Ernest grows up working the fields and playing in the woods of the valley. He becomes a quiet, strong, smart kid, although he has no formal schooling. Ernest spends a good portion of his day in respectful, almost prayerful, contemplation of the Great Stone Face. A famous merchant, Mr. Gathergold, returns to the valley, his childhood home, and raises a magnificent marble mansion. The locals believe he fulfills the prophecy, but when Ernest sees the man, he realizes that Gathergold does not truly resemble the Great Stone Face. To Ernest, Gathergold's face is too sordid and cunning to match the visage in the mountainside.