the merry adventures of robin hood-第4章

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　thou　be　christened　Little　John；　and　I　will　be　thy　godfather。〃

Then　Robin　Hood　and　all　his　band　laughed　aloud　until　the　stranger　began　to　grow　angry。

〃An　thou　make　a　jest　of　me；〃　quoth　he　to　Will　Stutely；　〃thou　wilt　have　sore　bones　and　little　pay；　and　that　in　short　season。〃

〃Nay；　good　friend；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃bottle　thine　anger；　for　the　name　fitteth　thee　well。　　Little　John　shall　thou　be　called　henceforth；　and　Little　John　shall　it　be。　So　come；　my　merry　men；　we　will　prepare　a　christening　feast　for　this　fair　infant。〃

So　turning　their　backs　upon　the　stream；　they　plunged　into　the　forest　once　more；　through　which　they　traced　their　steps　till　they　reached　the　spot　where　they　dwelled　in　the　depths　of　the　woodland。　There　had　they　built　huts　of　bark　and　branches　of　trees；　and　made　couches　of　sweet　rushes　spread　over　with　skins　of　fallow　deer。　Here　stood　a　great　oak　tree　with　branches　spreading　broadly　around；　beneath　which　was　a　seat　of　green　moss　where　Robin　Hood　was　wont　to　sit　at　feast　and　at　merrymaking　with　his　stout　men　about　him。　Here　they　found　the　rest　of　the　band；　some　of　whom　had　come　in　with　a　brace　of　fat　does。　　Then　they　all　built　great　fires　and　after　a　time　roasted　the　does　and　broached　a　barrel　of　humming　ale。　Then　when　the　feast　was　ready　they　all　sat　down；　but　Robin　placed　Little　John　at　his　right　hand；　for　he　was　henceforth　to　be　the　second　in　the　band。

Then　when　the　feast　was　done　Will　Stutely　spoke　up。　　〃It　is　now　time；　I　ween；　to　christen　our　bonny　babe；　is　it　not　so；　merry　boys？〃　And　〃Aye！　　Aye！〃　cried　all；　laughing　till　the　woods　echoed　with　their　mirth。

〃Then　seven　sponsors　shall　we　have；〃　quoth　Will　Stutely；　and　hunting　among　all　the　band；　he　chose　the　seven　stoutest　men　of　them　all。

〃Now　by　Saint　Dunstan；〃　cried　Little　John；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃more　than　one　of　you　shall　rue　it　an　you　lay　finger　upon　me。〃

But　without　a　word　they　all　ran　upon　him　at　once；　seizing　him　by　his　legs　and　arms　and　holding　him　tightly　in　spite　of　his　struggles；　and　they　bore　him　forth　while　all　stood　around　to　see　the　sport。　Then　one　came　forward　who　had　been　chosen　to　play　the　priest　because　he　had　a　bald　crown；　and　in　his　hand　he　carried　a　brimming　pot　of　ale。　〃Now；　who　bringeth　this　babe？〃　asked　he　right　soberly。

〃That　do　I；〃　answered　Will　Stutely。

〃And　what　name　callest　thou　him？〃

〃Little　John　call　I　him。〃

〃Now　Little　John；〃　quoth　the　mock　priest；　〃thou　hast　not　lived　heretofore；　but　only　got　thee　along　through　the　world；　but　henceforth　thou　wilt　live　indeed。　When　thou　livedst　not　thou　wast　called　John　Little；　but　now　that　thou　dost　live　indeed；　Little　John　shalt　thou　be　called；　so　christen　I　thee。〃　And　at　these　last　words　he　emptied　the　pot　of　ale　upon　Little　John's　head。

Then　all　shouted　with　laughter　as　they　saw　the　good　brown　ale　stream　over　Little　John's　beard　and　trickle　from　his　nose　and　chin；　while　his　eyes　blinked　with　the　smart　of　it。　At　first　he　was　of　a　mind　to　be　angry　but　found　he　could　not；　because　the　others　were　so　merry；　so　he；　too；　laughed　with　the　rest。　Then　Robin　took　this　sweet；　pretty　babe；　clothed　him　all　anew　from　top　to　toe　in　Lincoln　green；　and　gave　him　a　good　stout　bow；　and　so　made　him　a　member　of　the　merry　band。

And　thus　it　was　that　Robin　Hood　became　outlawed；　thus　a　band　of　merry　companions　gathered　about　him；　and　thus　he　gained　his　right…hand　man；　Little　John；　and　so　the　prologue　ends。　And　now　I　will　tell　how　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　three　times　sought　to　take　Robin　Hood；　and　how　he　failed　each　time。



Robin　Hood　and　the　Tinker

Now　it　was　told　before　how　two　hundred　pounds　were　set　upon　Robin　Hood's　head；　and　how　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　swore　that　he　himself　would　seize　Robin；　both　because　he　would　fain　have　the　two　hundred　pounds　and　because　the　slain　man　was　a　kinsman　of　his　own。　Now　the　Sheriff　did　not　yet　know　what　a　force　Robin　had　about　him　in　Sherwood；　but　thought　that　he　might　serve　a　warrant　for　his　arrest　as　he　could　upon　any　other　man　that　had　broken　the　laws；　therefore　he　offered　fourscore　golden　angels　to　anyone　who　would　serve　this　warrant。　　But　men　of　Nottingham　Town　knew　more　of　Robin　Hood　and　his　doings　than　the　Sheriff　did；　and　many　laughed　to　think　of　serving　a　warrant　upon　the　bold　outlaw；　knowing　well　that　all　they　would　get　for　such　service　would　be　cracked　crowns；　so　that　no　one　came　forward　to　take　the　matter　in　hand。　Thus　a　fortnight　passed；　in　which　time　none　came　forward　to　do　the　Sheriff's　business。　　Then　said　he；　〃A　right　good　reward　have　I　offered　to　whosoever　would　serve　my　warrant　upon　Robin　Hood；　and　I　marvel　that　no　one　has　come　to　undertake　the　task。〃

