Part 3 (1/2)
”So be it,” quoth Robin ”And thou show it not to me I know not to whon of the Blue Boar, so let us in and taste his brown October”
No sweeter inn could be found in all Nottinghamshi+re than that of the Blue Boar None had such lovely trees standing around, or was so covered with trailing cleood beer and such hu ale; nor, in wintertime, when the north wind howled and snow drifted around the hedges, was there to be found, elsewhere, such a roaring fire as blazed upon the hearth of the Blue Boar At such tioodly co hearth, bandying merry jests, while roasted crabs[Small sour apples] bobbed in bowls of ale upon the hearthstone Well knoas the inn to Robin Hood and his band, for there had he and suchDavid of Doncaster often gathered when all the forest was filled with snow As for ue in his head, and to s his words before they passed his teeth, for he knew very hich side of his bread was spread with butter, for Robin and his band were the best of custo them chalked up behind the door So nohen Robin Hood and the Tinker careat pots of ale, none would have known from look or speech that the host had ever set eyes upon the outlaw before
”Bide thou here,” quoth Robin to the Tinker, ”while I go and see that ood October, I know, and that brewed by Withold of Ta, he ithin and whispered to the host to add a lish ale; which the latter did and brought it to theht of the ale, ”yon saood Saxon na ale that e'er passed the lips of Wat o' the Crabstaff”
”Drink,his own lips, , 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, Da, and thou too, thou bonny lass, for never sing I so well as when bright eyes do look uponan ancient ballad of the tie of Sir Gawaine,” which you lish of early ti, all listened to that noble tale of noble knight and his sacrifice to his king But long before the Tinker caan to trip and his head to spin, because of the strong waters rew thick of sound; then his head wagged froh he never would waken again
Then Robin Hood laughed aloud and quickly took the warrant froers ”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 his for the entertainood care of thy fair guest there, and when he wakes thou s also, and if he hath it not, thouand hammer, and even his coat, in payreenwood 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 s to his”
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 ht 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 ith me but now?”
”What knavethe Tinker Worshi+p to soothe hiry water
”I saw no knave with Your Worshi+p, for I swear no h to Sherwood Forest A right stout yeoht that Your Worshi+p knew him, for few there be about here that pass him by and know him not”
”No should I, that ne'er have squealed in your sty, know all the swine therein? Who was he, then, an thou knowest hiht stout fellohom 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 crafts 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 s up his elbow, for he feared the blow, ”ho 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 custohtway to seek him, and if I do not score his knave's pate, cut athered hiether to depart
”Nay,” quoth the landlord, standing in front of hi his flock, for oest not till thou hast paid me my score”
”But did not he pay thee?”
”Not so s' worth of ale have ye drunk this day Nay, I say, thou goest not aithout paying ht have I to pay thee with, good fellow,” quoth the Tinker
”'Good fellow' not me,” said the landlord ”Good fellow as! Pay me that thou owestand has, 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 Tinker--for, by roas were--”take thou what thou wilt have, and let o with thee But oh, landlord! An I catch yon scurvy varlet, I swear he shall pay full with usury for that he hath had!”