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17 - Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle · Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

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  Speaker 1: Seventeen, Robin Hood turns beggar. After Jolly Robin had left
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  Speaker 1: little John at the forking of the roads, he walked
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  Speaker 1: merrily onward in the mellow sunshine that shone about him.
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  Speaker 1: Ever and anon, he would skip and leap, or sing
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  Speaker 1: a snatch of song for pure joyousness of the day.
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  Speaker 1: For because of the sweetness of the springtide, his heart
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  Speaker 1: was as lusty within him as that of a colt
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  Speaker 1: newly turned out to grass. Sometimes he would walk a
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  Speaker 1: long distance, gazing aloft at the great white, swelling clouds
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  Speaker 1: that moved slowly across the deep blue sky. Anon, he
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  Speaker 1: would stop and drink in the fullness of life and
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  Speaker 1: of all things, for the hedgerows were budding tenderly, and
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  Speaker 1: the grass of the meadows was waxing long and green. Again,
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  Speaker 1: he would stand still and listen to the pretty song
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  Speaker 1: of the little birds in the thickets, or hearken to
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  Speaker 1: the clear crow of the cock daring the sky to rain.
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  Speaker 1: Whereat he would laugh, for it took but little to
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  Speaker 1: tickle Robin's heart into merriment. So he trudged manfully along,
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  Speaker 1: ever willing to stop for this reason or for that,
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  Speaker 1: and ever ready to chat with such merry lasses as
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  Speaker 1: he met now and then so the morning slipped along.
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  Speaker 1: But yet he met no beggar with whom he could
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  Speaker 1: change clothes, quoth he, if I do not change my
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  Speaker 1: luck in haste, I am like to have an empty
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  Speaker 1: day for it, for it is well nigh half gone already.
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  Speaker 1: And although I have had a merry walk through the
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  Speaker 1: country side, I know not of a beggar's life. Then,
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  Speaker 1: after a while he began to grow hungry, whereupon his
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  Speaker 1: mind turned from thoughts of springtime and flowers and birds,
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  Speaker 1: and dwelled upon boiled capons, malmsy, white bread and the like.
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  Speaker 1: With great tenderness, quoth he to himself, I would I
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  Speaker 1: had Willie Winkn's wishing coat. I know right well what
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  Speaker 1: I should wish for, and this it should be. Here.
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  Speaker 1: He marked upon the fingers of his left hand with
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  Speaker 1: the forefinger of his right hand, those things which he
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  Speaker 1: wished for. Firstly, I would have a sweet brown of
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  Speaker 1: tender larks mark ye, not dry cooked, but with a
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  Speaker 1: good sop of gravy to moisten it withal Next, I
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  Speaker 1: would have a pretty pullet fairly boiled with tender pigeons,
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  Speaker 1: eggs cunningly sliced, garnishing the platter around. With these, I
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  Speaker 1: would have a long, slim loaf of wheaten bread that
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  Speaker 1: hath been baked upon the hearth. It should be warm
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  Speaker 1: from the fire, with glossy brown crust, the color of
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  Speaker 1: the hair of mine own made Marian. And this same
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  Speaker 1: crust should be as crisp and brittle as the thin
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  Speaker 1: white ice that lies across the furrows in the early
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  Speaker 1: winter's morning. These will do for the more solid things.
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  Speaker 1: But with these I must have three potties, fat and round,
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  Speaker 1: one full of malmsey, one of canary, and one brimming
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  Speaker 1: full of mine own dear lusty sack. Thus spoke Robin
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  Speaker 1: to himself, his mouth growing moist at the corners with
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  Speaker 1: the thoughts of the good things he had raised in
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  Speaker 1: his own mind. So, talking to himself, he came to
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  Speaker 1: where the dusty road turned sharply around the hedge, all
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  Speaker 1: tender with the green of the coming leaf. And there
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  Speaker 1: he saw before him a stout fellow sitting upon a stile,
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  Speaker 1: swinging his legs in idleness. All about this lusty rogue
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  Speaker 1: dangled divers, pouches and bags of different sizes and kinds,
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  Speaker 1: a dozen or more, with great, wide, gaping mouths, like
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  Speaker 1: a brood of hungry DAWs. His coat was gathered in
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  Speaker 1: at his waist and was patched with as many colors
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  Speaker 1: as there are stripes upon a maypole in the spring tide.
