Lady Luck

Once upon a time, when Duke Mu Kung was on an expedition, a favorite horse of his kicked over the traces and ran away. It was captured by rustics and eaten. The Duke tracked his horse and, discovering what had happened, said, "You ate my horse, but without any wine, I fear it will make you sick. Let me now invite you all to drink with me, to prevent any illness from befalling you."

A year later, King Kung of Ts'in pressed the Duke hard in the battle at Han. The soldiers of his enemies were about to capture his carriage, when 300 local people rushed to his rescue and saved him. These were the same people who had eaten his horse and had been regaled with his wine. This is an example of the saying, "Prudence in giving begets good fortune."

(Huainanzi VI)

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In Achæa, in the city of Patræ, there was once a boy who had bought a little serpent and raised it carefully as a pet. When it was bigger, he talked to it like it understood him, and played with it, and slept beside it. Finally, the serpent grew to such an extraordinary size that his family would no longer tolerate it and they set it loose in the wilderness. Years passed and the boy grew into a youth. One day, he and some friends were returning home and they fell among thieves. The youth cried out and the serpent, hearing him, came and bit the thieves, thus saving the youth.

(Ælian, Varia Historia XIII xlvi)

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Rightly indeed does the Orphic Hymn declare Tyche ("good luck") the daughter of Eubuleus ("wise counsel").