The Farmer’s Luck:
There was once an old farmer who had a horse.
One day, the horse ran away.
His neighbors came by and said, “Oh, what bad luck!”
The farmer simply replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”
A few days later, the horse returned—bringing with it three wild horses.
The neighbors exclaimed, “What great fortune!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”
Later, the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, but he was thrown off and broke his leg.
The neighbors came again and said, “How terrible!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”
Soon after, the army came to the village, conscripting all the able-bodied young men to go to war.
But the farmer’s son was not taken because of his broken leg.
The neighbors said, “What a blessing!”
And the farmer said, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”