The Brightest Candle

The Lady of the house once lit a bright candle on a dark and starry night. It burnt brightly in the center of the room giving its light to all of the house. 'Look how brightly I am shining,' said the lovely little candle, 'I am shining brighter than the moon and the stars above. I shine with more light than all of the bodies of the heavens, don't I?' he laughed to himself. Just then one of the servants opened the back door and a strong gust of wind blew into the room. The flame of the little candle was extinguished at once in the strong breeze from outside. The Lady of the house came past the table where the candle had been standing and laughed, 'I have never seen the moon and stars blown out by single gust of air alone.' She said to him as she lit him once more with a flame. 'Well, maybe I am not brighter than the sun and the moon after all,' said the little candle to himself, 'But at least I am shining with love once more.' He smiled happily to himself and burnt on through the long dark night outside. All the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of a single little candle burning brightly after all. (The Aesop Fable.)