Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of 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  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 aren't 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 the wall so he couldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I ask God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem. " Why did the older angel let the farmer's cow die?
Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow. Because she wanted to teach the youngest angel a lesson. Because she wanted to save the farmer's wife. Because she was sympathetic to the rich.