Mark Varga
     In this excerpt of the Alchemist from page 63 to 67 it shows us the difference between the know and the unknown and how the universe in the end always pick which path is best for you. The start of this excerpt sees the Santiago about to take off. After spending a year in Tangier working at the crystal shop he was finally able to set aside enough money to reclaim a flock of sheep back home in Spain. And all though he knows about his personal legend of going to the pyramids and his knowledge of the old king this is his choice of action to return to his homeland of Spain and reclaim the lifestyle he once had herding sheep. And to him that is the familiar. He wants to go back because he knows its a safe option. He knows the sheep are his friends because he knows how to herd the sheep and how to take care of him properly. He knows it'll be safe whereas the dessert wont be. The dessert is unknown new territory to him. Its the unknown and he doesn't want any part of it. Or so we think because that is where his personal legend lies at the base of those pyramids across the dessert. And that is the choice he has between the familiar and the unknown.