So he did , and when he was in his bed his wife went to him and said : ` Thou art dead . ' ` Oh , am I ? ' asked he . ` Thou art , ' said she ; ` shut thine eyes and stir neither hand nor foot . ' And dead he felt sure he was . Soon the second man came home , and his wife said to him : ` You are not my husband ! ' ` Oh , am I not ? ' asked he . ` No , it is not you , ' answered she , so he went away and slept in the wood . When the third man arrived his wife gave him his supper , and after that he went to bed , just as usual . The next morning a boy knocked at the door , bidding him attend the burial of the man who was dead , and he was just going to get up when his wife stopped him . ` Time enough , ' said she , and he lay still till he heard the funeral passing the window . ` Now rise , and be quick , ' called the wife , and the man jumped out of bed in a great hurry , and began to look about him . ` Why , where are my clothes ? ' asked he . ` Silly that you are , they are on your back , of course , ' answered the woman . ` Are they ? ' said he . ` They are , ' said she , ` and make haste lest the burying be ended before you get there . ' Then off he went , running hard , and when the mourners saw a man coming towards them with nothing on but his nightshirt , they forgot in their fright what they were there for , and fled to hide themselves .
And the naked man stood alone XXXXX the head of the coffin .
So after as at in lest of on to towards