the merry adventures of robin hood-第5章

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s　warrant；　for　fear　of　cracked　pates　and　broken　bones；　and　how　that　he；　the　messenger；　was　now　upon　his　way　to　Lincoln　Town　to　find　of　what　mettle　the　Lincoln　men　might　be。

〃Now　come　I；　forsooth；　from　good　Banbury　Town；〃　said　the　jolly　Tinker；　〃and　no　one　nigh　Nottinghamnor　Sherwood　either；　an　that　be　the　mark　can　hold　cudgel　with　my　grip。　　Why；　lads；　did　I　not　meet　that　mad　wag　Simon　of　Ely；　even　at　the　famous　fair　at　Hertford　Town；　and　beat　him　in　the　ring　at　that　place　before　Sir　Robert　of　Leslie　and　his　lady？　This　same　Robin　Hood；　of　whom；　I　wot；　I　never　heard　before；　is　a　right　merry　blade；　but　gin　he　be　strong；　am　not　I　stronger？　And　gin　he　be　sly；　am　not　I　slyer？　　Now　by　the　bright　eyes　of　Nan　o'　the　Mill；　and　by　mine　own　name　and　that's　Wat　o'　the　Crabstaff；　and　by　mine　own　mother's　son；　and　that's　myself；　will　I；　even　I；　Wat　o'　the　Crabstaff；　meet　this　same　sturdy　rogue；　and　gin　he　mind　not　the　seal　of　our　glorious　sovereign　King　Harry；　and　the　warrant　of　the　good　Sheriff　of　Nottinghamshire；　I　will　so　bruise；　beat；　and　bemaul　his　pate　that　he　shall　never　move　finger　or　toe　again！　Hear　ye　that；　bully　boys？〃

〃Now　art　thou　the　man　for　my　farthing；〃　cried　the　messenger。　〃And　back　thou　goest　with　me　to　Nottingham　Town。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　shaking　his　head　slowly　from　side　to　side。　〃Go　I　with　no　man　gin　it　be　not　with　mine　own　free　will。〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　the　messenger；　〃no　man　is　there　in　Nottinghamshire　could　make　thee　go　against　thy　will；　thou　brave　fellow。〃

〃Ay；　that　be　I　brave；〃　said　the　Tinker。

〃Ay；　marry；〃　said　the　messenger；　〃thou　art　a　brave　lad；　but　our　good　Sheriff　hath　offered　fourscore　angels　of　bright　gold　to　whosoever　shall　serve　the　warrant　upon　Robin　Hood；　though　little　good　will　it　do。〃

〃Then　I　will　go　with　thee；　lad。　　Do　but　wait　till　I　get　my　bag　and　hammer；　and　my　cudgel。　　Ay；　let'　me　but　meet　this　same　Robin　Hood；　and　let　me　see　whether　he　will　not　mind　the　King's　warrant。〃　　So；　after　having　paid　their　score；　the　messenger；　with　the　Tinker　striding　beside　his　nag；　started　back　to　Nottingham　again。

One　bright　morning　soon　after　this　time；　Robin　Hood　started　off　to　Nottingham　Town　to　find　what　was　a…doing　there；　walking　merrily　along　the　roadside　where　the　grass　was　sweet　with　daisies；　his　eyes　wandering　and　his　thoughts　also。　His　bugle　horn　hung　at　his　hip　and　his　bow　and　arrows　at　his　back；　while　in　his　hand　he　bore　a　good　stout　oaken　staff；　which　he　twirled　with　his　fingers　as　he　strolled　along。

As　thus　he　walked　down　a　shady　lane　he　saw　a　tinker　coming；　trolling　a　merry　song　as　he　drew　nigh。　　On　his　back　hung　his　bag　and　his　hammer；　and　in　his　hand　he　carried　a　right　stout　crabstaff　full　six　feet　long；　and　thus　sang　he：　　〃_In　peascod　time；　when　hound　to　horn　　　　　　Gives　ear　till　buck　be　killed；　　And　little　lads　with　pipes　of　corn　　　　　　Sit　keeping　beasts　afield_〃


