There was once a large rugged rock in the middle of a vast land and on it laid a glimmering and shining piece of tinsel. The tinsel was very proud of its radiance and how its metallic surface catches the sunlight. It tuned to a small pebble located nearby and boasted, “Look how dazzling I am! I am no ordinary object; I share my radiance with the mighty lightning. It is from the heavens that I get my glow!”
The small pebble was quite humble. After hearing the tinsel boasting, it sceptically, yet with a respectable nod said, “Oh, indeed! Then I must offer you my deepest admiration.”
Many such days passed, and one stormy night, dark clouds gathered above. With a deafening roar, a powerful bolt of lightning struck the very rock on which the tinsel lay. The scorching heat from the strike burned the delicate tinsel, leaving it dull, shrivelled, and lifeless.
As the storm cleared, the pebble turned to the tinsel and asked,
“Where has your brilliance gone now?”
Without hesitation, the tinsel replied,
“Oh, I have merely lent my glow to the lightning! It came down a moment ago to borrow it from me.”
The pebble chuckled and shook its tiny form, “Ah! So many lies are needed to uphold a single boast!”
And so, the rock, the pebble, and the tinsel remained where they were, but only one among them had learned the virtue of humility.
Moral of the Story:
False pride and empty boasts may shine for a while, but when faced with true power, their weakness is exposed.
