The carpenter knew nothing about being ill ; he only thought that he wanted something to eat , so he sat down at the table and began his dinner . His wife sat straight in front of him , with her hands folded , and shook her head , and looked at him with an anxious air . ` You are getting worse , my dear , ' she said ; ` you are quite pale now ; you have a serious illness about you ; I can see it by your looks . ' The husband now began to grow anxious , and thought that perhaps he was not quite well . ` No , indeed , ' said she ; ` it 's high time that you were in bed . ' She then got him to lie down , and piled above him all the bedclothes she could find , and gave him various medicines , while he grew worse and worse . ` You will never get over it , ' said she ; ' I am afraid you are going to die . ' ` Do you think so ? ' said the carpenter ; ' I can well believe it , for I am indeed very poorly . ' In a little while she said again , ` Ah , now I must part with you . Here comes Death . Now I must close your eyes . ' And she did so . The carpenter believed everything that his wife said , and so he believed now that he was dead , and lay still and let her do as she pleased . She got her neighbours summoned , and they helped to lay him in the coffin -- it was one of those he himself had made ; but his wife had bored holes in it to let him get some air . She made a soft bed under him , and put a coverlet over him , and she folded his hands over his breast ; but instead of a flower or a psalm-book , she gave him a pint-bottle of brandy in his hands . After he had lain for a little he took a little pull at this , and then another and another , and he thought this did him good , and soon he was sleeping sweetly , and dreaming that he was in heaven . Meanwhile word had gone round the village that the carpenter was dead , and was to be buried next day . It was now the turn of the smith 's wife . Her husband was lying sleeping off the effects of a drinking bout , so she pulled off all his clothes and made him black as coal from head to foot , and then let him sleep till far on in the day .
The funeral party had already met XXXXX the carpenter 's , and marched oft towards the church with the coffin , when the smith 's wife came rushing in to her husband .
In about above as at of that to under with