The novel begins with a foreword, in which the author warns that the novel itself is fictional and has a symbolic meaning. Further, he reports that he himself was engaged in alchemy for a long time, but his search came to a standstill until he met one person who explained to him in what direction to move and what he was doing wrong. Ends with the preface of the parable.
In the prologue the alchemist reads Oscar Wilde’s book about narcissus and finds it remarkable.
The young man, the main character, was called Santiago. He grazed the sheep and drove them to spend the night in a dilapidated church. He also slept, spreading his jacket on the floor. He dreamed the second time the same dream, which he again did not finish until the end. He began to wake up the sheep with whom he already felt connected. And I was thinking about the girl. Exactly one year ago, he sold the wool to one local merchant, and while waiting for the line, he got acquainted with his daughter. The
trader said to come again in a year, and now there were four days left. And while he, the shepherd, drove in the cold morning of the sheep and felt the need for a jacket. Memories came from childhood. He studied in the seminary, but he wanted to travel and with the blessing of the father became a shepherd.
Entering the nearest town, Santiago went to the old woman, who knew how to interpret dreams, and told her his dream. He dreamed that the child approached him in the pasture and moved to the Egyptian pyramids. Here you will find a treasure, said the child. The old woman undertook to explain the dream for a tenth of the treasure found in the future, and said that we must go to Egypt, to the pyramids. Santiago was annoyed because he heard nothing new. Coming out of the old woman, he went to the square, where he sat down on a bench and began reading a book he had recently exchanged for another. He left the sheep at a friend at the entrance to the city. The book seemed boring to him, but he was distracted by an old man who sat next to him. He tried hard to talk to Santiago. Finally, they got to talking, the old man
introduced himself as king Melchizedek and told Santiago the story of his life. He said, that he should follow His Steps, and promised to advise how to get to the treasure for a tenth of the sheep, then disappeared. Santiago wandered the streets for a long time, reflecting on what had happened. The next day he drove a few sheep, sold the others to a friend. The old man said that we must go to Egypt, to the pyramids. Again nothing new. And in the way signs will help. And two stones that the old man gave to the boy. And then he told an instructive story, and disappeared with the sheep. And Santiago went to Africa. In a small cafe on the African coast, all spoke Arabic, which caused inconvenience. Finally, there was one local and spoke Spanish. He promised Santiago to get to the pyramids, and despite the angry owner of the shop, he followed the new guide. They went to the market, while the conductor took all the money from Santiago, that you need to buy animals and provisions. On the market, he disappeared, along with money. Santiago was left alone in a foreign country and without money. And he wanted to return, but did not know how. In addition, the stone given by the old man indicated the need to continue the journey. After spending the night in the market, he helped the sweetshopper in the morning to put a counter, and got a patty. After wandering around, Santiago came to the dealer’s store for crystal, and offered to wash the goods. The shop was on the outskirts of the market and in desolation, and the owner was upset. After washing the glasses, Santiago and the owner went to the cafe. Arab suggested that the young man work for him, and assured that the pyramids are far away, so do not even think about an early journey. More chances to come back to Spain. After a month of work in the shop, Santiago began to offer innovations. First they installed on the street a rack with samples of goods, and then decided to treat all visitors with tea from crystal glasses. As a result, the shop has become a lot of customers, even had to hire two more people. Six months later, Santiago left the dealer’s store for crystal, having received his part and the blessing of the merchant. The young man could not decide to return to Spain, something that prompted him to continue the journey. And he went to the warehouse, ask if the pyramids are so far away. In the warehouse, he met an Englishman who read books. This Englishman studied alchemy, spent most of his books on books, and achieved almost nothing. And now he was heading to the oasis in which the famous alchemist lived. It turned out that a caravan heading to Egypt would soon be moving. Santiago decided to follow with him. On the way, Santiago thought about nature, and the Englishman read his books. Once, on a halt, the driver reported that a war had begun between the tribes, and therefore they were in danger and we had to be more careful. The path continued cautiously and eventually came to an oasis. It was a large village with many trees, tents, and several wells. The locals cordially greeted the travelers and placed them in tents. A few days later, Santiago met with an Englishman near the well, and he complained that he still can not find an alchemist, asking for help from Santiago, who knew Arabic. He unsuccessfully tried something to find out from the locals. Suddenly an unmarried girl came to the well, and Santiago realized that it was his narrowed. Her name was Fatima. She indicated where the alchemist lives. The next day, Santiago waited for her near the well, and when she