The White Stallion

This is a story which shows how Luck and ill luck keep alternating in our lives and proves how important it is to keep the equanimity of mind.

In a remote village near a forest there lived a poor farmer. He had a beautiful white horse. Many merchants demanded this horse and offered him great amount of money. But he wouldn't sell the horse.

The villagers told him. "You are so lucky, you got such a precious horse." 

The farmer said. "It is true that my horse may bring me a fortune. But we can't say it is luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow."

The villagers didn't like his reply.

One day the horse just disappeared. They all searched everywhere. But the horse was simply missing.

The villagers told the farmer "You should have sold away that horse. It is such a bad luck that the horse is stolen."

The farmer replied, "It is true that my horse is missing. But we can't say it is luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow."

The villagers frowned at his reply. The farmer has lost the precious horse and still saying it is not bad luck.

After a few days, to the great surprise of all the villagers, the horse came back to the farmer and it brought a dozen white horses from the forest with it.

They all gathered around the farmer and said, "You are so lucky. You loved the horse so much, that's why it brought all these horses with it."

The farmer replied, "It is true that my horse brought a dozen horses to me. But we can't say it is luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow."

The villagers thought the man was crazy. He got a dozen horses and still says it is not luck. This man is really crazy.

One day the farmer's youthful son was riding the horses and playing with them. Suddenly he fell off a horse and seriously broke his legs.

The villagers came to console the farmer. They said, "We are really sorry for you. It's such a bad luck that your only son has become handicapped now."

The farmer replied, "It is true that my son has become a handicapped person. But we can't say it is luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow."

The villagers really got mad. This man has no sense they thought.

After a few months, suddenly the king of the neighboring country attacked the farmer's own country. The king of the farmer was fighting a losing battle.

In a bid to win the battle the king made an announcement that all the youth of the country should compulsorily join the army, except disabled persons.

The villagers were all in grief. They came the farmer and said, "You are a lucky man. At least you can see your son alive.

The wise farmer kept on giving the same reply.

And the story never ended.