the merry adventures of robin hood-第22章

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s　cudgel　flying　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。　Then；　raising　his　staff；　stout　Arthur　dealt　him　another　blow　upon　the　ribs。

〃Hold！〃　roared　Little　John。　　〃Wouldst　thou　strike　a　man　when　he　is　down？〃

〃Ay；　marry　would　I；〃　quoth　the　Tanner；　giving　him　another　thwack　with　his　staff。

〃Stop！〃　roared　Little　John。　　〃Help！　　Hold；　I　say！　　I　yield　me！　I　yield　me；　I　say；　good　fellow！〃

〃Hast　thou　had　enough？〃　asked　the　Tanner　grimly；　holding　his　staff　aloft。

〃Ay；　marry；　and　more　than　enough。〃

〃And　thou　dost　own　that　I　am　the　better　man　of　the　two？〃

〃Yea；　truly；　and　a　murrain　seize　thee！〃　said　Little　John；　the　first　aloud　and　the　last　to　his　beard。

〃Then　thou　mayst　go　thy　ways；　and　thank　thy　patron　saint　that　I　am　a　merciful　man；〃　said　the　Tanner。

〃A　plague　o'　such　mercy　as　thine！〃　said　Little　John；　sitting　up　and　feeling　his　ribs　where　the　Tanner　had　cudgeled　him。　　〃I　make　my　vow；　my　ribs　feel　as　though　every　one　of　them　were　broken　in　twain。　I　tell　thee；　good　fellow；　I　did　think　there　was　never　a　man　in　all　Nottinghamshire　could　do　to　me　what　thou　hast　done　this　day。〃

〃And　so　thought　I；　also；〃　cried　Robin　Hood；　bursting　out　of　the　thicket　and　shouting　with　laughter　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。　〃O　man；　man！〃　said　he；　as　well　as　he　could　for　his　mirth；　〃　'a　didst　go　over　like　a　bottle　knocked　from　a　wall。　　I　did　see　the　whole　merry　bout；　and　never　did　I　think　to　see　thee　yield　thyself　so；　hand　and　foot；　to　any　man　in　all　merry　England。　　I　was　seeking　thee；　to　chide　thee　for　leaving　my　bidding　undone；　but　thou　hast　been　paid　all　I　owed　thee；　full　measure；　pressed　down　and　overflowing；　by　this　good　fellow。　　Marry；　'a　did　reach　out　his　arm　full　length　while　thou　stood　gaping　at　him；　and；　with　a　pretty　rap；　tumbled　thee　over　as　never　have　I　seen　one　tumbled　before。〃　So　spoke　bold　Robin；　and　all　the　time　Little　John　sat　upon　the　ground；　looking　as　though　he　had　sour　curds　in　his　mouth。　〃What　may　be　thy　name；　good　fellow？〃　said　Robin；　next；　turning　to　the　Tanner。

〃Men　do　call　me　Arthur　a　Bland；〃　spoke　up　the　Tanner　boldly；　〃and　now　what　may　be　thy　name？〃

〃Ha；　Arthur　a　Bland！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　have　heard　thy　name　before；　good　fellow。　　Thou　didst　break　the　crown　of　a　friend　of　mine　at　the　fair　at　Ely　last　October。　　The　folk　there　call　him　Jock　o'　Nottingham；　we　call　him　Will　Scathelock。　　This　poor　fellow　whom　thou　hast　so　belabored　is　counted　the　best　hand　at　the　quarterstaff　in　all　merry　England。　　His　name　is　Little　John；　and　mine　Robin　Hood。〃

〃How！〃　cried　the　Tanner；　〃art　thou　indeed　the　great　Robin　Hood；　and　is　this　the　famous　Little　John？　　Marry；　had　I　known　who　thou　art；　I　would　never　have　been　so　bold　as　to　lift　my　hand　against　thee。　Let　me　help　thee　to　thy　feet；　good　Master　Little　John；　and　let　me　brush　the　dust　from　off　thy　coat。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　Little　John　testily；　at　the　same　time　rising　carefully；　as　though　his　bones　had　been　made　of　glass；　〃I　can　help　myself；　good　fellow；　without　thy　aid；　and　let　me　tell　thee；　had　it　not　been　for　that　vile　cowskin　cap　of　thine；　it　would　have　been　ill　for　thee　this　day。〃

At　this　Robin　laughed　again；　and；　turning　to　the　Tanner；　he　said；　〃Wilt　thou　join　my　band；　good　Arthur？　　For　I　make　my　vow　thou　art　one　of　the　stoutest　men　that　ever　mine　eyes　beheld。〃

〃Will　I　join　thy　band？〃　cried　the　Tanner　joyfully。　〃Ay；　marry；　will　I！　　Hey　for　a　merry　life！〃　cried　he；　leaping　aloft　and　snapping　his　fingers；　〃and　hey　for　the　life　I　love！　Away　with　tanbark　and　filthy　vats　and　foul　cowhides！　I　will　follow　thee　to　the　ends　of　the　earth；　good　master；　and　not　a　herd　of　dun　deer　in　all　the　forest　but　shall　know　the　sound　of　the　twang　of　my　bowstring。〃

〃As　for　thee；　Little　John；〃　said　Robin；　turning　to　him　and　laughing；　〃thou　wilt　start　once　more　for　Ancaster；　and　we　will　go　part　way　with　thee；　for　I　will　not　have　thee　turn　again　to　either　the　right　hand　or　the　left　till　thou　hast　fairly　gotten　away　from　Sherwood。　　There　are　other　inns　that　thou　knowest　yet；　hereabouts。〃　　Thereupon；　leaving　the　thickets；　they　took　once　more　to　the　highway　and　departed　upon　their　business。



