the merry adventures of robin hood- 第3部分

〃And　thou；〃　quoth　the　stranger；　laughing；　〃takest　thy　cudgeling　like　a　brave　heart　and　a　stout　yeoman。〃

But　now　the　distant　twigs　and　branches　rustled　with　the　coming　of　men；　and　suddenly　a　score　or　two　of　good　stout　yeomen；　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　burst　from　out　the　covert；　with　merry　Will　Stutely　at　their　head。

〃Good　master；〃　cried　Will；　〃how　is　this？　　Truly　thou　art　all　wet　from　head　to　foot；　and　that　to　the　very　skin。〃

〃Why；　marry；〃　answered　jolly　Robin；　〃yon　stout　fellow　hath　tumbled　me　neck　and　crop　into　the　water　and　hath　given　me　a　drubbing　beside。〃

〃Then　shall　he　not　go　without　a　ducking　and　eke　a　drubbing　himself！〃　cried　Will　Stutely。　　〃Have　at　him；　lads！〃

Then　Will　and　a　score　of　yeomen　leaped　upon　the　stranger；　but　though　they　sprang　quickly　they　found　him　ready　and　felt　him　strike　right　and　left　with　his　stout　staff；　so　that；　though　he　went　down　with　press　of　numbers；　some　of　them　rubbed　cracked　crowns　before　he　was　overcome。

〃Nay；　forbear！〃　cried　Robin；　laughing　until　his　sore　sides　ached　again。　〃He　is　a　right　good　man　and　true；　and　no　harm　shall　befall　him。　Now　hark　ye；　good　youth；　wilt　thou　stay　with　me　and　be　one　of　my　band？　Three　suits　of　Lincoln　green　shalt　thou　have　each　year；　beside　forty　marks　in　fee；　and　share　with　us　whatsoever　good　shall　befall　us。　Thou　shalt　eat　sweet　venison　and　quaff　the　stoutest　ale；　and　mine　own　good　right…hand　man　shalt　thou　be；　for　never　did　I　see　such　a　cudgel　player　in　all　my　life　before。　　Speak！　　Wilt　thou　be　one　of　my　good　merry　men？〃

〃That　know　I　not；〃　quoth　the　stranger　surlily；　for　he　was　angry　at　being　so　tumbled　about。　　〃If　ye　handle　yew　bow　and　apple　shaft　no　better　than　ye　do　oaken　cudgel；　I　wot　ye　are　not　fit　to　be　called　yeomen　in　my　country；　but　if　there　be　any　man　here　that　can　shoot　a　better　shaft　than　I；　then　will　I　bethink　me　of　joining　with　you。〃

〃Now　by　my　faith；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　art　a　right　saucy　varlet；　sirrah；　yet　I　will　stoop　to　thee　as　I　never　stooped　to　man　before。　Good　Stutely；　cut　thou　a　fair　white　piece　of　bark　four　fingers　in　breadth；　and　set　it　fourscore　yards　distant　on　yonder　oak。　Now；　stranger；　hit　that　fairly　with　a　gray　goose　shaft　and　call　thyself　an　archer。〃

〃Ay；　marry；　that　will　I；〃　answered　he。　　〃Give　me　a　good　stout　bow　and　a　fair　broad　arrow；　and　if　I　hit　it　not；　strip　me　and　beat　me　blue　with　bowstrings。〃

Then　he　chose　the　stoutest　bow　among　them　all；　next　to　Robin's　own；　and　a　straight　gray　goose　shaft；　well…feathered　and　smooth；　and　stepping　to　the　markwhile　all　the　band；　sitting　or　lying　upon　the　greensward；　watched　to　see　him　shoothe　drew　the　arrow　to　his　cheek　and　loosed　the　shaft　right　deftly；　sending　it　so　straight　down　the　path　that　it　clove　the　mark　in　the　very　center。　〃Aha！〃　cried　he；　〃mend　thou　that　if　thou　canst〃；　while　even　the　yeomen　clapped　their　hands　at　so　fair　a　shot。

〃That　is　a　keen　shot　indeed；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Mend　it　I　cannot；　but　mar　it　I　may；　perhaps。〃

