, but she is still a woman. Fatima returns to her tent, and when dawn arrives she goes out to do her regular chores. Her routine is the same, but everything else has changed. The oasis is now an empty place for her. From that dawn onward, the desert is important, and she looks to it every day and imagines Santiago's journey. She will send kisses to him on the wind, and the desert will represent her hope for his return.

The alchemist encourages Santiago to not think about what he has left behind, because The Soul of the World is permanent. Santiago reflects that men think more about returning home than leaving. The alchemist says that things made of pure matter never spoil with time, and so one can always come back to them. Even though the alchemist is speaking of metals and alchemy, Santiago knows that he is actually talking about Santiago’s love for Fatima. It is difficult to take the alchemist’s advice and not dwell on what he is leaving behind, however. The desert is uniform and monotonous, so it is easy to think of the oasis.

The alchemist rides in front and his falcon sits on his shoulder. The bird hunts for game for the two to eat. At night, Santiago and the alchemist try to stay hidden. They travel in silence, except for their strategic discussions about the ongoing violence between the tribes. On the seventh day of their trip they make camp earlier than usual. The alchemist congratulates Santiago for nearing the end of his journey and for having pursued his Personal Legend. Santiago points out that along the way he hasn't learned anything new from the alchemist, and he thought that he would be taught some of the old man's wisdom. The alchemist explains that there's only way one way to learn—through action. Therefore, Santiago has already learned everything he needed to know, except for one thing.

Santiago asks why the alchemist is called "the alchemist,” And the alchemist answers simply that “an alchemist” is what he is. Santiago asks about the other alchemists who failed to make gold from lead. The alchemist explains that these men failed because they were only looking for gold. He says that living out one’s Personal Legend is more than finding one's treasure. Santiago then asks about the one thing he still needs to learn, but the alchemist does not answer.

As he prepares their dinner that night, the alchemist explains that he learned the procedures of alchemy from his grandfather, who learned from his father, and so on. In the early times, everything about the Master Work could be written on the Emerald Tablet. But because men rejected simple things, they wrote many other works of literature about the Master Work. Santiago wants to know what was written on the emerald tablet, and the alchemist draws an image in the sand. The boy tries to read what's written in the sand, but disappointedly observes that it's code.

The alchemist contradicts Santiago, however, saying that it is not code, but actually information that cannot be understood by reason alone. The Emerald Tablet is a direct link to the Soul of the World. The alchemist explains that wise men understand that the natural world is an imperfect version of paradise, and that God created the world so that men could learn about his teachings and his wisdom. Santiago wonders if he should understand the inscription on the Emerald Tablet. The alchemist points out that the Emerald Tablet exists in the context of alchemy, and the boy is in the desert, so Santiago should immerse himself in the desert, and from the desert he can learn anything that he will need to know. All he needs to do is contemplate a single grain of sand to see the power of all of creation. To do this, Santiago should listen to his heart, because it came from the Soul of the World.

The alchemist and Santiago travel for another two days in silence. The alchemist is cautious, because they're passing through the most dangerous region where the tribal wars are being waged. As they travel, Santiago practices listening to his heart, but discovers that this is not easy to do. He remembers a time in his life when his heart spoke up clearly, but recently that hasn't been the case. There are times when his heart strongly expresses emotions, or when it beats faster as he speaks of his treasure, but no matter what his heart is never quiet. Santiago asks the alchemist why they have to listen to their hearts. The alchemist says that "because, wherever your heart is, that is where you find your treasure. "

Santiago’s heart is agitated and emotional, and keeps him awake at night thinking about Fatima. The alchemist explains these are signs that his heart is alive. Over the next three days, Santiago and the alchemist pass several warrior tribesmen, and the boy’s heart expresses fear. It speaks of men who have sought their treasure and failed. Santiago says to the alchemist that his heart is fighting against his plan to go on. The alchemist says that this makes sense, because it is natural to be afraid when one has found happiness already. However, one should always listen to one's heart, because it will be speaking regardless, and if one knows one’s heart well, it will never betray him. No one can escape from the feelings of his heart—so you should always listen to it, even when it is complicated and contradictory.

