A stonecutter once delivered a slab of stone to a merchant. Seeing all of the man’s wonderful goods, the stonecutter said, “I wish I was a merchant and had such things.” In the twinkling of an eye, his wish was granted. Then one day he saw a parade outside his store window. He saw a prince pass by in splendor, and he said, “I wish I was a prince.” And immediately he became a prince . . . until the day the hot sun beat down upon him, and he said, “I wish I was the sun, greater than any man.” And he became the sun and was happy . . . until a cloud came between him and the earth. He said, “That cloud overshadows me. I wish I was a cloud.” Again his wish was granted. He rained down on the earth to his heart’s content until he came to a mountain, which wouldn’t let him pass. He said, “That mountain is greater than I. I wish I was a mountain.” Instantly he became a mountain and he thought, Now I am the greatest of all.

But one day a little man climbed up the mountain and with a hammer and chisel began to tap away at it. The mountain, unable to stop him, said, “That little man is greater than I — I wish I was a man who cut stone.” Once again his wish was granted and he became a stonecutter. He lived a long and useful life, and everyone marveled at how happy he was.

(Source: God’s Little Devotional Book.)