Generosity

This piece is a bit long to quote in its entirity, so I'll simply provide a link to the sweet story of Philemon and Baucis as told by Ovid in the Metamorphoses (the translation is by A. S. Kline).

As a means to entice interest I'll relay some of the story here. Jupiter and Mercury are journeying through Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and they conceive of a plan to test the generosity of the people there by knocking on doors while disguised as beggars. Well as you can imagine they come up empty handed at every house they visit until they come on the home of an elderly and impoverished couple named Philemon and Baucis (note that the gap between the haves and have nots in Roman society was quite wide). The couple take them in and serve them as fine as meal as their meagre resources allow. Of course the Gods are pleased by this act of selflessness and...

The rest is for you to discover if you so desire. Enjoy.