“I wish ’twas a year before he came back,

I’d never ask him for the laurel-leaf sack.”

Hallelujah.

“I wish ’twas a year before he came back, I’d never ask him for the laurel-leaf sack.” Hallelujah.

Then the gossip who was in the background began to sing (but I ought to tell you the peasant was called Hildebrand), so the gossip sang,