There are several different origin stories for the maneki neko. One of them involves a nobleman traveling past a rundown temple when he takes shelter from a sudden storm under a nearby tree. The temple's cat beckons him over and he is so fascinated by the gesture that he braves the rain to see the cat up close. Just after the nobleman has left the shelter of the tree it is struck by lightning, and he is so grateful to the cat for saving his life that he makes a huge donation to the temple which becomes well known and prosperous. Examples of Maneki Neko include: