A man crossing the great river of Egypt, heard a voice, which seemed
to come from beneath his boat, requesting him to stop. Thinking it
must proceed from some river-deity, he laid down his paddle and said:
"Whoever you are that ask me to stop, I beg you will let me go on. I
have been asked by a friend to dine with him, and I am late."
"Should your friend pass this way," said the voice, "I will show him
the cause of your detention. Meantime you must come to dinner with
_me_."
"Willingly," replied the man, devoutly, very well pleased with so
extraordinary an honour; "pray show me the way."
"In here," said the crocodile, elevating his distending jaws above the
water and beckoning with his tongue--"this way, please."
This fable shows that being asked to dinner is not always the same
thing as being asked to dine.