the merry adventures of robin hood-第15章

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Then　the　Sheriff　laughed；　but　the　laugh　was　hollow。　　〃Well；　jolly　boys；〃　quoth　he；　〃we　have　had　a　merry　time　together　today；　and　even　if　ye　had　not　asked　me；　I　would　have　given　you　a　score　of　pounds　for　the　sweet　entertainment　I　have　had。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin　seriously；　〃it　would　ill　beseem　us　to　treat　Your　Worship　so　meanly。　　By　my　faith；　Sir　Sheriff；　I　would　be　ashamed　to　show　my　face　if　I　did　not　reckon　the　King's　deputy　at　three　hundred　pounds。　Is　it　not　so；　my　merry　men　all？〃

Then　〃Ay！〃　cried　all；　in　a　loud　voice。

〃Three　hundred　devils！〃　roared　the　Sheriff。　　〃Think　ye　that　your　beggarly　feast　was　worth　three　pounds；　let　alone　three　hundred？〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin　gravely。　　〃Speak　not　so　roundly；　Your　Worship。　　I　do　love　thee　for　the　sweet　feast　thou　hast　given　me　this　day　in　merry　Nottingham　Town；　but　there　be　those　here　who　love　thee　not　so　much。　　If　thou　wilt　look　down　the　cloth　thou　wilt　see　Will　Stutely；　in　whose　eyes　thou　hast　no　great　favor；　then　two　other　stout　fellows　are　there　here　that　thou　knowest　not；　that　were　wounded　in　a　brawl　nigh　Nottingham　Town；　some　time　agothou　wottest　when；　one　of　them　was　sore　hurt　in　one　arm；　yet　he　hath　got　the　use　of　it　again。　Good　Sheriff；　be　advised　by　me；　pay　thy　score　without　more　ado；　or　maybe　it　may　fare　ill　with　thee。〃

As　he　spoke　the　Sheriff's　ruddy　cheeks　grew　pale；　and　he　said　nothing　more　but　looked　upon　the　ground　and　gnawed　his　nether　lip。　Then　slowly　he　drew　forth　his　fat　purse　and　threw　it　upon　the　cloth　in　front　of　him。

〃Now　take　the　purse；　Little　John；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃and　see　that　the　reckoning　be　right。　　We　would　not　doubt　our　Sheriff；　but　he　might　not　like　it　if　he　should　find　he　had　not　paid　his　full　score。〃

Then　Little　John　counted　the　money　and　found　that　the　bag　held　three　hundred　pounds　in　silver　and　gold。　　But　to　the　Sheriff　it　seemed　as　if　every　clink　of　the　bright　money　was　a　drop　of　blood　from　his　veins。　And　when　he　saw　it　all　counted　out　in　a　heap　of　silver　and　gold；　filling　a　wooden　platter；　he　turned　away　and　silently　mounted　his　horse。

〃Never　have　we　had　so　worshipful　a　guest　before！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and；　as　the　day　waxeth　late；　I　will　send　one　of　my　young　men　to　guide　thee　out　of　the　forest　depths。〃

〃Nay；　Heaven　forbid！〃　cried　the　Sheriff　hastily。　　〃I　can　find　mine　own　way；　good　man；　without　aid。〃

〃Then　I　will　put　thee　on　the　right　track　mine　own　self；〃　quoth　Robin；　and；　taking　the　Sheriff's　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　led　him　into　the　main　forest　path。　　Then；　before　he　let　him　go；　he　said；　〃Now；　fare　thee　well；　good　Sheriff；　and　when　next　thou　thinkest　to　despoil　some　poor　prodigal；　remember　thy　feast　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　‘Ne'er　buy　a　horse；　good　friend；　without　first　looking　into　its　mouth；'　as　our　good　gaffer　Swanthold　says。　　And　so；　once　more；　fare　thee　well。〃　Then　he　clapped　his　hand　to　the　horse's　back；　and　off　went　nag　and　Sheriff　through　the　forest　glades。

Then　bitterly　the　Sheriff　rued　the　day　that　first　he　meddled　with　Robin　Hood；　for　all　men　laughed　at　him　and　many　ballads　were　sung　by　folk　throughout　the　country；　of　how　the　Sheriff　went　to　shear　and　came　home　shorn　to　the　very　quick。　For　thus　men　sometimes　overreach　themselves　through　greed　and　guile。



Little　John　Goes　to　Nottingham　Fair

SPRING　HAD　GONE　since　the　Sheriff's　feast　in　Sherwood；　and　summer　also；　and　the　mellow　month　of　October　had　come。　All　the　air　was　cool　and　fresh；　the　harvests　were　gathered　home；　the　young　birds　were　full　fledged；　the　hops　were　plucked；　and　apples　were　ripe。　　But　though　time　had　so　smoothed　things　over　that　men　no　longer　talked　of　the　horned　beasts　that　the　Sheriff　wished　to　buy；　he　was　still　sore　about　the　matter　and　could　not　bear　to　hear　Robin　Hood's　name　spoken　in　his　presence。

