Robin Hood

hearken,

hat now

hn, that was

h ye now

of many kinds were displayed in gaily colored booths, and at every cross-street a free show was in pr

he shire. A great boaster was he withal, and to-day he strutted about on one of these corner stages, and vaunted of his prowess, and offered to crack any man's c

nshaven. Eric caught sight of his leering face at one of his boasts-for there was a lull in the game, because no man else wanted to co

"mend your manners to your betters, or,

my manners to my betters," said he, "but I am afraid yo

roared the other, fl

fficulty. "It will pleasure me hugely to take a braggart down

own-and he took the stoutest and heaviest of all. He made a sorry enough figure as he climbed awkwardly upon the stage, but when he had gained it,

sounding crack on the shoulder. The beggar danced about, and made as though he would drop his staff from very pain, while the crowd roared and Eric raised himself for another crushing blow. But just then the awkward beggar came to life. Straightening himself lik

ted to his own ringside to gather his wits and watch for an opening. He saw i

the other's guard, and just as often were his blows parried. The beggar stood sturdily in his tracks contenting himself with beating off the attack. For a long time their blows met like the steady crackling of some huge forest fire, and Eric strove to be wary, for he now

staff whirling through the air. With another he tapped Eric on the head; and, with a third broad swing, ere the

. The victory of the queer beggar made him immensely popular. Eric had been a great bully, and many had suffered defeat and insult at his h

was held in the same arena that Robin had formerly entered; and again the Sheriff and lord

who shot best the prize of a yoke of fat steers should belong. A dozen keen-eyed bowmen were there, and among them some of the best fellows in the

eer figure and asked: "W

soundly cracked the crown of E

targets soon showed a fine reckoning

t a mark of my own placing." And he strode down the lists with a slender peeled sapling which

ld risk his reputatio

ow with seeming carelessness an

beggar!" yelled

cher that ever yet I saw." And he beckoned to him, and asked him: "How

," the man replied; "men

han that you wear at present. Will you enter my service? I will give you

ladly will I enter your service, for my

od people, I have entered the Sheriff's service, and need not the yo

r caps high into the air. And none so popular a man had come to

And forth went he to the Sheriff's house, and entered his service. But it was a sorry day for the Sheriff when he got his new man. Fo

eating the Sheriff's best bread and drinking his best wine, so that the steward waxed wroth. Nathless

nted himself at last, when the dinner was half over; and being desirous of seeing the guests for himself he went into the hall with the other servants to pass the wine. First, however, I am afraid that some of the wine passed his own lips while he went down the corridor. When he entered the banqueting hall, whom should he see but Robin Hood

and remembered him that he had eaten nothing all that day. Back went he to the pantry to see wh

ohn, "give me to dine, for it is

mly at him and rattled

talking of eating. Since you have waited thus long to be

ur own paunch of fat would be enough for any bear to sleep on thro

d the door, but it was locked fast; whereat the

ohn stooped and peered through the hole to see what food lay within reach, when crack! went the steward's keys upon his crown, and the worthy danced around him playing a tattoo

n the buttery door without ceremony and brought to light a venison pasty and cold roast pheasant-goodly sights to a hungry ma

mpus and came in to see how the land lay. There sat Little John eating away for d

ll thus in a household, and ask thus to dine." So saying he l

thus between me and my meat. So defend yourself and see that you prove th

says that they thought nothing for to flee, but stiffly for to stand. There they fought sore t

ever yet I saw. What say you to resting a space and eating and drin

he venison pasty soon disappeared, and the roast pheasant flew at as lively a rate as ever the bird itself had sped. Then the warriors rested a s

aid the cook, "we may as well settl

tell me, friend-for I protest you are my friend

st," said the cook. "By my troth I had t

ut we can settle in right good time. But just now I and my master have need of y

would that be?"

be butcher entering the r