And only think of bringing up their children in this naughty way , and patting them on the head when they fling stones at strangers ! '' `` Those children will never come to any good , '' said Philemon , shaking his white head . `` To tell you the truth , wife , I should not wonder if some terrible thing were to happen to all the people in the village , unless they mend their manners . But , as for you and me , so long as Providence affords us a crust of bread , let us be ready to give half to any poor , homeless stranger , that may come along and need it . '' `` That 's right , husband ! '' said Baucis . `` So we will ! '' These old folks , you must know , were quite poor , and had to work pretty hard for a living . Old Philemon toiled diligently in his garden , while Baucis was always busy with her distaff , or making a little butter and cheese with their cow 's milk , or doing one thing and another about the cottage . Their food was seldom anything but bread , milk , and vegetables , with sometimes a portion of honey from their beehive , and now and then a bunch of grapes , that had ripened against the cottage-wall . But they were two of the kindest old people in the world , and would cheerfully have gone without their dinners , any day , rather than refuse a slice of their brown loaf , a cup of new milk , and a spoonful of honey , to the weary traveller who might pause before their door . They felt as if such guests had a sort of holiness , and that they ought , therefore , to treat them better and more bountifully than their own selves . Their cottage stood on a rising ground , at some short distance from a village , which lay in a hollow valley , that was about half a mile in breadth . This valley , in past ages , when the world was new , had probably been the bed of a lake . There , fishes had glided to and fro in the depths , and water-weeds had grown along the margin , and trees and hills had seen their reflected images in the broad , and peaceful mirror . But , as the waters subsided , men had cultivated the soil , and built houses on it , so that it was now a fertile spot , and bore no traces of the ancient lake , except a very small brook , which meandered through the midst of the village , and supplied the inhabitants with water . The valley had been dry land so long , that oaks had sprung up , and grown great and high , and perished with old age , and been succeeded by others ; as tall and stately as the first . Never was there a prettier or more fruitful valley . The very sight of the plenty around them should have made the inhabitants kind and gentle , and ready to show their gratitude to Providence by doing good to their fellow-creatures . But , we are sorry to say , the people of this lovely village were not worthy to dwell in a spot on which Heaven had smiled so beneficently .
They were a very selfish and hard-hearted people , and had no pity XXXXX the poor , nor sympathy with the homeless .
So about at except for of that to while without