Robin　Hood　and　Will　Scarlet

THUS　THEY　traveled　along　the　sunny　road；　three　stout　fellows　such　as　you　could　hardly　match　anywhere　else　in　all　merry　England。　　Many　stopped　to　gaze　after　them　as　they　strode　along；　so　broad　were　their　shoulders　and　so　sturdy　their　gait。

Quoth　Robin　Hood　to　Little　John；　〃Why　didst　thou　not　go　straight　to　Ancaster；　yesterday；　as　I　told　thee？　　Thou　hadst　not　gotten　thyself　into　such　a　coil　hadst　thou　done　as　I　ordered。〃

〃I　feared　the　rain　that　threatened；〃　said　Little　John　in　a　sullen　tone；　for　he　was　vexed　at　being　so　chaffed　by　Robin　with　what　had　happened　to　him。

〃The　rain！〃　cried　Robin；　stopping　of　a　sudden　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　and　looking　at　Little　John　in　wonder。　　〃Why；　thou　great　oaf！　not　a　drop　of　rain　has　fallen　these　three　days；　neither　has　any　threatened；　nor　hath　there　been　a　sign　of　foul　weather　in　earth　or　sky　or　water。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　growled　Little　John；　〃the　holy　Saint　Swithin　holdeth　the　waters　of　the　heavens　in　his　pewter　pot；　and　he　could　have　poured　them　out；　had　he　chosen；　even　from　a　clear　sky；　and　wouldst　thou　have　had　me　wet　to　the　skin？〃

At　this　Robin　Hood　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　　〃O　Little　John！〃　said　he；　〃what　butter　wits　hast　thou　in　that　head　of　thine！　Who　could　hold　anger　against　such　a　one　as　thou　art？〃

So　saying；　they　all　stepped　out　once　more；　with　the　right　foot　foremost；　as　the　saying　is。

After　they　had　traveled　some　distance；　the　day　being　warm　and　the　road　dusty；　Robin　Hood　waxed　thirsty；　so；　there　being　a　fountain　of　water　as　cold　as　ice；　just　behind　the　hedgerow；　they　crossed　the　stile　and　came　to　where　the　water　bubbled　up　from　beneath　a　mossy　stone。　　Here；　kneeling　and　making　cups　of　the　palms　of　their　hands；　they　drank　their　fill；　and　then；　the　spot　being　cool　and　shady；　they　stretched　their　limbs　and　rested　them　for　a　space。

In　front　of　them；　over　beyond　the　hedge；　the　dusty　road　stretched　away　across　the　plain；　behind　them　the　meadow　lands　and　bright　green　fields　of　tender　young　corn　lay　broadly　in　the　sun；　and　overhead　spread　the　shade　of　the　cool；　rustling　leaves　of　the　beechen　tree。　Pleasantly　to　their　nostrils　came　the　tender　fragrance　of　the　purple　violets　and　wild　thyme　that　grew　within　the　dewy　moisture　of　the　edge　of　the　little　fountain；　and　pleasantly　came　the　soft　gurgle　of　the　water。　All　was　so　pleasant　and　so　full　of　the　gentle　joy　of　the　bright　Maytime；　that　for　a　long　time　no　one　of　the　three　cared　to　speak；　but　each　lay　on　his　back；　gazing　up　through　the　trembling　leaves　of　the　trees　to　the　bright　sky　overhead。　　At　last；　Robin；　whose　thoughts　were　not　quite　so　busy　wool…gathering　as　those　of　the　others；　and　who　had　been　gazing　around　him　now　and　then；　broke　the　silence。

〃Heyday！〃　quoth　he；　〃yon　is　a　gaily　feathered　bird；　I　take　my　vow。〃

The　others　looked　and　saw　a　young　man　walking　slowly　down　the　highway。　Gay　was　he；　indeed；　as　Robin　had　said；　and　a　fine　figure　he　cut；　for　his　doublet　was　of　scarlet　silk　and　his　stockings　also；　a　handsome　sword　hung　by　his　side；　the　embossed　leathern　scabbard　being　picked　out　with　fine　threads　of　gold；　his　cap　was　of　scarlet　velvet；　and　a　broad　feather　hung　down　behind　and　back　of　one　ear。　His　hair　was　long　and　yellow　and　curled　upon　his　shoulders；　and　in　his　hand　he　bore　an　early　rose；　which　he　smelled　at　daintily　now　and　then。

〃By　my　life！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　laughing；　〃saw　ye　e'er　such　a　pretty；　mincing　fellow？〃

〃Truly；　his　clothes　have　overmuch　prettiness　for　my　taste；〃　quoth　Arthur　a　Bland；　〃but；　ne'ertheless；　his　shoulders　are　broad　and　his　loins　are　narrow；　and　seest　thou；　good　master；　how　that　his　arms　hang　from　his　body？　They　dangle　not　down　like　spindles；　but　hang　stiff　and　bend　at　the　elbow。　I　take　my　vow；　there　be　no　bread　and　milk　limbs　in　those　fine　clothes；　but　stiff　joints　and　tough　thews。〃

〃Methinks　thou　art　right；　friend　Arthur；〃　said　Little　John。　　〃I　do　verily　think　that　yon　is　no　such　roseleaf　and　whipped…cream　gallant　as　he　would　have　one　take　him　to　be。〃

〃Pah！〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃the　sight　of　such　a　fellow　doth　put　a　nasty　taste　into　my　mouth！　　Look　how　he　doth　hold　that　fair　flower　betwixt　his　thumb　and　finger；