Question

the discontented stonecutter by bayard taylor
there was once a man who worked from morning till late at night cutting building - stones out of old rock. his pay was small and hardly enough to keep his wife and children from starving. so the poor stonecutter grew discontented and sighed and moaned bitterly over his hard lot.
one day, when his work seemed harder than usual and his troubles more than he could bear, he cried out in despair:
“oh, i wish i could be rich and lie at ease on a soft couch with a curtain of red silk!”
just then a beautiful angel floated down, and said softly, “thy wish is granted thee.” at once the poor stonecutter found himself rich, powerful and resting easily on his silken couch with its red curtain.
as he gazed out, however, he saw the king of the country ride by with many horsemen before and behind him, and with a great golden sunshade held over his head. it irritated the rich man to have passed over his head and were a king as that one!
again his guardian angel appeared, waved his wand, and said, “it shall be as thou desirest.” immediately the man was a king, and before him and behind him rode his men - at - arms, and over his head was a golden sunshade. but elsewhere the sun shone fiercely so that even dried up the vegetation with its terrible heat. it was reflected into the face of the king and dried up the golden sunshade did not keep him from suffering. once more he sighed discontentedly, “if i could only be the sun!”
almost before he spoke he found himself to be the sun, and he began joyously to send his fiery rays above, below, and everywhere round about him. he scorched the grass of the earth, and burned the faces of the rich and poor alike. his power unlimited until a little cloud placed itself between him and the earth and screened his face and scorching rays. it still angered him that something more powerful than himself.
again he wished that he might be the cloud.
again his wish was granted, and he found himself floating where he wished through the sky. he ran between the sun and the earth and sheltered the latter so that the grass grew green, the trees leafed and blossoms and everything rejoiced in a new growth. then he sent great floods of rain upon the earth and the rivers rose till they overflowed, swept homes and herds into the sea and destroyed the works of men.
how does the stonecutter change from the beginning of the passage to the end?
from poor to rich
from exhausted to relaxed
from miserable to pleased
from jealous to prideful

Explanation:

At the start, the stone - cutter is miserable due to his hard life of cutting stones and poverty. As his wishes are granted one by one, he finally seems pleased when he becomes a powerful entity (the cloud) with great power over nature. He goes from a state of unhappiness to a state of contentment.

Answer:

from miserable to pleased