The Story of the Old Man and His Horse: A Fable
Once upon a time, in a small village nestled among rolling hills, there lived an old man named Sei Weng. Sei Weng was known for his wisdom and his ability to see the good in all situations, even the most seemingly bad ones.
One sunny morning, as the villagers were going about their daily tasks, Sei Weng’s horse, a magnificent creature with a shiny coat and a spirited demeanor, bolted from the stable. The villagers gathered, worried and talking about the loss.
“The old man’s horse has run away!” they exclaimed. “He will be destitute now!”
Sei Weng, however, remained calm and philosophical. “We’ll see,” he replied with a smile.
A few days later, to everyone’s surprise, the horse returned, not alone but with a herd of wild horses. The villagers were overjoyed and rushed to tell Sei Weng the news.
“The horse has come back with a herd of wild horses!” they said. “This is a blessing!”
Sei Weng nodded, but he didn’t seem overly excited. “We’ll see,” he said again.
Word of the old man’s horse and the wild herd spread throughout the land. Many young men came to Sei Weng, eager to buy the wild horses. The villagers were thrilled at the prospect of making a fortune.
One of the young men, eager to own a wild horse, asked Sei Weng to sell him the animal. But Sei Weng refused. “No,” he said. “The horse is not for sale.”
The young man was puzzled. “Why not? They are worth a fortune!”
Sei Weng smiled. “We’ll see.”
That night, the young man’s son, who was eager to prove his bravery, tried to ride one of the wild horses. The horse, unaccustomed to human control, reared back and the young man fell, breaking his leg.
The villagers were once again in a state of worry. “The young man’s son has been injured!” they cried. “This is a disaster!”
Sei Weng, however, was not surprised. “We’ll see,” he said, still maintaining his calm demeanor.
As the young man’s leg healed, he was unable to work in the fields as before. The villagers were concerned about the family’s livelihood.
Then, the news came that the king’s army was recruiting young men for war. Many young men from the village were drafted, but because of his injury, the young man’s son was exempt.
The villagers celebrated, relieved that the young man’s son would not have to go to war. Sei Weng, however, simply smiled and said, “We’ll see.”
Years passed, and the king’s army was defeated in battle. Many young men from the village who had gone to war did not return. But the young man’s son, who had been saved by his injury, was alive and well.
The villagers were overjoyed, and they once again turned to Sei Weng for wisdom.
“The old man’s horse really did bring us good fortune,” they said.
Sei Weng nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “Sometimes, when we think we have lost something, we have actually gained it.”
And so, the villagers learned to see the world through the eyes of Sei Weng, understanding that life’s events are not always as they seem, and that sometimes, what we think is a loss can turn out to be a gain.
The moral of the story is: “The loss of a horse may lead to unexpected gain, and the appearance of gain may lead to unexpected loss. Everything changes and evolves, and we should not be too hasty in judging the good or bad of any event.”
And with that, the villagers lived their lives with a newfound sense of perspective, always remembering the story of the old man and his horse.
