an old Taoist farmer whose horse ran away:

…That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate with him since this
was such bad luck. He said, “Maybe.”

The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses, and
the neighbors came exclaiming at the good fortune. He said, “Maybe.”

And then the following day, his son tried to saddle and ride one of the wild
horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer
their sympathy for the misfortune. He said, “Maybe.”

The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young
men for the army, but because of the broken leg the farmer’s son was
rejected. When the neighbors came in to say how fortunate everything had
turned out, he said, “Maybe.”