The people got the idea that the prophecy was about to come true from a rumour that went throughout the valley. The rumour was that the great man, who was to bear a resemblance to the Great Stone Face, had appeared at last. Many years before, a young man named Gathergold had left the valley and settled at a distant seaport. He had set up as a shopkeeper and being sharp in business matters, had become so rich that it would have taken him a hundred years only to count his wealth. In time, he thought of his native valley, and decided to go back there and end his days where he had been born. The people believed that this was the prophesied man.