In a small village in ancient China there was a farmer with one son, a horse and a small plot of land they worked with the horse to grow food. 

One day the horse ran away, the villagers all said to the farmer, “You are in trouble just you and your son to work the fields it is too much you will starve this winter”.  The farmer replied, “some good some bad”.

One day the horse came back leading three wild horses.  The villagers said to the farmer, “You are so lucky, now you will be wealthy.  The farmer replied, “some good some bad”. 

A few days later the son was breaking the wild horses and fell off and broke his leg.  The villagers said to the farmer, “You are in big trouble without your son, you cannot bring in the harvest and you will starve”.  The farmer replied, “some good some bad”.  A few weeks later the army came through the village conscripting all the young men in the village to fight in a war but left the farmer’s son because he couldn’t fight with a broken leg.  The villagers said, “You are so fortunate, now your son can heal and help you. The farmer replied, “some good some bad”.