The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

t meat, and he ran beside his horse when he went a-hunting; so that, what with hunting and hawking a little, and eating rich dishes and drinking good sack, and sleeping until late hours in the mo

aint and far away, a distant bugle note sounding thin and clear. The sound was small, but, like a little pebble dropped into a glassy fountain, it broke all the smooth surface of his thoughts, until his whole soul was filled with disturbance. His spirit seemed to awaken from its sluggishness, and his memory brought back to him all the merry greenwood life - how the birds were singing blithely there this bright morning, and how his loved companions and friends were feasting and making merry, or perhaps talking of him with sober speech; for when he first entered the Sheriff's service he did so in jest; but the hearthstone was warm during the winter, and the fare was full, and so he had abided, putting of

ith a huge bundle of keys hanging to his girdle. Then Little John said, "Ho, Master Steward, a

ter Reynold Greenleaf, thou art anhungered, art thou?" quoth he. "But, fair youth, if thou livest long enough, thou wilt find that he who getteth overmu

but for bread and meat. Who art thou, that thou shouldst deny me to eat? By Saint Duns

ireblaze, is in the pant

cried Little John, who w

lf," quoth the Steward. "Am I thy

thou, bri

ou, fetch it

but found it locked, whereat the Steward laughed and rattled his keys. Then the wrath of Little John boiled over, and, lifting his clench

sorely and smiting him over the head with his keys till the yeoman's ears rang again. At this Little John turned upon the Steward and smote him such a buffet that the fat man fe

son pasty and two roasted capons, beside which was a platter of plover's eggs; moreover, there was a flask of sack and one of canary

ame to the Steward's pantry he saw him glowering through the broken door at Little John, who was making ready for a good repast, as one dog glowers at another that has a bone. When the Steward saw the Cook, he came to him, and, putting one arm over his shoulder, "Alas, sweet friend!" quoth he - for the Cook was a tall, stout man -"seest thou what that vile knave Reynold Greenleaf hath done? He hath broken in upo

s. "Get thee gone straightway to thy room, and I will bring out this knave by his ears." So saying, he laid aside his spit and

door, through which he saw Little John tucking a napki

t no better than a thief, I wot. Come thou straight forth,

me forth to thy dole. At most times I am as a yearling lamb, but whe

, "come thou straight forth, else thou art

had; so, look to thyself, good Cook, for I come for

denly Little John lowered his point. "Hold, good Cook!" said he. "Now, I bethink me it were ill of us to fight with good victuals standing so nigh, and such a

last he drew a long breath and said to Little John, "Well, good friend, I like thy plan right well; so,

he, "so, sweet chuck, I help myself without leave." But the Cook did not lag far behind, for straightway his hands also were deeply thrust within the goodly pasty. After this, neither of them spoke fu

"I want thee by me no more, good friend." Then he took the pottle of sack, and said he, "Now, good fellow, I swear by all that is bright, that thou art the stoutest companion at eating that ever I had. Lo! I drink thy health." So saying, he clappe

ound and sweet, jolly lad. I doubt not thou can

w and then," quoth the Cook,

ut ill courtesy. Strike up thy ditty, and I

Cook. "And hast thou e'er heard th

ered Little John, "but si

ht from the pottle, and, clearin

the Deserted

me, when lea

birds beg

th sing, and

ve cooeth s

is sat bes

heard her m

willow, wil

e of thy br

wreath to

h hath take

too, and ek

hath de

me for an

brookside,

own and ma

illow, will

e of thy br

wreath to de

ame herring

s he were

don came o

m Phillis

y, she chang

cease her fr

willow, wil

en keep thy g

not to dec

John, "that same is a right good

e Cook. "Now sing thou one also, for ne'er sho

red his heart's wound without running upon the dart again, as did thy Phillis; for I

Knight an

King, did ru

y king

of stout kn

rry c

all, both gr

ut knight

ilde, and

ved a l

would she to

ed her f

gone to fa

t that

alone he ma

did sob

l it would m

was lik

s heart did f

the dire

grew his pa

his bo

back where

rry co

d cease to

he and ga

I hold, and

and eke

he belly g

will cease

gainst the sideboard, "I like that same song hugely, and eke t

ns," quoth Little John, "and I love

ve my cooking to do ere our master cometh home; so let

gard in fighting than in eating and drinking. So come thou straight forth into the p

e another with great din, and sparks flew from each blow in showers. So they fought up and down the hall for an hour and more, neither striking the other a blow, though they strove their best to do so; for both were skillful at the fence; so noth

art the very best swordsman that ever mine eyes b

e by thee," quoth the Cook, "but

" quoth Little John, "what we are fighti

r that pursy Steward, but I thought that we had engage

ayst thou, jolly Cook, wilt thou go with me to Sherwood Forest and join with Robin Hood's band? Thou shalt live a merry life within the woodlands, and s

of it, that is the very service for me. I will go with thee, and that right gladly. Give me thy

e Little John,

I heard of thee, but never did I hope to set eyes upon thee. And thou art indeed the famous Li

d. But ere we go, good friend, it seemeth to me to be a vast pity that, as we have had so much of the Sheriff

took as much silver as they could lay hands upon, clapping it into a ba

grass. When Robin and his men saw who it was that came, they leaped to their feet. "Now welcome!" cried Robin Hood. "Now welcome, Little John! For long h

ought thee his cook, and even his silver plate." Thereupon he told Robin Hood and his merry men that were there, all that had befallen

e Cook, whom we all welcome to Sherwood. But I like not so well that thou hast stolen the Sheriff's plate like some paltry thief. The Sheriff hath been punish

"if thou thinkest the Sheriff gave us not the plate, I will fetch him, that he may tell us with his own li

am and a gay company were hunting near the forest. When Little John came to the S

d the Sheriff, "whence comest

's eyes beheld! Yonder I saw a young hart all in green from top to toe, and about him was a herd of threescore deer, an

he Sheriff, "art thou dreaming or art thou

h me, I will show thee this fair sight, for I have seen it with mine own eyes. But

rd, and Little John led the

h he at last, "we are ni

a close copse until suddenly they came to a great open glade, at the end of which Robin Hood sat beneath the shade of the great oak

ong ago I thought I remembered thy face, but now I know thee. W

Now welcome, Master Sheriff," said he. "Hast t

f in tones of deep earnest. "I care f

l I know thou wilt take a cup of sack with me. But I am grieved that thou wilt not fe

nilly, to the seat he knew so w

d the Sheriff a right brimming cup of sack an

handed it to him; but the Sheriff could not touch the wine, for he saw it

? We have gotten a bag of it this day." So saying, he held up the

to despoil a poor spendthrift, and thou wert despoiled thine own self; but now thou comest seeking to do no harm, nor do I know that thou hast despoiled any man. I take my tithes from fat priests and lordly squires, to help those that they despoil and to raise up those that the

ot where the Sheriff's companions were waiting for him. Then Robin Hood gave the sack of silver back to the Sheriff. "Take thou thine own again," he said, "and hearken to me, good Sheriff

er a word, acting like one who walks in a dream. Without a word, he placed the bag across his nag's back and then, mounting, rode away, all following him; but all the time there