Good Luck? Bad Luck?
Who Knows?

Long ago, a righteous man and his family lived near the frontier border. One day, for no apparent reason, their prized horse ran off into barbarian territory. The villagers gathered to express their sorrow over the loss, but the wise father simply smiled and said, "Who knows? This may turn out to be good luck."

Several months later, the missing horse returned, leading a magnificent herd of noble, wild horses back to the family's farm. The villagers rejoiced and congratulated them on their incredible windfall. Yet, the father remained cautious, warning, "Who knows? This may turn out to be bad luck."

With their stables now full, the man's son joyfully took up riding. One afternoon, while trying to mount one of the new horses, he fell and shattered his leg. Once again, the villagers came to offer their deep sympathies for the tragedy. Unshaken, the father replied, "Who knows? This may turn out to be good luck."

Exactly a year later, hostile forces invaded across the border. Every able-bodied adult man in the village was drafted, forced to string their bows and march into a brutal battle. Tragically, nine out of ten border residents lost their lives. However, because of his broken leg, the son was spared from the war. Both father and son were protected and survived the invasion in peace.