In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with
candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a
lantern to carry home with him.
"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is
all the same to me."
"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his
friend replied, "but if you don't have one, someone else may run into
you. So you must take it."
The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked
very far someone ran squarely into him.
"Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger.
"Can't you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
