The Stonecutter
The story
There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with his life. One day he passed by a wealthy merchant. He envied the merchant and what he had in his life. “I wish that I could be a merchant!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a merchant! he was being envied by other people, who wanted to be like him. Soon a high official passed by, who was carried on a sedan chair and was escorted by many guards and respected by people. Everyone had to bow to him, including the merchant. He thought the high official is more powerful. “I wish that I could be a high official!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became the high official! He was carried on a chair, and people were bowing for him. It was a hot summer day, so he was so uncomfortable in that chair. He realized the sun is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be the sun!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became the sun! He was shining on everyone. But after some time, a dark cloud came and covered him. He thought that cloud is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be a cloud!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a cloud! He was flooding the fields. But soon he realized he is being carried by wind. He thought the wind is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be wind!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became wind! He was storming everywhere, moving clouds in air, uprooting trees in the fields, and destroying houses in villages. But after blowing on a huge rock, he realized he cannot move that, as the rock was more powerful. “I wish that I could be a big rock!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a big rock! He thought he is more powerful than anything else. He then heard the sound of a hammer pounding over himself. Looking down, he noticed it is a stonecutter that is cutting him.
What can we learn?
Humans often compare themselves to others, and sometimes envy others who they think they are better than themselves. But that’s just in their head! If you are not content with who you are and wish to be someone else, you will just suffer. Whatever you have and whoever you are, be happy!
Related stories
- The Fisherman and His Wife
- The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter
Written for younger readers
The Stonecutter, in simpler words
This version comes from Wikijunior, a set of books written for children aged 8 to 11. It is shorter and uses plainer language than the article above.
From Wikijunior: Stories
There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with his life. One day he passed by a wealthy merchant. He envied the merchant and what he had in his life. “I wish that I could be a merchant!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a merchant! he was being envied by other people, who wanted to be like him. Soon a high official passed by, who was carried on a sedan chair and was escorted by many guards and respected by people. Everyone had to bow to him, including the merchant. He thought the high official is more powerful. “I wish that I could be a high official!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became the high official! He was carried on a chair, and people were bowing for him. It was a hot summer day, so he was so uncomfortable in that chair. He realized the sun is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be the sun!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became the sun! He was shining on everyone. But after some time, a dark cloud came and covered him. He thought that cloud is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be a cloud!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a cloud! He was flooding the fields. But soon he realized he is being carried by wind. He thought the wind is more powerful than him. “I wish that I could be wind!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became wind! He was storming everywhere, moving clouds in air, uprooting trees in the fields, and destroying houses in villages. But after blowing on a huge rock, he realized he cannot move that, as the rock was more powerful. “I wish that I could be a big rock!”, he thought.
Then he suddenly became a big rock! He thought he is more powerful than anything else. He then heard the sound of a hammer pounding over himself. Looking down, he noticed it is a stonecutter that is cutting him.
Humans often compare themselves to others, and sometimes envy others who they think they are better than themselves. But that’s just in their head! If you are not content with who you are and wish to be someone else, you will just suffer. Whatever you have and whoever you are, be happy!
- The Fisherman and His Wife
- The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter
Where this page comes from
The article above is adapted from “The Stonecutter” on Simple English Wikipedia, by its contributors. We removed reference markers, navigation boxes and tables, expanded measurement templates into readable numbers, and kept the prose otherwise intact. The simpler version is adapted from Wikijunior on Wikibooks.
Both sources are published under CC BY-SA 4.0, so this page is published under the same licence. You may share and adapt it, including commercially, as long as you credit the original and keep the same licence.
Worksheets, answer keys and printable layouts elsewhere on K5Print are our own work and are not covered by this licence.