came, immediately invited her to become his wife. They met near the well a month, he told her everything. The tribal war was still going on, so it was risky to continue the journey. One day Santiago went into the desert, far from the oasis, and watching the hawks, saw a vision of how the warriors seize an oasis. When he returned, he told the elders who promised to take action. On the way to his tent, Santiago met with an alchemist who invited him to his place. The next day the warriors broke into the oasis, but it was not a surprise. After the incident, the leaders suggested that Santiago stay in the oasis as a predictor. But the alchemist at the meeting insisted on continuing the path to the treasure. He advised me to buy a horse, and agreed to be the conductor of a young man. The next evening they went to the desert. The alchemist asked to show the life of the desert and explained why it is necessary to continue the path. We agreed to leave early in the morning. At night, Santiago went to Fatima and heard from her a promise to wait for him until he returned. A few days later, a dangerous trek through the desert, the alchemist told Santiago that he would listen to the voice of his heart. Several times they saw soldiers in the distance, but Santiago was no longer afraid. And once, three warriors came up to them, but they let them go. In the course of the journey, the alchemist communicated with the young man, informing him of what he himself knew. Once they were stopped by the soldiers and brought to their camp. The alchemist gave all the gold to Santiago, earned in the dealer’s shop with crystal, and reported that the young man is an alchemist and can show the strength of the wind, promising that he will show what he can do in three days. Santiago was frightened, and did not know how to implement the words of the alchemist. Three days later, all went into the desert, and Santiago, moving a little distance from the rest, began to talk with the desert about love, but she could only give the sands, she had to help the wind. The wind agreed to help, and a cloud of sand flew up into the sky, the sun was almost gone. Everyone was frightened. But the wind could not answer Santiago’s questions about love and advised to turn to the sun. But the sun could not help and advised to ask Ruk, Who wrote Everything. And, turning, he plunged into the Soul of the World. When the wind lay down, the young man was found at the other end of a sand-strewn camp. The next day the leader dismissed the travelers on all four sides. After a day’s journey, they approached the monastery and the alchemist said that there were three hours to the pyramids, and then Santiago would go alone. In the courtyard of the monastery, the alchemist made gold from a piece of lead, and dividing it into four parts, took one for himself, gave another a monk, one for Santiago, and left one in a monastery, That Santiago took it later. Before leaving, the alchemist told a parable about the children of an old man, a poet and a warrior, one of whom was destined to become famous. After that, they said goodbye and Santiago went to the pyramids. At the place that he dreamed, he cried and thanked that he could believe in His path. And he admired the pyramids. Then he began to dig, hoping to find treasures. Several people approached him who took the gold from him, severely beat him, and when he found out that he was looking for treasures, one of them said that he had dreamed of a treasure somewhere in this ruined church, in Spain, but he did not so stupid as to believe dreams. The robbers left, and Santiago realized that he had found treasure. After that, they said goodbye and Santiago went to the pyramids. At the place that he dreamed, he cried and thanked that he could believe in His path. And he admired the pyramids. Then he began to dig, hoping to find treasures. Several people approached him who took the gold from him, severely beat him, and when he found out that he was looking for treasures, one of them said that he had dreamed of a treasure somewhere in this ruined church, in Spain, but he did not so stupid as to believe dreams. The robbers left, and Santiago realized that he had found treasure. After that, they said goodbye and Santiago went to the pyramids. At the place that he dreamed, he cried and thanked that he could believe in His path. And he admired the pyramids. Then he began to dig, hoping to find treasures. Several people approached him who took the gold from him, severely beat him, and when he found out that he was looking for treasures, one of them said that he had dreamed of a treasure somewhere in this ruined church, in Spain, but he did not so stupid as to believe dreams. The robbers left, and Santiago realized that he had found treasure. and when he found out that he was looking for treasure, one of them said that he had dreamed about a treasure somewhere in the ruined church in Spain, but he is not so stupid as to believe dreams. The robbers left, and Santiago realized that he had found treasure. and when he found out that he was looking for treasure, one of them said that he had dreamed about a treasure somewhere in the ruined church in Spain, but he is not so stupid as to believe dreams. The robbers left, and Santiago realized that he had found treasure.
In the epilogue it is narrated that Santiago returned to Spain and found under the arches of the destroyed church, the one in which he had a dream, a full treasure chest. He thought about the alchemist, the gypsy woman who was supposed to have a tenth of the treasure found, and the girl who was waiting for him in the desert, about Fatima. He was happy and ready to go to Fatima.
