thou step between me and these fellows？ And how darest thou
offer thy knightly Castle of the Lea for a refuge to them？
Wilt thou make it a hiding place for the most renowned
outlaws in England？〃
Then Sir Richard of the Lea raised his eyes to the King's face。
〃Far be it from me；〃 said he； 〃to do aught that could bring Your Majesty's
anger upon me。 Yet； sooner would I face Your Majesty's wrath than suffer
aught of harm that I could stay to fall upon Robin Hood and his band；
for to them I owe life； honor； everything。 Should I； then； desert him
in his hour of need？〃
Ere the knight had done speaking； one of the mock friars that
stood near the King came forward and knelt beside Sir Richard；
and throwing back his cowl showed the face of young Sir Henry
of the Lea。 Then Sir Henry grasped his father's hand and said；
〃Here kneels one who hath served thee well； King Richard； and；
as thou knowest； hath stepped between thee and death in Palestine；
yet do I abide by my dear father； and here I say also； that I
would freely give shelter to this noble outlaw； Robin Hood；
even though it brought thy wrath upon me； for my father's honor
and my father's welfare are as dear to me as mine own。〃
King Richard looked from one to the other of the kneeling knights；
and at last the frown faded from his brow and a smile
twitched at the corners of his lips。 〃Marry； Sir Richard；〃
quoth the King； 〃thou art a bold…spoken knight； and thy
freedom of speech weigheth not heavily against thee with me。
This young son of thine taketh after his sire both in boldness
of speech and of deed； for； as he sayeth； he stepped one
time betwixt me and death； wherefore I would pardon thee
for his sake even if thou hadst done more than thou hast。
Rise all of you； for ye shall suffer no harm through me this day；
for it were pity that a merry time should end in a manner
as to mar its joyousness。〃
Then all arose and the King beckoned Robin Hood to come to him。
〃How now；〃 quoth he； 〃is thine ear still too deaf to hear me speak？〃
〃Mine ears would be deafened in death ere they would cease to hear
Your Majesty's voice；〃 said Robin。 〃As for the blow that Your Majesty
struck me； I would say that though my sins are haply many； methinks they
have been paid up in full thereby。〃
〃Thinkest thou so？〃 said the King with somewhat of sternness
in his voice。 〃Now I tell thee that but for three things； to wit；
my mercifulness； my love for a stout woodsman； and the loyalty
thou hast avowed for me； thine ears； mayhap； might have been more
tightly closed than ever a buffet from me could have shut them。
Talk not lightly of thy sins； good Robin。 But come； look up。
Thy danger is past； for hereby I give thee and all thy band
free pardon。 But； in sooth； I cannot let you roam the forest as ye
have done in the past； therefore I will take thee at thy word；
when thou didst say thou wouldst give thy service to me；
and thou shalt go back to London with me。 We will take that bold
knave Little John also； and likewise thy cousin； Will Scarlet；
and thy minstrel； Allan a Dale。 As for the rest of thy band；
we will take their names and have them duly recorded as royal rangers；
for methinks it were wiser to have them changed to law…abiding
caretakers of our deer in Sherwood than to leave them to run
at large as outlawed slayers thereof。 But now get a feast ready；
I would see how ye live in the woodlands。〃
So Robin bade his men make ready a grand feast。 Straightway great fires
were kindled and burned brightly； at which savory things roasted sweetly。
While this was going forward； the King bade Robin call Allan a Dale；
for he would hear him sing。 So word was passed for Allan； and presently
he came； bringing his harp。
〃Marry；〃 said King Richard； 〃if thy singing match thy looks it
is fair enough。 Prythee； strike up a ditty and let us have a taste
of thy skill。〃
Then Allan touched his harp lightly； and all words were hushed
while he sang thus：
〃 ‘_Oh； where has thou been； my daughter？
Oh； where hast thou been this day
Daughter； my daughter？'
‘Oh； I have been to the river's side；
Where the waters lie all gray and wide；
And the gray sky broods o'er the leaden tide；
And the shrill wind sighs a straining。'
〃 ‘What sawest thou there； my daughter？
What sawest thou there this day；
Daughter； my daughter？'
‘Oh； I saw a boat come drifting nigh；
Where the quivering rushes hiss and sigh；
And the water soughs as it gurgles by；
And the shrill wind sighs a straining。'
〃 ‘What sailed in the boat； my daughter？
What sailed in the boat this day；
Daughter； my daughter？'
‘Oh； there was one all clad in white；
And about his face hung a pallid light；
And his eyes gleamed sharp like the stars at night；
And the shrill wind sighed a straining。'
〃 ‘And what said he； my daughter？
What said he to thee this day；
Daughter； my daughter？'
‘Oh； said he nought； but did he this：
Thrice on my lips did he press a kiss；
And my heartstrings shrunk with an awful bliss；
And the shrill wind sighed a straining；。'
