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Mr. Tsai Lost his Horse
Long time ago there was a farmer and rancher named Mr. Tsai. He was not very wealthy but his daughter and wife wears the finest Qi pao and his son wears the best kung fu suit. He was also gentle, kind and very wise. Every morning he would go to the marketplace to talk with the other villagers. He was well loved by them.
One morning, while Mr. Tsai was in the marketplace, his son Ping rushed up to him very upset. "Papa, our prized white stallion is gone! This careless servant forgot to lock the gate!" Ping pointed an accusing finger to Li, their stable boy who trudged behind him, his head bowed low in despair.
"Forgive me master, the gate was broken late last night," said Li, dejectedly. "I tried to repair it as well as I could in the dark, but the powerful white stallion kicked it open and ran away!". Please forgive me!". Li knelt in the dust before Mr. Tsai, knowing that the loss of the stallion might well cost him his job.
Ping insisted that it was a big loss for them indeed and the crowd that gathered agreed as well. Mr. Tsai then said. "Ah, well it is not necessarily bad." He held out his hand and helped Li get up and quietly forgave him.
The next day, the white stallion came back and brought him ten wild horses one of which was a beautiful color, golden as the sun, and clearly both strong and spirited. Ping rejoiced as he saw the horses and rushed to the marketplace to tell his father.
"Papa, papa, we are rich! You must look at the golden stallion!" He will make a great war horse and will cost thousands of gold! I will try to break him in tomorrow and sell him to the general!".
The crowd congratulated Mr. Tsai and applauded.
"Oh, it is not necessarily good". Mr. Tsai said with a smile.
Sure enough, the next day, Ping got up early and eagerly ordered Li to saddle up the golden stallion. Ping mounted the golden stallion when suddenly it bucked violently and threw Ping on the ground. Not even the best doctors could make Ping walk again.
"Well...." sighed Mr.s Tsai slowly, "it's not necessarily bad".
A few months later, the general came to town and drafted all the abled bodied young men to fight in the civil war.
Ping was being drafted as a cook as he was crippled. But Mr. Tsai gave the general the now tamed golden stallion instead of his crippled boy. Saying that surely the golden stallion will make him win war more than his crippled son would.
The general was delighted and left Ping alone with his family. In no time at all, many young men were killed in the battle and never returned.
Many months later, Ping sat on the porch with his father, after attending yet another funeral for one of the younger men had gone with the general. "Who would have thought that a little broken gate might actually lead to save my life one day?"
"Yes my son, life is like that," said Mr. Tsai. "Good things are not necessarily good and bad things are not necessarily bad. If we live our life with honesty and love for our fellow men, we will have a satisfying and long life."
Mr. Tsai and his family lived a very happy and long life.
This story is from the 100 Best Children's Stories from China Volume I you may buy the entire book at ChildBook.com
One morning, while Mr. Tsai was in the marketplace, his son Ping rushed up to him very upset. "Papa, our prized white stallion is gone! This careless servant forgot to lock the gate!" Ping pointed an accusing finger to Li, their stable boy who trudged behind him, his head bowed low in despair.
"Forgive me master, the gate was broken late last night," said Li, dejectedly. "I tried to repair it as well as I could in the dark, but the powerful white stallion kicked it open and ran away!". Please forgive me!". Li knelt in the dust before Mr. Tsai, knowing that the loss of the stallion might well cost him his job.
Ping insisted that it was a big loss for them indeed and the crowd that gathered agreed as well. Mr. Tsai then said. "Ah, well it is not necessarily bad." He held out his hand and helped Li get up and quietly forgave him.
The next day, the white stallion came back and brought him ten wild horses one of which was a beautiful color, golden as the sun, and clearly both strong and spirited. Ping rejoiced as he saw the horses and rushed to the marketplace to tell his father.
"Papa, papa, we are rich! You must look at the golden stallion!" He will make a great war horse and will cost thousands of gold! I will try to break him in tomorrow and sell him to the general!".
The crowd congratulated Mr. Tsai and applauded.
"Oh, it is not necessarily good". Mr. Tsai said with a smile.
Sure enough, the next day, Ping got up early and eagerly ordered Li to saddle up the golden stallion. Ping mounted the golden stallion when suddenly it bucked violently and threw Ping on the ground. Not even the best doctors could make Ping walk again.
"Well...." sighed Mr.s Tsai slowly, "it's not necessarily bad".
A few months later, the general came to town and drafted all the abled bodied young men to fight in the civil war.
Ping was being drafted as a cook as he was crippled. But Mr. Tsai gave the general the now tamed golden stallion instead of his crippled boy. Saying that surely the golden stallion will make him win war more than his crippled son would.
The general was delighted and left Ping alone with his family. In no time at all, many young men were killed in the battle and never returned.
Many months later, Ping sat on the porch with his father, after attending yet another funeral for one of the younger men had gone with the general. "Who would have thought that a little broken gate might actually lead to save my life one day?"
"Yes my son, life is like that," said Mr. Tsai. "Good things are not necessarily good and bad things are not necessarily bad. If we live our life with honesty and love for our fellow men, we will have a satisfying and long life."
Mr. Tsai and his family lived a very happy and long life.
This story is from the 100 Best Children's Stories from China Volume I you may buy the entire book at ChildBook.com
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