The Stonecutter - Japanese

My name is Isamu, and my world used to be simple, carved from the side of a great mountain. Every morning, I would greet the rising sun with the sound of my hammer and chisel, chipping away at the strong, silent stone. The dust from the granite was like my perfume, and the strength in my arms was my pride. I was perfectly happy with my small hut, my simple meals of rice and fish, and the important work I did, providing stone for the grand temples and shiny homes in the village below. I never thought to ask for more. I never even imagined a different life until the day my story truly began, a tale people now call 'The Stonecutter'.

One sweltering afternoon, a grand procession passed by my quarry. It was a wealthy merchant, carried in a golden palanquin and shaded by a beautiful silk parasol held by a servant. I, sweating under the blaze of the hot sun, suddenly felt small and unimportant. My strong arms felt weak and my work seemed meaningless. 'Oh, to be a rich man and rest in the cool shade!' I sighed to the mountain. To my utter shock, a voice like rustling leaves whispered back from the stone itself, 'Your wish is granted.' Instantly, I was no longer in the dusty quarry but in a fine house, dressed in silk robes. But my happiness was short-lived. A prince came by, with far more servants and a grander, jewel-encrusted parasol than mine. My new wealth felt like nothing. 'This is not enough! I wish I were the prince!' I declared, and again, the whispery voice granted my wish.

As a prince, I thought no one could be mightier. I paraded through the streets, and everyone bowed to me. But the sun beat down on me during a long ceremony, and its heat was relentless. My fancy clothes felt heavy, and my face grew red and hot. I realized the sun's power was greater than mine. 'The sun commands everyone! I wish to be the sun!' I cried out. In a flash, I became a fiery ball in the sky, scorching the earth below. Can you imagine being so hot you could dry up a river with just a glare? I shone down on everyone, the rich and the poor, the prince and the stonecutter. But then, a dark, heavy cloud drifted in front of me, blocking my brilliant light and stealing my power. 'That cloud is stronger!' I thought in frustration. 'I wish to be the cloud!' As a great, heavy cloud, I poured rain on the fields, causing rivers to flood their banks. I could block the sun and drench the entire world. But then a mighty wind began to blow, pushing me across the sky, helpless against its invisible force. 'The wind is mightier still!' I raged. 'I wish to be the wind!' As the wind, I howled through valleys and bent great trees with my breath. I was an unstoppable, invisible force, until I blew with all my might against the great mountain where I once worked. It did not budge. It did not even tremble. It stood firm, solid, and eternal, laughing at my efforts. The mountain was the most powerful thing of all.

'Then I will be the mountain!' I shouted into my own gale, and my wish was granted. I became the stone giant, towering over the land, my peaks touching the sky. The wind could not move me, the sun could not scorch my core, and the clouds were just a misty blanket on my high shoulders. I felt truly, finally powerful. I was immovable, permanent, and strong beyond measure. No one and nothing could challenge me now. But then, I felt a strange sensation at my base. A persistent tap... tap... tapping. It was a tiny sting, but it was constant and sharp, an irritation I could not ignore. I focused my mountainous senses and looked down, and there, at my very foundation, was a small man with a hammer and a chisel. It was a simple stonecutter, patiently chipping away at my stone. In that moment, I understood everything. The humble stonecutter, with his simple tools and unwavering determination, could break down even the mightiest mountain, piece by piece.

With a heart full of awe and understanding, I made my very last wish. 'I wish to be a stonecutter again.' And just like that, I was back in my quarry, with my own familiar hammer in my hand and the sun warming my back. I felt the familiar strength in my arms and a deep, true happiness I hadn't felt as a prince, or the sun, or even the mighty mountain. I looked at my work, at the beautiful shapes I could create from the stone, and I felt proud. I realized that true power wasn't about being above others or changing who you are. It was about finding strength and contentment in your own life and your own work. This story has been told for generations in Japan to remind us that everyone has a special power within them. It inspires paintings of the mountain and poems about the sun, but most of all, it helps us remember that the greatest journey is the one that leads you right back to yourself.