The Wise Farmer

Once upon a time, there was a wise old farmer in China who used an old horse to till his fields. One day, the horse ran away into the woods. The farmers neighbors came around to his house and sympathized with the old man over his bad luck. The farmer replied, Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows? A week later, the horse wandered home from the woods with a young stallion following it. This time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his great good luck. His reply was again, Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows? One day, the farmers son was riding the young stallion and fell off its back and broke both his legs. People began to gossip about his bad luck. Only the farmer did not join in, and his only reaction was once more, Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows? Some weeks later, the Chinese army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied young man they could find and they sent the young men to fight in a far away war. Only the farmers son was left behind because his broken legs left him unable to walk. The neighbors said nothing this time... Once upon a time there was a merchant in Bagdad. And early one morning he sent his most trusted and faithful servant to the market to tend to his business. About an hour later the man ran back to his master his face as white as a sheet. He fell to his knees and begged him to lend him his swiftest horse. "Master I have just met Death who stared into my face. Please lend me your horse so that I can flee to Samarra, where he cannot find me." So being a kindly man, he lent the horse to his servant. Then early that afternoon he set off to the market himself. And on the way he met Death who was relaxing under a fig tree, eating some figs. "Hello," he said. "Why did you give my servant such a bad fright this morning?" "I'm sorry," Death replied. "I didn't mean to. It was just that I was surprised to see him here in Bagdad. Because I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra."