The Tale of the Lost Horse

A long time ago, in a quiet town near the western frontier, there lived an old man named Grandpa Sam. Everyone in town knew him for his calm and cheerful attitude. No matter what happened, he would always smile and say, “Who knows? Maybe this will turn out to be a good thing!”

People often found his words puzzling, but over time, they got used to his way of thinking.

One day, Grandpa Sam’s only horse ran away. It was his most valuable possession. When the neighbors heard the news, they rushed over to comfort him.

“Oh no, Grandpa Sam! Your horse is gone! That’s terrible!” they said.

But Grandpa Sam simply smiled and waved his hand. “Losing a horse seems bad, but who knows? Maybe something good will come of it.”

The neighbors thought he was just trying to make himself feel better, so they shook their heads and left.

A few days later, something unexpected happened—the lost horse returned! And it wasn’t alone. It had brought back a strong, beautiful stallion. The new horse had a shiny coat and powerful legs—it was a rare and valuable horse.

The neighbors were amazed. “Grandpa Sam, you’re so lucky! You lost one horse and got two in return! This is wonderful!”

But Grandpa Sam only sighed and said, “Maybe... but who knows? This might bring trouble.”

The neighbors thought he was worrying too much, so they didn’t say anything else.

Grandpa Sam’s son, Johnny, was thrilled about the new horse. Every day, he rode it across the open fields, feeling the wind rush past him.

But one day, Johnny got too excited and lost control. The horse threw him off, and he landed hard on the ground. His leg was badly broken.

The neighbors rushed over again. “Grandpa Sam, this is awful! Your son broke his leg! What will you do?”

But Grandpa Sam remained calm. “It seems bad, but who knows? Maybe something good will come of it.”

The neighbors thought he was being too cold and shook their heads.

A year later, war broke out. The government ordered all young men to join the army. Many families had to say goodbye to their sons and husbands, not knowing if they would ever return.

But Johnny couldn’t go. His leg was still weak, so he was spared from the war. While other families suffered terrible losses, Johnny remained safe at home.

Only then did the neighbors finally understand. “Grandpa Sam, you were right! Losing a horse led to gaining a better one, but that brought an accident. And yet, the accident saved your son’s life. Good and bad are never so simple.”

From then on, people told Grandpa Sam’s story over and over, passing it down through generations. It became a lesson in patience and wisdom—reminding everyone that in life, things that seem bad might turn out good, and things that seem good might bring unexpected troubles.

And whenever someone faced a hardship or a stroke of luck, they would remember Grandpa Sam’s words: “Who knows? Maybe this will turn out to be a good thing.”