〃 ‘Why growest thou so cold； my daughter？
Why growest thou so cold and white；
Daughter； my daughter？'
Oh； never a word the daughter said；
But she sat all straight with a drooping head；
For her heart was stilled and her face was dead：
And the shrill wind sighed a straining_。〃
All listened in silence； and when Allan a Dale had done King Richard
heaved a sigh。 〃By the breath of my body； Allan；〃 quoth he；
〃thou hast such a wondrous sweet voice that it strangely moves my heart。
But what doleful ditty is this for the lips of a stout yeoman？
I would rather hear thee sing a song of love and battle than a sad
thing like that。 Moreover； I understand it not； what meanest thou
by the words？〃
〃I know not； Your Majesty；〃 said Allan； shaking his head；
〃for ofttimes I sing that which I do not clearly understand
mine own self。〃
〃Well； well；〃 quoth the King； 〃let it pass； only I tell thee this； Allan；
thou shouldst turn thy songs to such matters as I spoke of； to wit；
love or war； for in sooth thou hast a sweeter voice than Blondell；
and methought he was the best minstrel that ever I heard。〃
But now one came forward and said that the feast was ready； so Robin Hood
brought King Richard and those with him to where it lay all spread
out on fair white linen cloths which lay upon the soft green grass。
Then King Richard sat him down and feasted and drank； and when he was
done he swore roundly that he had never sat at such a lusty repast
in all his life before。
That night he lay in Sherwood Forest upon a bed of sweet green leaves；
and early the next morning he set forth from the woodlands for
Nottingham Town； Robin Hood and all of his band going with him。
You may guess what a stir there was in the good town when
all these famous outlaws came marching into the streets。
As for the Sheriff； he knew not what to say nor where to look
when he saw Robin Hood in such high favor with the King；
while all his heart was filled with gall because of the vexation
that lay upon him。
The next day the King took leave of Nottingham Town； so Robin Hood
and Little John and Will Scarlet and Allan a Dale shook hands
with all the rest of the band； kissing the cheeks of each man；
and swearing that they would often come to Sherwood and see them。
Then each mounted his horse and rode away in the train of the King。
Epilogue
THUS END the Merry Adventures of Robin Hood； for； in spite of his promise；
it was many a year ere he saw Sherwood again。
After a year or two at court Little John came back to Nottinghamshire；
where he lived in an orderly way； though within sight of Sherwood；
and where he achieved great fame as the champion of all England with
the quarterstaff。 Will Scarlet after a time came back to his own home；
whence he had been driven by his unlucky killing of his father's steward。
The rest of the band did their duty as royal rangers right well。
But Robin Hood and Allan a Dale did not come again to Sherwood so quickly；
for thus it was：
Robin； through his great fame as an archer； became a favorite with the King；
so that he speedily rose in rank to be the chief of all the yeomen。
At last the King； seeing how faithful and how loyal he was； created him
Earl of Huntingdon； so Robin followed the King to the wars； and found
his time so full that he had no chance to come back to Sherwood for even
so much as a day。 As for Allan a Dale and his wife； the fair Ellen；
they followed Robin Hood and shared in all his ups and downs of life。
And now； dear friend； you who have journeyed with me in all
these merry doings； I will not bid you follow me further；
but will drop your hand here with a 〃good den；〃 if you wish it；
for that which cometh hereafter speaks of the breaking up
of things； and shows how joys and pleasures that are dead
and gone can never be set upon their feet to walk again。
I will not dwell upon the matter overlong； but will tell
as speedily as may be of how that stout fellow； Robin Hood；
died as he had lived； not at court as Earl of Huntingdon；
but with bow in hand； his heart in the greenwood； and he himself
a right yeoman。
King Richard died upon the battlefield； in such a way as properly became
a lion…hearted king； as you yourself； no doubt； know； so； after a time；
the Earl of Huntingdonor Robin Hood； as we still call him as of old
finding nothing for his doing abroad； came back to merry England again。
With him came Allan a Dale and his wife； the fair Ellen； for these two had
been chief of Robin's household ever since he had left Sherwood Forest。
It was in the springtime when they landed once more on the shores
of England。 The leaves were green and the small birds sang blithely；
just as they used to do in fair Sherwood when Robin Hood roamed
the woodland shades with a free heart and a light heel。
All the sweetness of the time and the joyousness of everything
brought back to Robin's mind his forest life； so that a great
longing came upon him to behold the woodlands once more。
So he went straightway to King John and besought leave of him
to visit Notting