One day, a farmer’s horse ran away. His neighbors expressed sympathy, “What terrible luck that you lost your horse!”  The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

A few days later, the horse returned, leading several wild horses. The neighbors said, “Your horse has returned, and brought more with him. What great fortune!”  The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the wild horses and got thrown to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what a calamity!”  The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”

A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, conscripting all the able-bodied young men for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son because of his broken leg. Neighbours shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!”  To which the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not.”