Long ago in the mountains of Japan there lived a stonecutter called Yoshi.
He was a poor man with a bent back and hard hands from cutting stone.
People said a spirit lived in the mountains where Yoshi worked.
They said it granted wishes, but Yoshi had never seen the spirit.
One day Yoshi took some stone to a rich man’s house.
Yoshi loved the rich man’s beautiful home, his silk clothes, and his clean soft hands.
“Oh, I wish I could be a rich man”, whispered Yoshi.
A cool wind blew and the mountain spirit appeared.
It whispered “your wish is granted Yoshi, a rich man you shall now be”.
When Yoshi got home it had become a fine house; Yoshi was rich.
He put away his tools and rested looking out of the window.
The day grew hot.
Yoshi saw a prince ride by.
Servants fanned the prince to cool him and shaded him with golden umbrellas.
“I wish I could be a prince”, said Yoshi.
The spirit said “your wish is granted Yoshi, a prince you now shall be.”
Now Yoshi was a prince, riding in a carriage with servants around him.
Prince Yoshi smiled as he sheltered from the sun under golden umbrellas.
His servants gave him water in a jewelled cup and Yoshi happily sipped it.
Prince Yoshi soon felt very hot.
Even the umbrellas didn’t help.
When he splashed water on his skin the hot sun dried it up.
The sun is more powerful than me”, muttered Yoshi, “I wish I could be the sun”.
The spirit spoke again “your wish is granted Yoshi, the sun you shall now be.”
Yoshi felt himself rise into the sky and start to shine.
He really was the sun. He sent his powerful rays down to earth.
Yoshi shone harder, he made people sweat and burn their skin.
He dried out the land and made the grass wither.
Everything could feel his power.
One day Yoshi the sun could not see the ground, a cloud was in his way.
He shone with all his might, but the cloud would not go.
“Can a cloud put out my power?” cried Yoshi, “Then I wish to be a cloud”.
Your wish is granted Yoshi, a cloud you now shall be” replied the spirit.
Yoshi became a big thick grey cloud
he shut out the sun’s heat, shaded the people, cooled the land, and it began to rain.
Yoshi’s rain made the streams and rivers flow and made puddles on the ground.
The grass soon turned green again and the crops began to grow.
Yoshi the cloud rained harder and harder, in the mountains the little streams became great waterfalls.
Rivers overflowed and drowned the crops.
The flood water came rushing down roads and poured into villages.
Only the huge rocks on the mountains stood firm and would not move.
“Rocks are more powerful than clouds” grumbled Yoshi, “I wish I could be a rock”.
The spirit replied “your wish is granted Yoshi, a rock you now shall be”.
Yoshi was a rock, huge, hard and solid.
He did not fear the sun, nor rain.
“Nothing can be stronger than me”, he boasted.
Then Yoshi the rock felt tools cutting into him.
A stonecutter is stronger than me said Yoshi.
I wish I could be a man again.
The mountain spirit smiled, “Your wish is granted Yoshi, a man you now shall be”.
Yoshi the stone cutter picked up his tools and started to work.
His back was bent, and he was poor, but now he was happy.