An Invitation


  A PIOUS Person who had overcharged his paunch with dead bird by way 
of attesting his gratitude for escaping the many calamities which 
Heaven had sent upon others, fell asleep at table and dreamed.  He 
thought he lived in a country where turkeys were the ruling class, 
and every year they held a feast to manifest their sense of 
Heaven's goodness in sparing their lives to kill them later.  One 
day, about a week before one of these feasts, he met the Supreme 
Gobbler, who said:

  "You will please get yourself into good condition for the 
Thanksgiving dinner."

  "Yes, your Excellency," replied the Pious Person, delighted, "I 
shall come hungry, I assure you.  It is no small privilege to dine 
with your Excellency."

  The Supreme Gobbler eyed him for a moment in silence; then he said:

  "As one of the lower domestic animals, you cannot be expected to 
know much, but you might know something.  Since you do not, you 
will permit me to point out that being asked to dinner is one 
thing; being asked to dine is another and a different thing."

  With this significant remark the Supreme Gobbler left him, and 
thenceforward the Pious Person dreamed of himself as white meat and 
dark until rudely awakened by decapitation.