The Japanese Stonecutter

by Multatuli translated from the Dutch by E.M. Beekman

There was once a man who hewed stones from the rock. His labor was very hard, and he labored much, but his wages were slight and he was not content. He sighed because his labor was hard, and he cried: Oh, I wish I were rich so I could rest on a couch with a cover of silk. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he was rich. And he did rest on a couch and the cover was of silk. And the king of the land went by, with horse men in front of his carriage. And behind the carriage there were also horsemen and a golden parasol was held over the head of the king. And when the rich man saw this he was vexed that no golden parasol was held over his own head. And he was not content. He sighed and cried: I wish to be king. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he was king. And many horsemen rode in front of his carriage, and there were also horsemen behind his carriage, and a golden parasol was held over his head. And the sun shone hot rays and scorched the earth so that the grass shoots withered. And the king complained that the sun burnt his face and that it excelled him in power. And he was not content. He sighed and cried: I wish to be the sun. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he was the sun. And he directed his rays upward and down, to the right and to the left, everywhere. And he scorched the grass shoots on earth and the countenances of kings who were on earth. And a cloud placed itself between him and the earth, and the rays of the sun bounced back from it. And he grew wroth that his power was resisted and he complained that the cloud excelled him in power. And he was not content.

He wished to be the cloud which was so powerful. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he became a cloud and placed himself between the sun and the earth, and caught the rays so that the grass grew green. And the cloud rained large drops on the earth, causing the rivers to swell and floods to carry the herds away. And he destroyed the fields with much water. And he fell upon a rock which did not yield. And he splashed in great streams, but the rock did not yield. And he grew wroth because the rock would not yield and the power of his steams was in vain. And he was not content. He cried: That rock has been given power which excels mine. I wish to be that rock. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he did become rock and did not move when the sun shone or when it rained. And then there came a man with a pick and with a chisel and with a heavy hammer and he hewed stones out of the rock. And the rock said: How can it be that this man has power that excels mine and hews stones out of my lap? And he was not content. He cried: I am weaker than heI wish to be that man. And an angel came from heaven, saying: You are what you have said. And he was a stone cutter. And he hewed stones from the rock, with hard labor, and he labored very hard for small wages, and he was content.