Erol Erten

While sleeping near a sycamore tree in the sacristy of an abandoned church, a shepherd boy, has a recurring dream about a child who tells him that he will find a hidden treasure if he travels to the Egyptian pyramids. An old woman tells him that this dream is prophetic and that he must follow its instructions. Next he meets a mysterious old man who seems able to read his mind. He tells him about good and bad omens and says that it is the shepherd boy's duty to pursue his Personal Legend. He wavers briefly before selling his flock and purchasing a ticket to Tangier, in northern Africa, to which he travels by boat. Shortly after he arrives there, a thief steals all of his money, so the shepherd boy decides to look for a way to make enough money to return home. He finds work in the shop of a crystal merchant, where he makes improvements that reap considerable financial rewards. After eleven months of working in the shop, he is unsure of how to proceed. Should he return to Andalusia a rich man and buy more sheep? Or should he cross the vast Sahara in pursuit of the hidden treasure of his dreams? He joins a caravan traveling to Egypt. While traveling, he begins listening to the desert and discovering the Soul of the World. The caravan eventually reaches the oasis, and there he meets a girl named Fatima and falls in love with her instantly. The caravan leader gathers the travelers together and tells them that tribal warfare prevents them from continuing their journey. Soon afterward, he is confronted by a black-garbed, veiled stranger with a sword, who sits atop a white horse, the alchemist. The tribal chieftain arms his men, and they are well-prepared when the oasis is indeed invaded. The alchemist offers to cross the desert with him. The two men enter into an area of intense tribal warfare. Alchemist tells that he needs to return to the oasis, and that the rest of the trip is his to make alone so that he can claim his Personal Legend. He arrives at the Egyptian pyramids and begins to dig, only to find nothing buried in the ground. Thieves beat him, rob him of his money. He tells them of his dream, though, one of the thieves recounts his own dream about a buried treasure in the sacristy of an abandoned church. Returning home, he goes back to the church where he dreamed of the treasure near the pyramids. He digs where he slept, beneath a sycamore tree, and there it is: the treasure.