Coincidence

On the roadside a cat is standing, waiting for a man to cross the road. A crow sitting on the tree is observing this with interest; he asks the cat, “Why don’t you cross the road, my friend, what is stopping you? ”. The cat looks up to the crow and says, “I pass this road often and I cross this man sometimes, every time I cross the road before him he stops and waits for someone else to cross the road.”

“They consider it to be a bad omen, to cross the road after a cat.” said the crow. “Yes, I know that, I don’t want to comment on the verity of the belief, but I also don’t want to trouble him by making him wait.” replies the cat. The crow praises the cat on his thoughtfulness; the cat thanks him and starts crossing the road as the man has already crossed the road.

A dog suddenly appears from nowhere, the crow caws to warn the cat, but the cat having sensed danger has already broken into a run. Unable to contain his excitement the crow also follows them. The dog is gaining distance fast but the cat doesn’t give in so easily. The crow cheers for his feline friend from above; the sight of human settlement is welcomed by feelings of relief from both.

The cat leaps over the compound wall of a house and the dog, angry and disappointed, is left barking outside. Panting for breath on the parapet of the house, the cat is joined by the crow. “That was a close escape my friend, be careful next time.” Advises the crow. “Thanks for the concern old fella, I will keep my eyes open next time.”

“But don’t you think it was a bad omen for you, crossing the road after the man?” says the crow. “In today’s advanced age how can you even think of such a thing? If I had been cautious today I wouldn’t have been chased. And anyways this happening just after we talked about bad omens is just a coincidence.” Replied the cat crossly. “Yes, a coincidence it is, my friend” said the crow, but in his heart he was still not fully convinced and wished his friend to not cross the road after the man.