The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-02-09
A Japanese Romance.
The following Japanese story is
quoted by Ouch author, Decker,
IN his MAX Hayelaar:o ~

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The following Japanese story is
quoted by a Ouch author, Decker,
IN his "Max Havelaar:o -
"THE sToNE-CUTTRR."
"Once upon time there lived in
Japan poor stone-cutter, simple
| workman in the quarries. His life
was rude, he worked much, gained
little and was not at all c0ntented
with his fate. -r.s.
80, if l could only be rich enough
to rest, to sleep on thick mating,
wrspred in kirimon of soft silk !"
Such was the sigh he breathed TO
heaven. An angel intercepted it.
"It shall be according to thy de-
SIRE" said the angel to him. And
he at once becs me rich and he rest
ed, slept upon thick mating, and
wrapped himself i'll kirimon Of soft
silk.
L: happened that the Emperor
passed by. He was preceded by
hsraldS on foot and on horseback,
followed by a brilliant escort of cav
alters, and surrounded by persons
who held over his head an Immense
parasol respondent with gold. gel 50
"What good does it do me to be
rich ?" murmered the man, {" as long
as 1 have not the right TO 60 out with
an escort, and my head protected by
a golden parasol? Why am l not the
Emperor" .-t--
"Thou shalt be-" said the angel.
And, indeed, he became the EN-
peror. He had an escor: of cavaliers
oefore and behind him, aud people
who held above bis head an immense
parasol resplendent with gold.
However. the sun with his ardent
beams dried up the country, and the
dusty road, quivering with his
brightness, fatigued the eyes.
"It is a great advantage to be EN-
peror," cried the man, "when the
heat Of the day exhausts you, and
the sun never ceases to make you
feel his power! But if one could be
the sun!'
Behold! Are you satisfied ?" the
angel asked. For he had become the
sun, and he darted his beams up and
down, right and LEFT, and ali around
him. And scerched the herbage of
the earth and the faces Of the princes
upon the earth.
But now a cloud thrust itself be-
tween the earth and him ; it held back
the rays of the sun, and prevented
them from falling upon the earth's
surface.
"There is strength" cried the sun
Ca cloud capable of resisting my
power. 1t would be better if l were
a cloud"
every WE'LL" said the angel.
And the transformation was soon
accomplished. The new cloud
Placed itself haughtily between the
sun and the earth, and so thoroughly
intercepted the rays of the sun that
it soon saw the earth covered with
its shadow. Then it caused big drops
of rain, and pouring showers and
waterspouts 10 fall on the lands, so
that the torrents burst their bounds
and the rivers spread over and de-
vsststed fields. --t
Nothing resisted the force of the
inuudation; only a rock defed it,
perfectly motionless. In vain the
believing waters beat it in their
fury, the rock yielded not, but the
foamiDg waves died at its foot.
GA rock then is my SUPERIOR"
said the cloud 81 would rather be
in its place."
"You shall be-" said the angel.
And he was transformed into q
steep, unshaken rock, insensible to
the rays of the sun, indifferent to
the torrents of rain and the shock
Of the tumultuous waves.
Nevertheless, he distinguished at
his feet man of poor appearance,
hardly clothed but armed with
chisel and hammer; and the man
with the help of these instruments,
struck off pieces of the rock, which
he dressed into stones proper for
cutting.
what is that?" cried the rock
has a man the power of rending
the pieces of Stone from my
breast? Shall be weaker than he ?
Then it is absolutely necessary that
should be that man."
"Have your WILL" said the angel
and he became again what he had
been--a poor stone-cutter, simple
workman in the quarries. His life
was rude; he worked much and
gained little, but he was contented
with his lot? a-