Another day the Fairy went to the Merchant’s eldest son, and persuaded him in the same manner. But he refused her as before. And to the Merchant himself she did not dare to speak. Now by constantly giving gifts, and doing no business, the Merchant’s income grew less and less, and his wealth went to ruin. And as he sank more and more into poverty, his property, and his dress, and his furniture, and his food were no longer as they had been. He nevertheless still used to give gifts to the Order; but he was no longer able to give of the best. One day when he had taken his seat, after saluting the Teacher, he said to him, “Well, householder! are gifts still given at your house?” “They are still being given, Lord,” said he, “but only a mere trifle of stale second day’s porridge.” Then said the Master to him, “Don’t let your heart be troubled, householder, that you give only what is unpleasant to the taste. For if the heart be only right, a gift given to Buddhas, or Pacceka Buddhas,[339] or their disciples, can never be otherwise than right. And why? Through the greatness of the result. For that he who can cleanse his heart can never give unclean gifts is declared in the passage-- If only there be a believing heart, There is no such thing as a trifling gift To the Mortal One, Buddha, or his disciples. There is no such thing as a trifling service To the Buddhas, to the Illustrious Ones; If you only can see the fruit that may follow, E’en a gift of stale gruel, dried up, without salt! And again he said to him, “Householder! although the gift you are giving is but poor, you are giving it to the Eight Noble Beings.[340] Now when I was Velāma, and gave away the Seven Treasures, ransacking the whole continent of India to find them, and kept up a great donation, as if I had turned the five great rivers into one great mass of water, yet I attained not even to taking refuge in the Three Gems, or to keeping the Five Precepts, so unfit were they who received the gifts. Let not your heart be troubled, therefore, because your gifts are trifling.” And so saying, he preached to him the Velāmika Sutta. Now the Fairy, who before had not cared to speak to the Merchant, thinking, “Now that this man has come to poverty, he will listen to what I say,” went at midnight to his chamber, and appeared in visible shape before him. “Who’s there?” said the Merchant on seeing her. “’Tis I, great Merchant; the Fairy who dwells in the turret over the fourth gate.” “What are you come for?” “Because I wish to give you some advice.” “Speak, then.”