Bad Luck?

An old man had a son and a horse. One day the horse strayed and got lost. When the old man's neighbours heard it, they went to tell the old man they were sorry about his bad luck.

"How do you know it is bad luck?" he asked.

Soon after that the horse returned, bringing with him many wild horses. Now the neighbours came to congratulate the man on his good luck.

"How do you know it is good luck?" he asked.

The son took up riding. One day he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbours came to the old man and expressed sorrow at his bad luck.

"How do you know it is bad luck?" he asked.

Very soon afterwards a war broke out and the military came to the old man's village to draft all the young men there. The old man's son was not drafted, however, because of his broken leg.

Now, do you know it was his good luck?

Compare "The Hare and the Heiress" (AT 96*)