Santiago listens to his heart and comes to understand its changes and contradictions, and he is able to move past his fear. His heart explains to him that people are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because of feelings of insufficiency or anxiety. Their hearts are fearful because they know they will suffer if they do not succeed. Santiago tells the alchemist that his heart is afraid of suffering, and the alchemist responds, “tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.” Santiago passes his words along to his heart, reminding it that he is searching for his treasure and fulfilling his dream.

Santiago’s heart becomes restful and quiet, and it begins to tell him things from the Soul of the World. It tells him about happiness, and how people who are happy carry God with them. It tells Santiago that everyone on earth has a treasure waiting for him, but only a few follow their Personal Legends to find their treasure. Because people see the world as threatening, their hearts grow quieter overtime. The hearts don't want people to suffer by feeling conflicted between their fear and what their heart is telling them to do. Telling people to follow their dreams makes the heart suffer, because this so rarely succeeds. Santiago asks his heart to tell him whenever he wanders from his dreams.

Santiago tells all of this to the alchemist. The alchemist says Santiago must just continue in the direction of the pyramids, and pay attention to any omens along the way. Because he has now learned to speak to his heart, Santiago will know where his treasure is. The alchemist says that the last thing he needs to know is that before any dream is realized, the Soul of the World will test a person. This is not a cruel test, but a chance for the person to master everything that they have achieved along the way. Just as a search begins with “beginner’s luck,” so it ends with the person being tested. Santiago thinks that, “the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn.”

The next day, three armed tribesmen approach Santiago and the alchemist, and ask what they are doing. The alchemist explains that he's hunting. The tribesmen say they'll need to search the pair to see whether they are armed. When they search them, they wonder why they carry so much money. Santiago says he needs it to get to the pyramids. Among the alchemist’s belongings the tribesmen find a small flask and a yellow glass egg. The alchemist explains that these are the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher’s Stone. He says that the Elixir, if drunk, will prevent someone from ever being sick again, and a fragment of the stone will turn metal into gold. The tribesmen laugh, and the alchemist laughs along. Amused at this answer, they leave the pair to proceed.

Santiago is amazed and shocked at the alchemist’s brazen honesty, but the alchemist explains that when you possess great treasures, others rarely believe that you do. With each day of traveling in the desert, the boy’s heart grows more and more silent. It is no longer active with questions—it is simply content to observe the endless days in the desert.

Santiago’s heart points out something that Santiago has never noticed—at various points in his life he has been in danger without having perceived it, and in these cases his heart has protected him. One time it hid the rifle Santiago had taken from his father. Another time, Santiago had become ill and stopped traveling when, if he had continued, he would've passed thieves on the road. Santiago asks the alchemist if one’s heart always helps him. The alchemist says that hearts help when somebody is trying to realize their Personal Legend, but also when one is a child, or old, or a drunkard. The heart is not a fail-safe, but it does what it can.

One afternoon Santiago and the alchemist pass an encampment with armed men. Santiago feels that there's no danger, but the alchemist reminds him that even while he trusts in his heart, he is still at risk in the desert. As if to demonstrate the reality of this, horseman appeared behind the travelers. They stop Santiago and the alchemist, and tell them that they can't go any farther, because they’re in the area where the tribes are at war. The alchemist stares straight into the eyes of the two horsemen, and eventually they agree that Santiago and the alchemist can continue on their way. Santiago is impressed, and the alchemist explains that the eyes show the strength of one’s soul.

One day the alchemist announces that they're only two days from the pyramids. Santiago again asks about the alchemist teaching him alchemy. The alchemist replies that Santiago already knows the practices that allow him to reach to the Soul of the World. Santiago says that he's particularly curious about the practical aspects of turning metal into gold. The alchemist explains that everything on the earth evolves, and that in the minds of men, gold is the highest evolution of metal. Over time, however, gold became not a symbol of successful evolution, but instead a source of conflict between humans. The alchemist explains that true alchemists try to evolve with the gold that they produce from metal, and they are successful because they understand that when something evolves, the things surrounding it evolve as well.

When alchemists were interested only in the gold for the sake of the wealth, they never found the secret. The other metals such as lead, copper, and iron have their own Personal Legends, and if one disrupts these he will never fulfill his own Personal Legend. The alchemist picks up a shell from the sand and explains that this desert was once a sea. Santiago says he has noticed this as well. The alchemist tells Santiago to hold the shell to his ear and to listen to the sound of the sea. The shell will never stop echoing the sea, because that is its Personal Legend. It will continue to do so until the desert is once again evolved into sea.