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  Speaker 1: On his head he wore a great tall leathern cap,
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  Speaker 1: and across his knees rested a stout quarter staff of blackthorn,
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  Speaker 1: full as long and heavy as Robin's. As jolly a
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  Speaker 1: beggar was he as ever trod the lanes and byways
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  Speaker 1: of Nottinghamshire. For his eyes were as gray as slate,
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  Speaker 1: and snapped and twinkled and danced with merriment, and his
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  Speaker 1: black hair curled close all over his head in little
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  Speaker 1: rings of kinkiness. Hallo, O good fellow, quoth Robin, when
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  Speaker 1: he had come nigh to the other, What art thou
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  Speaker 1: doing here this merry day, when the flowers are peeping
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  Speaker 1: and the buds are swelling. Then the other winked one eye,
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  Speaker 1: and straightway trolled forth in a merry voice. I sit
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  Speaker 1: upon the stile, and I sing a little while as
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  Speaker 1: I wait for my own true dear. O. For the
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  Speaker 1: sun is shining bright, and the leaves are dancing light,
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  Speaker 1: and the little foul sings she is near. Oh, and
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  Speaker 1: so it is with me, bully boy, saving that my
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  Speaker 1: doxy cometh. Not. Now, that is a right sweet song,
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  Speaker 1: quoth Robin. And were I in the right mind to
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  Speaker 1: listen to THEE, I could bear well to hear more.
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  Speaker 1: But I have two things of seriousness to ask of THEE.
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  Speaker 1: So listen. I prithe at this. The jolly Beggar cocked
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  Speaker 1: his head on one side, like a rogue of a magpie.
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  Speaker 1: Quoth he. I am an ill jug to pour heavy
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  Speaker 1: things into good friend. And if I mistake not, thou
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  Speaker 1: hast few serious words to spare at any time. Nay,
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  Speaker 1: quoth jolly Robin. What I would say first is the
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  Speaker 1: most serious of all thoughts to me, to wit, where
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  Speaker 1: shall I get somewhat to drink and eat? Sayest thou,
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  Speaker 1: So quoth the beggar Marry. I make no such serious
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  Speaker 1: thoughts upon the matter. I eat when I can get it,
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  Speaker 1: and munch my crust when I can get no crumb. Likewise,
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  Speaker 1: when there is no ale to be had, I wash
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  Speaker 1: the dust from out my throat with a trickle of
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  Speaker 1: cold water. I was sitting here as thou camest upon me,
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  Speaker 1: bethinking myself whether I should break my fast or no.
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  Speaker 1: I do love to let my hunger grow mightily. Keen
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  Speaker 1: ere I eat, For then a dry crust is as
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  Speaker 1: good to me as a venison pasty with suet and
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  Speaker 1: raisins is to stout King Harry. I have a sharp
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  Speaker 1: hunger upon me now, but methinks in a short while
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  Speaker 1: it will ripen too a right mellow appetite. Now in
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  Speaker 1: good sooth, quoth Merry Robin, laughing, thou hast a quaint
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  Speaker 1: tongue betwixt thy teeth, But thou hast truly nought but
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  Speaker 1: a dry crust about thee. Methinks thy bags and pouches
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  Speaker 1: are fat and lusty of such thin fair. Why mayhap
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  Speaker 1: there is some other cold fair therein, said the beggar shyly,
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  Speaker 1: And hast thou not to drink but cold water, asked Robin.
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  Speaker 1: Never so much as a drop, quoth the beggar. Over
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  Speaker 1: beyond yon clump of trees, is as sweet a little
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  Speaker 1: inn as ever thou hast lifted eye lid upon. But
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  Speaker 1: I go not thither, for they have a nasty way
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  Speaker 1: with me. Once when the good prior of Emmett was
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  Speaker 1: dining there, the landlady set a dear little tart of
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  Speaker 1: stewed crabs and barley sugar upon the window sill to cool,
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  Speaker 1: And seeing it there, and fearing it might be lost,
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  Speaker 1: I took it with me till that I could find
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  Speaker 1: the owner thereof. Ever since then they have acted very
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  Speaker 1: ill toward me. Yet truth bids me say that they
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  Speaker 1: have the best ale there that ever rolled over my tongue.
