But still they traveled deeper into the forest shades, and the deeper
they went, the more quiet grew the Sheriff. At last they came

to where the road took a sudden bend, and before them a herd of dun
deer went tripping across the path. Then Robin Hood came close

to the Sheriff and pointing his finger, he said, "These are my
horned beasts, good Master Sheriff. How dost thou like them?

Are they not fat and fair to see?"
At this the Sheriff drew rein quickly. "Now fellow," quoth he,

"I would I were well out of this forest, for I like not thy company.
Go thou thine own path, good friend, and let me but go mine."

But Robin only laughed and caught the Sheriff's bridle rein.
"Nay," cried he, "stay awhile, for I would thou shouldst see

my brothers, who own these fair horned beasts with me."
So saying, he clapped his bugle to his mouth and winded three

merry notes, and presently up the path came leaping fivescore
good stout yeomen with Little John at their head.

"What wouldst thou have, good master?" quoth Little John.
"Why," answered Robin, "dost thou not see that I have brought

goodly company to feast with us today? Fye, for shame!
Do you not see our good and worshipful" target="_blank" title="a.虔敬的；崇拜的">worshipful master, the Sheriff

of Nottingham? Take thou his bridle, Little John, for he has
honored us today by coming to feast with us."

Then all doffed their hats humbly, without smiling or seeming to be in jest,
while Little John took the bridle rein and led the palfrey still deeper into

the forest, all marching in order, with Robin Hood walking beside the Sheriff,
hat in hand.

All this time the Sheriff said never a word but only looked
about him like one suddenly awakened from sleep; but when he found

himself going within the very depths of Sherwood his heart sank
within him, for he thought, "Surely my three hundred pounds

will be taken from me, even if they take not my life itself,
for I have plotted against their lives more than once."

But all seemed humble and meek and not a word was said of danger,
either to life or money.

So at last they came to that part of Sherwood Forest where a noble oak
spread its branches wide, and beneath it was a seat all made of moss,

on which Robin sat down, placing the Sheriff at his right hand.
"Now busk ye, my merry men all," quoth he, "and bring forth the best

we have, both of meat and wine, for his worship the Sheriff hath
feasted me in Nottingham Guild Hall today, and I would not have him

go back empty."
All this time nothing had been said of the Sheriff's money,

so presently he began to pluck up heart. "For," said he to himself,
"maybe Robin Hood hath forgotten all about it."

Then, while beyond in the forest bright fires crackled and savory
smells of sweetly roasting venison and fat capons filled the glade,

and brown pasties warmed beside the blaze, did Robin Hood
entertain the Sheriff right royally. First, several couples

stood forth at quarterstaff, and so shrewd were they at the game,
and so quickly did they give stroke and parry, that the Sheriff,

who loved to watch all lusty sports of the kind, clapped his hands,
forgetting where he was, and crying aloud, "Well struck!

Well struck, thou fellow with the black beard!" little knowing
that the man he called upon was the Tinker that tried to serve

his warrant upon Robin Hood.
Then several yeomen came forward and spread cloths upon

the green grass, and placed a royal feast; while others still
broached barrels of sack and Malmsey and good stout ale, and set

them in jars upon the cloth, with drinking horns about them.
Then all sat down and feasted and drank merrily together until

the sun was low and the half-moon glimmered with a pale light
betwixt the leaves of the trees overhead.

Then the Sheriff arose and said, "I thank you all, good yeomen,
for the merry entertainment ye have given me this day.

Right courteously have ye used me, showing therein that ye
have much respect for our glorious King and his deputy in

brave Nottinghamshire. But the shadows grow long, and I must away
before darkness comes, lest I lose myself within the forest."

