The Man in the Moon

There was a blacksmith once who complained: "I am not well, and my work is too warm. I want to be a stone on the mountain. There it must be cool, for the wind blows and the trees give a shade."
A wise man who had power over all things replied: "Go you, be a stone."

And he was a stone, high up on the mountain-side. It happened that a stone-cutter came that way for a stone, and when he saw the one that had been the blacksmith, he knew that it was what he sought, and he began to cut it.

The stone cried out: "This hurts! I no longer want to be a stone. A stone-cutter I want to be. That  would be pleasant."
The wise man, humoring him, said, "  Be a cutter."

Thus he became a stone-cutter, and as he went seeking suitable stone, he grew tired, and his feet were sore.

He whimpered, " I no longer want to cut stone. I would be the sun; that would be pleasant." 
The wise man commanded, "  Be the sun."    And he was the sun. 

But the sun was warmer than the blacksmith, than a stone, than a stone-cutter, and he complained, 
"I do not like this. I would be the moon. It looks cool." 
The wise man spake yet again, "  Be the moon."   And he was the moon. 

"This is warmer than being the sun," murmured he,
"for the light from the sun shines on me ever. I do not want to be the moon. I would be a smith again. That, verily, is the best life." 

But the wise man replied, " I am weary of your changing. You wanted to be the moon; the moon you are, and it you will remain."