With　October　had　come　the　time　for　holding　the　great　Fair　which　was　celebrated　every　five　years　at　Nottingham　Town；　to　which　folk　came　from　far　and　near　throughout　the　country。　At　such　times　archery　was　always　the　main　sport　of　the　day；　for　the　Nottinghamshire　yeomen　were　the　best　hand　at　the　longbow　in　all　merry　England；　but　this　year　the　Sheriff　hesitated　a　long　time　before　he　issued　proclamation　of　the　Fair；　fearing　lest　Robin　Hood　and　his　band　might　come　to　it。　At　first　he　had　a　great　part　of　a　mind　not　to　proclaim　the　Fair；　but　second　thought　told　him　that　men　would　laugh　at　him　and　say　among　themselves　that　he　was　afraid　of　Robin　Hood；　so　he　put　that　thought　by。　　At　last　he　fixed　in　his　mind　that　he　would　offer　such　a　prize　as　they　would　not　care　to　shoot　for。　At　such　times　it　had　been　the　custom　to　offer　a　half　score　of　marks　or　a　tun　of　ale；　so　this　year　he　proclaimed　that　a　prize　of　two　fat　steers　should　be　given　to　the　best　bowman。

When　Robin　Hood　heard　what　had　been　proclaimed　he　was　vexed；　and　said；　〃Now　beshrew　this　Sheriff　that　he　should　offer　such　a　prize　that　none　but　shepherd　hinds　will　care　to　shoot　for　it！　I　would　have　loved　nothing　better　than　to　have　had　another　bout　at　merry　Nottingham　Town；　but　if　I　should　win　this　prize　nought　would　it　pleasure　or　profit　me。〃

Then　up　spoke　Little　John：　　〃Nay；　but　hearken；　good　master；〃　said　he；　〃only　today　Will　Stutely；　young　David　of　Doncaster；　and　I　were　at　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar；　and　there　we　heard　all　the　news　of　this　merry　Fair；　and　also　that　the　Sheriff　hath　offered　this　prize；　that　we　of　Sherwood　might　not　care　to　come　to　the　Fair；　so；　good　master；　if　thou　wilt；　I　would　fain　go　and　strive　to　win　even　this　poor　thing　among　the　stout　yeomen　who　will　shoot　at　Nottingham　Town。〃

〃Nay；　Little　John；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　art　a　sound　stout　fellow；　yet　thou　lackest　the　cunning　that　good　Stutely　hath；　and　I　would　not　have　harm　befall　thee　for　all　Nottinghamshire。　　Nevertheless；　if　thou　wilt　go；　take　some　disguise　lest　there　be　those　there　who　may　know　thee。〃

〃So　be　it；　good　master；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃yet　all　the　disguise　that　I　wish　is　a　good　suit　of　scarlet　instead　of　this　of　Lincoln　green。　I　will　draw　the　cowl　of　my　jacket　about　my　head　so　that　it　will　hide　my　brown　hair　and　beard；　and　then；　I　trust；　no　one　will　know　me。〃

〃It　is　much　against　my　will；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃ne'ertheless；　if　thou　dost　wish　it；　get　thee　gone；　but　bear　thyself　seemingly；　Little　John；　for　thou　art　mine　own　right…hand　man　and　I　could　ill　bear　to　have　harm　befall　thee。〃

So　Little　John　clad　himself　all　in　scarlet　and　started　off　to　the　Fair　at　Nottingham　Town。

Right　merry　were　these　Fair　days　at　Nottingham；　when　the　green　before　the　great　town　gate　was　dotted　with　booths　standing　in　rows；　with　tents　of　many…colored　canvas；　hung　about　with　streamers　and　garlands　of　flowers；　and　the　folk　came　from　all　the　countryside；　both　gentle　and　common。　In　some　booths　there　was　dancing　to　merry　music；　in　others　flowed　ale　and　beer；　and　in　others　yet　again　sweet　cakes　and　barley　sugar　were　sold；　and　sport　was　going　outside　the　booths　also；　where　some　minstrel　sang　ballads　of　the　olden　time；　playing　a　second　upon　the　harp；　or　where　the　wrestlers　struggled　with　one　another　within　the　sawdust　ring；　but　the　people　gathered　most　of　all　around　a　raised　platform　where　stout　fellows　played　at　quarterstaff。

So　Little　John　came　to　the　Fair。　　All　scarlet　were　his　hose　and　jerkin；　and　scarlet　was　his　cowled　cap；　with　a　scarlet　feather　stuck　in　the　side　of　it。　　Over　his　shoulders　was　slung　a　stout　bow　of　yew；　and　across　his　back　hung　a　quiver　of　good　round　arrows。　　Many　turned　to　look　after　such　a　stout；　tall　fellow；　for　his　shoulders　were　broader　by　a　palm's…breadth　than　any　that　were　there；　and　he　stood　a　head　taller　than　all　the　other　men。　The　lasses；　also；　looked　at　him　askance；　thinking　they　had　never　seen　a　lustier　youth。

First　of　all　he　went　to　the　booth　where　stout　ale　was　sold　and；　standing　aloft　on　a　bench；　he　called　to　all　that　were　near　to　come　and　drink　with　him。　　〃Hey；　sweet　lads！〃　cried　he　〃who　will　drink　ale　with　a　stout　yeoman？　　Come；　all！　　Come；　all！　Let　us　be　merry；　for　the　day　is　sweet　and　the　ale　is　tingling。　Come　hither；　good　yeoman；　and　thou；　and　thou；　for　not　a　farthing　shall　one　of　you　pay。　　Nay；　turn　hither；　thou　lusty　beggar；　and　thou　jolly　tinker；　for　all　shall　be　merry　with　me。

Thus　he　shouted；　and　all　crowded　around；　laughing；　while　the　brown　ale　flowed；　and　they　called　Little