When she got to her room, she sat down on her mattress and started to clean the menorah. She kept picking at the wax with her fingernails, but it just wouldn't come off. She looked up at the silver menorah and was surprised. It seemed to have gotten brighter, but Maya hadn't cleaned it, and it seemed to be twinkling, almost as if it were boasting about its beauty. Yet there was no sun. It was very puzzling! Finally she couldn't bear it anymore. She put the old menorah down and got up. She would have to tell her parents what she planned to do sometime, and like they say, there's no time like the present! But she couldn't; it was almost as if the menorah was crying. Yes, it was crying! She could hear it, and Oh no, she thought, the silver menorah is evil! She could practically see it smiling! Its glow seemed to be getting horrid; it seemed to be laughing! Laughing at the poor old menorah, so worn and ugly.

Maya felt hatred rising up her heart. How could she have loved such an evil menorah! (You may think this is silly, but that is how she felt!) She picked up the silver menorah and threw it onto the ground. It shattered into a million glittering pieces. She scooped them up and threw them outside. Then she sat down on her mattress and picked up the old menorah and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry," she whispered to it, "everything is all right now!" Then she got started cleaning it very happily! Her mother came up an hour later and was surprised to see Maya working so happily, as she had been a bit reluctant to start, but she was grateful that Maya liked it!

"It's time for bed, darling," she said.

"But I haven't finished," complained Maya.

"You can do some tomorrow, Maya," said Miriam.

So Maya snuggled into bed and cuddled her rag doll. "Good night." "Good night."