Once there was a rich and intelligent boy who actually had everything a boy could want. Therefore, he was only interested in rare and curious things. An extremely old but wonderful mirror caught his attention, and he convinced his parents to buy it from a mysterious old man. When the mirror arrived at the house, the boy went to see his thinking in it and his form when looking at it. Unfortunately, his face appeared very sad in it. He tried to smile and make funny faces, but his thinking continued with his sad expression.
The boy went out to buy candy and return home as happy as possible to look in the mirror, but his image was still sad. He bought all types of toys and old junk, but his image remained sad in that mirror too. The boy got tired of it and put it in the corner, saying: What a terrible mirror! This is the first time I’ve seen a mirror that doesn’t work properly!
Afternoon that same day, the boy went to the street to play and buy some toys. But on his way to the garden, he saw a small boy crying from his heart. The small boy was crying intensely and seemed extremely lonely. The rich boy went to help him and see what happened to him. The small boy told him he had lost his parents. The two boys set off together searching for them. Since the small boy didn’t stop crying, the rich boy spent his time spending money on buying candy to make the small boy happy.
Finally, after much walking, they found his parents, who were searching for him and were very worried about him. When the rich boy was reassured about his small friend and left him, walking toward the garden, with the passage of time he decided to turn around and head home, without being able to play. He returned without buying toys and without money. At home, he went to his room, but upon entering, he noticed the presence of bright light in the corner—the same corner where he had left the mirror. Seeing this, the boy went to the mirror.
He realized that this light was coming from his body, which had become radiant with happiness. Thus the boy understood the mystery of that mirror. It is the only mirror that can truthfully reflect the true joy of its owner. When the boy realized this was true, he felt genuine happiness, especially when he helped that small boy. From then on, every morning when he looked in that mirror and failed to see his own shine, he actually knew what he must do to bring it back again.
Story translated from: A Malfunction in the Mirror: Mirror with a Malfunction