The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

o serve a warrant upon such a one as the bold outlaw. And a man hates nothing so much as being made a jest of; so he said: "Our gracious lord and sovereign King himself shall know of this, an

ainers to make ready to go to London

r mending armor for the Sheriff's troop of escort. For two days this labor lasted, then, on the third, all was ready for the journey. So forth they started in the bright sunlight, from Nottingham Town to Fosse Way and thence to Watling Street; and so the

court, gay with ladies in silks and satins and velvets and

iff and was shown int

quoth he, as he kn

?" said the King. "Let us h

"in Sherwood Forest in our own good shire of Nottin

d even our own royal ears. He is a saucy, rebellious va

ne own royal seal attached, by a right lusty knave, but he beat the messenger and stole the warr

Sheriff? Are not my laws in force in Nottinghamshire? Canst thou not take thine own course against those that break the laws or do any injury to thee or thine? Go, get thee gone, and think well; devise some plan of thine own, but trouble me no further. But look well to it, Master Sheriff, for I

e he had so many men about him and yet could not enforce the laws. So, as they all rode slowly back to Nottingham, the Sheriff was thoughtful and fu

all, and let us get back to Nottingham Town as speedily as we may. And mark well my words: befor

as the She

wly and sadly back toward Nottingham, took up thought after thought in turn, feeling around the edges of each but finding in every one some f

t he would never get away again." Then of a sudden it came to him like a flash that were he to proclaim a great shooting match and offer some grand prize, Ro

t and west, to proclaim through town, hamlet, and countryside, this grand shooting match, and ev

ncoln Town, and hastening back to Sherwood Forest he soon

rs to tell of it through all the countryside, and the prize is to be a bright golden arrow. Now I fain would have one of us win it, both because of the fairness of the prize and beca

l news of this same match. But, master, I know from him, and he got it from the Sheriff's man Ralph o' the Scar, that this same knavish Sheriff hath but laid a trap for thee in this shooting

the prize even more than I else should do. But what sayeth our good gossip Swanthold? Is it not 'A hasty man burneth his mouth, and the fool that keepeth his eyes shut falleth into the pit'? Thus he says, truly, therefore we must meet guile with guile. Now some of you clothe yourselves as curtal friars, and some as rustic peas

" cried all the b

; for none but those of rank and quality were to sit there. At the end of the range, near the target, was a raised seat bedecked with ribbons and scarfs and garlands of flowers, for the Sheriff of Nottingham and his dame. The range was twoscore paces b

t the archers were gathering by twos and threes; some talking loudly of the fair shots each man had made in his day; some looking well to their bows, drawing a string betwixt the fingers to see that there was no fray upon it, or inspecting arrows, shutting one eye and peering down a shaft to see that it was not warped, but straight and true, for neither bow nor shaft should fail at such a time and for such a prize. And never was such a company of yeomen as were gathered at Nottingham Town that day, for the v

rimmed about with rich ermine; his jerkin and hose were of sea-green silk, and his shoes of black velvet, the pointed toes fastened to his garters with golden chains. A golden chain hung about his neck, and at his collar was a great carbuncle set in red gold. His lady was dressed in blue velvet, al

gray walls of Nottingham. Then the archers stepped forth to their places, while all the folks shouted with a mighty voice, each man calling upon his favorite yeoman. "Re

and loudly proclaimed the

en that shooteth the fairest shafts be chosen for to shoot again. Two arrows shooteth each man of these ten, then shall the three that shoot the fairest

re clad in Lincoln green, such as was worn by Robin and his band. "Nevertheless," said the Sheriff to himself, "he may still be there, a

ay. Six arrows were within the clout, four within the black, and only two smote the outer ring; so that

These six men were Gilbert o' the Red Cap, Adam o' the Dell, Diccon Cruikshank, William o' Leslie, Hubert o' Cloud, and Swithin o' Hertford. Two others were yeomen of

at-arms who stood near him, "seest

d the other too short for that bold knave. Robin's beard is as yellow as gold, while yon tattered beggar in scarlet hath a beard of

ly, "yon knave is a coward as well as a rogue, and

, and as they shot, not a word was spoken, but all the crowd watched with scarce a breath of sound; but when the las

rscore years and more, sat near the Sheriff, "ne'er saw I such archery in all my life

n scarlet, and one Adam o' the Dell of Tamworth Town. Then all the people called aloud, some crying, "Ho for Gilbert o' the

"and if thine be the best shaft, fivescore broad s

arrow with a broad feather and fitted it deftly to the string, then drawing his bow with care he sped the shaft. Straight flew the arrow and lit fairly in the clout, a finge

to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye. He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft; so short was the time that no man

ise!" cried the Sheriff, "that

rom the center, and again the tattered stranger's shot was the best. Then, after another time of rest, they all shot for the third time. This time Gilbert took great heed to his aim, keenly measuring the distance and shooting with shrewdest care. Straig

I to believe the prize is thine, and right fairly won. Now, tho

in his hand, while one could count five; then he drew his trusty yew, holding it drawn but a moment, then loosed the string. Straight flew the arrow, and so true that it smote a gray goose feather from off Gilbert's shaft, which fe

more have I shot shaft, and maybe not all times bad, but I shoot no more this day, for no man can match with yon strang

ing upon his stout bow, while the good folk crowded around to see the man who shot so wondrously well. "Here, good fellow," quo

eviotdale, and thence am

oat than that thou hast upon thy back; thou shalt eat and drink of the best, and at every Christmastide fourscore marks shall be thy wage. I trow tho

r roughly. "I will be mine own, and no ma

rembled with anger. "And by my faith and troth, I have a good part of a mind to ha

was one all clad in tattered scarlet, with a patch over one eye; and in his hand he held the golden arrow that was the prize of the great shooting match. Then, amidst a noise of talking and laughter, he took the patch from off his eye and stripped away the scarlet rags from off his

s disguise. But when the feast was done, Robin Hood took Little John apart and said, "Truly am I vexed in my blood, for I heard the Sheriff say today, 'Thou shootest better than that coward knav

Will Stutely, and we will send yon fat Sheriff news

s and household servants and good stout villains,[Bond-servants.] in all fourscore and more. There they talked of the day's shooting as they

think that he was such a coward. But who could that saucy knave be who answered me to my beard so bravely? I wonder

-arms gathered courage enough to pick it up and bring it to the Sheriff. Then everyone saw that it was a blunted gray goose shaft, with a fine scroll, about the thickness of a goose quill

bless Thy Gr

in sweet

dst give th

y Robin

ce. "Even through the window, Your Worship," quoth th