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  Speaker 1: At this, Robin laughed aloud. Merry quoth he they did
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  Speaker 1: ill toward thee for thy kindness. But tell me truly,
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  Speaker 1: what hast thou in thy pouches? Why quoth the beggar
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  Speaker 1: peeping into the mouths of his bags? I find here
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  Speaker 1: a goodly piece of pigeon pie, wrapped in a cabbage
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  Speaker 1: leaf to hold the gravy. Here I behold a dainty
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  Speaker 1: streaked piece of brawn, and here a fair lump of
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  Speaker 1: white bread. Here I find four oaten cakes and a
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  Speaker 1: cold knuckle of ham. Ha in sooth tis strange. But
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  Speaker 1: here I behold six eggs that must have come by
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  Speaker 1: accident from some poultry yard hereabouts. They are raw, but
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  Speaker 1: roasted upon the coals, and spread with a piece of
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  Speaker 1: butter that I see. Peace, good friend, cried Robin, holding
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  Speaker 1: up his hand. Thou makest my poor stomach quake with
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  Speaker 1: joy for what thou tellest me so sweetly. If thou
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  Speaker 1: wilt give me to eat, I will straightway hie me
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  Speaker 1: to that little inn didst tell of but now, and
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  Speaker 1: will bring a skin of ale for thy drinking and mine. Friend,
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  Speaker 1: thou hast said enough, said the beggar, getting down from
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  Speaker 1: the stile, I will feast thee with the best that
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  Speaker 1: I have, and bless Saint Cedric for thy company. But
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  Speaker 1: sweet Chuck, I prithee bring three quarts of ale, at
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  Speaker 1: least one for thy drinking and two for mine. For
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  Speaker 1: my thirst is such that methinks I can drink ale
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  Speaker 1: as the sands of the river Dee drink salt water.
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  Speaker 1: So Robin straightway left the beggar, who, upon his part,
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  Speaker 1: went to a budding lime bush back of the hedge,
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  Speaker 1: and there spread his feast upon the grass, and roasted
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  Speaker 1: his eggs upon a little faggot fire with a deafness
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  Speaker 1: gained by long labor in that line. After a while
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  Speaker 1: back came Robin, bearing a goodly skin of ale upon
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  Speaker 1: his shoulder, which he laid upon the grass. Then, looking
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  Speaker 1: upon the feast spread upon the ground, and a fair
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  Speaker 1: sight it was to look upon, he slowly rubbed his
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  Speaker 1: hand over his stomach, for to his hungry eyes it
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  Speaker 1: seemed the fairest sight that he had beheld in all
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  Speaker 1: his life. Friend, said the beggar. Let me feel the
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  Speaker 1: weight of that skin. Yea, truly, quoth Robin. Help thyself,
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  Speaker 1: sweet chuck. And meantime, let me see thy pigeon pie
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  Speaker 1: is fresh or no. So the one seized upon the ale,
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  Speaker 1: and the other upon the pigeon pie, and nothing was
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  Speaker 1: heard for a while but the munching of food and
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  Speaker 1: the gurgle of ale as it left the skin. At last,
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  Speaker 1: after a long time had passed, thus Robin pushed the
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  Speaker 1: food from him, and heaved a great sigh of deep content,
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  Speaker 1: for he felt as though he had been made all
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  Speaker 1: over anew. And now, good friend, quoth he, leaning upon
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  Speaker 1: one elbow, I would have it thee about that other
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  Speaker 1: matter of seriousness of which I spoke not long since,
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  Speaker 1: how said the beggar. Reproachfully, thou wouldst surely not talk
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  Speaker 1: of things appertaining to serious affairs upon such ale as
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  Speaker 1: this nay, quoth Robin, laughing, I would not check thy thirst,
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  Speaker 1: sweet friend, drink while I talk to thee. Thus it
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  Speaker 1: is I would have THEE know that I have taken
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  Speaker 1: a liking to thy craft, and would fain have a
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  Speaker 1: taste of a beggar's life mine own self, said the beggar.
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  Speaker 1: I marvel not that thou hast taken a liking to
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  Speaker 1: my manner of life, good fellow. But to like and
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  Speaker 1: to do are two matters of different sorts, I tell
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  Speaker 1: THEE friend. One must serve a long apprenticeship, ere one
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  Speaker 1: can learn to be even so much as a clapper dudgeon,
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  Speaker 1: much less a crank or an abraham man. I tell
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  Speaker 1: thee lad, thou art too old to enter upon that
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  Speaker 1: which it may take THEE years to catch the hang of.
