The Stonecutter's Wish

 

In a quiet village cradled by mountains, a stonecutter named Kael labored daily, chiseling granite under the relentless sun. His hands were calloused, his back bent, yet he took pride in crafting stones for homes and hearths. But envy gnawed at him. He saw merchants with silk robes, warriors with gleaming swords, and priests revered by all. “If only I were powerful,” Kael sighed, “my life would be complete.”

One evening, as Kael rested by a stream, a faint glow shimmered in the water. A spirit emerged, its voice like rustling leaves. “Your heart is heavy, stonecutter. I grant you one wish.” Kael’s eyes widened. Without hesitation, he said, “Make me the most powerful being of all.”

The spirit vanished, and Kael awoke atop a hill, his body radiant as the sun. He was the Sun itself, beaming with unmatched might. He warmed fields and lit the world, but soon, a cloud drifted across his face, dimming his light. Frustrated, he thought, “The cloud is stronger than I.” So, he wished to be a cloud.

Instantly, he became a vast cloud, casting shadows over villages. He poured rain, swelling rivers, but the wind pushed him, scattering his form. “The wind is mightier,” Kael grumbled, and wished to be the wind.

As the wind, he roared through forests, bending trees and stirring seas. Yet, he met a mountain, immovable against his gusts. “The mountain is greater,” he fumed, and wished to be a mountain.

Now a towering peak, Kael stood unyielding, watching centuries pass. Storms battered him, but he remained. He felt invincible—until he heard a rhythmic clink. Below, a stonecutter chipped at his base, carving away his stone. Each strike humbled him. The stonecutter, with simple tools and resolve, shaped the mountain itself.

Kael’s heart stirred. He saw the truth: power wasn’t in being the sun, cloud, wind, or mountain. It was in the hands that worked, the will that persisted. He wished to be himself again.

The spirit returned him to his village, his chisel in hand. Kael smiled, content. He carved stones with renewed purpose, no longer envying others. His work-built homes, bridges, and lives. Years later, villagers spoke of Kael, not for his wealth or might, but for his quiet strength that shaped their world.

Lesson: True power lies not in becoming something else, but in embracing your own purpose and persistence. Envy blinds us to the strength we already hold.

Tom