"A farmer in a small village was considered very well-off because he had a horse, which he used to plow and do other work.
One day, his horse ran away. All his neighbors came to console him, saying how unfortunate it was. The farmer replied, 'Maybe.'
A few days later, the horse returned, bringing with it several wild horses. The neighbors came again, this time to congratulate the farmer on his good fortune. Again, the farmer only said, 'Maybe.'
The following week, the farmer's son was trying to tame one of the wild horses and was thrown off, breaking his leg. The neighbors once again came to offer their sympathy for this stroke of bad luck. The farmer's response was still, 'Maybe.'
Not long after, a war broke out, and all able-bodied young men were conscripted. However, the farmer's son was spared due to his broken leg. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out, to which he replied, 'Maybe.' ~ Wu wei