Confucius’ cloud has a mighty silver lining

THERE’S a marvellous Confucian tale about a Chinese farmer who had caught, befriended and schooled a stunning white stallion.

One night the horse escaped back to the wild whence it came. Friends and neighbours called to sympathise with such rotten bad luck. The farmer shrugged: “But how do you know this is bad luck?”

A week later the stallion returned to his domesticated base, but now with a string of wild mares in tow. Folk called to congratulate the farmer on his outrageous good luck: “But how do you know this is good luck?”

The farmer’s strapping son then broke his leg breaking in one of the horses. “But how do you know this is bad luck?” said the farmer to the now-regular callers.

Meanwhile, yet another bloody border conflict erupted and all fit young men were conscripted – except the farmer’s son, obviously. Anyway, you get the moral drift of the tale.

The story came to mind when Geraint Thomas was taken out in the early stages of May’s Giro d’Italia road race by a rotten stroke of bad luck not of his own making. Fortunately his injuries were not serious and he then put himself in contention for Tour de France selection.

It would be fascinating if Geraint were asked whether he now quietly thanks the gods for his bad luck in the Giro because as a direct consequence he wore for several days the hugely cherished yellow leader’s jersey of the Tour.

Indeed, would he have actually traded in a possible Giro win for the higher-profile yellow jersey now on

his CV? Whatever Geraint’s answer, old Confucius knew a thing or two about life, luck and everything. Indeed life, luck and everything seemingly come to those who wink at the passing parade. Huw Beynon Llandeilo