The sun is setting that night when Santiago’s heart warns of danger. Two horsemen are waiting for them, and before they can do anything the horseman are joined by others, until there are hundreds everywhere in the dunes around them. Their eyes show the strength of their souls, and they speak of death.

The tribesmen take Santiago and the alchemist to their nearby camp. There they meet the enemy chieftain, who believes that they are spies. The alchemist protests that they are just travelers. The tribesmen are suspicious because Santiago and the alchemist were seen at the enemy camp, talking to the tribesmen who stopped them there. The alchemist says that he is only acting as a guide for his friend Santiago. He tells the tribesmen that Santiago is also an alchemist, and that he can show them his extraordinary powers. He offers the money that Santiago is carrying, and the enemy chieftain accepts the gold.

The enemy chieftain wonders what an alchemist is. The alchemist says that an alchemist understands the forces of nature, and that he could use the wind to destroy this very camp. The chieftain says he wants to see Santiago do this. The alchemist explains that Santiago needs three days, and after that time, Santiago will transform himself into the wind. If Santiago cannot do so, he promises that both of them will offer their lives for the honor of the tribe. The enemy chieftain grants Santiago the three days.

Santiago is afraid, but the alchemist tells him to not let the tribesmen see his fear. Santiago exclaims angrily that the alchemist has willingly given all of his gold to the enemy chieftain, but the alchemist says that the money has saved them for three days. Santiago is afraid, because he has no idea how to transform himself into the wind. The alchemist advises him to not give into his fears. If he remains unafraid, he will be able to listen to his heart. Santiago protests that he has no idea how to turn himself into the wind. The alchemist explains that when a person is living out his Personal Legend, he has all the tools he needs—the only thing that could hold him back is the fear of failure. He says that Santiago will have to learn how to transform himself into the wind because his life depends on it. If he does not succeed, then at least he’ll die while trying to realize his Personal Legend. The alchemist concludes that Santiago shouldn't worry too much, however, because usually the threat of death makes people more aware of their lives.

The first day passes. There's a serious battle nearby, and wounded and dead soldiers are returned to the camp. Santiago sees a soldier speaking to the body of one of his friends. The soldier says that his friend was going to die anyway, whether he died now or later, after peace had been reached. At the end of the day, Santiago seeks out the alchemist and explains that he still has no idea how to turn himself into the wind. The alchemist reminds Santiago of his previous explanation of the world: the world is the visible part of God’s creation and, through the processes of alchemy, the perfection of God can be actualized in the material world. The alchemist says that Santiago is the only one in danger of dying, because he himself already knows how to turn into the wind.

During the second day, Santiago climbs to the top of the cliff next to the enemy camp. The soldiers let him go, because they are afraid of his powers. He spends the afternoon observing the desert and listening to his heart. He knows that the desert is aware of his fear, because they speak the same language.

On the third day, the enemy chieftain meets with his counselors. He says that they should go see the boy turn himself into the wind. Santiago leads them all to the cliff where he had spent the previous day. He tells the chieftain that the process will take a while. Santiago gazes out at the desert. The desert asks him why he is back, after spending all of the previous day gazing at it. Santiago says that because the desert holds the person he loves, when he looks out at the desert he is also looking at her. He wants to return to her, and therefore he needs the desert’s help. In order to survive, he must turn himself into the wind. The desert, however, does not know what love is.

Santiago explains love as the falcons’ flight over the desert sands. The falcon knows the desert intimately, but the desert says that the falcons steal away parts of the desert itself when they hurt the animals that the desert has cared for. Santiago points out that the desert creates these small creatures in order to feed the falcon, and the falcon feeds the man, and the man eventually returns to the sands of the desert. This is what love is. The desert says that it does not understand Santiago. Santiago insist that at least the desert can understand that Fatima is waiting for him in the desert, and that he must return to her. The desert says that it will offer its sands to help the wind blow, but it can't transform Santiago.The wind begins to blow, and the alchemist smiles.

Santiago asks the wind for its help. The wind wants to know who taught Santiago to speak the language of the desert and of the wind. Santiago says that it was his heart. The wind is stronger than the desert, because it does not come from any specific place or go to any specific place. Humans could transform the desert by planting trees there someday, but humans could never transform the wind. The wind says that it and Santiago are two very different things. Santiago says that this is not true, because they're both made by the same hand and have the same soul. The wind says that it listened to Santiago's conversation with the alchemist, but it knows that people cannot turn themselves into wind.

