Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home o f a wealthy family . The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room . Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement . As they made their bed on the hard floor , the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it . When the younger angel asked why , the older angel replied: ” Things aren’t always what they seem . " The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor , but very hospitable( 好客 的 ) farmer and his wife . After sharing what little food they had,the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest . When the sun came up the next morning , the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears . Their only cow , whose milk had been their only income,lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel , “ How could this happen?” “Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything,yet you watched over his house,” she accused . “The second family had little but was willing to share everything,and you did not help . ’’ “Things are not always what they seem , ” the older angel replied . “When we stayed in the basement,I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall . Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune,I asked God if I could seal( 封口 ) the wall so he would not find it . Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed , the angel of death( 死神 ) came for his wife . I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead . Things are not always what they seem . "