This is a popular Chinese story. I didn't write it, just recalled it from my childhood.
There was once a stone mason, pounding away at in the hot sun. As he grew tired, he became dissatisfied with his life, and by the time he got to his modest home, ate the modest meal his modest wife lovingly prepared for him, and finally fell asleep depressed.
The next day, tools in hand he was waking down the road when he saw a great caravan of a rich merchant draped in gold. He noticed the merchant's beautiful wife bedside him, dressed in the finest silk, and the servants surrounding him at his call.
He then wondered what it would be like to be the merchant...and suddenly he found himself in the merchant's place, by his side his wife dressed in silk, and servants at his call. That night he went to his palace, next to his wife in a fine nightgown, feeding him, and servants doing his bidding.
The next day the merchant awoke, happy and contented, and as he sat out on his daily walk, a well known high official was passing, being carried in a fancy chair. He saw soldiers guarding the, and servants banging gongs to announce his presence. He also noted too, that everyone bowed low to the official, rich or poor, and merchant and stone cutter alike, and as he was forced to bow, he was suddenly depressed, and discontented with his life.
He wondered what it would be like to be the high official...and suddenly he was in the fancy chair, people bowing before him, rich and poor. Beautiful women swarming around him, wanting to be his company for his stay, and the village laying out a reception and dinner to honor him. That night, he ate the biggest meal of his life, and slept with many beautiful concubines, and was happy and content.
The next morning was hot, and made the official uncomfortable. As the day wore on, the accountant came to show him a major shortfall in the budget, and he was forced to levy a tax on the people of the kingdom. As he was escorted away from the village in his fancy chair, although the people were bowing, he could feel the hatred and anger they had for him, he became discontented, and depressed. He looked up at the sun, and felt it's power.
He wished to be the sun...and suddenly he was shining brightly on all. The workmen wiping their brows as he stood over them scorching the fields. The farmers hated him, as he was burning their crops, until the big storm came, blocking him out, and bringing water and a cool breeze to the land.
He then wished he was a storm...and suddenly he was raining all over the village. The fields were flooding, and the farmers cursing him. He felt a great force pushing him away, he felt its power.
We wished he was the wind...and suddeny he was blowing down the trees, and the tiles off the houses of the village. The villagers feared and hated him as they tried to shelter themselves from the rage. Then he came up to a force he could not move.
He wished to be a mountain...surely this is the most powerful force on earth. The wind could not move it, the rain could not wash it away, the sun does not bother it, it is not rich or poor, or subject to the edicts of men.
As the mountain stood there bold and majestic, he heard the sound of a hammer hitting a chisel as the thought his arrogant thought he looked down and saw a stone cutter pounding away at the mountian.