00:00In a village nestled by a shimmering river, lived a girl named Elara.
00:07They called her the Lantern Girl.
00:11Every evening, as twilight painted the sky in hues of purple and orange,
00:18Elara would sit by the water crafting beautiful lanterns.
00:23Each lantern was unique, a vessel for a villager's dream.
00:29For the baker who wished for his bread to bring joy to the whole valley.
00:35She made a lantern shaped like a golden rising sun.
00:40For the young weaver who dreamed of creating tapestries as vibrant as the spring meadows.
00:47Elara fashioned a lantern with silks of every colour, dancing like butterflies.
00:53People would come to her with their hopes whispered on their breath.
01:00Elara would listen, her eyes sparkling with empathy,
01:05and then she would pour all her heart into creating a lantern that captured that dream.
01:12When the lantern was finished, she'd help them release it into the night sky.
01:18Let it fly, she'd say with a gentle smile.
01:23Let the stars know your wish.
01:25And as the lanterns floated up, carrying dreams towards the heavens,
01:31the faces of the villagers would light up with hope and gratitude.
01:36They loved Elara, the keeper of their dreams.
01:40But as days turned into months, and months into years,
01:46a quiet sadness began to settle in Elara's heart.
01:51She had licked countless dreams for others, watching them soar and find their way.
01:58Yet she had forgotten to craft a lantern for herself.
02:03What was her own dream?
02:06The question echoed in the silence of her workshop, unanswered.
02:12Her hands, once so nimble and full of life, moved slower.
02:17The vibrant colours she used seemed a little duller, her smile a little dimmer.
02:24The light she gave to others was beginning to fade from within her own soul.
02:29One evening, as Elara sat listlessly by the river,
02:36a few of her friends the baker, the weaver, and a musician whose dream of a grand symphony
02:44she had once launched into the sky approached her quietly.
02:49They had noticed the dimming of her spirit.
02:52Elara, the weaver, began softly.
02:56You've given all of us so much light.
03:00It's our turn to give some back to you.
03:03The baker nodded, holding something behind his back.
03:08We've been talking, and we realised you never made a lantern for yourself.
03:14Then they revealed their surprise.
03:19They held a lantern, not as perfect as the ones Elara made, but crafted with immense love.
03:27It was shaped like a simple, beautiful heart pieced together from bits of flower-dusted parchment,
03:36colourful silk threads, and scraps of sheet music.
03:40Inside, a candle flickered warmly.
03:44This lantern holds all our wishes for you, Elara, said the musician.
03:51We wish for you to find your own dream, to feel the same joy you give to us,
03:58to see your own light shine brighter than ever before.
04:02Tears welled up in Elara's eyes, not of sadness, but of overwhelming gratitude.
04:12Her friends hadn't just brought her a lantern.
04:16They had brought her back to herself.
04:19Taking the heart-shaped lantern, she whispered her own long-forgotten dream
04:25into it a dream of travelling the world,
04:28of seeing the lights of a thousand different cities.
04:33Together, they released it.
04:36As it floated upwards, it shone with a brilliance that outshone all the others
04:42a beacon of shared love and rediscovered hope.
04:47From that day on, Elara continued to make lanterns,
04:52But now, she made one for herself too,
04:56reminding everyone that while lighting up others' worlds is beautiful,
05:02it's just as important to keep your own flame burning brightly.
05:10Remember to share this story with someone who lights up your life.
05:16And don't forget to like and subscribe for more tales that warm the heart.
