Einsames Bergdorf: Fenster, erleuchtet von einer einzelnen Laterne

Aakhri Lalten Ek sard shaam Zaid naam ka ek nojawan musafir ek chhote se pahari gaon mein pohncha. Pura gaon andhere mein dooba hua tha, magar ek ghar ki khirki mein ek lalten roshan thi. Tajassus mein Zaid ne darwaza khatkhataya. Ek buzurg khatoon muskurate hue usay andar le gayin, garam chai pilai aur boli: "Yeh lalten pichle pachaas saal se bhatke hue musafiron ko rasta dikha rahi hai. Jab tak yeh jalti rahegi, kisi ko bhi tanha hone ka ehsaas nahi hoga." Agli subah Zaid ne unka shukriya ada kiya aur apne safar par nikal gaya. Jaate waqt us ne khamoshi se ek nai lalten khareed kar purani lalten ke saath rakh di. Kai saal baad bhi jo musafir us gaon se guzarte, unhen raat ke andhere mein do roshan lalten nazar aatin. Ek us meherbani ki nishani thi jo kisi ne ki thi, aur doosri us neki ki jo aage barha di gayi thi. Sabaq: Neki kabhi zaya nahi jaati. Jo bhalai aap karte hain, woh kisi na kisi ki zindagi mein roshni ban kar zaroor laut aati hai.