The Little Lantern

In a quiet mountain village tucked between emerald hills and winding rivers, lived a little boy named Tanu. He was just ten years old, but his heart was bigger than the tallest tree in the village. Tanu lived with his grandmother, who was old and frail but full of wisdom. She always told him, “A single kind act can light a thousand hearts.”

Tanu believed her.

Every evening, after feeding their goats and watering the garden, Tanu would sit by his grandmother and listen to her stories—tales of stars that danced, forests that sang, and people who healed the world with kindness.

One winter, a powerful storm swept across the mountains. The wind howled like wolves and tore through the village. Trees fell, roofs flew away, and the electricity went out. The entire village was swallowed by darkness.

The next morning, everything was silent. Snow had covered the village in a thick white blanket. The roads were blocked, and the power was still out. People lit candles and huddled together for warmth. Everyone was scared.

But Tanu had an idea.

He opened the old wooden box his grandfather had left behind and pulled out a small lantern. It was rusty and old, but when he lit it, the flame flickered gently, casting a warm orange glow. He wrapped himself in a thick shawl, took the lantern, and stepped outside.

His grandmother asked, “Where are you going, my dear?”

“To share the light,” Tanu replied with a smile.

He went from house to house, offering his little lantern for a few minutes to each family. Some used it to light their fireplaces, others used it to find blankets or cook food. With every stop, he left behind hope, warmth, and a bit of courage.

At the last house, he found an old man sitting alone, shivering. The man had lost his wife the previous year and had no one to care for him. Tanu sat beside him, gave him the lantern, and shared a piece of bread he had in his pocket.

The old man’s eyes filled with tears. “You are like your grandmother,” he whispered. “A little light in a dark world.”

Word of Tanu’s kindness spread quickly. The villagers, inspired by the boy’s actions, came together to help each other. They shared food, blankets, and candles. The carpenters repaired broken roofs, the strong young men cleared the roads, and the women cooked meals for those in need.

By the end of the week, when the power finally returned and the snow melted, the village had changed. Not because of the storm, but because of a little boy with a rusty lantern and a big heart.

That night, as the stars returned to the sky, the villagers gathered in the square. They lit candles and lanterns, not because they needed light—but to celebrate the light within themselves. And in the middle of it all stood Tanu, holding his old lantern, his eyes glowing with joy.

His grandmother hugged him tightly. “You did it,” she whispered. “You lit a thousand hearts.”

Moral: Even the smallest light can chase away the deepest darkness. One act of kindness can change an entire world.