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  Speaker 1: Mayhap that may be so, quoth Robin, For I bring
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  Speaker 1: to mind that gaffer swanthold, saying, Jack shoemaker, maketh ill bread,
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  Speaker 1: Tom Baker, maketh ill shoon. Nevertheless, I have a mind
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  Speaker 1: to taste a beggar's life, and need but the clothing
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  Speaker 1: to be as good as any, I tell THEE fellow,
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  Speaker 1: said the beggar. If thou wert clad as sweetly as
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  Speaker 1: good Saint Wynton, the patron of our craft. Thou wouldst
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  Speaker 1: never make a beggar. Mary, the first jolly traveler that
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  Speaker 1: thou wouldst meet, would beat THEE to a pudding for
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  Speaker 1: thrusting thy nose into a craft that belongeth not to THEE. Nevertheless,
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  Speaker 1: quoth Robin, I would have a try at it, and
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  Speaker 1: methinks I shall change clothes with THEE, for thy garb
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  Speaker 1: seems to be pretty, not to say gay. So not
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  Speaker 1: only will I change clothes, but I will give THEE
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  Speaker 1: two golden angels to boot. I have brought my stout
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  Speaker 1: staff with me, thinking that I might have to wrap
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  Speaker 1: some one of the brethren of thy cloth over the
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  Speaker 1: head by way of argument in this matter. But I
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  Speaker 1: love THEE so much for the feast thou hast given
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  Speaker 1: me that I would not lift even my little finger
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  Speaker 1: against THEE. So thou needst not have a crumb of
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  Speaker 1: fear to this. The beggar listened with his knuckles resting
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  Speaker 1: upon his hips, and when Robin had ended, he cocked
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  Speaker 1: his head on one side and thrust his tongue into
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  Speaker 1: his cheek. Marry, come up, quoth he at last, lift
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  Speaker 1: thy finger against me, forsooth art thou out of thy
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  Speaker 1: wits man. My name is Raccoon Hazel, and I come
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  Speaker 1: from the Holy Well in Flintshire, over by the River Dee.
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  Speaker 1: I tell THEE knave, I have cracked the head of
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  Speaker 1: many a better man than thou art, And even now
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  Speaker 1: I would scald thy crown for THEE. But for the
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  Speaker 1: ale thou hast given me. Now thou shalt not have
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  Speaker 1: so much as one tag rag of my coat, even
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  Speaker 1: could it save THEE from hanging now fall, said Robin.
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  Speaker 1: It would ill suit me to spoil thy pretty head
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  Speaker 1: for THEE. But I tell THEE plainly that but for
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  Speaker 1: this feast, I would do that to THEE, would stop
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  Speaker 1: thy traveling the country for many a day to come.
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  Speaker 1: Keep thy lips shut, lad, or thy luck will tumble
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  Speaker 1: out thy mouth with thy speech now out. And alas
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  Speaker 1: for THEE man, for thou hast bred thyself ill this day,
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  Speaker 1: cried the beggar, rising and taking up his staff. Take
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  Speaker 1: up thy club and defend thyself, fellow, For I will
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  Speaker 1: not only beat THEE, but I will take from THEE
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  Speaker 1: thy money and give THEE not so much as a
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  Speaker 1: clipped groat, to buy thyself a lump of goose grease,
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  Speaker 1: to rub thy cracked crown withal. So defend thyself, I say.
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  Speaker 1: Then up leaped merry Robin, and snatched up his staff.
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  Speaker 1: Also take my money if thou canst quoth he, I
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  Speaker 1: promise freely to give thee every farthing if thou dost
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  Speaker 1: touch me. And he twirled his staff in his fingers
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  Speaker 1: till it whistled again. Then the beggar swung his staff
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  Speaker 1: also and struck a mighty blow at Robin, which the
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  Speaker 1: yeoman turned. Three blows the beggar struck, yet never one
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  Speaker 1: touched so much as a hair of Robin's head. Then
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  Speaker 1: stout Robin saw his chance, and ere he could count
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  Speaker 1: three Raccoon's staff was over the hedge, and Raccoon himself
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  Speaker 1: lay upon the green grass, with no more motion than
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  Speaker 1: you could find in an empty pudding bag. How now,
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: quoth Mary Robin, laughing, wilt thou have my hide or
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  Speaker 1: my money, sweet chuck? But to this the other answered
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  Speaker 1: never a word. Then Robin, seeing his plight and that
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  Speaker 1: he was stunne with the blow, ran still laughing, and
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  Speaker 1: brought the skin of ale and poured some of it
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  Speaker 1: on the beggar's head and some down his throat, so
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  Speaker 1: that presently he opened his eyes and looked around, as
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  Speaker 1: though wondering why he lay upon his back. Then Robin,
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  Speaker 1: seeing that he had somewhat gathered the wits that had
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  Speaker 1: just been wrapped out of his head, said, now, good fellow,
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  Speaker 1: wilt thou change clothes with me? Or shall I have
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  Speaker 1: to tap thee again? Here are two golden angels. If
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: thou wilt give me freely all thy rags and bags,
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  Speaker 1: and thy cap and things. If thou givest them not freely,
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  Speaker 1: I much fear me I shall have to. And he
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  Speaker 1: looked up and down his staff. Then Raccoon sat up
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  Speaker 1: and rubbed the bump on his crown, now out upon it,
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: quoth he, I did think to drub thee sweetly. Fellow.
