“Each child born at birth has a Bowl of Perfect Light.  If he tends to his light, it will grow in strength and he can do all things – fly with the birds, swim with the sharks, know and understand all things.  If he becomes envious or jealous, he drops a stone into his Bowl of Light and some of his light goes out.  Light and the stone cannot hold the same space.  If he continues to put stones in his Bowl, the Light will go out and he will become a stone.  A stone does not grow, nor does it move.  If at any time he tires of being a stone, all he needs to do is turn the bowl upside down and the stones will fall away, and the Light will grow once more.” 

Source:  Tales From the Rainbow, by Koko Willis and Pali Jae Lee.