The Candle And The Diamond

The candle and the diamond.

A jewel thief, who had been wounded while making his escape, fled into a secret cave, hoping to bandage his wound by the light of a candle. After lighting the candle, the thief saw that his wound was too dire, and soon he succumbed to death. As he died, he released from his hand the prize he had stolen: a magnificent cut diamond.

The diamond, glistening by the candle's flame, suddenly lamented "No one will ever find us here. Just think, after gracing the noble necks of countless rulers of the world, my fate is to be forever interned here, a diamond among the crude rocks of this cave."

"Cherish your pride while you can," replied the candle, "for my hour draws near. And as I dim and flicker out, so too will your brilliance."

A diamond's shine is not its own.