A loss, no bad thing
This fable is based on a story in the ancient China.
The original text in (Old) Chinese:
塞翁失马，焉知非福
近塞上之人有善术者。马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之，其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居数月，其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之，其父曰：“此何遽不能为祸乎？”家富良马，其子好骑，堕而折其髀。人皆吊之，其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壮者引弦而战，近塞之人，死者十九，此独以跛之故，父子相保。故福之为祸，祸之为福，化不可极，深不可测也。
——《淮南子·人间训》
The English translation:
It can be difficult to foresee the twists and turns which compel misfortune to beget fortune, and vice versa.
There once was a father, skilled in divination, who lived close to the frontier with his son. One of his horses accidentally strayed into the lands of the Xiongnu, so everyone consoled him. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this is not fortunate?"
After several months, the horse came back from the land of the Xiongnu, accompanied by another stallion, so everyone congratulated him. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this can not be unfortunate?"
His family had a wealth of fine horses, and his son loved riding them. One day the son fell off a horse, and broke his leg, so everyone consoled the father. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this is not fortunate?"
One year later, the Xiongnu invaded the frontier, and all able-bodied men took up arms and went to war. Of the men from the frontier who volunteered, nine out of ten men perished from the fighting. It was only because of the son's broken leg, that the father and son were spared this tragedy.
Therefore misfortune begets fortune, and fortune begets misfortune. This goes on without end, and its depths can not be measured.
The original text in (Old) Chinese:
塞翁失马，焉知非福
近塞上之人有善术者。马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之，其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居数月，其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之，其父曰：“此何遽不能为祸乎？”家富良马，其子好骑，堕而折其髀。人皆吊之，其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？”居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壮者引弦而战，近塞之人，死者十九，此独以跛之故，父子相保。故福之为祸，祸之为福，化不可极，深不可测也。
——《淮南子·人间训》
The English translation:
It can be difficult to foresee the twists and turns which compel misfortune to beget fortune, and vice versa.
There once was a father, skilled in divination, who lived close to the frontier with his son. One of his horses accidentally strayed into the lands of the Xiongnu, so everyone consoled him. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this is not fortunate?"
After several months, the horse came back from the land of the Xiongnu, accompanied by another stallion, so everyone congratulated him. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this can not be unfortunate?"
His family had a wealth of fine horses, and his son loved riding them. One day the son fell off a horse, and broke his leg, so everyone consoled the father. But the father said, "Why should I hastily conclude that this is not fortunate?"
One year later, the Xiongnu invaded the frontier, and all able-bodied men took up arms and went to war. Of the men from the frontier who volunteered, nine out of ten men perished from the fighting. It was only because of the son's broken leg, that the father and son were spared this tragedy.
Therefore misfortune begets fortune, and fortune begets misfortune. This goes on without end, and its depths can not be measured.
