The Stonecutter

In a far away lands, there lived a Stonecutter. He was a very hard worker and he knew exactly what type of stone was needed for what purpose. He knew about the perfect type of stone needed for gravestones and about the perfect stone which was needed to make the roofs of houses. People around him were very happy with his work and his services were always in demand.

In the mountain near the Stonecutter’s house lived a Mountain Spirit who granted the wishes of all people and made people rich and prosperous.

The Stonecutter was a hard worker and he was very contended in his work and he had never even met the Spirit, nor did the Stonecutter want to meet the Spirit.

Once, as the Stonecutter carried a huge rock down to a rich man’s house and there inside the rich man’s house, the Stonecutter saw luxuries the likes of which he had never even imagined. It was that minute that the Stonecutter lost the desire to work. The stonecutter could not work that day as he put his tools down.

‘How I wish I was a rich man, so that I could enjoy all these luxuries and not have to work hard!’

The stonecutter did not know it, but the mountain spirit had granted his wish.

The Stonecutter came to the place where there was his hut and there he found that there was a grand house there and the house had every single luxury which he could think about. The stonecutter happily settled in the new house as a rich man and soon forgot all about his profession.

Once, during the months of summer when the sun was blazing, the stonecutter looked out of the window. There he saw a prince who was being driven in a carriage. The servants of the prince were dressed in blue and silver and they were carrying a golden umbrella over the head of the prince.

Then the stonecutter sighed to himself.

‘How I wish I was a prince where there would be servants to hold an umbrella on my head to protect me from the sun!’

The mountain spirit granted this boon of the stonecutter and soon the stonecutter found himself to be the prince of the land.

However, now there was a deep desire in the heart of the stonecutter.

Looking around, the stonecutter realized that despite the fact that he was protected by the umbrella, the sun scorched the grass around him and despite all protection, the stonecutter found himself getting browner and browner in the sun rays.

‘The sun is mightier than me. How I wish I were the sun!’ The stonecutter thought to himself.

The mountain spirit granted the wish and the stonecutter became the sun. For some time, the stonecutter was proud of himself and he felt that he had done everything and that there was nothing more left for him to do.

That was when a cloud came and hid the earth from his face.

‘The cloud is mightier than me. I have to be the cloud!’ The stonecutter thought to himself.

The mountain spirit granted this wish and soon the stonecutter became the cloud.

For some time, the stonecutter was a cloud. He caught the sun’s rays and he poured down the rains. The earth flourished under the rains and it was beautiful. The earth’s mud was all washed away by the rain and all that remained was the rock which was unmovable.

Then the stonecutter realized that the rock was stronger than the cloud.

‘I wish to be a rock, which is stronger than the clouds.’

The mountain spirit granted this and soon the stonecutter became a rock, which was strong, tough and unmoving.

So the rock stood proud on the earth and neither the sun, or the wind or rains could move it.

That was when a strange sound came to the rock. A stonecutter was driving his tools into the rock to break it.

‘A child of the earth is stronger than the rock. I wish to be a man!’

The mountain spirit granted this boon.

The man then carried on his work of stonecutting. His bed was hard and he got a little food, but the stonecutter was very happy. He learned to be what he was and not aspire for something that he was not. He was so happy that he never heard the voice of the mountain spirit and nor did he desire to meet the Spirit.

Audio Story in Youtube

-Japanese Folk Stories