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  Speaker 1: I know not how it is, but I seem as
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  Speaker 1: it were to have brought more beer than I can drink.
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  Speaker 1: If I must give up my clothes, I must but
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  Speaker 1: first promise me by thy word, as a true yeoman,
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  Speaker 1: that thou wilt take naught from me but my clothes.
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  Speaker 1: I promise on the word of a true yeoman, quoth Robin,
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  Speaker 1: thinking that the fellow had a few pennies that he
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  Speaker 1: would save. Thereupon the beggar drew a little knife that
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  Speaker 1: hung at his side, and, ripping up the lining of
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  Speaker 1: his coat, drew thence ten bright golden pounds, which he
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: laid upon the ground beside him, with a cunning wink
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: at Robin. Now, thou mayst have my clothes and welcome,
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: said he, And thou mightest have had them in exchange
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  Speaker 1: for thine without the cost of a single farthing, far
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: less two golden angels. Mary, quoth Robin, laughing, thou art
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  Speaker 1: a sly fellow. And I tell THEE truly. Had I
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  Speaker 1: known thou hadst so much money by thee, maybe thou
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  Speaker 1: mightst not have carried it away, For I warrant thou
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  Speaker 1: didst not come honestly by it. Then each stripped off
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  Speaker 1: his clothes and put on those of the other. And
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: as lusty a beggar was Robin Hood as ere you
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: could find him a summer's day. But'st thou raccoon of
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  Speaker 1: holy Well, skipped and leaped and danced for joy of
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  Speaker 1: the fair suit of Lincoln Green that he had so gotten.
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  Speaker 1: Quoth he, I'm a gay feathered bird now truly, my
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  Speaker 1: dear mal Pascod would never know me in this dress.
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  Speaker 1: Thou mayest keep the cold pieces of the feast, friend,
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  Speaker 1: for I mean to live well and lustily, while my
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  Speaker 1: money lasts and my clothes are gay. So he turned
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  Speaker 1: and left Robin, and crossing the style was gone, but
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  Speaker 1: Robin heard him singing from beyond the hedge as he
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: strode away. For Polly is smiling, and Molly is glad.
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: When the beggar comes in at the door, and Jack
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: and Dick call him a fine lusty lad, and the
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: hostess runs up a great score. Then hey, Willie Waddykin, stay,
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: Billy waddykin. Let the brown ale flow free, flow free.
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  Speaker 1: That's the beggar, the man for me. Robin listened till
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  Speaker 1: the song ended in the distance. Then he also crossed
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  Speaker 1: the style into the road, but turned his toes away
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  Speaker 1: from where the beggar had gone. The road led up
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  Speaker 1: a gentle hill, and up the hill Robin walked a
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  Speaker 1: half score or more of bags dangling about his legs. Onward,
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  Speaker 1: he strolled for a long time, but other adventure he
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  Speaker 1: found not. The road was bare of all else but himself.
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  Speaker 1: As he went, kicking up little clouds of dust at
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: each footstep. For it was noontide, the most peaceful time
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  Speaker 1: of all the day, next to twilight. All the earth
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: was silent in the restfulness of eating time. The plow
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: horses stood in the furrow, munching, with great bags over
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  Speaker 1: their noses, holding sweet food. The plowman sat under the hedge,
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: and the plowboy also, and they too were munching, each
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: one holding a great piece of bread in one fe
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: and a great piece of cheese in the other. So Robin,
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: with all the empty road to himself, strode along, whistling merrily,
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: his bags and pouches bobbing and dangling at his thighs.
