hanged or not； they hated to see him butchered in cold blood。
But the Sheriff called to them in a loud voice； ordering them
to take the yeoman down from the horse and lean him against
the tree； as the other bade。
While they were doing this Robin Hood strung both his bow
and that of Guy of Gisbourne； albeit none of them took notice
of his doing so。 Then； when Little John stood against the tree；
he drew Guy of Gisbourne's sharp； double…edged dagger。
〃Fall back！ fall back！〃 cried he。 〃Would ye crowd so on
my pleasure； ye unmannerly knaves？ Back； I say！ Farther yet！〃
So they crowded back； as he ordered； many of them turning their
faces away； that they might not see what was about to happen。
〃Come！〃 cried Little John。 〃Here is my breast。 It is meet that
the same hand that slew my dear master should butcher me also！
I know thee； Guy of Gisbourne！〃
〃Peace； Little John！〃 said Robin in a low voice。 〃Twice thou
hast said thou knowest me； and yet thou knowest me not at all。
Couldst thou not tell me beneath this wild beast's hide？ Yonder； just in
front of thee； lie my bow and arrows； likewise my broadsword。
Take them when I cut thy bonds。 Now！ Get them quickly！〃
So saying； he cut the bonds； and Little John； quick as a wink；
leaped forward and caught up the bow and arrows and the broadsword。
At the same time Robin Hood threw back the cowl of horse's hide
from his face and bent Guy of Gisbourne's bow； with a keen；
barbed arrow fitted to the string。 〃Stand back！〃 cried he sternly。
〃The first man that toucheth finger to bowstring dieth！
I have slain thy man； Sheriff； take heed that it is not thy
turn next。〃 Then； seeing that Little John had armed himself；
he clapped his bugle horn to his lips and blew three blasts
both loud and shrill。
Now when the Sheriff of Nottingham saw whose face it was
beneath Guy of Gisbourne's hood； and when he heard those bugle
notes ring in his ear； he felt as if his hour had come。
〃Robin Hood！〃 roared he； and without another word he wheeled
his horse in the road and went off in a cloud of dust。
The Sheriff's men； seeing their master thus fleeing for his life；
thought that it was not their business to tarry longer； so；
clapping spurs to their horses； they also dashed away after him。
But though the Sheriff of Nottingham went fast； he could not
outstrip a clothyard arrow。 Little John twanged his bowstring
with a shout； and when the Sheriff dashed in through the gates
of Nottingham Town at full speed； a gray goose shaft stuck out
behind him like a moulting sparrow with one feather in its tail。
For a month afterward the poor Sheriff could sit upon nought
but the softest cushions that could be gotten for him。
Thus the Sheriff and a score of men ran away from Robin Hood and Little John；
so that when Will Stutely and a dozen or more of stout yeomen burst
from out the covert； they saw nought of their master's enemies；
for the Sheriff and his men were scurrying away in the distance；
hidden within a cloud of dust like a little thunderstorm。
Then they all went back into the forest once more； where they found
the widow's three sons； who ran to Little John and kissed his hands。
But it would not do for them to roam the forest at large any more；
so they promised that； after they had gone and told their mother
of their escape； they would come that night to the greenwood tree；
and thenceforth become men of the band。
King Richard Comes to Sherwood Forest
NOT MORE than two months had passed and gone since these stirring
adventures befell Robin Hood and Little John； when all Nottinghamshire
was a mighty stir and tumult； for King Richard of the Lion's Heart
was making a royal progress through merry England； and everyone
expected him to come to Nottingham Town in his journeying。
Messengers went riding back and forth between the Sheriff and the King；
until at last the time was fixed upon when His Majesty was to stop
in Nottingham； as the guest of his worship。
And now came more bustle than ever； a great running hither and thither；
a rapping of hammers and a babble of voices sounded everywhere
through the place； for the folk were building great arches across
the streets； beneath which the King was to pass； and were draping
these arches with silken banners and streamers of many colors。
Great hubbub was going on in the Guild Hall of the town； also； for here
a grand banquet was to be given to the King and the nobles of his train；
and the best master carpenters were busy building a throne where
the King and the Sheriff were to sit at the head of the table；
side by side。
It seemed to many of the good folk of the place as if the day
that should bring the King into the town would never come；
but all the same it did come in its own season； and bright
shone the sun down into the stony streets； which were all alive
with a restless sea of people。 On either side of the way
great crowds of town and country folk stood packed as close
together as dried herring in a box； so that the Sheriffs men；
halberds in hands； could hardly press them back to leave space
for the King's riding。
