Good thing? Bad thing? (First entry for 24th July 2011)

The Secret of Happiness  -   an old legend.

Once upon a time, an old farmer lived in a valley with his son, a handsome and dutiful youth. They lived a peaceful life despite a lack of material possessions. They were very happy. So much so, that neighbours began to get envious and wanted to understand the secret of their happiness.

One day, the old man used all his savings to buy a young and beautiful stallion. The day after he bought it, the horse jumped the fence and escaped into the hills. The neighbours came to express their concern, "Oh, that's too bad. How are you going to work the fields now?"

The farmer replied, "Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?"

In a few days, his stallion came back from the hills and brought eight fine mares with him. The neighbours again gathered around, "Oh, how lucky! Now you can do much more work than ever before!" they said.

The farmer replied, "Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?"


The next day, the farmer's son fell off one of the new horses and broke his leg. "Such misfortune," said the neighbours. The leg healed crookedly and left the son with a permanent limp and endless pain. The neighbours were concerned again, "Now that he is incapacitated, he can't help you around, that's too bad."

The farmer replied, "Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?"

Soon, the news came that war has broken out, and all the young men were required to join the army. The villagers were sad because they knew that many of the young men will not come back. The farmer's son could not be drafted because of his broken leg. His neighbours were envious: "How lucky! You get to keep your only son!"

The farmer replied, "Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?"

And the narrative goes on...