How Do You Know?
The Wise Teacher
In a certain village lived an old teacher who was known to the people around him as a wise man. Being very old, he no longer taught in a school. However, if any of the villagers faced a difficult problem, they would come to the old man for a solution.
The Riddles of Life
The old man’s conduct was often peculiar, as were his words. People would remain silent if what he said sounded like a riddle. As time passed, the meaning of the riddle often became clear.
A New Horse
The old man had a young grandson. One day, the grandson bought a horse from the market. He loved the horse very much, fed it well, and played with it. When the horse appeared quite tame, he decided to take it into a field for riding.
The Villager’s Comment
“Sir, your grandson is lucky. What a nice horse he has got!” said one of the villagers to the old man. “How did you know that he was lucky?” asked the old man. The villager kept quiet.
The Lost Horse
In the evening, the young man returned home, alone and utterly dejected. His horse had run away into a forest on the other side of the field. For the whole day, the young man wandered in the forest looking for the lost horse but found no trace of it.
Unlucky Observations
“What an unlucky boy!” observed a villager before the old man. “How do you know that he was unlucky?” asked the old man.
A Surprising Return
The next day, the horse returned to his young master, accompanied by half a dozen more horses from the forest. The villagers rejoiced at this. The young man fed all the horses and fondled them.
Lucky Again
“What a lucky guy!” said someone. “How do you know that he was lucky?” asked the old man.
A Fall from Grace
The young man spent his time riding the horses to his heart’s content. A week passed, and one day, while galloping down a slope, he fell from his horse and was injured. Some villagers noticed him and carried him home. Everyone felt sorry, and one of them said, “What an unlucky youth!”
Questioning Fortune
“How did you know that he was unlucky?” asked the old teacher. This time, many were surprised. “His only grandson is injured, and the old man isn’t sure if that is bad luck enough! His mind has stopped functioning properly,” some of them remarked.
A Twist of Fate
However, hardly an hour had passed when the king’s officers arrived in the village and summoned all the young men. A war had broken out with a neighboring land, and all able-bodied young men were required to go to the battlefield.
The Old Teacher’s Fortune
The one young man who was not troubled by the officers was the old teacher’s grandson, for he was found injured. Thus, the wisdom of the old man’s riddles unveiled a deeper truth about luck and misfortune.