Then Robin Hood and all his merry men arose also, and Robin said
to the Sheriff, "If thou must go, worshipful" target="_blank" title="a.虔敬的；崇拜的">worshipful sir, go thou must;

but thou hast forgotten one thing."
"Nay, I forgot nought," said the Sheriff; yet all the same his heart

sank within him.
"But I say thou hast forgot something," quoth Robin. "We keep

a merry inn here in the greenwood, but whoever becometh our guest
must pay his reckoning."

Then the Sheriff laughed, but the laugh was hollow. "Well, jolly boys,"
quoth he, "we have had a merry time together today, and even if ye had

not asked me, I would have given you a score of pounds for the sweet
entertainment I have had."

"Nay," quoth Robin seriously, "it would ill beseem us to treat Your Worship
so meanly. By my faith, Sir Sheriff, I would be ashamed to show my

face if I did not reckon the King's deputy at three hundred pounds.
Is it not so, my merry men all?"

Then "Ay!" cried all, in a loud voice.
"Three hundred devils!" roared the Sheriff. "Think ye that your beggarly

feast was worth three pounds, let alone three hundred?"
"Nay," quoth Robin gravely. "Speak not so roundly, Your Worship. I do love

thee for the sweet feast thou hast given me this day in merry Nottingham Town;
but there be those here who love thee not so much. If thou wilt look down

the cloth thou wilt see Will Stutely, in whose eyes thou hast no great favor;
then two other stout fellows are there here that thou knowest not, that were

wounded in a brawl nigh Nottingham Town, some time ago--thou wottest when;
one of them was sore hurt in one arm, yet he hath got the use of it again.

Good Sheriff, be advised by me; pay thy score without more ado, or maybe it
may fare ill with thee."

As he spoke the Sheriff's ruddy cheeks grew pale, and he said
nothing more but looked upon the ground and gnawed his nether lip.

Then slowly he drew forth his fat purse and threw it upon the cloth
in front of him.

"Now take the purse, Little John," quoth Robin Hood, "and see
that the reckoning be right. We would not doubt our Sheriff,

but he might not like it if he should find he had not paid
his full score."

Then Little John counted the money and found that the bag held three
hundred pounds in silver and gold. But to the Sheriff it seemed as if

every clink of the bright money was a drop of blood from his veins.
And when he saw it all counted out in a heap of silver and gold,

filling a woodenplatter, he turned away and silently mounted his horse.
"Never have we had so worshipful" target="_blank" title="a.虔敬的；崇拜的">worshipful a guest before!" quoth Robin,

"and, as the day waxeth late, I will send one of my young men
to guide thee out of the forest depths."

"Nay, Heaven forbid!" cried the Sheriff hastily. "I can find mine own way,
good man, without aid."

"Then I will put thee on the right track mine own self,"
quoth Robin, and, taking the Sheriff's horse by the bridle rein,

he led him into the main forest path. Then, before he let
him go, he said, "Now, fare thee well, good Sheriff,

and when next thou thinkest to despoil some poor prodigal,
remember thy feast in Sherwood Forest. `Ne'er buy a horse,

good friend, without first looking into its mouth,' as our good
gaffer Swanthold says. And so, once more, fare thee well."

Then he clapped his hand to the horse's back, and off went nag
and Sheriff through the forest glades.

Then bitterly the Sheriff rued the day that first he meddled
with Robin Hood, for all men laughed at him and many ballads

were sung by folk throughout the country, of how the Sheriff
went to shear and came home shorn to the very quick.

For thus men sometimes overreach themselves through greed and guile.
Little John Goes to Nottingham Fair

SPRING HAD GONE since the Sheriff's feast in Sherwood,
and summer also, and the mellow month of October had come.

All the air was cool and fresh; the harvests were gathered home,
the young birds were full fledged, the hops were plucked,

and apples were ripe. But though time had so smoothed things over
that men no longer talked of the horned beasts that the Sheriff

wished to buy, he was still sore about the matter and could
not bear to hear Robin Hood's name spoken in his presence.

