The situation we always live in is like the wise Chinese farmer whose horse ran off. When his neighbor came to console him the farmer said, “Who knows what’s good or bad?”

When his horse returned the next day with a herd of horses following her, the foolish neighbor came to congratulate him on his good fortune.

“Who knows what’s good or bad?” said the farmer.

Then, when the farmer’s son broke his leg trying to ride one of the new horses, the foolish neighbor came to console him again.

“Who knows what’s good or bad?” said the farmer.

When the army passed through, conscripting men for war, they passed over the farmer’s son because of his broken leg. When the foolish man came to congratulate the farmer that his son would be spared, again the farmer said, “Who knows what’s good or bad?”

…a fellow comes upon a demon for sale at a carnival – and very cheap, too. “What can it do?” he asks. “This demon will do anything for you,” the merchant tells him. “Just tell it what you want done, and it will do it. It will do your laundry, cook your meals, do your shopping. It will handle all your chores around the house. The only thing to remember is that you must keep it busy.”

The man, focused on his immediate concerns, thinks this is a bargain. He buys it and takes it home.

At first, all is well. Just as promised, the demon quickly goes to work, taking care of whatever the man commands it to do. The demon fixes the roof, cooks meals, and plants the garden. Of course, the man has to keep coming up with things for the demon to do. Yet this seems doable – until, one day, the man has to step away briefly on personal business. When he returns only a short while later, the demon is roasting the neighbor’s child on a spit.