There he saw so many beautiful
things that when he went back to his mountain
he could think of nothing else. Then he began to
wish that he too might sleep in a bed as soft as
down, with curtains of silk, and tassels of gold.
And he sighed:--
``Ah me! Ah me!
If Hofus only were rich as he!''
To his surprise, the voice of the Mountain
Spirit answered:--
``Have thou thy wish!''
When Hofus returned home that evening his
little hut was gone, and in its place stood a great
palace. It was filled with beautiful things, and
the best of all was a bed of down, with curtains
of silk and tassels of gold.
Hofus decided to work no more. But he was
not used to being idle, and time passed slowly,--
the days seemed very long.
One day as he sat by the window he saw a
carriage dash past. It was drawn by snow-white
horses. In it sat a prince, while before and behind
were servants in suits of blue and white. One was
holding a golden umbrella over the prince.
When the stone-cutter saw this, he began to
feel unhappy, and he sighed:--
``Ah me! Ah me!
If Hofus only a prince might be!''
And again the same voice that he had heard on
the mountain answered:--
``Be thou a prince!''
Straightway Hofus was a prince. He had servants
dressed in crimson and gold, and he rode in
a carriage with a golden umbrella over his head.
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