A humble worker, a mountain spirit, and a chain of wishes that goes way too far. In this episode, Joe and Matthew break down The Stonecutter, a Japanese folktale that might actually have Dutch roots.

It’s a story of ambition and discontent, where one man wishes his way from stonecutter to everything from a prince to a cloud, only to discover that happiness doesn’t come from power, it comes from perspective.

Along the way, we trace how Andrew Lang’s Crimson Fairy Book spread the tale worldwide, talk about its connection to The Fisherman and His Wife (ATU 555), and yes — detour briefly into a folktale called The Bullock’s Balls. You’ve been warned.