In a sunny little courtyard, tucked away behind some tall houses, lay a very old stone. It wasn't standing up like most gravestones in a churchyard; this one was lying flat, and sometimes children would use it as a little table for their tea parties or a bench for their games.

On the stone, if you looked very closely, you could just about make out some carved words: "Preben and Martha – a blessed pair."

An old man, who lived in one of the houses overlooking the courtyard, often watched the children play. He had kind, crinkly eyes. One day, a little girl named Lily asked him, "Grandfather, what does that writing on the stone mean?"

The old man smiled. "Ah," he said, "that stone tells a lovely story. It's about two wonderful people named Preben and Martha."

He told Lily that Preben and Martha had lived a long, long time ago. They weren't rich or famous, but they were very, very happy together. They had a little house, a small garden, and they loved each other very much. They were always kind to everyone.

"I remember them from when I was a little boy, just like you," the old man continued. "They had a special party once, a silver wedding anniversary, because they had been married for twenty-five years! Everyone in the neighborhood came to celebrate with them. They danced and sang, and Preben and Martha looked so happy, holding hands."

He explained that Preben and Martha were always content with what they had. They didn't wish for fancy things. Just being together, sharing stories, and tending their garden was enough for them.

The old man pointed to a spot near where the stone lay. "There used to be a beautiful rose bush right there. Martha loved roses. And when they passed away, peacefully, after a long and happy life, their friends put this stone here to remember them, with those words: 'Preben and Martha – a blessed pair.'"

Years went by. The courtyard changed. New people moved in. One day, some workmen came and decided the old stone was in the way. They broke it into pieces to make a new path. The children were sad to see it go. The words "Preben and Martha – a blessed pair" were gone.

The old man looked at Lily, who was listening with wide eyes. "But you know what?" he said. "Even though the stone is gone, and the words are gone, the story of Preben and Martha isn't gone. I remember them. And now, you know about them too."

He smiled gently. "And sometimes, when the sun shines just right on that new path, you can almost imagine the old stone is still there, and you can almost hear Preben and Martha laughing softly. The love they shared, and the kindness they showed, that’s something that doesn't break or fade away. It lives on in stories, just like this one."

And guess what? A new little rose bush started to grow in a crack near the path, almost as if Martha's roses wanted to remember them too.

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