Then　taking　up　his　own　good　stout　bow　and　nocking　an　arrow　with　care；　he　shot　with　his　very　greatest　skill。　　Straight　flew　the　arrow；　and　so　true　that　it　lit　fairly　upon　the　stranger's　shaft　and　split　it　into　splinters。　Then　all　the　yeomen　leaped　to　their　feet　and　shouted　for　joy　that　their　master　had　shot　so　well。

〃Now　by　the　lusty　yew　bow　of　good　Saint　Withold；〃　cried　the　stranger；　〃that　is　a　shot　indeed；　and　never　saw　I　the　like　in　all　my　life　before！　Now　truly　will　I　be　thy　man　henceforth　and　for　aye。　　Good　Adam　Bell＇1＇　was　a　fair　shot；　but　never　shot　he　so！〃


＇1＇　Adam　Bell；　Clym　o'　the　Clough；　and　William　of　Cloudesly　were　three　noted　north…country　bowmen　whose　names　have　been　celebrated　in　many　ballads　of　the　olden　time。


〃Then　have　I　gained　a　right　good　man　this　day；〃　quoth　jolly　Robin。　　〃What　name　goest　thou　by；　good　fellow？〃

〃Men　call　me　John　Little　whence　I　came；〃　answered　the　stranger。

Then　Will　Stutely；　who　loved　a　good　jest；　spoke　up。　〃Nay；　fair　little　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃I　like　not　thy　name　and　fain　would　I　have　it　otherwise。　　Little　art　thou　indeed；　and　small　of　bone　and　sinew；　therefore　shalt　thou　be　christened　Little　John；　and　I　will　be　thy　godfather。〃

Then　Robin　Hood　and　all　his　band　laughed　aloud　until　the　stranger　began　to　grow　angry。

〃An　thou　make　a　jest　of　me；〃　quoth　he　to　Will　Stutely；　〃thou　wilt　have　sore　bones　and　little　pay；　and　that　in　short　season。〃

〃Nay；　good　friend；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃bottle　thine　anger；　for　the　name　fitteth　thee　well。　　Little　John　shall　thou　be　called　henceforth；　and　Little　John　shall　it　be。　So　come；　my　merry　men；　we　will　prepare　a　christening　feast　for　this　fair　infant。〃

So　turning　their　backs　upon　the　stream；　they　plunged　into　the　forest　once　more；　through　which　they　traced　their　steps　till　they　reached　the　spot　where　they　dwelled　in　the　depths　of　the　woodland。　There　had　they　built　huts　of　bark　and　branches　of　trees；　and　made　couches　of　sweet　rushes　spread　over　with　skins　of　fallow　deer。　Here　stood　a　great　oak　tree　with　branches　spreading　broadly　around；　beneath　which　was　a　seat　of　green　moss　where　Robin　Hood　was　wont　to　sit　at　feast　and　at　merrymaking　with　his　stout　men　about　him。　Here　they　found　the　rest　of　the　band；　some　of　whom　had　come　in　with　a　brace　of　fat　does。　　Then　they　all　built　great　fires　and　after　a　time　roasted　the　does　and　broached　a　barrel　of　humming　ale。　Then　when　the　feast　was　ready　they　all　sat　down；　but　Robin　placed　Little　John　at　his　right　hand；　for　he　was　henceforth　to　be　the　second　in　the　band。

Then　when　the　feast　was　done　Will　Stutely　spoke　up。　　〃It　is　now　time；　I　ween；　to　christen　our　bonny　babe；　is　it　not　so；　merry　boys？〃　And　〃Aye！　　Aye！〃　cried　all；　laughing　till　the　woods　echoed　with　their　mirth。

〃Then　seven　sponsors　shall　we　have；〃　quoth　Will　Stutely；　and　hunting　among　all　the　band；　he　chose　the　seven　stoutest　men　of　them　all。

〃Now　by　Saint　Dunstan；〃　cried　Little　John；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃more　than　one　of　you　shall　rue　it　an　you　lay　finger　upon　me。〃

