the merry adventures of robin hood(罗宾汉奇遇记)-第22章

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stout　fellow　would　give　Little　John　a　right　sound　drubbing！
It　would　please　me　to　see　him　well　thumped　for　having　failed
in　my　bidding。　　I　fear　me；　though；　there　is　but　poor　chance
of　my　seeing　such　a　pleasant　sight。〃　　So　saying；　he　stretched
himself　at　length　upon　the　ground；　that　he　might　not　only　see
the　sport　the　better；　but　that　he　might　enjoy　the　merry　sight
at　his　ease。

As　you　may　have　seen　two　dogs　that　think　to　fight；　walking　slowly
round　and　round　each　other；　neither　cur　wishing　to　begin　the　combat；
so　those　two　stout　yeomen　moved　slowly　around；　each　watching　for　a
chance　to　take　the　other　unaware；　and　so　get　in　the　first　blow。
At　last　Little　John　struck　like　a　flash；　and〃rap！〃the　Tanner　met
the　blow　and　turned　it　aside；　and　then　smote　back　at　Little　John；
who　also　turned　the　blow；　and　so　this　mighty　battle　began。
Then　up　and　down　and　back　and　forth　they　trod；　the　blows　falling
so　thick　and　fast　that；　at　a　distance；　one　would　have　thought　that　half
a　score　of　men　were　fighting。　　Thus　they　fought　for　nigh　a　half　an　hour；
until　the　ground　was　all　plowed　up　with　the　digging　of　their　heels；
and　their　breathing　grew　labored　like　the　ox　in　the　furrow。
But　Little　John　suffered　the　most；　for　he　had　become　unused　to　such
stiff　labor；　and　his　joints　were　not　as　supple　as　they　had　been
before　he　went　to　dwell　with　the　Sheriff。

All　this　time　Robin　Hood　lay　beneath　the　bush；　rejoicing　at　such
a　comely　bout　of　quarterstaff。　　〃By　my　faith！〃　quoth　he　to　himself；
〃never　had　I　thought　to　see　Little　John　so　evenly　matched　in　all　my　life。
Belike；　though；　he　would　have　overcome　yon　fellow　before　this　had　he　been
in　his　former　trim。〃

At　last　Little　John　saw　his　chance；　and；　throwing　all　the
strength　he　felt　going　from　him　into　one　blow　that　might　have
felled　an　ox；　he　struck　at　the　Tanner　with　might　and　main。
And　now　did　the　Tanner's　cowhide　cap　stand　him　in　good　stead；
and　but　for　it　he　might　never　have　held　staff　in　hand　again。
As　it　was；　the　blow　he　caught　beside　the　head　was　so　shrewd
that　it　sent　him　staggering　across　the　little　glade；　so　that；
if　Little　John　had　had　the　strength　to　follow　up　his　vantage；
it　would　have　been　ill　for　stout　Arthur。　　But　he　regained　himself
quickly　and；　at　arm's　length；　struck　back　a　blow　at　Little　John；
and　this　time　the　stroke　reached　its　mark；　and　down　went　Little　John
at　full　length；　his　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　t