Crones [noun]

A hideous old crone covered with rags knelt beside the Duchesss, who on leaving the church offered her holy water.

You have learnt to sit behind the stove like an old crone, and to dangle at the apronstrings of the women.

Then the crone smote her lean hands one within the other, and laughed like a sea-gull.

The sexton approached the old crone, and laid his hand with violence upon her shoulder.

As her eyes got accustomed to the dim light, she saw the figures of two women, a boy, and an old crone sitting by a wood fire.

The Oxford crone speaks with a Cornish accent, and some think that she hailed from Stratton.

Thus saying, she took him by the hand and he fell dead; for the crone who had sought him so long was Death.

"This lady wants you to show her the towers," explained the old crone with a cunning wink at the girl.

He found that an aged crone from the village had established herself in his house, and was caring for Hyacinth.

A very similar ballad, of repartees between an old crone and a wee boy, was found at the Lappfiord, Finland.