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: At last he came to where a little grass grown
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: path left the road, and, passing through a stile and
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: down a hill, led into a little dell, and on
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: across a rill in the valley, and up the hill
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: on the other side, till it reached a windmill that
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: stood on the cap of the rise, where the wind
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: bent the trees in swaying motion. Robin looked at the
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: spot and liked it, and for no reason but that
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: his fancy led him, he took the little path and
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: walked down the grassy sunny slope of the open meadow,
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: and so came to the little dingle, and ere he
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: knew it upon four lusty fellows that sat with legs
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: outstretched around a goodly feast spread upon the ground. Four
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: merry beggars were they, and each had slung about his
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: neck a little board that rested upon his breast. One
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: board had written upon it I am blind, another I
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: am deaf, another I am dumb, and the fourth pity
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: the lame one. But although all these troubles written upon
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: the board seemed so grievous, the four stout fellows sat
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: around feasting as merrily as though Kine's wife had never
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: opened the poddle that held misfortunes and let them forth
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: like a cloud of flies to pester us. The deaf
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: man was the first to hear Robin, for he said, hark, brothers,
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: I hear some one coming. And the blind man was
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: the first to see him, for he said, he is
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: an honest man, brothers, and one of like craft to ourselves.
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: Then the dumb man called to him in a great
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: voice and said, welcome brother, Come and sit while there
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: is still some of the feast left, and a little
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: Malmsey in the poddle. At this, the lame man, who
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: had taken off his wooden leg and unstrapped his own
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: leg and was sitting with it stretched out upon the
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: grass so as to rest it, made room for Robin.
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: Among them, we are glad to see thee brother, said
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: he holding out the flask of Malmsey Mary. Robin, laughing
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: and weighing the flask in his hands, air he drank. Methinks,
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: it is no more than seemly of all of you
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: to be glad to see me, seeing that I bring
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, hearing to
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: the death, and such a lusty leg to a lame man.
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: I drink to your happiness, brothers, as I may not
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: drink to your health, seeing ye are already hail wind
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: and limb. At this, all grinned. And the blind beggar,
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: who was the chief man among them, and was the
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: broadest shoulders and most lusty rascal of all, smote Robin
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: upon the shoulder, swearing he was a right merry wegg
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: whence comest thou lad, asked the dumb man, why quoth
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: Robin I came this morning from sleeping over night in Sherwood.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: Is it even so? Said the deaf man. I would not,
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: for all the money we for are carrying to Lincoln Town,
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: sleep one night in Sherwood. If Robin Hood caught one
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: of our trade in his woodlands, he would, methinks, clip
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: his ears. Ye thinks ye would too, quoth Robin, laughing.
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: But what money is this that ye speak of? Then,
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: upsp the lame man, Our King Peter of York, said,
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: he hath sent us to Lincoln with those moneies that stay,
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: brother Hodge, quoth the blind man, breaking into the talk,
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: I would not doubt our brother here, but bear in
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: mind we know him. Not what art thou, brother, upright man,
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: jerk man, clapper, dungeon, dahmerer, or abraham men? At these words,
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: Robin looked from one man to the other with mouth agape. Truly,
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: quoth he, I trust that I am an upright man,
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: at least I strive to be. But I know not
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: what thou meanest by such jargon, Brother, it were much
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: more seemly, methinks if yon dumb man who hath a
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: street voice, would give us a song. At these words,
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: a silence fell on all, and after a while the
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: blind man spoke again, quoth he, thou dost surely jest
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: when thou sayest that thou dost not understand such words,
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: answer me this hast thou ever fibbed a chaus quaruns
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: in the rome pad for the lure, and his bung
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: now out upon it, quoth Robin hood testily, And ye
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: make sport of me by pattering such gibberish. It will
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: be ill for all of you. I can tell I
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: have the best part of a mind to crack the
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: heads of all four of you, and would do so too,
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: but for the sweet malmsey ye have given me. Brother,
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: pass the poddle lest it grow cold. But all the
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: four beggars leaped to their feet when Robin had done speaking,
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: and the blind man snatched up a heavy knotted cudgel
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: that lay beside him on the grass, as did the
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: others Likewise. Then Robin, seeing that things were like to
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: go ill with him, albeit he knew not what all
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: the coil was about, leaped to his feet also, and,
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: catching up his trusty staff, clapped his back against the tree,
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: and stood upon his guard against them. How now cried he,
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: twirling his staff betwixt his fingers, would you for stout
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: fellows set upon one man. Stand back, ye rascals, or
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: I will score your pates till they have had as
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: many marks upon them as a pothouse door. Are ye mad,
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: I have done you no harm? Thou liest quoth the
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: one who pretended to be blind, and who, being the
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: lustiest villain, was the leader of the others. Thou liest,
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: for thou hast come upon us as a vile spy.
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: But thine ears have heard too much for thy body's good.