Santiago asks that he learned to become wind for just a few moments, so that the two can discuss the possibilities of people and the wind. The wind is curious, and it wants Santiago to succeed, but it doesn’t know how. Santiago makes his final plea, saying that when someone is loved, they can do anything—even turning themselves into the wind—but he still needs the wind’s help to do so. The wind is a proud being, and it begins to blow fiercely. Soon, however, the wind realizes that it knows nothing of love, even though it has seen people speaking of love all over the world. The wind says that Santiago had better ask his question of heaven. It blows with all its strength, swirling sand into the air so that Santiago can look toward the heavens.

The tribesmen are overwhelmed by the wind and dust of a desert storm. Two of the tribesmen tell the enemy chieftain that they had better stop Santiago's project to be safe, but the enemy chieftain insists that he wants to see the greatness of Allah, so he wants to see this through to completion. He remembers for later the names of the men who've expressed their fear.

Santiago next speaks to the sun, saying that he has learned from the wind that the sun knows about love. The sun replies that from its position it can see the Soul of the World. From a distance, the Soul of the World and the sun contemplate each other and love each other. The sun speaks of the creation of the world, and says that it has learned from the Soul of the World that if the hand that wrote everything had stopped on the fifth day of creation, then everything would exist in harmony. Santiago contradicts him, saying that if there hadn't been a sixth day of creation—the day on which humans were created—then nothing would be able to evolve. Because humans exist, each thing can transform itself into something better and acquire a new Personal Legend, until someday everything will become entirely part of the Soul of the World. In response, the sun shines more brightly.

Santiago says that alchemy exists so that everyone will strive for improvement, just as gold exists as lead until it can be turned into gold. Alchemy teaches everyone that when improvement is sought, everything becomes better, and love is the transformative force. The desert is static, the wind is always moving, and the sun sees everything from a remove. Santiago has now realized that the Soul of the World is not perfect, and that imperfection is why the power of love is so important. The power of love improves everything, including humans and the Soul of the World. The sun says that even though it is known as the wisest being, it cannot turn Santiago into the wind. It recommends that Santiago speak to the “hand that wrote all.”

The wind blows harder than ever, and tents are ripped from the ground in the tribal camp. Santiago turns to the hand that wrote all, and he feels the universe fall silent. Santiago begins to pray. It is a prayer from his heart filled with love. Santiago understands that the desert, the wind, and the sun are seeking the same thing as he is, which is to understand the signs written by God, and to see the paths before them. The hand has a reason for all that it does. Santiago reaches through the Soul of the World and discovers the Soul of God. He sees the oneness between his own soul and the Soul of God and, because of this oneness, realizes that he has the ability to perform miracles.

For generations, the tribesmen from that area would tell the story of the boy who was able to turn himself into the wind, and who in the process almost destroyed the military camp. When the wind stops, everyone looks at the place on the cliff where Santiago had been standing. But he is now on the other side of the camp. The tribesmen are afraid of his power, but two people are happy: the alchemist, because Santiago is his ideal student, and the enemy chieftain, because he has witnessed the glory of Allah. The next day the enemy chieftain let Santiago and the alchemist leave the camp, and he provides them with a military escort for as far as they need it.

By the end of the next day, the small group arrives at a Coptic monastery. The alchemist tells the escorts that they can head back to their camp, and that from this point onward Santiago needs to travel alone for the last three hours toward the pyramids. Santiago thanks the alchemist for teaching him the Language of the World. The alchemist says that he didn't teach Santiago anything—he only helped him to access some things he already knew. At the Coptic monastery a monk welcomes them inside. The alchemist asks if he can use the kitchen, and in the kitchen he takes lead, places it on a pan over the fire, and adds to it a sliver from the Philosopher’s Stone.

As the alchemist works, he and the monk talk about the wars in the desert. The monk feels that they're going to last for a very long time. He is sorry that the caravans have stopped coming to Giza, but he knows that God's will is what happens in the world. The alchemist then shows Santiago and the monk the lead, which has now been transformed into gold. Santiago wants to know if he'll be able to do this some day. The alchemist says that it was his Personal Legend to achieve this, but it is not Santiago's. As they depart the monastery, the alchemist gives the monk a quarter of the gold as thanks for his generosity to pilgrims. The monk feels that this payment is excessive, but the alchemist cautions him not to say so, as “life might be listening, and give you less the next time.”

