Story: A farmer who broke his leg

(The following was copied from google AI when searching for “A farmer who broke his leg”)

The phrase "a farmer who broke his leg" refers to the well-known ancient Chinese fable, the Parable of the Chinese Farmer, where a series of events unfolds with seemingly good or bad fortune. When the farmer's son breaks his leg, the neighbors express sympathy, but the farmer responds with "Maybe," which proves wise when a war starts and the son is not conscripted due to his injury. The story teaches that it is impossible to know the true meaning of events and advises against making hasty judgments about what is "good" or "bad" luck. 

• The initial misfortune: The story begins with a farmer whose horse runs away, prompting his neighbors to express sympathy. The farmer simply replies, "Maybe".

• Good fortune: The horse returns the next day with seven more wild horses. The neighbors see this as great fortune, but the farmer again says, "Maybe".

• A new misfortune: The farmer's son breaks his leg while trying to train one of the new horses. The neighbors offer condolences, and the farmer responds, "Maybe".

• Unexpected good fortune: A war breaks out, and the army comes to conscript all able-bodied young men. The farmer's son is spared because of his broken leg, which the neighbors now see as a blessing.

• The central message: The story's lesson is that it is impossible to know the ultimate impact of a single event, whether it seems good or bad at the time. It encourages acceptance of uncertainty and refraining from quick judgments.