THE CHINESE FARMER • Alan Watts

Once upon a time, there was a Chinese farmer who lost a horse. It ran away. All the neighbors came around that evening and said “That’s too bad.” And he said “Maybe.” 

The next day, the horse came back, and brought seven wild horses with it. And all the neighbors came around and said “Why, that’s great, isn’t it?” And he said “Maybe.” 

The next day, his son, who was attempting to tame one of these horses was riding it, was thrown and broke his leg. All the neighbors came around in the evening and said “Well, that’s too bad, isn’t it?” And the farmer said “Maybe.” 

The next day, the conscription officers came around looking for people for the army. They rejected his son because he had a broken leg. All the neighbors came around that evening and said “Isn’t that wonderful?” And he said “Maybe.”

The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity. It is really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad because you never know what will be the consequences of a misfortune. Or you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.