〃Halloa；　good　friend！〃　cried　Robin。

〃I　WENT　TO　GATHER　STRAWBERRIES〃


〃Halloa！〃　cried　Robin　again。

〃BY　WOODS　AND　GROVES　FULL　FAIR〃


〃Halloa！　　Art　thou　deaf；　man？　　Good　friend；　say　I！〃

〃And　who　art　thou　dost　so　boldly　check　a　fair　song？〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　stopping　in　his　singing。　　〃Halloa；　shine　own　self；　whether　thou　be　good　friend　or　no。　　But　let　me　tell　thee；　thou　stout　fellow；　gin　thou　be　a　good　friend　it　were　well　for　us　both；　but　gin　thou　be　no　good　friend　it　were　ill　for　thee。〃

〃And　whence　comest　thou；　my　lusty　blade？〃　quoth　Robin。

〃I　come　from　Banbury；〃　answered　the　Tinker。

〃Alas！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　hear　there　is　sad　news　this　merry　morn。〃

〃Ha！　　Is　it　indeed　so？〃　cried　the　Tinker　eagerly。　〃Prythee　tell　it　speedily；　for　I　am　a　tinker　by　trade；　as　thou　seest；　and　as　I　am　in　my　trade　I　am　greedy　for　news；　even　as　a　priest　is　greedy　for　farthings。〃

〃Well　then；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃list　thou　and　I　will　tell；　but　bear　thyself　up　bravely；　for　the　news　is　sad；　I　wot。　　Thus　it　is：　I　hear　that　two　tinkers　are　in　the　stocks　for　drinking　ale　and　beer！〃

〃Now　a　murrain　seize　thee　and　thy　news；　thou　scurvy　dog；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃for　thou　speakest　but　ill　of　good　men。　But　sad　news　it　is　indeed；　gin　there　be　two　stout　fellows　in　the　stocks。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　hast　missed　the　mark　and　dost　but　weep　for　the　wrong　sow。　　The　sadness　of　the　news　lieth　in　that　there　be　but　two　in　the　stocks；　for　the　others　do　roam　the　country　at　large。〃

〃Now　by　the　pewter　platter　of　Saint　Dunstan；〃　cried　the　Tinker；　〃I　have　a　good　part　of　a　mind　to　baste　thy　hide　for　thine　ill　jest。　But　gin　men　be　put　in　the　stocks　for　drinking　ale　and　beer；　I　trow　thou　wouldst　not　lose　thy　part。〃

Loud　laughed　Robin　and　cried；　〃Now　well　taken；　Tinker；　well　taken！　Why；　thy　wits　are　like　beer；　and　do　froth　up　most　when　they　grow　sour！　But　right　art　thou；　man；　for　I　love　ale　and　beer　right　well。　Therefore　come　straightway　with　me　hard　by　to　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar；　and　if　thou　drinkest　as　thou　appearestand　I　wot　thou　wilt　not　belie　thy　looksI　will　drench　thy　throat　with　as　good　homebrewed　as　ever　was　tapped　in　all　broad　Nottinghamshire。〃

〃Now　by　my　faith；〃　said　the　Tinker；　〃thou　art　a　right　good　fellow　in　spite　of　thy　scurvy　jests。　　I　love　thee；　my　sweet　chuck；　and　gin　I　go　not　with　thee　to　that　same　Blue　Boar　thou　mayst　call　me　a　heathen。〃

〃Tell　me　thy　news；　good　friend；　I　prythee；〃　quoth　Robin　as　they　trudged　along　together；　〃for　tinkers；　I　ween；　are　all　as　full　of　news　as　an　egg　of　meat。〃