But　without　a　word　they　all　ran　upon　him　at　once；　seizing　him　by　his　legs　and　arms　and　holding　him　tightly　in　spite　of　his　struggles；　and　they　bore　him　forth　while　all　stood　around　to　see　the　sport。　Then　one　came　forward　who　had　been　chosen　to　play　the　priest　because　he　had　a　bald　crown；　and　in　his　hand　he　carried　a　brimming　pot　of　ale。　〃Now；　who　bringeth　this　babe？〃　asked　he　right　soberly。

〃That　do　I；〃　answered　Will　Stutely。

〃And　what　name　callest　thou　him？〃

〃Little　John　call　I　him。〃

〃Now　Little　John；〃　quoth　the　mock　priest；　〃thou　hast　not　lived　heretofore；　but　only　got　thee　along　through　the　world；　but　henceforth　thou　wilt　live　indeed。　When　thou　livedst　not　thou　wast　called　John　Little；　but　now　that　thou　dost　live　indeed；　Little　John　shalt　thou　be　called；　so　christen　I　thee。〃　And　at　these　last　words　he　emptied　the　pot　of　ale　upon　Little　John's　head。

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　smart　of　it。　At　first　he　was　of　a　mind　to　be　angry　but　found　he　could　not；　because　the　others　were　so　merry；　so　he；　too；　laughed　with　the　rest。　Then　Robin　took　this　sweet；　pretty　babe；　clothed　him　all　anew　from　top　to　toe　in　Lincoln　green；　and　gave　him　a　good　stout　bow；　and　so　made　him　a　member　of　the　merry　band。

And　thus　it　was　that　Robin　Hood　became　outlawed；　thus　a　band　of　merry　companions　gathered　about　him；　and　thus　he　gained　his　right…hand　man；　Little　John；　and　so　the　prologue　ends。　And　now　I　will　tell　how　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham　three　times　sought　to　take　Robin　Hood；　and　how　he　failed　each　time。



Robin　Hood　and　the　Tinker

Now　it　was　told　before　how　two　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　know　what　a　force　Robin　had　about　him　in　Sherwood；　but　thought　that　he　might　serve　a　warrant　for　his　arrest　as　he　could　upon　any　other　man　that　had　broken　the　laws；　therefore　he　offered　fourscore　golden　angels　to　anyone　who　would　serve　this　warrant。　　But　men　of　Nottingham　Town　knew　more　of　Robin　Hood　and　his　doings　than　the　Sheriff　did；　and　many　laughed　to　think　of　serving　a　warrant　upon　the　bold　outlaw；　knowing　well　that　all　they　would　get　for　such　service　would　be　cracked　crowns；　so　that　no　one　came　forward　to　take　the　matter　in　hand。　Thus　a　fortnight　passed；　in　which　time　none　came　forward　to　do　the　Sheriff's　business。　　Then　said　he；　〃A　right　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　who　was　near　him　said；　〃Good　master；　thou　wottest　not　the　force　that　Robin　Hood　has　about　him　and　how　little　he　cares　for　warrant　of　king　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　me　see　the　man　in　all　Nottinghamshire　that　dare　disobey　the　warrant　of　our　sovereign　lord　King　Harry；　for；　by　the　shrine　of　Saint　Edmund；　I　will　hang　him　forty　cubits　high！　　But　if　no　man　in　Nottingham　dare　win　fourscore　angels；　I　will　send　elsewhere；　for　there　should　be　men　of　mettle　somewhere　in　this　land。〃

Then　he　called　up　a　messenger　in　whom　he　placed　great　trust；　and　bade　him　saddle　his　horse　and　make　ready　to　go　to　Lincoln　Town　to　see　whether　he　could　find　anyone　there　that　would　do　his　bidding　and　win　the　reward。　So　that　same　morning　the　messenger　started　forth　upon　his　errand。

Bright　shone　the　sun　upon　the　dusty　highway　that　led　from　Nottingham　to　Lincoln；　stretching　away　all　white　over　hill　and　dale。　Dusty　was　the　highway　and　dusty　the　throat　of　the　messenger；　so　that　his　heart　was　glad　when　he　saw　before　him　the　Sign　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　seemed　cool　and　pleasant；　so　he　alighted　from　his　horse　to　rest　himself　for　a　time；　calling　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　t