the merry adventures of robin hood-第20章

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the　other。　And　thus　ends　the　merry　tale　of　Little　John　and　how　he　entered　the　Sheriff's　service。



Little　John　and　the　Tanner　of　Blyth

ONE　FINE　DAY；　not　long　after　Little　John　had　left　abiding　with　the　Sheriff　and　had　come　back；　with　his　worship's　cook；　to　the　merry　greenwood；　as　has　just　been　told；　Robin　Hood　and　a　few　chosen　fellows　of　his　band　lay　upon　the　soft　sward　beneath　the　greenwood　tree　where　they　dwelled。　The　day　was　warm　and　sultry；　so　that　while　most　of　the　band　were　scattered　through　the　forest　upon　this　mission　and　upon　that；　these　few　stout　fellows　lay　lazily　beneath　the　shade　of　the　tree；　in　the　soft　afternoon；　passing　jests　among　themselves　and　telling　merry　stories；　with　laughter　and　mirth。

All　the　air　was　laden　with　the　bitter　fragrance　of　the　May；　and　all　the　bosky　shades　of　the　woodlands　beyond　rang　with　the　sweet　song　of　birdsthe　throstle　cock；　the　cuckoo；　and　the　wood　pigeon　and　with　the　song　of　birds　mingled　the　cool　sound　of　the　gurgling　brook　that　leaped　out　of　the　forest　shades；　and　ran　fretting　amid　its　rough；　gray　stones　across　the　sunlit　open　glade　before　the　trysting　tree。　And　a　fair　sight　was　that　halfscore　of　tall；　stout　yeomen；　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　lying　beneath　the　broad…spreading　branches　of　the　great　oak　tree；　amid　the　quivering　leaves　of　which　the　sunlight　shivered　and　fell　in　dancing　patches　upon　the　grass。

Suddenly　Robin　Hood　smote　his　knee。

〃By　Saint　Dunstan；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　had　nigh　forgot　that　quarter…day　cometh　on　apace；　and　yet　no　cloth　of　Lincoln　green　in　all　our　store。　It　must　be　looked　to；　and　that　in　quick　season。　　Come；　busk　thee；　Little　John！　　Stir　those　lazy　bones　of　thine；　for　thou　must　get　thee　straightway　to　our　good　gossip；　the　draper　Hugh　Longshanks　of　Ancaster。　　Bid　him　send　us　straightway　twentyscore　yards　of　fair　cloth　of　Lincoln　green；　and　mayhap　the　journey　may　take　some　of　the　fat　from　off　thy　bones；　that　thou　hast　gotten　from　lazy　living　at　our　dear　Sheriff's。〃

〃Nay；〃　muttered　Little　John　（for　he　had　heard　so　much　upon　this　score　that　he　was　sore　upon　the　point）；　〃nay；　truly；　mayhap　I　have　more　flesh　upon　my　joints　than　I　once　had；　yet；　flesh　or　no　flesh；　I　doubt　not　that　I　could　still　hold　my　place　and　footing　upon　a　narrow　bridge　against　e'er　a　yeoman　in　Sherwood；　or　Nottinghamshire；　for　the　matter　of　that；　even　though　he　had　no　more　fat　about　his　bones　than　thou　hast；　good　master。〃

At　this　reply　a　great　shout　of　laughter　went　up；　and　all　looked　at　Robin　Hood；　for　each　man　knew　that　Little　John　spake　of　a　certain　fight　that　happened　between　their　master　and　himself；　through　which　they　first　became　acquainted。

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　laughing　louder　than　all。　　〃Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　doubt　thee；　for　I　care　for　no　taste　of　thy　staff　myself；　Little　John。　　I　must　needs　own　that　there　are　those　of　my　band　can　handle　a　seven…foot　staff　more　deftly　than　I；　yet　no　man　in　all　Nottinghamshire　can　draw　gray　goose　shaft　with　my　fingers。　Nevertheless；　a　journey　to　Ancaster　may　not　be　ill　for　thee；　so　go　thou；　as　I　bid；　and　thou　hadst　best　go　this　very　evening；　for　since　thou　hast　abided　at　the　Sheriff's　many　know　thy　face；　and　if　thou　goest　in　broad　daylight；　thou　mayst　get　thyself　into　a　coil　with　some　of　his　worship's　men…at…arms。　Bide　thou　here　till　I　bring　thee　money　to　pay　our　good　Hugh。　　I　warrant　he　hath　no　better　customers　in　all　Nottinghamshire　than　we。〃　So　saying；　Robin　left　them　and　entered　the　forest。

Not　far　from　the　trysting　tree　was　a　great　rock　in　which　a　chamber　had　been　hewn；　the　entrance　being　barred　by　a　massive　oaken　door　two　palms'…breadth　in　thickness；　studded　about　with　spikes；　and　fastened　with　a　great　padlock。　This　was　the　treasure　house　of　the　band；　and　thither　Robin　Hood　went　and；　unlocking　the　door；　entered　the　chamber；　from　which　he　brought　forth　a　bag　of　gold　which　he　gave　to　Little　John；　to　pay　Hugh　Longshanks　withal；　for　the　cloth　of　Lincoln　green。

Then　up　got　Little　John；　and；　taking　the　bag　of　gold；　which　he　thrust　into　his　bosom；　he　strapped　a　girdle　about　his　loins；　took　a　stout　pikestaff　full　seven　feet　long　in　his　hand；　and　set　forth　upon　his　journey。