〃Take care whom thou pushest against！〃 cried a great； burly friar
to one of these men。 〃Wouldst thou dig thine elbows into me； sirrah？
By'r Lady of the Fountain； an thou dost not treat me with more
deference I will crack thy knave's pate for thee； even though thou
be one of the mighty Sheriff's men。〃
At this a great shout of laughter arose from a number of tall yeomen in
Lincoln green that were scattered through the crowd thereabouts； but one that
seemed of more authority than the others nudged the holy man with his elbow。
〃Peace； Tuck；〃 said he； 〃didst thou not promise me； ere thou camest here；
that thou wouldst put a check upon thy tongue？〃
〃Ay； marry；〃 grumbled the other； 〃but 'a did not think to have
a hard…footed knave trample all over my poor toes as though they
were no more than so many acorns in the forest。〃
But of a sudden all this bickering ceased； for a clear sound of many
bugle horns came winding down the street。 Then all the people
craned their necks and gazed in the direction whence the sound came；
and the crowding and the pushing and the swaying grew greater than ever。
And now a gallant array of men came gleaming into sight； and the cheering
of the people ran down the crowd as the fire runs in dry grass。
Eight and twenty heralds in velvet and cloth of gold came riding forward。
Over their heads fluttered a cloud of snow…white feathers； and each
herald bore in his hand a long silver trumpet； which he blew musically。
From each trumpet hung a heavy banner of velvet and cloth of gold；
with the royal arms of England emblazoned thereon。 After these came
riding fivescore noble knights； two by two； all fully armed； saving that
their heads were uncovered。 In their hands they bore tall lances；
from the tops of which fluttered pennons of many colors and devices。
By the side of each knight walked a page clad in rich clothes of silk
and velvet； and each page bore in his hands his master's helmet；
from which waved long； floating plumes of feathers。 Never had Nottingham seen
a fairer sight than those fivescore noble knights； from whose armor the sun
blazed in dazzling light as they came riding on their great war horses；
with clashing of arms and jingling of chains。 Behind the knights came
the barons and the nobles of the mid…country； in robes of silk and cloth
of gold； with golden chains about their necks and jewels at their girdles。
Behind these again came a great array of men…at…arms； with spears and halberds
in their hands； and； in the midst of these； two riders side by side。
One of the horsemen was the Sheriff of Nottingham in his robes of office。
The other； who was a head taller than the Sheriff； was clad in a rich but
simple garb； with a broad； heavy chain about his neck。 His hair and beard
were like threads of gold； and his eyes were as blue as the summer sky。
As he rode along he bowed to the right hand and the left； and a mighty
roar of voices followed him as he passed； for this was King Richard。
Then； above all the tumult and the shouting a great voice was
heard roaring； 〃Heaven； its saints bless thee； our gracious
King Richard！ and likewise Our Lady of the Fountain； bless thee！〃
Then King Richard； looking toward the spot whence the sound came；
saw a tall； burly； strapping priest standing in front of all the crowd
with his legs wide apart as he backed against those behind。
〃By my soul； Sheriff；〃 said the King； laughing； 〃ye have the tallest
priests in Nottinghamshire that e'er I saw in all my life。
If Heaven never answered prayers because of deafness； methinks I would
nevertheless have blessings bestowed upon me； for that man yonder would make
the great stone image of Saint Peter rub its ears and hearken unto him。
I would that I had an army of such as he。〃
To this the Sheriff answered never a word； but all the blood left
his cheeks； and he caught at the pommel of his saddle to keep
himself from falling； for he also saw the fellow that so shouted；
and knew him to be Friar Tuck； and； moreover； behind Friar Tuck
he saw the faces of Robin Hood and Little John and Will Scarlet
and Will Stutely and Allan a Dale and others of the band。
〃How now；〃 said the King hastily； 〃art thou ill； Sheriff； that thou
growest so white？〃
〃Nay； Your Majesty；〃 said the Sheriff； 〃it was nought but a sudden pain
that will soon pass by。〃 Thus he spake； for he was ashamed that the King
should know that Robin Hood feared him so little that he thus dared to come
within the very gates of Nottingham Town。
Thus rode the King into Nottingham Town on that bright afternoon
in the early fall season； and none rejoiced more than Robin Hood
and his merry men to see him come so royally unto his own。
Eventide had come； the great feast in the Guild Hall
at Nottingham Town was done； and the wine passed freely。
A thousand waxen lights gleamed along the board； at which sat
lord and noble and knight and squire in goodly array。
At the head of the table； upon a throne all hung with cloth of gold；
sat King Richard with the Sheriff of Nottingham beside him。
Quoth the King to the Sheriff； laughing as he spoke；