The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-05-09
The Stone.Cutter.

Once upon time there was in Japan a poor
stone cutter, simple workman in the quarrles;;
His life was rude, he worked much, gained
little and was not at all contented with his
fate.
20. if I could only be rich enough to rest, to
sleep on thick mating, wrapped in kirimon
of soft silkr' Such was the sigh he brcathed
to heaven. An angel intercepted it. :. =,
"It shall be according to thy desire" SAID
the angel to him. And he at once became
rich, and he rested, slept upon thick mating
and wrapped himself in kirimon OF soft SILK
1t happened that the Emperor passed by.
He was preceded by heralds on foot and horse
back, followed by brilliant escortof cavaliers,
and surrounded by persons who held over his
head an immense parasol, respendent With
gold
"What good does it do me to be rich ?" muir
INJURED the man, cas- long as have not the
right to go out with an escort, and my head
protected by golden parasol? Whyam not
the Emperor? ?"
had an escort of cavaliers before and behind
him. and people who held above his head an
immense parasol resplendent with gold
However, the sun with his ardent beams
dried up the country, and the dusty road, quiv-
ering with his brightness, fatigued the eyes.
at is great advantage to be Emperor" :"
cried the man, "whcn the heat of the day ex-
hausts YOU and the sun never ceases to make
YOU feel his power! But if one could be the
sun !"
"Behod Are you satisfed?" 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
herbage of the earth and the face of princes
upon the earth.
But now a 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
capable of resisting my power. 1t would be
better if were cloud"
every WE'LL" said the angel.
And the transformation was at once accom-
plished The new cloud placed itself haughtl-
" between the sun and the earth, and so thor
oughly 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 to fall on the lands,
so that the torrents burst their bounds and the
rivers spread over and devastated the fields.
Nothing resisted the force of the inunda-
ton; only rock de6ed it, perfectly motion
less. In vain the believing waters beat it in
their fury, the rock yielded not, but the foam
ing waves died at its foot.
"A 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 steep, un-
shaken 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 a
man of poor appearance, hardly clothed, but
armed with hammer; and the man, with
the help of those instruments, struck off pieces
of the rock, which he dressed into stones prop
"What is fthat?" cried the rock; "has man
the power of rending pieces of stone from my
breast? Shall I be weaker than he? Then it
is absolutely necessary that should be that
man ?"
"Have your will p' said the angel and he
became again what he had been-a poor stone me.
life was rude, he worked much and gained lit
tie, but he was contented with his lot