With October had come the time for holding the great Fair
which was celebrated every five years at Nottingham Town,

to which folk came from far and near throughout the country.
At such times archery was always the main sport of the day,

for the Nottinghamshire yeomen were the best hand at the longbow
in all merry England, but this year the Sheriff hesitated

a long time before he issued proclamation of the Fair,
fearing lest Robin Hood and his band might come to it.

At first he had a great part of a mind not to proclaim the Fair,
but second thought told him that men would laugh at him and say

among themselves that he was afraid of Robin Hood, so he put
that thought by. At last he fixed in his mind that he would

offer such a prize as they would not care to shoot for.
At such times it had been the custom to offer a half score

of marks or a tun of ale, so this year he proclaimed that a prize
of two fat steers should be given to the best bowman.

When Robin Hood heard what had been proclaimed he was vexed,
and said, "Now beshrew this Sheriff that he should offer such

a prize that none but shepherd hinds will care to shoot for it!
I would have loved nothing better than to have had another bout

at merry Nottingham Town, but if I should win this prize nought
would it pleasure or profit me."

Then up spoke Little John: "Nay, but hearken, good master,"
said he, "only today Will Stutely, young David of Doncaster,

and I were at the Sign of the Blue Boar, and there we heard
all the news of this merry Fair, and also that the Sheriff hath

offered this prize, that we of Sherwood might not care to come
to the Fair; so, good master, if thou wilt, I would fain go

and strive to win even this poor thing among the stout yeomen
who will shoot at Nottingham Town."

"Nay, Little John," quoth Robin, "thou art a sound stout fellow, yet thou
lackest the cunning that good Stutely hath, and I would not have harm

befall thee for all Nottinghamshire. Nevertheless, if thou wilt go,
take some disguise lest there be those there who may know thee."

"So be it, good master," quoth Little John, "yet all the disguise that I
wish is a good suit of scarlet instead of this of Lincoln green.

I will draw the cowl of my jacket about my head so that it will hide
my brown hair and beard, and then, I trust, no one will know me."

"It is much against my will," said Robin Hood, "ne'ertheless, if thou
dost wish it, get thee gone, but bear thyself seemingly, Little John,

for thou art mine own right-hand man and I could ill bear to have
harm befall thee."

So Little John clad himself all in scarlet and started off to the Fair
at Nottingham Town.

Right merry were these Fair days at Nottingham, when the green before
the great town gate was dotted with booths standing in rows, with tents

of many-colored canvas, hung about with streamers and garlands of flowers,
and the folk came from all the countryside, both gentle and common.

In some booths there was dancing to merry music, in others flowed ale
and beer, and in others yet again sweet cakes and barley sugar were sold;

and sport was going outside the booths also, where some minstrel
sang ballads of the olden time, playing a second upon the harp,

or where the wrestlers struggled with one another within the sawdust ring,
but the people gathered most of all around a raised platform where stout

fellows played at quarterstaff.
So Little John came to the Fair. All scarlet were his hose and jerkin,

and scarlet was his cowled cap, with a scarletfeather stuck in the side
of it. Over his shoulders was slung a stout bow of yew, and across his back

hung a quiver of good round arrows. Many turned to look after such a stout,
tall fellow, for his shoulders were broader by a palm's-breadth than any

that were there, and he stood a head taller than all the other men.
The lasses, also, looked at him askance, thinking they had never seen

a lustier youth.

