MAYBE (THE CHINESE FARMER)

Once upon a time

There was a Chinese farmer

Who lost a horse

Ran away

And all the neighbors

Came 'round that evening and said

"That's too bad", and he said, "Maybe, maybe"

The next day the horse came back

And brought seven wild horses with it

And all the neighbors came around and said

"Why, that's great, isn't it?"

And he said, "Maybe

Maybe, maybe"

And he said, "Maybe"

And he said, "Maybe

Maybe, maybe"

And he said, "Maybe"

The next day, his son who was attempting to

Tame one of these horses and was riding it

And was thrown and broke his leg

And all the neighbors

Came round in the evening and said

"Well, that's too bad, isn't it?"

The farmer said, "Maybe, maybe"

And the next day

The conscription officers came around

Looking for people for the army

And they rejected his son

Because he had a broken leg

And all the neighbors came around that evening

And said, "Isn't that wonderful?"

And he said, "Maybe"

And he said, "Maybe

Maybe, maybe"

And he said, "Maybe"

And he said, "Maybe

Maybe, maybe"

And he said, "Maybe"

The whole process of nature

Is an integrated process

Of immense complexity

And it is really impossible to tell

Whether anything that happens in it

Is good or bad

Because you never know

What will be the consequences

Of a misfortune

Or you never know

What will be the consequences of good fortune