The alchemist gives a quarter of the gold to Santiago, to repay him for the amount that the alchemist gave to the enemy chieftain. The alchemist saves a quarter for himself. The final quarter he gives to the monk, saying that it is for Santiago if he ever needs it. Santiago says that he is very close to his treasure now, so he will not need the gold in order to go home, but the alchemist points out that Santiago has lost his life savings twice. The alchemist says he believes in proverbs, and there's one that says that anything that happens twice will surely happen for a third time.

Before Santiago and the alchemist bid each other farewell, the alchemist tells Santiago a story about dreams. In the story, a man who lives in ancient Rome has two sons. One son is in the military and the other son is a poet. The father has a dream in which an angel appears to him and tells him that his son’s words will be remembered for generations. The father is grateful because he is proud of his sons. When the father dies soon afterward, he goes directly to heaven, where he meets the angel who appeared to him in his dream. The angel promises to grant any wish he desires. The man does not want anything for himself, but he wants to see his son’s words being remembered by others.

The angel takes him far into the future, into a room surrounded by thousands of people speaking. The man is moved to tears, and asks the angel which of his son’s poems the people are reciting. The angel explains that the poems that his poet son wrote were well loved during his day, but eventually they were forgotten. The words he has just heard were the words of his son who was in the military.

The angel explains that the man’s son had sought a rabbi whom he’d heard was able to cure all illnesses. While seeking this rabbi, the son learned that the rabbi was the Son of God. This experience caused him to convert to the faith of the rabbi. When he meets the Son of God, the son tells him that one of his servants is very ill. As the son speaks to the rabbi, he is overwhelmed by the knowledge that the rabbi is in fact the son of God. He says to the Son of God, “my Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word and my servant will be healed.” The alchemist ends his story by saying that everyone on earth plays an important role, even if he doesn't know it. Then the alchemist and Santiago bid each other farewell.

Santiago rides alone through the desert, listening to his heart. The alchemist had told him “where your treasure is there also will be your heart,” but as he travels Santiago's heart is speaking of other things. It speaks with pride of a shepherd leaving his flock to follow a dream. It speaks of Personal Legends, and of journeys. Finally, as he climbs a dune, Santiago’s heart says to him to be aware of the place where he is brought to tears, as that is the place where his treasure is. Santiago climbs the dunes and sees a full moon rising in the sky, which shows that it has been a month since he left the oasis. At the top of the dunes, Santiago can see the Egyptian Pyramids illuminated by the full moon.

Santiago falls to his knees and cries, thanking God for making him follow his Personal Legend and for having him meet a king, a merchant, an Englishmen, and an alchemist along the way, as well as Fatima. Santiago realizes that as he has sought his Personal Legend, he has also learned everything he would need to know, and has experienced all of his dreams—and now he is on the verge of finding his treasure.

In the sand Santiago sees a scarab beetle, and remembers that these beetles are a symbol of God. Because of this omen, he begins to dig into the sand at the place where the beetle was. He digs and digs, but he finds nothing. His hands hurt and he is exhausted, but he is listening to his heart, which tells him to dig at the place where he cried.

Suddenly several people approach Santiago and demand to know what he is doing. The people explain that they are refugees from the tribal wars, and they desperately need money. One of them grabs Santiago and drags him out of the hole that he has dug. They search through Santiago's bags, and find the gold that the alchemist gave him. They make Santiago dig, thinking that he has hidden gold in the ground, but no treasure is revealed. At dawn the refugees beat Santiago.

Finally Santiago yells that he is digging for treasure, and he tells his attackers that he had dreamed of finding treasure at this place. The leader of the refugees tells the others to leave Santiago. As the others depart, the leader explains that Santiago should not be so stupid. He says that two years before, he himself had a recurring dream on that very spot. In the dream he saw an abandoned church that sheltered shepherds and sheep. The dream told him that if he dug at the roots of the tree growing through the center of the church, he would find a hidden treasure. The leader of the refugees did not go in search of this treasure, however, because it was just a dream. The refugees leave, and Santiago laughs aloud, because now he knows the location of his treasure.