Ancient Wisdom – Story of “The Old Man at the Fort”

The Story of THE OLD MAN AT THE FORT
By
VIKRAM KARVE 

DO YOU PLAN YOUR LIFE...?

Do you believe in planning your life...? 

I don’t.

I have stopped planning my life – because – whatever I planned never materialised in my life. 

I have learnt the hard way that instead of planning your future – you should just let things happen – and let your life take its natural course.

This lesson is lucidly brought out in Liehtse’s famous parable of The Old Man at the Fort


The Story of THE OLD MAN AT THE FORT 


An Old Man was living with his Son at an abandoned fort on the top of a hill.

One day – he lost a horse. 

His fellow villagers came to the Old Man to express their sympathy for this misfortune and Bad Luck.

But – the Old Man said: 

“How do you say that this is a misfortune...? 

The fact of the matter is that – one horse is missing – and – there is one horse less in the stables. 

That is the fact. 

Whether it is good luck or bad luck – well that is a matter of judgment...”

A few days later – the Old Man’s lost horse returned with a number of wild horses. 

Now – the Old Man had a large number of horses in his stables.

The villagers came again to congratulate him on this stroke of fortune – and – they all complimented the Old Man on his Good Luck. 

But – the Old Man replied:

“How do you know this is good luck...? 

The fact of the matter is that there are more horses in my stable than before. 

Whether it is good luck or bad luck – well that is a matter of opinion...”

With so many horses around – the Old Man’s young son began to take to riding in a big way. 

One day while riding a wild horse – the Old Man’s Son was thrown off a horse – and – he broke his leg – and – the accident made him lame in one leg. 

Again – the neighbours came around to express their sympathy for the Old Man’s bad luck – that the Old Man’s only son had become lame and disabled for life.

But – the Old Man replied:

“How do you know this is bad luck...? 

The fact of the matter is that my son is lame in one leg...”

A few years later a great war broke out. 

All the able bodied men were forcibly conscripted into the Army – and all of them were sent to the battlefield to fight in the war.

The war was so terrible – that all the young men of the village were killed fighting in the war.

Because the Old Man’s son had a broken leg – he was not conscripted into the Army.

So – the Old Man’s son did not have to go to the battlefield – and – his life was saved.

All the villagers had lost their sons in the war.

And – all the villagers were envious at the Old Man’s “good fortune” – since he was the only one in the village who still had a living son.

But this time – they did not say anything to the Old Man.

They knew what the Old Man’s dispassionate response would be. 

If they complimented him on his good fortune – they knew that the Old Man would say: 

“How do you know that this is good fortune...? 

The fact of the matter is that – my son is alive – and – all your sons are dead.

That is the fact. 

Whether it is good luck or bad luck – well that is a matter of opinion...”

MORAL OF THE STORY

This parable drives home the lesson that it is better not to plan too much in life. 

So – what should you do...?

Simple. 

Just do what the Old Man did. 

Accept things as they come – don’t resist too much – flow along with events as they happen – and – go along smoothly living your life.

Do you agree...? 

Or – do you still believe that you can plan your life...?

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

1. This post is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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This is an abridged updated extract of my post THE OLD MAN AT THE FORT posted online by me a number of times earlier including at urls: https://vikramwkarve.wordpress.com/2007/06/11/old-man-at-the-fort/  and  https://karve.wordpress.com/2006/11/23/the-map-is-not-the-territory-by-vikram-karve/  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/04/destiny-luck-fate-fortune-do-you.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/luck-is-there-such-thing-as-luck.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-meaning-of-luck-your-attitude-is.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/11/how-to-be-lucky.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/05/do-you-plan-your-life.html  etc