the merry adventures of robin hood-第6章

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ated　around　the　blazing　hearth；　bandying　merry　jests；　while　roasted　crabs＇2＇　bobbed　in　bowls　of　ale　upon　the　hearthstone。　　Well　known　was　the　inn　to　Robin　Hood　and　his　band；　for　there　had　he　and　such　merry　companions　as　Little　John　or　Will　Stutely　or　young　David　of　Doncaster　often　gathered　when　all　the　forest　was　filled　with　snow。　As　for　mine　host；　he　knew　how　to　keep　a　still　tongue　in　his　head；　and　to　swallow　his　words　before　they　passed　his　teeth；　for　he　knew　very　well　which　side　of　his　bread　was　spread　with　butter；　for　Robin　and　his　band　were　the　best　of　customers　and　paid　their　scores　without　having　them　chalked　up　behind　the　door。　So　now；　when　Robin　Hood　and　the　Tinker　came　thereto　and　called　aloud　for　two　great　pots　of　ale；　none　would　have　known　from　look　or　speech　that　the　host　had　ever　set　eyes　upon　the　outlaw　before。


＇2＇　Small　sour　apples。



〃Bide　thou　here；〃　quoth　Robin　to　the　Tinker；　〃while　I　go　and　see　that　mine　host　draweth　ale　from　the　right　butt；　for　he　hath　good　October；　I　know；　and　that　brewed　by　Withold　of　Tamworth。〃　　So　saying；　he　went　within　and　whispered　to　the　host　to　add　a　measure　of　Flemish　strong　waters　to　the　good　English　ale；　which　the　latter　did　and　brought　it　to　them。

〃By　Our　Lady；〃　said　the　Tinker；　after　a　long　draught　of　the　ale；　〃yon　same　Withold　of　Tamwortha　right　good　Saxon　name；　too；　I　would　have　thee　knowbreweth　the　most　humming　ale　that　e'er　passed　the　lips　of　Wat　o'　the　Crabstaff。〃

〃Drink；　man；　drink；〃　cried　Robin；　only　wetting　his　own　lips　meanwhile。　〃Ho；　landlord！　　Bring　my　friend　another　pot　of　the　same。　And　now　for　a　song；　my　jolly　blade。〃

〃Ay；　that　will　I　give　thee　a　song；　my　lovely　fellow；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃for　I　never　tasted　such　ale　in　all　my　days　before。　By　Our　Lady；　it　doth　make　my　head　hum　even　now！　　Hey；　Dame　Hostess；　come　listen；　an　thou　wouldst　hear　a　song；　and　thou　too；　thou　bonny　lass；　for　never　sing　I　so　well　as　when　bright　eyes　do　look　upon　me　the　while。〃

Then　he　sang　an　ancient　ballad　of　the　time　of　good　King　Arthur；　called　〃The　Marriage　of　Sir　Gawaine；〃　which　you　may　some　time　read　yourself；　in　stout　English　of　early　times；　and　as　he　sang；　all　listened　to　that　noble　tale　of　noble　knight　and　his　sacrifice　to　his　king。　But　long　before　the　Tinker　came　to　the　last　verse　his　tongue　began　to　trip　and　his　head　to　spin；　because　of　the　strong　waters　mixed　with　the　ale。　First　his　tongue　tripped；　then　it　grew　thick　of　sound；　then　his　head　wagged　from　side　to　side；　until　at　last　he　fell　asleep　as　though　he　never　would　waken　again。

Then　Robin　Hood　laughed　aloud　and　quickly　took　the　warrant　from　out　the　Tinker's　pouch　with　his　deft　fingers。　〃Sly　art　thou；　Tinker；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　not　yet；　I　bow；　art　thou　as　sly　as　that　same　sly　thief　Robin　Hood。〃

Then　he　called　the　host　to　him　and　said；　〃Here；　good　man；　are　ten　broad　shillings　for　the　entertainment　thou　hast　given　us　this　day。　See　that　thou　takest　good　care　of　thy　fair　guest　there；　and　when　he　wakes　thou　mayst　again　charge　him　ten　shillings　also；　and　if　he　hath　it　not；　thou　mayst　take　his　bag　and　hammer；　and　even　his　coat；　in　payment。　Thus　do　I　punish　those　that　come　into　the　greenwood　to　deal　dole　to　me。　As　for　thine　own　self；　never　knew　I　landlord　yet　that　would　not　charge　twice　an　he　could。〃

At　this　the　host　smiled　slyly；　as　though　saying　to　himself　the　rustic　saw；　〃Teach　a　magpie　to　suck　eggs。〃

The　Tinker　slept　until　the　afternoon　drew　to　a　close　and　the　shadows　grew　long　beside　the　woodland　edge；　then　he　awoke。　First　he　looked　up；　then　he　looked　down；　then　he


looked　east；　then　he　looked　west；　for　he　was　gathering　his　wits　together；　like　barley　straws　blown　apart　by　the　wind。　First　he　thought　of　his　merry　companion；　but　he　was　gone。　Then　he　thought　of　his　stout　crabstaff；　and　that　he　had　within　his　hand。　　Then　of　his　warrant；　and　of　the　fourscore　angels　he　was　to　gain　for　serving　it　upon　Robin　Hood。　　He　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pouch；　but　not　a　scrap　nor　a　farthing　was　there。　Then　he　sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　rage。

〃Ho；　landlord！〃　cried　he；　〃whither　hath　that　knave　gone　that　was　with　me　but　now？〃