• sheriff [´ʃerif] n.郡长；行政长官 (初中英语单词)
• awhile [ə´wail] ad.少顷；片刻 (初中英语单词)
• presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)
• worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)
• entertainment [,entə´teinmənt] n.招(款)待；联欢会 (初中英语单词)
• glorious [´glɔ:riəs] a.光荣的；辉煌的 (初中英语单词)
• seriously [´siəriəsli] ad.严肃；严重，重大 (初中英语单词)
• ashamed [ə´ʃeimd] a.惭愧；不好意思 (初中英语单词)
• reckon [´rekən] v.计算；认为；估计 (初中英语单词)
• gravely [´greivli] ad.庄重地，严肃地 (初中英语单词)
• wooden [´wudn] a.木制的；呆板的 (初中英语单词)
• silently [´sailəntli] ad.寂静地；沉默地 (初中英语单词)
• hastily [´heistili] ad.急速地；草率地 (初中英语单词)
• bitterly [´bitəli] ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词)
• spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
• celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
• proclaim [prə´kleim] vt.宣布；公布；声明 (初中英语单词)
• shepherd [´ʃepəd] n.牧羊人 vt.带领 (初中英语单词)
• cunning [´kʌniŋ] a.&n.狡猾(诡诈)的 (初中英语单词)
• nevertheless [,nevəðə´les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)
• disguise [dis´gaiz] vt.假装；隐瞒 n.伪装 (初中英语单词)
• scarlet [´skɑ:lit] n.猩红色 a.猩红的 (初中英语单词)
• jacket [´dʒækit] n.茄克衫；外套 (初中英语单词)
• standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
• canvas [´kænvəs] n.帆布；油画(布) (初中英语单词)
• platform [´plætfɔ:m] n.(平)台；讲台；站台 (初中英语单词)
• feather [´feðə] n.羽毛 (初中英语单词)
• quiver [´kwivə] v.抖动 n.颤动(声) (初中英语单词)
• bridle [´braidl] n.(马)笼头；束缚 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• sweetly [´swi:tli] ad.甜蜜地；美妙地 (高中英语单词)
• shrewd [ʃru:d] a.精明的；狡猾的 (高中英语单词)
• merrily [´merili] ad.欢乐地；愉快地 (高中英语单词)
• therein [ðeə´rin] ad.在那里，在其中 (高中英语单词)
• deputy [´depjuti] n.代理人；代表 (高中英语单词)
• whoever [hu:´evə] pron.任何人，无论谁 (高中英语单词)
• mellow [´meləu] a.芳醇的 v.(使)成熟 (高中英语单词)
• strive [straiv] vi.争取；努力；奋斗 (高中英语单词)
• befall [bi´fɔ:l] v.降临；发表(于) (高中英语单词)
• barley [´bɑ:li] n.大麦 (高中英语单词)
• traveled [´trævəld] a.见面广的；旅客多的 (英语四级单词)
• nottingham [´nɔtiŋəm] n.诺丁汉 (英语四级单词)
• humbly [´hʌmbli] ad.恭顺地，谦卑地 (英语四级单词)
• seeming [´si:miŋ] a.表面上的 n.外观 (英语四级单词)
• tinker [´tiŋkə] n.&v.补锅(匠) (英语四级单词)
• warrant [´wɔrənt] n.根据；委任书；权利 (英语四级单词)
• platter [´plætə] n.(椭圆形的)大浅盘 (英语四级单词)
• proclamation [,prɔklə´meiʃən] n.宣布；公告；声明 (英语四级单词)
• hearken [´hɑ:kən] vi.听 (英语四级单词)
• lincoln [´liŋkən] n.林肯 (英语四级单词)
• seemingly [´si:miŋli] ad.表面上；似乎 (英语四级单词)
• right-hand [´rait´hænd] a.右手的，右边的 (英语四级单词)
• countryside [´kʌntrisaid] n.乡下，农村 (英语四级单词)
• worshipful [´wə:ʃipfəl] a.虔敬的；崇拜的 (英语六级单词)
• venison [´venisən] n.鹿肉；野味 (英语六级单词)
• courteously [´kə:tjəsli] ad.有礼貌地；殷勤地 (英语六级单词)
• greenwood [´gri:nwud] n.绿林 (英语六级单词)
• nether [´neðə] a.下面的；地下的 (英语六级单词)
• reckoning [´rekəniŋ] n.计算；算帐；估计 (英语六级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)