There was once an old man who had a fine strong son. The father and son were poor and had little except for an exceptional stallion.
One night, the son forgot to close the gate to the corral and the stallion ran off. The next day the old man's friends and neighbors came to console him on his bad luck.
The old man smiled and said, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
For the next day, the stallion returned and brought with him a great herd of horses. Now the old man's friends and neighbors came and congratulated him for his good luck.
Again the old man only smiled and said, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
For the next day, the son was thrown while trying to break the horses and both his legs were broken.
Again the old man was consoled and again he responded, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
For that very day, soldiers came through the town conscribing all the young men into the army. They took a look at the son with his two broken legs and they left him alone.
Good luck, bad luck, who knows?