〃Now　I　love　thee　as　my　brother；　my　bully　blade；〃　said　the　Tinker；　〃else　I　would　not　tell　thee　my　news；　for　sly　am　I；　man；　and　I　have　in　hand　a　grave　undertaking　that　doth　call　for　all　my　wits；　for　I　come　to　seek　a　bold　outlaw　that　men；　hereabouts；　call　Robin　Hood。　　Within　my　pouch　I　have　a　warrant；　all　fairly　written　out　on　parchment；　forsooth；　with　a　great　red　seal　for　to　make　it　lawful。　Could　I　but　meet　this　same　Robin　Hood　I　would　serve　it　upon　his　dainty　body；　and　if　he　minded　it　not　I　would　beat　him　till　every　one　of　his　ribs　would　cry　Amen。　　But　thou　livest　hereabouts；　mayhap　thou　knowest　Robin　Hood　thyself；　good　fellow。〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　I　do　somewhat；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　I　have　seen　him　this　very　morn。　　But；　Tinker；　men　say　that　he　is　but　a　sad；　sly　thief。　Thou　hadst　better　watch　thy　warrant；　man；　or　else　he　may　steal　it　out　of　thy　very　pouch。〃

〃Let　him　but　try！〃　cried　the　Tinker。　　〃Sly　may　he　be；　but　sly　am　I；　too。　　I　would　I　had　him　here　now；　man　to　man！〃　And　he　made　his　heavy　cudgel　to　spin　again。　　〃But　what　manner　of　man　is　he；　lad？

〃Much　like　myself；〃　said　Robin；　laughing；　〃and　in　height　and　build　and　age　nigh　the　same；　and　he　hath　blue　eyes；　too。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃thou　art　but　a　green　youth。　I　thought　him　to　be　a　great　bearded　man。　　Nottingham　men　feared　him　so。〃

〃Truly；　he　is　not　so　old　nor　so　stout　as　thou　art；〃　said　Robin。　　〃But　men　do　call　him　a　right　deft　hand　at　quarterstaff。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　said　the　Tinker　right　sturdily；　〃but　I　am　more　deft　than　he；　for　did　I　not　overcome　Simon　of　Ely　in　a　fair　bout　in　the　ring　at　Hertford　Town？　　But　if　thou　knowest　him；　my　jolly　blade；　wilt　thou　go　with　me　and　bring　me　to　him？　Fourscore　bright　angels　hath　the　Sheriff　promised　me　if　I　serve　the　warrant　upon　the　knave's　body；　and　ten　of　them　will　I　give　to　thee　if　thou　showest　me　him。〃

〃Ay；　that　will　I；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃but　show　me　thy　warrant；　man；　until　I　see　whether　it　be　good　or　no。〃

〃That　will　I　not　do；　even　to　mine　own　brother；〃　answered　the　Tinker。　　〃No　man　shall　see　my　warrant　till　I　serve　it　upon　yon　fellow's　own　body。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃And　thou　show　it　not　to　me　I　know　not　to　whom　thou　wilt　show　it。　　But　here　we　are　at　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar；　so　let　us　in　and　taste　his　brown　October。〃

No　sweeter　inn　could　be　found　in　all　Nottinghamshire　than　that　of　the　Blue　Boar。　　None　had　such　lovely　trees　standing　around；　or　was　so　covered　with　trailing　clematis　and　sweet　woodbine；　none　had　such　good　beer　and　such　humming　ale；　nor；　in　wintertime；　when　the　north　wind　howled　and　snow　drifted　around　the　hedges；　was　there　to　be　found；　elsewhere；　such　a　roaring　fire　as　blazed　upon　the　hearth　of　the　Blue　Boar。　　At　such　times　might　be　found　a　goodly　company　of　yeomen　or　country　folk　seated　around　the　blazing　hearth；　bandying　merry　jests；　while　roasted　crabs＇2＇　bobbed　in　bowls　of　ale