stone cutter

The Stonecutter

Benjamin Hoff

There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with

himself and with his position in life.

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house and

through the open gateway saw many fine possessions

and important visitors.

"How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the

stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that

he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer

have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the

merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he

had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less

wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by,

carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants,

and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no

matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the

procession.

"How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I

could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in

his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the

people all around, who had to bow down before him as

he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt

very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked

up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by

his presence.

"How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "

I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on

everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers

and labourers. But a huge black cloud moved between

him and the earth, so that his light could no longer

shine on everything below.

"How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish

that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and

villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that

he was being pushed away by some great force, and

realized that it was the wind.

"How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be

the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of

houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below

him. But after a while, he ran up against something that

would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew

against it -- a huge, towering stone.

"How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I

could be a stone!"

Then he became the stone, more powerful than

anything else on earth.

But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer

pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself

being changed.

"What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he

thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a

stonecutter.