I watched a child learn how to blow out a candle yesterday. It was fascinating.
He (my little nephew) was entranced by the flames on his father's birthday cake. He was watching them intently when suddenly they were gone! Blown out by his father.
The older kids at the table wanted to blow them out too and they were duly re-lit, only to be blown away again.
This started the wee nephew into paroxysms of wet expulsions of air. He wanted in on the act. Once more the candles were set alight.
At first his efforts were in vain. His huffing and puffing could not blow anything down or out. His mother, on whose lap he was sitting, helped him out with some well timed and aimed bullets of air.
He still wanted more. So once again the candles burst back into flame. This time he started to get some force into his blows. The candles wavered, fluttered, tried to fight back, but finally gave up the ghost. Victory! He had won the day. He still kept blowing none-the-less ... hitting them when they were down.
It seems the urge to control fire is a strong and primal one.
No comments:
Post a Comment