So　he　strode　whistling　along　the　leafy　forest　path　that　led　to　Fosse　Way；　turning　neither　to　the　right　hand　nor　the　left；　until　at　last　he　came　to　where　the　path　branched；　leading　on　the　one　hand　onward　to　Fosse　Way；　and　on　the　other；　as　well　Little　John　knew；　to　the　merry　Blue　Boar　Inn。　　Here　Little　John　suddenly　ceased　whistling　and　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　path。　First　he　looked　up　and　then　he　looked　down；　and　then；　tilting　his　cap　over　one　eye；　he　slowly　scratched　the　back　part　of　his　head。　For　thus　it　was：　　at　the　sight　of　these　two　roads；　two　voices　began　to　alarum　within　him；　the　one　crying；　〃There　lies　the　road　to　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　a　can　of　brown　October；　and　a　merry　night　with　sweet　companions　such　as　thou　mayst　find　there〃；　the　other；　〃There　lies　the　way　to　Ancaster　and　the　duty　thou　art　sent　upon。〃　Now　the　first　of　these　two　voices　was　far　the　louder；　for　Little　John　had　grown　passing　fond　of　good　living　through　abiding　at　the　Sheriff's　house；　so；　presently；　looking　up　into　the　blue　sky；　across　which　bright　clouds　were　sailing　like　silver　boats；　and　swallows　skimming　in　circling　flight；　quoth　he；　〃I　fear　me　it　will　rain　this　evening；　so　I'll　e'en　stop　at　the　Blue　Boar　till　it　passes　by；　for　I　know　my　good　master　would　not　have　me　wet　to　the　skin。〃　　So；　without　more　ado；　off　he　strode　down　the　path　that　lay　the　way　of　his　likings。　Now　there　was　no　sign　of　any　foul　weather；　but　when　one　wishes　to　do　a　thing；　as　Little　John　did；　one　finds　no　lack　of　reasons　for　the　doing。

Four　merry　wags　were　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　a　butcher；　a　beggar；　and　two　barefoot　friars。　　Little　John　heard　them　singing　from　afar；　as　he　walked　through　the　hush　of　the　mellow　twilight　that　was　now　falling　over　hill　and　dale。　　Right　glad　were　they　to　welcome　such　a　merry　blade　as　Little　John。　　Fresh　cans　of　ale　were　brought；　and　with　jest　and　song　and　merry　tales　the　hours　slipped　away　on　fleeting　wings。　None　thought　of　time　or　tide　till　the　night　was　so　far　gone　that　Little　John　put　by　the　thought　of　setting　forth　upon　his　journey　again　that　night；　and　so　bided　at　the　Blue　Boar　Inn　until　the　morrow。

Now　it　was　an　ill　piece　of　luck　for　Little　John　that　he　left　his　duty　for　his　pleasure；　and　he　paid　a　great　score　for　it；　as　we　are　all　apt　to　do　in　the　same　case；　as　you　shall　see。

Up　he　rose　at　the　dawn　of　the　next　day；　and；　taking　his　stout　pikestaff　in　his　hand；　he　set　forth　upon　his　journey　once　more；　as　though　he　would　make　up　for　lost　time。

In　the　good　town　of　Blyth　there　lived　a　stout　tanner；　celebrated　far　and　near　for　feats　of　strength　and　many　tough　bouts　at　wrestling　and　the　quarterstaff。　For　five　years　he　had　held　the　mid…country　champion　belt　for　wrestling；　till　the　great　Adam　o'　Lincoln　cast　him　in　the　ring　and　broke　one　of　his　ribs；　but　at　quarterstaff　he　had　never　yet　met　his　match　in　all　the　country　about。　Besides　all　this；　he　dearly　loved　the　longbow；　and　a　sly　jaunt　in　the　forest　when　the　moon　was　full　and　the　dun　deer　in　season；　so　that　the　King's　rangers　kept　a　shrewd　eye　upon　him　and　his　doings；　for　Arthur　a　Bland's　house　was　apt　to　have　aplenty　of　meat　in　it　that　was　more　like　venison　than　the　law　allowed。

Now　Arthur　had　been　to　Nottingham　Town　the　day　before　Little　John　set　forth　on　his　errand；　there　to　sell　a　halfscore　of　tanned　cowhides。　At　the　dawn　of　the　same　day　that　Little　John　left　the　inn；　he　started　from　Nottingham；　homeward　for　Blyth。　　His　way　led；　all　in　the　dewy　morn；　past　the　verge　of　Sherwood　Forest；　where　the　birds　were　welcoming　the　lovely　day　with　a　great　and　merry　jubilee。　Across　the　Tanner's　shoulders　was　slung　his　stout　quarterstaff；　ever　near　enough　to　him　to　be　gripped　quickly；　and　on　his　head　was　a　cap　of　doubled　cowhide；　so　tough　that　it　could　hardly　be　cloven　even　by　a　broadsword。

〃Now；〃　quoth　Arthur　a　Bland　to　himself；　when　he　had　come　to　that　part　of　the　road　that　cut　through　a　corner　of　the　forest；　〃no　doubt　at　this　time　of　year　the　dun　deer　are　coming　from　the　forest　depths　nigher　to　the　open　meadow　lands。　Mayhap　I　may　chance　to　catch　a　sight　of　the　dainty　brown　darlings　thus　early　in　the　morn。〃　　For　there