I went searching for this old 80's story on the internet, and Howard somebody or other had a part of it and claimed credit for his hubris. He certainly had that! I think I first read thus tale in a book by 70's Olympic gymnast Dan Millman, who went about inspiring people in that decade. Like any good cook with a recipe, I have absorbed it, revised it, and made it my own,
He4re's my version: Once, a poor Chinese rice farmer had a son and a fine horse. The neighbors came and cried "you are a fortunate man; you have a son and a horse."
"Maybe goodk maybe bad" replied the farmer.
One day, his fine horse ran away. The neibors came and wept "you have lost your fine horse."
The farmer said "amybe good, maybe bad.
The nest day, the horse returned leading five wild horses. The neighbors cried "now you are a richman with siix horses."
The farmer said, "Maybe good, maybe bad."
The son was thrown by one of the horses when he tried to break it, and made lame. The neighbors said, "Your son is good for nothing; he cannot help you in the rice fields."
The farmer said, 'Maybe good, maybe bad."
With no one to help in the rice fields, the spring rains came and flooded the plat. The nighbors cried, "you are ruined."
The farmer said, "Mybe good, maybe bad.""
The rice fermented and made fine rice liquor, which the farmeer and his son were able to sell and become rich. The neighbors said "You are saved. Rice Vodka is your savior"
The farmer saidi, "Maybe good, maybe bad"
The army came through the violage and conscripted every able bodied man for combat. The farmer's son stayed home because he was lame. The neighbors said, "fortunate you. You have a son for your old age."
The farmer replied, "Maybe good, maybe bad."
The son became addicted to the rice vodka and eentually came to an AA meeting where he told this story. He got sober and returned home to his father to take care of him in his old age.
The story entered the AA lore and was told from Boston to San Diego. A friend told the farmer aoub it and ssaid, ""now you are famous."
The farmer replied, with feeling, "maybe good , maybe bad."
He4re's my version: Once, a poor Chinese rice farmer had a son and a fine horse. The neighbors came and cried "you are a fortunate man; you have a son and a horse."
"Maybe goodk maybe bad" replied the farmer.
One day, his fine horse ran away. The neibors came and wept "you have lost your fine horse."
The farmer said "amybe good, maybe bad.
The nest day, the horse returned leading five wild horses. The neighbors cried "now you are a richman with siix horses."
The farmer said, "Maybe good, maybe bad."
The son was thrown by one of the horses when he tried to break it, and made lame. The neighbors said, "Your son is good for nothing; he cannot help you in the rice fields."
The farmer said, 'Maybe good, maybe bad."
With no one to help in the rice fields, the spring rains came and flooded the plat. The nighbors cried, "you are ruined."
The farmer said, "Mybe good, maybe bad.""
The rice fermented and made fine rice liquor, which the farmeer and his son were able to sell and become rich. The neighbors said "You are saved. Rice Vodka is your savior"
The farmer saidi, "Maybe good, maybe bad"
The army came through the violage and conscripted every able bodied man for combat. The farmer's son stayed home because he was lame. The neighbors said, "fortunate you. You have a son for your old age."
The farmer replied, "Maybe good, maybe bad."
The son became addicted to the rice vodka and eentually came to an AA meeting where he told this story. He got sober and returned home to his father to take care of him in his old age.
The story entered the AA lore and was told from Boston to San Diego. A friend told the farmer aoub it and ssaid, ""now you are famous."
The farmer replied, with feeling, "maybe good , maybe bad."
No comments:
Post a Comment