The Little Candle

The Little Candle is a tale for children designed to convey lessons about appearance and self-worth. The main character is a short candlestick who feels inferior to the taller, more elegant dinner and holiday candles. The story begins in a candle shop, where the short candle is bought by a man as a holiday gift for his youngest daughter Tonya. Tonya treasures it as her own holiday candle, carrying it with her as a valued possession during the Christmas Holiday. The short candle eventually realizes that his size doesn't matter when it comes to making someone happy: He soon learned that he was a century candle, and that he was made to burn for a hundred years or more. So joyful was he to learn this that he would have jumped for joy had he been gifted with any legs. Through the example of a candle, "The Little Candle" shows readers why comparing oneself to others isn't worthwhile. Everyone has their own special gifts and talents and it is recognized by others, although it may not be apparent at the moment.