Fortuity is like Dew Drops

Certain people were chatting over a pot of beer when one of them insisted that fortuity was like dewdrops because when a person walked out in the wet grass dewdrops made his legs wet without his choice. Hence, no human being would consider himself free from the vicissitudes of misfortune. But a younger fellow amongst the group laughed and said that the analogy made it the more easier for him to avoid accidents and misfortunes. “When the grass is wet,” he declared, “I will simply not go out there!”

The next morning, just before sunrise, that young man heard one of his chickens cackling loudly in the bush as if it was in danger of being attacked by wild animals. Without any hesitation at all the young man dashed out into the bush to try and rescue the chicken. What came on his mind was that a notorious fox might have caught the chicken. He ran round in wet grass, carrying a huge stick and shouting “Ariaah, ariaah....” but fortunately for him he found the frightened hen unharmed. It was only wandering aimlessly and whatever might have scared it had disappeared from the scene.

When the young man returned to his homestead he found there neighbours who had been disturbed by the incident standing outside his house. The young man was very wet and still panting breathlessly. When the neighbours asked him what was happening he related to them the reason for his expeditious dash into the bush. On realising that no harm had befallen him the two elderly neighbours laughed and reminded the young man of the previous evening's discussion regarding the nature of fortuity. They all roared with laughter with the young man condescending upon the argument that fortuity was like dewdrops.