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THE STONECUTTER – THE MAN UNSATISFIED WITH HIS LIFE

Just as in the forests, rivers, and mountains, there are sacred spirits that yearn to help and protect man; in every human being, there is a spirit of ambition that often yearns to have what he does not need.

It is common for men who work hard every day to earn a living, to get tired and want a better life, and when this happens, the spirits of nature intervene to grant a wish to those who deserve it.

Once upon a time, there was a Stonecutter who every day went to a great mountain to cut pieces of stone that he later used to make houses, tombstones, or for different purposes. People respected him because he was a hard worker, they trusted him, and since he had many clients, he used the money he earned to cover his needs.

This man lived in a small and humble cabin made of wood. He had a small room where he sat down to rest in the afternoons, a table and a chair, a bed made of stone, and an old stove for cooking. Generally, he was satisfied with his life and did not ask for more than he already had.

Now, the people of the town nearby said that a spirit lived in the mountain and that sometimes it appeared to men and, with its magic, helped them to become rich. However, the stonecutter had never seen this spirit, and when people mentioned it, he would laugh and shake his head in disbelief.

One day, the stonecutter brought a tombstone to the mansion of an incredibly rich man. Upon reaching the door, he rang a silver bell, then a servant received him and took him inside, where he saw beautiful things he had never dreamed of; There were gold walls and crystal chandeliers, and in the center of the room, there was a marble staircase. Never in his life had he seen such wealth! He felt sadness, and his daily work seemed little to him. Everything was monotonous, boring, and arduous. Feeling disappointed in himself, he thought: If I could sleep in a bed with silk sheets, in a room with gold curtains, and if my body didn’t ache from working so hard! -.

The spirit of the mountain heard him and said: -I have listened to your wish, and you will be a rich man! -.The stonecutter looked around but saw no one and thought that that voice had been the product of his imagination. Afterward, he collected his tools and, discouraged, went directly home. Upon arrival, he was surprised when he noticed that his small wooden cabin had become a majestic palace. The furniture was of the finest wood, and his room was just as he had wished it to be. He was delighted, and after being immersed in so many comforts, luxuries, and wealth, he quickly forgot his previous life.

Time passed, and summer arrived. One day it was so hot that the stonecutter could barely breathe, so he decided to stay in his majestic palace to keep cool. However, he quickly grew bored with doing nothing and leaned out the window to see what was happening in the world. He saw a carriage passing down the street, drawn by elegantly dressed servants. In the carriage was a prince who wore a crown of gold and precious stones, and on his head, one of the servants kept a large golden umbrella to protect him from the scorching sun. – Oh, I would be so happy if I were a prince and could ride in a carriage like that and have a big golden umbrella on my head! – thought the stonecutter.

Once again, the voice of the spirit of the mountain answered him: –I have heard your wish, and you will be a prince! -.

So it was. In the blink of an eye, the stonecutter turned into a prince sitting in an elegant carriage accompanied by several servants and saw that one of them was behind him holding a tall golden parasol to protect him from the sun’s rays. Everything was as his heart had desired. For a few minutes, he walked along the edge of the field and through the streets until he felt dissatisfied. Desperate, he looked around and saw that the scorching sun had burned the gardens’ flowers and the green grass. He also realized that the parasol on his head did not fully protect his skin from the hot sun that was now causing severe burns. Furious, he got up and said: – The sun is more powerful than me; Oh, if only I were the sun! –

Immediately, the voice of the spirit of the mountain answered him: –I have heard your wish, and you will be the sun! -.

So it was. Instantly, the stonecutter became the sun. He felt so proud of his power that he launched his rays toward the sky and the earth. He burned the crops in the fields and the faces of the rich and the poor, but it was not enough. Discontent invaded his soul again, and when a cloud covered his face and hid the earth, he said: – Is the cloud more powerful than me because it can keep my rays captive? – Oh, if I were a cloud, I would be mightier than all! -.

Again, the voice of the spirit of the mountain answered: – I have heard your wish, and you will be a cloud! -.

So it was. The stonecutter became a cloud and stood still between the sun and the earth. He caught the sun’s rays, and to his delight, the fields turned green and sprouted hundreds of beautiful and colorful flowers. But that was not enough for him. For many days it rained until rivers overflowed, crops flooded, and towns were destroyed by the rain force. The only thing that survived was the mountain. The cloud stared at it and said: – Is the mountain more powerful than me? Oh, if I were a mountain! -.  Again, the spirit of the mountain replied: – I have heard your wish, and you will be a mountain! -.

So it was. In an instant, the stonecutter became a tall and proud mountain that neither the sun’s heat could burn nor the force of the rain could destroy. “This is better than everything,” he thought. But his happiness did not last long. One day he heard a strange noise at his feet, and when he looked down, he saw an old man who seemed very tired, and with his sharp tools, he was cutting stone. Later, he felt a strong tremor when a large piece of rock fell to the ground, and he said furiously: – Is that old and tired man more powerful than me? Oh, if only I were a man! -.

Once again, the spirit of the mountain listened to him and answered: – I have heard your wish, and you will be a man again! –

So it was. At that moment, the mountain became a man, and he returned to work as a stonecutter. Everything went back to the way it was before. His house was humble, he returned to sleep on a stone bed, and his food was scarce. He learned to be satisfied with his life and no longer wanted to be someone else. He never asked for things he didn’t have and need, nor did he want to be the greatest and the most powerful of all. He was finally happy. That pleased the spirit of the mountain, and he went looking for someone else to help.

AUTHOR. JAPANESE FOLKTALE

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