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: An thou goest not forth from this place unless thou
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: goest feet foremost, for this day thou shalt die come,
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: brothers altogether down with him. Then, whirling up his cudgel,
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: he rushed upon Robin as an angry bull rushes with
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: a red rag. But Robin was ready for any happening.
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: Crick crack, he struck two blows as quick as a wink,
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: and down went the blind man, rolling over and over
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: upon the grass. At this the others bore back and
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: stood at a little distance, scowling upon Robin. Come on,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: ye s, come, cried he merrily. Here be cakes and
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: ale for all. Now who will be next served to
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: this speech? The beggars answered never a word. But they
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: looked at Robin as great blunderbore looked upon stout Jack,
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: the slayer of giants, as though they would fain eat
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: him body and bones. Nevertheless, they did not care to
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: come nigher to him and to his terrible staff. Then,
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: seeing them so hesitate, Robin of a sudden leaped upon them, striking.
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: Even as he leaped down went the dumb man, and
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: away flew his cudgel from his hand as he fell.
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: At this, the others ducked to avoid another blow. Then,
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: taking to their heels, scampered, the one one way and
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: the other the other, as though they had the west
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: wind's boots upon their feet. Robin looked after them, laughing
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: and thought that never had he seen so fleet a
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: runner as the lame man. But neither of the beggars
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: stop nor turned around, for each felt in his mind
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: the wind of Robin's cudgel about his ears. Then Robin
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: turned to the two stout knaves lying upon the ground,
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: quoth he these fellows spake somewhat about certain monies they
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: were taking to Lincoln. Methinks I may find it upon
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: this stout blind fellow, who hath as keen sight. As
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: ere a trained woodsman in Nottingham or Yorkshire. It were
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: a pity to let sound money stay in the pockets
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: of such thieving knaves, So saying, he shooped over the
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: burly rascal and searched among his rags and tatters, till
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: presently his fingers felt a leathern pouch slung around his
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: body beneath his patched and tattered coat. Then he stripped away, and,
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: weighing it in his hands, bethought himself that it was
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: mighty heavy. It were a sweet thing, said he to himself,
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: if this were filled with gold instead of copper pence. Then,
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: sitting down upon the grass, he opened the pocket and
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: looked into it. There he found four round rolls, wrapped
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: up and dressed sheepskin. One of these rolls he opened.
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: Then his mouth gaped and his eyes stared. I WoT
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: as though they would never close again, For what did
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: he see but fifty pounds of bright golden money. He
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: opened the other pockets and found in each one the
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: same fifty bright, new stamped golden pounds. Quoth Robin. I
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: have oft heard that the beggar's guild was overly rich,
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: but never did I think that they sent such sums
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: as this to their treasury. I shall take it with me,
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: for it will be better used for charity and the
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: good of my my merry band. Then in the enriching
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: of such knaves as these, so saying, he rolled up
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: the money in the sheepskin again, and putting it back
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: in the purse, he thrust the pouch into his own bosom. Then,
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: taking up the flask of malmsey, he held it toward
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: the two fellows lying on the grass, and quoth he,
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: sweet friends, I drink your health, and thank you dearly
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: for what ye have so given me this day, and
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: so I wish you good den. Then taking up his staff,
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: he left the spot and went merrily on his way.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: But when the two stout beggars that had been wrapped
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: upon the head roused themselves and sat up, And when
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: the others had gotten over their fright and come back,
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: they were as sad and woe begone as four frogs
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: in dry weather, for two of them had cracked crowns,
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: their malmsey was all gone, and they had not so
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: much as a farthing to cross their palms withal. But
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: after Robin left, the little dell. He strode along merrily,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: singing as he went. And so blithe was he, and
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: such a stout beggar, and withal so fresh and clean,
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: that every merry lass he met had a sweet word
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: for him, and felt no fear. While the very dogs
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: that most times hate the sight of a beggar stuffed
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: at his legs in friendly wise and wag their tails pleasantly,
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: for dogs know an honest man by his smell, and
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: an honest man Robin was in his own way. Thus
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: he went along till at last he had come to
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: the wayside cross nigh Ollerton, and being somewhat tired, he
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: sat down to rest upon the grassy bank in front
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: of it. It groweth nigh time, quoth he to himself,
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: that I were getting back again to Sherwood. Yet it
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: would please me well to have one more merry adventure.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: Ere I go back again to my jolly band. So
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: he looked up the road and down the road to
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: see who might come, until at last he saw some
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: one drawing near, riding upon a horse. When the traveler
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: came nigh enough for him to see, well, Robin laughed,
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: for a strange enough figure he cut. He was a thin,
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: wizened man, and to look upon him you could not
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: tell whether he was thirty years old or sixty. So
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: dried up was he even to say skin and bone.
