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and winking and blinking at the bright stars that danced before

his eyes, the yeomen roared with mirth till the forest rang.
As for King Richard, he laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks.

Thus the band shot, each in turn, some getting off scot free,
and some winning a buffet that always sent them to the grass. And now,

last of all, Robin took his place, and all was hushed as he shot.
The first shaft he shot split a piece from the stake on which the

garland was hung; the second lodged within an inch of the other.
"By my halidom," said King Richard to himself, "I would give

a thousand pounds for this fellow to be one of my guard!"
And now, for the third time Robin shot; but, alas for him!

The arrow was ill-feathered, and, wavering to one side, it smote
an inch outside the garland.

At this a great roar went up, those of the yeomen who sat upon
the grass rolling over and over and shouting with laughter,

for never before had they seen their master so miss his mark;
but Robin flung his bow upon the ground with vexation.

"Now, out upon it!" cried he. "That shaft had an ill feather to it,
for I felt it as it left my fingers. Give me a clean arrow,

and I will engage to split the wand with it."
At these words the yeomen laughed louder than ever.

"Nay, good uncle," said Will Scarlet in his soft, sweet voice,
"thou hast had thy fair chance and hast missed thine aim out and out.

I swear the arrow was as good as any that hath been loosed this day.
Come hither; I owe thee somewhat, and would fain pay it."

"Go, good master," roared Friar Tuck, "and may my blessing go with thee.
Thou hast bestowed these love taps of Will Scarlet's with great freedom.

It were pity an thou gottest not thine own share."
"It may not be," said merry Robin. "I am king here, and no subject

may raise hand against the king. But even our great King Richard
may yield to the holy Pope without shame, and even take a tap from him

by way of penance; therefore I will yield myself to this holy friar,
who seemeth to be one in authority, and will take my punishment from him."

Thus saying, he turned to the King, "I prythee, brother, wilt thou take
my punishing into thy holy hands?"

"With all my heart," quoth merry King Richard, rising from
where he was sitting. "I owe thee somewhat for having

lifted a heavy weight of fifty pounds from my purse.
So make room for him on the green, lads."

"An thou makest me tumble," quoth Robin, "I will freely give
thee back thy fifty pounds; but I tell thee, brother, if thou

makest me not feel grass all along my back, I will take every
farthing thou hast for thy boastful speech."

"So be it," said the King, "I am willing to venture it." Thereupon he rolled
up his sleeve and showed an arm that made the yeomen stare. But Robin,

with his feet wide apart, stood firmly planted, waiting the other, smiling.
Then the King swung back his arm, and, balancing himself a moment,

he delivered a buffet at Robin that fell like a thunderbolt. Down went Robin
headlong upon the grass, for the stroke would have felled a stone wall.

Then how the yeomen shouted with laughter till their sides ached,
for never had they seen such a buffet given in all their lives.

As for Robin, he presently sat up and looked all around him, as though
he had dropped from a cloud and had lit in a place he had never seen before.

After a while, still gazing about him at his laughing yeomen, he put
his fingertips softly to his ear and felt all around it tenderly.

"Will Scarlet," said he, "count this fellow out his fifty pounds;
I want nothing more either of his money or of him. A murrain seize

him and his buffeting! I would that I had taken my dues from thee,
for I verily believe he hath deafened mine ear from ever hearing again."

Then, while gusts of laughter still broke from the band, Will Scarlet counted
out the fifty pounds, and the King dropped it back into his purse again.

"I give thee thanks, fellow," said he, "and if ever thou shouldst wish
for another box of the ear to match the one thou hast, come to me and I

will fit thee with it for nought."
So spake the merry King; but, even as he ended, there came suddenly

the sound of many voices, and out from the covert burst Little John
and threescore men, with Sir Richard of the Lea in the midst.

Across the glade they came running, and, as they came, Sir Richard
shouted to Robin: "Make haste, dear friend, gather thy band

together and come with me! King Richard left Nottingham Town
this very morning, and cometh to seek thee in the woodlands.

I know not how he cometh, for it was but a rumor of this
that reached me; nevertheless, I know that it is the truth.

Therefore hasten with all thy men, and come to Castle Lea,
for there thou mayst lie hidden till thy present danger passeth.

Who are these strangers that thou hast with thee?"
"Why," quoth merry Robin, rising from the grass, "these are

certain gentle guests that came with us from the highroad over
by Newstead Abbey. I know not their names, but I have become

right well acquaint with this lusty rogue's palm this morning.
Marry, the pleasure of this acquaintance hath dost me a deaf

ear and fifty pounds to boot!"
Sir Richard looked keenly at the tall friar, who, drawing himself

up to his full height, looked fixedly back at the knight.
Then of a sudden Sir Richard's cheeks grew pale, for he knew

who it was that he looked upon. Quickly he leaped from off his
horse's back and flung himself upon his knees before the other.

At this, the King, seeing that Sir Richard knew him, threw back
his cowl, and all the yeomen saw his face and knew him also,

for there was not one of them but had been in the crowd
in the good town of Nottingham, and had seen him riding side

by side with the Sheriff. Down they fell upon their knees,
nor could they say a word. Then the King looked all around

right grimly, and, last of all, his glance came back and rested
again upon Sir Richard of the Lea.

"How is this, Sir Richard?" said he sternly. "How darest
thou step between me and these fellows? And how darest thou

offer thy knightly" target="_blank" title="a.&ad.骑士般的(地)">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?



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