Still seems pretty simple to me - "I don't believe you are right. So convince me" A very reasonable attitude to have when someone tells you something that seems unlikely to be true.

It can be dangerous to fill in the gaps in what someone says with what we think they might be saying.

There's a story of two kings. One sent a letter to the other - but in the course of the journey the letter got damaged, so it read "Send me a team of your finest white horses - or else..."

The second king was a bit surprised at this. "That sounds like a threat to me" and he sent a letter back.

And the post got damaged this time as well, and when it rreached the first king it said "I have not got any white horses - if I did have any..." And the king got angry. "I sent him a polite request, and I get back this letter saying he wouldn't give me any horses even if he had them."

And the upshot was a terrible war. And eventually they fought each other to a standstill, and they had a peace negotiation.

"Why did you send that threatening letter?" said the first king - "Send me a team of your finest white horses - or else..."

The second king looked amazed. "I didn't send you a threatening letter. What I wrote was 'Please could you send me a team of your white horses - or else any other colour would do, if you can spare them'. And then I got your angry letter 'I have not got any white horses - if I did have any..."

And the second king looked embarrassed "But it wasn't a angry letter. What I wrote was "I have not got any white horses - if I did have any of course I would be happy to send you as many as you want."

And they both looked embarrassed.