The Tiger Emperor imprisons Amah, where she meets another prisoner, a stonecutter. The Tiger Emperor jails the stonecutter after he smashes off the figure of the Tiger Emperor from a statue he was commissioned to create. Initially sentenced to death, the Tiger Emperor spared him, thinking he might still be of use.

While in prison, Amah shares The Story of the Stone Fish with the stonecutter:

A beautiful white stone washes ashore, catching the attention of the fierce Magistrate Tiger. He orders a village stonecutter to carve it into a dragon. However, when the stonecutter brings the stone home, it begins to burble at him. Despite intending to carve a dragon, he realizes the stone wants to be a fish and carves it accordingly. The fish, appearing almost alive, enrages the magistrate, who orders the stonecutter’s execution.

That night, haunted by the burbling sound of fish, the magistrate commands the stonecutter’s son to bring him the fish carving. As the son enters, he weeps, and when his tears touch the statue, it miraculously transforms into a living fish. The fish brings joy to everyone and even captures the Magistrate Tiger’s interest. But when the Magistrate Tiger tries to move the fish from a humble wooden tub to a more elaborate vessel, it jumps from his servant’s hands, turns back to stone, and shatters.