〃What　knave　meaneth　Your　Worship？〃　quoth　the　landlord；　calling　the　Tinker　Worship　to　soothe　him；　as　a　man　would　pour　oil　upon　angry　water。　〃I　saw　no　knave　with　Your　Worship；　for　I　swear　no　man　would　dare　call　that　man　knave　so　nigh　to　Sherwood　Forest。　　A　right　stout　yeoman　I　saw　with　Your　Worship；　but　I　thought　that　Your　Worship　knew　him；　for　few　there　be　about　here　that　pass　him　by　and　know　him　not。〃

〃Now；　how　should　I；　that　ne'er　have　squealed　in　your　sty；　know　all　the　swine　therein？　　Who　was　he；　then；　an　thou　knowest　him　so　well？〃

〃Why；　yon　same　is　a　right　stout　fellow　whom　men　hereabouts　do　call　Robin　Hood；　which　same〃

〃Now；　by'r　Lady！〃　cried　the　Tinker　hastily；　and　in　a　deep　voice　like　an　angry　bull；　〃thou　didst　see　me　come　into　thine　inn；　I；　a　staunch；　honest　craftsman；　and　never　told　me　who　my　company　was；　well　knowing　thine　own　self　who　he　was。　　Now；　I　have　a　right　round　piece　of　a　mind　to　crack　thy　knave's　pate　for　thee！〃　Then　he　took　up　his　cudgel　and　looked　at　the　landlord　as　though　he　would　smite　him　where　he　stood。

〃Nay；〃　cried　the　host；　throwing　up　his　elbow；　for　he　feared　the　blow；　〃how　knew　I　that　thou　knewest　him　not？〃

〃Well　and　truly　thankful　mayst　thou　be；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃that　I　be　a　patient　man　and　so　do　spare　thy　bald　crown；　else　wouldst　thou　ne'er　cheat　customer　again。　　But　as　for　this　same　knave　Robin　Hood；　I　go　straightway　to　seek　him；　and　if　I　do　not　score　his　knave's　pate；　cut　my　staff　into　fagots　and　call　me　woman。〃　So　saying；　he　gathered　himself　together　to　depart。

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　landlord；　standing　in　front　of　him　and　holding　out　his　arms　like　a　gooseherd　driving　his　flock；　for　money　made　him　bold；　〃thou　goest　not　till　thou　hast　paid　me　my　score。〃

〃But　did　not　he　pay　thee？〃

〃Not　so　much　as　one　farthing；　and　ten　good　shillings'　worth　of　ale　have　ye　drunk　this　day。　　Nay；　I　say；　thou　goest　not　away　without　paying　me；　else　shall　our　good　Sheriff　know　of　it。〃

〃But　nought　have　I　to　pay　thee　with；　good　fellow；〃　quoth　the　Tinker。

〃　‘Good　fellow'　not　me；〃　said　the　landlord。　〃Good　fellow　am　I　not　when　it　cometh　to　lose　ten　shillings！　Pay　me　that　thou　owest　me　in　broad　money；　or　else　leave　thy　coat　and　bag　and　hammer；　yet；　I　wot　they　are　not　worth　ten　shillings；　and　I　shall　lose　thereby。　　Nay；　an　thou　stirrest；　I　have　a　great　dog　within　and　I　will　loose　him　upon　thee。　Maken；　open　thou　the　door　and　let　forth　Brian　if　this　fellow　stirs　one　step。〃

〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tinkerfor；　by　roaming　the　country；　he　had　learned　what　dogs　were〃take　thou　what　thou　wilt　have；　and　let　me　depart　in　peace；　and　may　a　murrain　go　with　thee。　But　oh；　landlord！　　An　I　catch　yon　scurvy　varlet；　I　swear　he　shall　pay　full　with　usury　for　that　he　hath　had！〃

So　saying；　he　strode　away　toward　the　forest；　talking　to　himself；　while　the　landlord　and　his　worthy　dame　and　Maken　stood　looking　after　him；　and　laughed　when　he　had　fairly　gone。

〃Robin　and　I　stripped　yon　ass　of　his　pack　main　neatly；〃　quoth　the　landlord。

Now　it　happened　about　this　time　that　Robin　Hood　was　going　through　the　forest　to　Fosse　Way；　to　see　what　was　to　be　seen　there；　for　the　moon　was　full　and　the　night　gave　promise　of　being　bright。　　In　his　hand　he　carried　his　stout　oaken　staff；　and　at　his　side　hung　his　bugle　horn。　　As　thus　he　walked　up　a　forest　path；　whistling；　down　another　path　came　the　Tinker；　muttering　to　himself　and　shaking　his　head　like　an　angry　bull；　and　so；　at　a　sudden　bend；　they　met　sharply　face　to　face。　Each　stood　still　for　a　time；　and　then　Robin　spoke：

〃Halloa；　my　sweet　bird；〃　said　he；　laughing　merrily；　〃how　likest　thou　thine　ale？　　Wilt　not　sing　to　me　another　song？〃

The　Tinker　said　nothing　at　first　but　stood　looking　at　Robin　with　a　grim　face。　〃Now；〃　quoth　he　at　last；　〃I　am　right　glad　I　have　met　thee；　and　if　I　do　not　rattle　thy　bones　within　thy　hide　this　day；　I　give　thee　leave　to　put　thy　foot　upon　my　neck。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　cried　merry　Robin。　　〃Rattle　my　bones；　an　thou　canst。〃　So　saying；　he　gripped　his　staff　and　threw　himself　upon　his　guard。　Then　the　Tinker　spat　upon　his　hands　and；　grasping　his　staff；　came　straight　at　the　other。　　He　struck　two　or　three　blows；　but　soon　found　that　he　had　met　his