Part 2 (1/2)
Then all shouted with laughter as they saw the good brown ale stream over Little John's beard and trickle from his nose and chin, while his eyes blinked with the sry but found he could not, because the others were so hed with the rest Then Robin took this sweet, pretty babe, clothed hiood stout bow, and so made him a member of the merry band
And thus it was that Robin Hood becaathered about hiht-hand ue ends And noill tell how the Sheriff of Nottinghaht to take Robin Hood, and how he failed each time
Robin Hood and the Tinker
Noas told before hoo hundred pounds were set upon Robin Hood's head, and how the Sheriff of Nottingham swore that he himself would seize Robin, both because he would fain have the two hundred pounds and because the slain man was a kinsman of his own Now the Sheriff did not yet knohat a force Robin had about hiht serve a warrant for his arrest as he could upon any other olden angels to anyone ould serve this warrant But s than the Sheriff did, anda warrant upon the bold outlaw, knoell that all they would get for such service would be cracked crowns; so that no one caht passed, in which time none caht good reward have I offered to whosoever would serve my warrant upon Robin Hood, and I marvel that no one has come to undertake the task”
Then one of his men as near him said, ”Good master, thou wottest not the force that Robin Hood has about hi or sheriff Truly, no one likes to go on this service, for fear of cracked crowns and broken bones”
”Then I hold all Nottingham men to be cowards,” said the Sheriff ”And let han lord King Harry, for, by the shrine of Saint Edh! But if no els, I will send elsewhere, for there should be men of mettle soer in whoreat trust, and bade hio to Lincoln Town to see whether he could find anyone there that would do his bidding and win the reward
So that saer started forth upon his errand
Bright shone the sun upon the dusty highway that led fro away all white over hill and dale Dusty was the highway and dusty the throat of the lad when he saw before hin of the Blue Boar Inn, when somewhat more than half his journey was done The inn looked fair to his eyes, and the shade of the oak trees that stood around it seehted fro for a pot of ale to refresh his thirsty throat
There he saw a party of right jovial fellows seated beneath the spreading oak that shaded the greensward in front of the door There was a tinker, two barefoot friars, and a party of six of the King's foresters all clad in Lincoln green, and all of theood old tihed the foresters, as jests were bandied about between the singing, and louder laughed the friars, for they were lusty men with beards that curled like the wool of black raupon a twig of the oak tree, and near by leaned his good stout cudgel, as thick as his wrist and knotted at the end
”Coer, ”co a fresh pot of ale for eachwith the others ere there, for his liood
”Nohat news bearest thou so fast?” quoth one, ”and whither ridest thou today?”
The ossip dearly; besides, the pot of ale war himself in an easy corner of the inn bench, while the host leaned upon the doorway and the hostess stood with her hands beneath her apron, he unfolded his budget of neith great comfort He told all from the very first: how Robin Hood had slain the forester, and how he had hidden in the greenwood to escape the la that he lived therein, all against the law, God wot, slaying His Majesty's deer and levying toll on fat abbot, knight, and esquire, so that none dare travel even on broad Watling Street or the Fosse Way for fear of hi's warrant upon this sa or sheriff, for he was far fro ham Town to serve this warrant, for fear of cracked pates and broken bones, and how that he, the er, was now upon his way to Lincoln Town to find of what ht be
”Now coood Banbury Town,” said the jolly Tinker, ”and no one nigh Nottinghael withSimon of Ely, even at the fa at that place before Sir Robert of Leslie and his lady? This saht in he be sly, aht 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, in heHarry, and the warrant of the good Sheriff of Nottinghamshi+re, I will so bruise, beat, and beain! Hear ye that, bully boys?”
”Now art thou the oest withhis head slowly froin it be not with er, ”no ainst thy will, thou brave fellow”
”Ay, that be I brave,” said the Tinker
”Ay, ood 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 el Ay, let' me but meet this same Robin Hood, and let 's warrant” So, after having paid their score, the , started back to Nottingha soon after this tiha the roadside where the grass ith 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 co his bag and his haht 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--”