The Farmer & His Horse
Laozi’s Parable of the Farmer, 塞翁失马 焉知非福 (Daoist Philosophy)
In a quiet valley in the heart of rural China, where the wind whispered through golden fields, there lived a humble farmer. He owned little, save for a sturdy horse, strong of back and swift of foot. With it, he plowed his land, carried his harvest, and made his living in peace. But fate is fickle.
One morning, the horse broke free, galloping into the hills beyond sight. The villagers, hearing of his loss, gathered to mourn his misfortune. "Such terrible luck," they said. "Without your horse, how will you work your fields?" The farmer’s eyes steady as the sky whispered: "Who can say what is good or bad?"
Days passed, and one evening, as the sun melted into the horizon, the lost horse returned—not alone, but leading a small herd of wild Hequ stallions. Now, the farmer had more wealth than any man in the village. The people marveled. "Such incredible luck!" they cried. "You have been richly blessed!" The farmer’s hands steady as the earth, whispered: "Who can say what is good or bad?"
Eager to tame the wild beasts, the farmer’s only son climbed atop one of the new Hequ stallions. The beast reared high, throwing the boy to the ground. His leg snapped like a dry branch, leaving him crippled. The villagers gasped. "What a terrible tragedy!" they mourned. "Your only son, broken and crippled! Who will help you now?". The farmer, kneeling beside his son, whispered softly: "Who can say what is good or bad?"
Weeks passed. Then, without warning, war darkened the land. The emperor’s soldiers arrived at the village, seizing every able-bodied young man for battle. Sons were torn from fathers, brothers from brothers, marched toward a distant war many would never return from. The farmer’s son, his leg still healing, was left behind. The villagers wept as their children vanished down the dusty road. Then, turning to the farmer, they said, "How fortunate you are! Your son has been spared!" The farmer, standing in the shifting light of dusk, only whispered: "Who can say what is good or bad?"
“祸兮福所倚，福兮祸所伏。
"Misfortune is where fortune rests; fortune is where misfortune hides."
— Laozi’s Dao De Jing
I was first told this parable during a time when nothing in my life felt good and nothing felt bad. My blessings were not visible to me and my suffering was inconsequential. The farmer is not a boundless optimist and not a neurotic pessimist, he watches life’s events like ripples in a river—one leading, merging into another, their consequences beyond our sight. Joy and despair are equally potent emotional charges but fortune and misfortune often travel together. The farmer’s wisdom lies in accepting both without emotional attachment to either. To grasp too tightly at happiness is to invite fear of its loss, and to wallow in misfortune is to forget that even the longest night must give way to dawn. The farmer helped me understand this for myself. True peace is not found in controlling the tides of fate, but in surrendering to their rhythm, embracing each moment as it comes—neither yearning for what has passed nor dreading what is yet to be.
Thank you for sharing this parable, I hadn't heard it before and found it insightful. The farmer shows wisdom by not judging events as they arise as either good nor bad, instead allowing the tapestry of life to be woven and unfurled before him, before making a judgment. It provides an important lesson to not read always into things, as a situation may take a rapid turn unexpectedly. Withholding judgment, especially in the information/social media age we inhabit, can be quite difficult, but this parable shows me that it is a skill that can be worked on and cultivated. This parable speaks to me of the importance of taking the world as it is, not as we wish it to be, and making the most of our opportunities. To me, this parable relates to the concept of internal vs external loci of control, and our attitudes towards the many things in life beyond our control. Those with external loci may bemoan various goings on as "bad luck" or misfortune, whereas those with internal loci may view the same situations as opportunities to learn something new and improve skills that are lacking. Attitude also plays a role in how we view the world around us. We may complain and grow despondent at the events of the world, but if we keep our heads up and strive to improve the world in whatever small way that we can, together we can accomplish wonders.
I first heard this simple but profound parable as a Sufi story in a lovely little book called “If you hear hoofbeats, think of a Zebra.” Thanks for sharing - it’s a parable that sits quietly in the mind long after hearing it.