THE CHINESE FARMER
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
A Chinese farmer lived on a farm in a small village. He had one son who was old enough to help him with the hard work he had to do in order to make a humble living from the soil. He was very fortunate that he also owned one horse, which did much of the heavy labor in the fields.
One night accidentally, as they finished working and put the horse into the pasture, the gate was left unlatched. During the night, the horse went out through the gate. Next morning the farmer discovered his horse was gone. His neighbors were asked but they did not know of its whereabouts. His neighbors expressed their sadness for him and further mourned that without his horse he would not be able to earn a living. “You will be without means, how unfortunate, all is lost for you,” they said. The farmer replied, “I do not know that. I do not know that there is no hope. I am not wise enough to know those things.”
Several nights later, while the farmer and his son were sleeping, his horse returned to the farm drawing with him a herd of wild horses. They went into the unlocked pasture and were there in the morning as the farmer arose. These fine animals were now his. When they learned about this good fortune, his neighbors came and exclaimed, “How fortunate you are. You are a wealthy man. Oh, how blessed you are! Now you can have anything that you want.” The farmer replied, “I do not know if this is good fortune. I do not know that these things will be. I am not wise enough to know this.” And he continued his work.
His son was attempting to train the new horses. One day there was an accident and the boy was thrown from a wild horse. He received a very serious injury to his leg. He was unable to work and suffered great pain. The neighbors came to the farmer and said, “Oh how tragic, your son will never be able to walk. He cannot help you with the work as before. You will not be able to enjoy a bounteous harvest. You are most unfortunate.” The farmer replied, “I do not know if this is bad fortune. I am not wise to know if what you say will be so.” And he continued to do what he could do.
Then one day, a warlord of the providence in which they lived sent out a decree that all young men of the providence would be conscripted into his army, to fight his enemies of a neighboring land. Soldiers were sent into the farmer’s village. They gathered all of the young men of the village. Because of his injured leg the farmer’s son was of no use to them so, he stayed home with his father.
Within a short time, news of a fierce battle was received in the village. It reported that all of the young men from this village had been killed.
Are any of us wise enough to know what good fortune is and what is not?