Then　one　of　his　men　who　was　near　him　said；　〃Good　master；　thou　wottest　not　the　force　that　Robin　Hood　has　about　him　and　how　little　he　cares　for　warrant　of　king　or　sheriff。　Truly；　no　one　likes　to　go　on　this　service；　for　fear　of　cracked　crowns　and　broken　bones。〃

〃Then　I　hold　all　Nottingham　men　to　be　cowards；〃　said　the　Sheriff。　　〃And　let　me　see　the　man　in　all　Nottinghamshire　that　dare　disobey　the　warrant　of　our　sovereign　lord　King　Harry；　for；　by　the　shrine　of　Saint　Edmund；　I　will　hang　him　forty　cubits　high！　　But　if　no　man　in　Nottingham　dare　win　fourscore　angels；　I　will　send　elsewhere；　for　there　should　be　men　of　mettle　somewhere　in　this　land。〃

Then　he　called　up　a　messenger　in　whom　he　placed　great　trust；　and　bade　him　saddle　his　horse　and　make　ready　to　go　to　Lincoln　Town　to　see　whether　he　could　find　anyone　there　that　would　do　his　bidding　and　win　the　reward。　So　that　same　morning　the　messenger　started　forth　upon　his　errand。

Bright　shone　the　sun　upon　the　dusty　highway　that　led　from　Nottingham　to　Lincoln；　stretching　away　all　white　over　hill　and　dale。　Dusty　was　the　highway　and　dusty　the　throat　of　the　messenger；　so　that　his　heart　was　glad　when　he　saw　before　him　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar　Inn；　when　somewhat　more　than　half　his　journey　was　done。　The　inn　looked　fair　to　his　eyes；　and　the　shade　of　the　oak　trees　that　stood　around　it　seemed　cool　and　pleasant；　so　he　alighted　from　his　horse　to　rest　himself　for　a　time；　calling　for　a　pot　of　ale　to　refresh　his　thirsty　throat。

There　he　saw　a　party　of　right　jovial　fellows　seated　beneath　the　spreading　oak　that　shaded　the　greensward　in　front　of　the　door。　There　was　a　tinker；　two　barefoot　friars；　and　a　party　of　six　of　the　King's　foresters　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　and　all　of　them　were　quaffing　humming　ale　and　singing　merry　ballads　of　the　good　old　times。　Loud　laughed　the　foresters；　as　jests　were　bandied　about　between　the　singing；　and　louder　laughed　the　friars；　for　they　were　lusty　men　with　beards　that　curled　like　the　wool　of　black　rams；　but　loudest　of　all　laughed　the　Tinker；　and　he　sang　more　sweetly　than　any　of　the　rest。　His　bag　and　his　hammer　hung　upon　a　twig　of　the　oak　tree；　and　near　by　leaned　his　good　stout　cudgel；　as　thick　as　his　wrist　and　knotted　at　the　end。

〃Come；〃　cried　one　of　the　foresters　to　the　tired　messenger；　〃come　join　us　for　this　shot。　　Ho；　landlord！　　Bring　a　fresh　pot　of　ale　for　each　man。

The　messenger　was　glad　enough　to　sit　down　along　with　the　others　who　were　there；　for　his　limbs　were　weary　and　the　ale　was　good。

〃Now　what　news　bearest　thou　so　fast？〃　quoth　one；　〃and　whither　ridest　thou　today？〃

The　messenger　was　a　chatty　soul　and　loved　a　bit　of　gossip　dearly；　besides；　the　pot　of　ale　warmed　his　heart；　so　that；　settling　himself　in　an　easy　corner　of　the　inn　bench；　while　the　host　leaned　upon　the　doorway　and　the　hostess　stood　with　her　hands　beneath　her　apron；　he　unfolded　his　budget　of　news　with　great　comfort。　　He　told　all　from　the　very　first：　how　Robin　Hood　had　slain　the　forester；　and　how　he　had　hidden　in　the　greenwood　to　escape　the　law；　how　that　he　lived　therein；　all　against　the　law；　God　wot；　slaying　His　Majesty's　deer　and　levying　toll　on　fat　abbot；　knight；　and　esquire；　so　that　none　dare　travel　even　on　broad　Watling　Street　or　the　Fosse　Way　for　fear


of　him；　how　that　the　Sheriff　had　a　mind　to　serve　the　King's　warrant　upon　this　same　rogue；　though　little　would　he　mind　warrant　of　either　king　or　sheriff；　for　he　was　far　from　being　a　law…abiding　man。　Then　he　told　how　none　could　be　found　in　all　Nottingham　Town　to　serve　this　warrant；　for　fear　of　cracked　pates　and　broken　bones；　and　how　that　he；　the　messenger；　was　now　upon