Version 1:
This farmer had only one horse, and one day the horse ran away.
The neighbors came to condole over his terrible loss. The farmer
said, "What makes you think it is so terrible?"
A month later, the horse came home--this time bringing with her
two beautiful wild horses. The neighbors became excited at the
farmer's good fortune. Such lovely strong horses! The farmer said,
"What makes you think this is good fortune?"
The farmer's son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke
his leg. All the neighbors were very distressed. Such bad luck!
The farmer said, "What makes you think it is bad?"
A war came, and every able-bodied man was conscripted and sent
into battle. Only the farmer's son, because he had a broken leg,
remained. The neighbors congratulated the farmer. "What makes
you think this is good?" said the farmer.
As told by Executive editor, Elise Hancock, in the Johns
Hopkins Magazine, November 1993, page 2, in section entitled
Editor's Note.
Version 2:
A man named Sei Weng owned a beautiful mare which was praised
far and wide. One day this beautiful horse disappeared. The people
of his village offered sympathy to Sei Weng for his great misfortune.
Sei Weng said simply, "That's the way it is."
A few days later the lost mare returned, followed by a beautiful
wild stallion. The village congratulated Sei Weng for his good
fortune. He said, "That's the way it is."
Some time later, Sei Weng's only son, while riding the stallion,
fell off and broke his leg. The village people once again expressed
their sympathy at Sei Weng's misfortune. Sei Weng again said,
"That's the way it is."
Soon thereafter, war broke out and all the young men of the village
except Sei Weng's lame son were drafted and were killed in battle.
The village people were amazed as Sei Weng's good luck. His son
was the only young man left alive in the village. But Sei Weng
kept his same attitude: despite all the turmoil, gains and losses,
he gave the same reply, "That's the way it is."
As told by Chin-Ning Chu, in "The Asian Mind Game: unlocking
the hidden agenda of the Asian business culture -- a westerner's
survival manual," New York:Macmillan Publishing Company,
page 182.
Version 3:
A man who lived on the northern frontier of China was skilled
in interpreting events. One day, for no reason, his horse ran
away to the nomads across the border. Everyone tried to console
him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't
a blessing?" Some months later his horse returned, bringing
a splendid nomad stallion. Everyone congratulated him, but his
father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't a disaster?"
Their household was richer by a fine horse, which his son loved
to ride. One day he fell and broke his hip. Everyone tried to
console him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure
this isn't a blessing?"
A year later the nomads came in force across the border, and every
able-bodied man took his bow and went into battle. The Chinese
frontiersmen lost nine of every ten men. Only because the son
was lame did the father and son survive to take care of each other.
Truly, blessing turns to disaster, and disaster to blessing: the
changes have no end, nor can the mystery be fathomed.
The Lost Horse,
Chinese Folktale.
As told by Ellen J. Langer, in" The Power of Mindful Learning,"
Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley, page 99-100. (1997).
Version 4:
THE KING AND HIS FRIEND
An African king had a close friend who had the habit of remarking
"this
is good" about every occurrence in life no matter what it
was. One day
the king and his friend were out hunting. The king's friend loaded
a
gun and handed it to the king, but alas he loaded it wrong and
when the
king fired it, his thumb was blown off.
"This is good!" exclaimed his friend.
The horrified and bleeding king was furious. "How can
you say this is
good? This is obviously horrible!" he shouted.
The king put his friend in jail.
About a year later the king went hunting by himself. Cannibals
captured
him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked
some
wood, set up a stake and bound him to it. As they came near to
set fire
to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being
superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole.
They
untied the king and sent him on his way.
Full of remorse the king rushed to the prison to release his friend.
"You were right, it WAS good" the king said.
The king told his friend how the missing thumb saved his life
and
added, "I feel so sad that I locked you in jail.That was
such a bad
thing to do"
"NO! this is good!" responded his delighted friend.
"Oh, how could that be good my friend, I did a terrible
thing to you while I
owe you my
life".
"It is good" said his friend, "because if I
wasn't in jail I would have been
hunting with you and they would have killed ME."
Source unknown
Version 5:
Taoist Farmer stories are based on the Chinese belief that life has its ups and downs, and does not always go up. Click on the following link to read a story I wrote about the ups and downs in the lives of some chickens, and one eccentric chicken's interpretation of whether the farmer that feeds them is good or bad.
The
Benevolent Farmer?
Enjoy!
Postscript: Here is another related tidbit: When Communist era Premier Chou En-Lai was asked whether or not the French revolution was good or bad, his response was "It's too early to tell." (From "The Geography of Thought, How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why," by Richard E. Nisbett, NY:Simon and Schuster, 2003, page 13). When I first read this, I couldn't stop laughing!
Last updated 11 November 2004
Copyright ©
1998-2004 by Duen
Hsi Yen, All rights reserved.
E-mail: yen@noogenesis.com
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