English Original
There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with his life and position.
One day, passing a wealthy merchant's house, he saw fine possessions and important visitors through the open gateway. "How powerful that merchant must be!" he thought, filled with envy. He wished to be like the merchant and escape his life as a mere stonecutter.
To his surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying luxuries and power beyond his dreams, envied and detested by those less wealthy. Soon, a high official passed by in a sedan chair, escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, regardless of wealth, had to bow. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish I could be a high official!"
Then he became the official, carried in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by all who bowed before him. On a hot day, uncomfortable in the sticky chair, he looked up at the sun shining proudly, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish I could be the sun!"
He became the sun, shining fiercely, scorching the fields, and cursed by farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, blocking his light. "How powerful that cloud is!" he thought. "I wish I could be a cloud!"
He became the cloud, flooding fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. Soon, he was pushed away by a great force—the wind. "How powerful the wind is!" he thought. "I wish I could be the wind!"
He became the wind, blowing tiles off roofs and uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below. But then he met an immovable object: a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish I could be a stone!"
He became the stone, more powerful than anything on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he wondered.
He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter.
中文翻译
从前有一个石匠，他对自己的生活和社会地位感到不满。
一天，他路过一个富商的宅邸，从敞开的大门里看到了许多精美的财物和重要的访客。"那个商人一定非常强大！"他想着，心中充满了嫉妒。他希望能像那个商人一样，不再过仅仅是一个石匠的生活。
令他惊讶的是，他突然变成了那个商人，享受着做梦都想不到的奢华和权力，被不如他富有的人所嫉妒和憎恨。不久，一位高官乘着轿子经过，由敲锣的士兵护送。无论多富有的人，都必须鞠躬行礼。"那位官员多么强大啊！"他想。"我希望我能成为一名高官！"
于是他变成了那位官员，坐在刺绣的轿子里被抬着到处走，所有从他面前经过的人都因恐惧和憎恨而向他鞠躬。在一个炎热的日子里，他在闷热的轿子里感到很不舒服，他抬头看着太阳，它骄傲地照耀着天空，丝毫不受他存在的影响。"太阳多么强大啊！"他想。"我希望我能成为太阳！"
他变成了太阳，猛烈地照耀着大地，烤焦了田野，被农民和劳工们诅咒。但一片巨大的乌云移到了他和地球之间，挡住了他的光芒。"那片云多么强大啊！"他想。"我希望我能成为一片云！"
他变成了云，淹没了田野和村庄，被所有人责骂。很快，他被一股强大的力量推开——那是风。"风多么强大啊！"他想。"我希望我能成为风！"
他变成了风，吹走屋顶的瓦片，连根拔起树木，被下面所有的人所憎恨和恐惧。但后来他遇到了一个无法移动的东西：一块巨大高耸的石头。"那块石头多么强大啊！"他想。"我希望我能成为一块石头！"
他变成了石头，比地球上任何东西都强大。但当他站在那里时，他听到了锤子将凿子敲进坚硬岩石的声音，并感觉到自己正在被改变。"有什么能比我这块石头更强大呢？"他疑惑着。
他低头看去，在远远的下方看到了一个石匠的身影。