Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-03-05
A JAPANESE ROMANCE.
The StOne.Cutter.

Once upon a 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 at all
contented with his fate.
"Oh, if could only be rich enough to
rest, to sleep on the thick mating, wrap
ped up in soft kirmOn of silk !" Such
was the sigh he breathed to heaven. An
angel intercepted the sigh.
ut shall be according to thy DESIRE
said the angel to him. And he at once be-
came rich, and he rested, slept upon thick
mating, and wrapped himself in q kir-
mon of very soft silk.
1t happened that the Emperor passed by.
He was preceded by heralds on foot and
on horseback, followed by q brilliant es-
cort of cavaliers and surrounded by per-
sons who held over his head an immense
parasol resplendent with gold.
What good does it do me to be rich ~
murmured the man, "as long rs [ have
not the right to go out with an escort, and
my head protected by gold parasol! Why
am not the Emperor ?n
"ThOu shalt be" said the angel.
And, indeed, he became the Emperor.
He had an escort of cavaliers before and
behind him, and the people who held
above his head an immense parasOl resplen-
dent with gold.
However, the sun with his ardent beams
dried up the country, and the dusty road
quiveriDg with his brightness, fatigued
the eyes.
ut is great advantage to be Emperor y
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 ?n 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 it held back the rays of
the sun and prevented them from falling
upon the earth's surface.
"There is strength" cried the sun-"a
cloud capably of resisting my power. 1t
would be better if 1 were clOud.n
every well" said the angel.
And the transformation was at once &C
complished. 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 water spouts to fall
ON the land, so that the torrents burst their
UOu1CS anu IuS IlNSIS , pIeetu ONeI anu lS-
vastated the fields.
Nothing resisted the force of the mum
dation; only a rock defied it, perfectly
motionless. In vain the believing waters
beat it in their fury; the rock yielded not,
but the foaming waves died at its feet.
ga rock, then, is my support" said the
cloud; would rather be in its place.
"YOu shall be-" said the angel.
And he was transformed into steep,
mistaken rock, insensible to the rays of
the sun, Indifferent to the torrents of rain,
and the sheck of 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 aid of these instru.'
ments, struck off pieces of rock, which he
dressed into stones proper for cutting.
What is that ?" cried the rock. "Has
a man the power of rendering 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, poor
stone cutter-a simple workmanSin 1.-THE
quarries. His life was rude, he worked
much and gained but little, but he was
content with his lot.