The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-03
a ga panosc isvni..ncv.

Once upon time there was in Japan
a poor stone-cutter, a simple workman
in the quarries. His life was rude, he
worked much, gained but little, and
was not all contented with his fate.
"Oh, if could be rich enough to
rest, to sleep on the thick mating,
wrapped UP in soft kirmon of silk -
Such was the sigh he breathed to hea-
ven. An angel intercepted the sigh.
at shall be according to thy desire, "
became rich, and he rested, slept upon
thick mating, and wrapped himself in
a kirmOn of very soft silk.
1t happened that the Emperor passed
by. He was preceded by heralds on
foot and on horseback, followed by a
brilliant escort of cavaliers, and sur
rounded by persons who held over his
head an immense parasol respondent
with gold.
"What good does it to me to he rich !"
murmured the man, "as long as / have
not the right TO go out with an escort,
and my head protected by a golden
parasol! Why am l not the EN-
peror?n
"Thou shalt be-" said the angel.
And, indeed, he became the Emper-
or. He had an escort of cavaliers before
and behind him, and people who held
over his head an immense parasol re-
splendent with gold.
However, the sun with his ardent
beams dried up the country, and the
dusty road, quiveTing with his bright
ness, fatigued the eyes.
at 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 all around
him. And he scorched the heritage OF
| the earth and the faces of the princes
upon the earth.
But cloud thrust itself between the
earth and him; ii held back the rays of
the sun and prevented them from fall
ing upon the earth's surface.
"There is strength cried the sun
"a cloud capable of resisting my pow
er. 1t would be better if l were a
cloud.n
"Very well, " said the angel.
And the transformation was at once
| accomplished. The new cloud placed
itself haughtily between the sun and
the earth, and so thoroughly intercept
| ed 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 water spouts to
fall on the land, so that the torrents
burst her bounds and the rivers spread
over and devastated the fields.
Nothing resisted the force of the in
undation; only a rock deied it, perfect
| ly motionless. In vain the believing
| waters beat il in their fury; the rock
yielded not, but the foaming waves died
at its feet.
"a rock, then, is my support" said
the cloud; | would rather be in its
| place.
=" You shall he" said the angel.
i.And he was transformed into steep,
mistaken rock, insensible to the rays
of the sun, indifferent to the torrents of
rain, and the shock OF tumultuous
waves.
Nevertheless, he distinguished at his
feet man of poor appearance, hardly
| clothed, but armed with a chiSel and
hammer; and the man, with the aid of
these instruments, struck off pieces of
rock, which he dressed into stones
proper for cutting.
"What is that?" cried the rock.
"Has man the power of rending
pieces of stone from my breast? Shall
| he weaker than he? Then it is ahso-
lutely necessary that should he that
| man!u
"Have your WILL" said the angel,
| and he became again what he had been,
n poor stone-cutter-a simple workman
in the quarries. His life was rude, he
worked much and gained but little, but
| he was content with his lot.