Loss and Gain

Mar 01, 2023

This is an ancient story.
A loss, no bad thing.
A gain, no good thing.

A farmer had only one horse.
One day, his horse ran away.
His neighbors said,
“I’m so sorry.
This is such bad news.
You must be so upset.”
The man just said, “We’ll see.”

A few days later,
his horse came back with
twenty wild horses following.
The man and his son
corraled all 21 horses.
His neighbors said,
“Congratulations!
This is such good news.
You must be so happy!”
The man just said, “We’ll see.”

One of the wild horses
kicked the man’s only son,
breaking both his legs.
His neighbors said,
“I’m so sorry.
This is such bad news.
You must be so upset.”
The man just said, “We’ll see.”

The country went to war,
and every able-bodied young
man was drafted to fight.
The war was terrible and
killed every young man,
but the farmer’s son was spared,
since his broken legs prevented
him from being drafted.
His neighbors said,
“Congratulations!
This is such good news.
You must be so happy!”
The man just said, “We’ll see.”
Sai Weng Shi Ma, Yan Zhi Fei Fu