I was bitten by a stray dog on the street, and in outrage I raised my hand to strike it.

"Forgive me," the dog suddenly spoke. "I am a mean dog, for I was beaten by my owner."

"Then this fist is for your owner," I relaxed. "Where is he?"

And the dog told me where to find him.

I found the owner, an old man on his deathbed. I told him what had happened, and why I was there. "I have a fist for you!" I yelled, as I raised my hand to strike him.

"Forgive me," he moaned. "I am a mean man, for I was beaten by my father."

"Then this fist is for your father," I relaxed. "Where is he?"

And the man told me where to find him.

I found this man's father's crypt. Inside, I found a cellar that led to the underworld. I descended into the flames and found this man's father's shade. I told him what had happened, and why I was there. "I have a fist for you!" I yelled, as I raised my hand to strike him.

But this man also begged for forgiveness, for the same reason as his son. So I asked who injured him, and I went to find them.

So it was that I scoured the underworld, descending back in time through thousands of generations as I raised my fist to each of them in vain. I heard countless tales of woe, of famine and exile and war, as I hunted for a single blameworthy man.

When I arrived at Adam, I told him about the dog who had bitten me, and how he at last must be to blame for my injury. I raised my fist to strike him.

"Forgive me," he said. "I am a mean man, for I was abandoned by my Father."

"Who is your father?" I spat.

"God in heaven. He is the one who created me. But I could call Him, and find time on His calendar for Him to see you."

So it was that I waited for a few months in the underworld while Adam arranged my meeting with God. When His audience was finally granted, I was transported by a flying chariot to His celestial offices. His assistant told me I had fifteen minutes. I told God what had happened, and why I was there. "I have a fist for you!" I yelled, as I raised my hand to strike Him.

"Forgive me," He said. "I am a mysterious man, for I do not know what created me. But I could explain why it was that that dog bit you." He showed me in his palm the history of the world, and it included all that is past and future. "You can see that all of history is preordained. Everything that will be is already determined by what came before it. You are here because you were determined to come, even as you were determined to be bitten, even as you were determined to be born."

"But," it suddenly occurred to me to ask, peering into history in the palm of God’s hand, "could you tell me what the future of my life will turn out to be? Will I ever fall in love? How long will I live for?"

"Now you are determined to leave." He closed his hand and pointed to the door.

I was transported back to earth, where I searched for and found the dog who had bitten me. I told him all that had happened.

"Bow wow," he said. "That is a great relief to my conscience."

I knelt and gave the dog a kiss. “You have taught me a valuable lesson, and I thank you.”

The dog’s eyes welled with tears. “You would take pity on a poor old pup like me? I say, my heart has grown three sizes, sir. I won’t bite another man again.”

I winked. “Bless your heart.”

Then I went home and beat my wife, and beat my children, and beat anyone else I could find. I have done that for years now, and will continue as long as there are people to beat and no one to stop me. At night, I sleep contented and undisturbed, safe in the knowledge that somewhere, someone else is to blame.