"indeed, my friend," said the woman, "thou comest at a very inconvenient time for me, but as thou art here it can’t be helped, come in, and take a seat there on the bench by the stove." then she placed the gossip and the basket which he carried on his back on the bench by the stove. the parson, however, and the woman, were as merry as possible. at length the parson said, "listen, my dear friend, thou canst sing beautifully; sing something to me." "oh," said the woman, "i cannot sing now, in my young days indeed i could sing well enough, but that’s all over now."