A dweller in the town of Birmingham spent his days as a servant to a wealthy merchant. One fine morning, the young man rode to market, carefree, and with his purse jingling with coins from the merchant's coffers to buy meat and fruit and wine. While in the market, he saw Death, who beckoned unto him as if he wished to speak with him. In terror, the young servant fled, taking the road that led to the town of Coventry.
By nightfall, filthy and exhausted, he had reached an inn there, and with the merchant's money procured a room, and collapsed upon the bed in mingled fatigue and relief. But in the middle of the night there came a knock at the door, and in the doorway stood Death, smiling affably.
"How come ye to be here?" the young man gasped, white-faced and trembling. "For I saw you only this morning in the marketplace of Birmingham."
And Death replied, "Why, I have come to collect you, as it is written. For when I saw you this morning in the marketplace in Birmingham, I tried to say that you and I had an appointment tonight. In Coventry."
We ever fear Fate, yet we render it by our Free Will.
[This message has been edited by Sazerac (edited 06-12-2001).]