The Stonecutter - Japanese

My hammer goes clink, clank against the hard stone, and dust powders my face in the warm sun. My name is Isamu, and I am a stonecutter, just like my father was before me. Every single day, I climb the great mountain to chip away at its strong sides, making big blocks for houses and temples, and I am happy with my work. But one sunny afternoon, I saw a rich prince pass by in a golden carriage pulled by beautiful white horses, and a thought sparked in my heart: I wish I could be that powerful! That is how my story, the famous Japanese tale of The Stonecutter, began.

As soon as the wish left my lips, a gentle voice from the mountain itself whispered in the breeze, 'Your wish is granted.' In a blink, I was no longer Isamu the stonecutter. I was a prince sitting in a soft, silken robe inside that golden carriage! I loved the delicious foods and the fluffy bed, but I quickly learned being a prince was not perfect. The sun beat down on my head during parades, making me hot and sweaty. 'The sun is even more powerful than a prince!' I thought. 'I wish I were the sun!' And poof, just like that, I became the sun, blazing high in the sky. I was a giant ball of fire, shining my light on everyone. I felt unstoppable until a big, fluffy cloud floated right in front of me, blocking my light from the earth below. 'That cloud is stronger than me!' I cried out. 'I wish I were a cloud!' So, I became a cloud, drifting and making rain. It was lovely until a mighty wind came howling and pushed me across the sky. 'The wind is mightier still!' I grumbled. 'I wish I were the wind!' As the wind, I howled and blew with all my might, but when I tried to push the great mountain, it would not move one inch. 'The mountain!' I gasped. 'It is the strongest of all! I wish I were the mountain!'

Instantly, I was the mountain—solid, grand, and unmovable. I felt stronger than I had ever dreamed possible. The wind could not push me and the sun could not burn me. I was finally the most powerful thing in the world! But then, I felt a strange and tiny sensation at my feet. Chip, chip, chip. I looked down and saw a small man with a hammer and a chisel, steadily chipping away at my stone base. It was a humble stonecutter, happy in his work. I, the great mountain, realized that this simple man was more powerful than even me, because he could change my very shape. In that moment, I knew what I truly wanted. 'I wish I were a stonecutter again!' The mountain spirit whispered one last time, and I was back, with my own familiar hammer in my hand. I was Isamu again, and I had never felt so happy or so strong. This old story from Japan reminds us that the greatest power is finding happiness in who we already are.