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: As for the nag, it was as thin as the rider,
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: and both looked as though they had been baked in
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: Mother Huddle's oven, where folk are dried up so that
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: they live forever. But although Robin laughed at the droll sight,
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: he knew the wayfarer to be a certain rich corn
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: engrocer of workshop, who more than once had brought all
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: the grain in the countryside, and held it till it
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: reached even famine prices, thus making much money from the
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: needs of poor people. And for this he was hated
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: far and near by. Every one that knew aught of him.
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: So after a while the corn engrocer came riding up
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: to where Robin sat, whereupon Marry Robin stepped straightway forth
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: in all his rags and tatters, his bags and pouches
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: dangling about him, and laid his hand upon the horse's bridle, rein,
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: calling upon the other to stop. Who art thou fellow,
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: that doth dare to stop me? Thus upon the King's highway,
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: said the lean man in a dry, sour voice, pity
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: a poor beggar, quoth Robin, give me but a farthing
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: to buy me a piece of bread? Now out upon
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: thee snarled the other. Such sturdy rogues as thou art,
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: are better safe in the prisons or dancing upon nothing
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: with a hemp and collar about the neck, than strolling
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: the highways so freely, tut quoth Robin, how thou'st talkest?
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: Thou and I are brothers? Man? Do we not both
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: take from the poor people that which they can ill spare?
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: Do we not make our livings by doing naught of
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: any good? Do we not both live without touching palm
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: to honest work? Have we, either of us, ever rubbed
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: thumbs over honestly gained farthings? Go too? We are brothers,
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: I say, only thou art rich and I am poor.
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: Wherefore I prithee once more give me a penny. Dost
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: thou prate so to me? Sirrah, cried the corn engrocer
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: in a rage. Now I will have thee soundly whipped
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: if ever I catch thee in any town where the
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: law can lay hold of thee. As for giving thee
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: a penny, I swear to THEE that I have not
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: so much as a single groat in my purse. Were
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: Robin Hood himself to take me, he might search me
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: from crown to heel without finding the smallest piece of
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: money upon me. I trust I am too sly to
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: travel so nigh to sherwood with money in my pouch,
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: and that thief at large in the woods. Then marry
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: Robin looked up and down, as if to see that
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: there was no one nigh. Then, coming close to the
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: corn and grocer, he stood on tiptoe and spake in
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: his ear. Thinkest thou in sooth that I am a
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: beggar as I seem to be. Look upon me. There
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: is not a grain of dirt upon my hands, or
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: my face, or my body. Didst thou ever see a beggar?
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: So I tell THEE, I am as honest a man
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: as thou art. Look. Friend, Here, he took the purse
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: of money from his breast and showed to the dazzled
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: eyes of the corn engrocer the bright golden pieces. Friend,
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: These rags serve but to hide an honest rich man
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: from the eyes of Robin Hood. Put up thy money, lad,
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: cried the other quickly, Art thou a fool to trust
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: to beggars rags to shield thee from robin Hood. If
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: he caught thee, he would strip thee to the skin,
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: for he hates a lusty beggar, as he doth a
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: fat priest those of my kind? Is it? Indeed, so,
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: quoth Robin. Had I known this, mayhap I had not
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: come hereabouts in this garb. But I must go forward now,
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: as much depends upon my journeying. Where goest thou friend,
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: I go to Grantham, said the corn Engrocer. But I
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: shall lodge tonight at Newark, if I can get so
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: far upon my way. Why I myself am on the
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: way to Newark, quoth Mary Robin, so that, as two
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: honest men are better than one in roads. Beset by
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: such a fellow as this robin Hood, I will jog
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: along with thee. If thou hast no dislike to my company. Why,
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: as thou art an honest fellow and a rich fellow,
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: said the corn and Grocer, I mind not thy company,
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: but in sooth I have no great fondness for beggars.
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: Then forward, quoth Robin, for the day wanes and it
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: will be dark ere we reach Newark. So off they went,
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: the lean horse hobbling along as before, and Robin running beside,
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: Albeit he was so quaking with laughter within him that
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: he could hardly stand. Yet he dared not laugh aloud
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: lest the corn and grocer's should suspect something. So they
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: traveled along till they reached a hill just on the
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: outskirts of Sherwood. Here the lean man checked his lean
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: horse into a walk, for the road was steep and
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: he wished to save the nag's strength. Having far to go,
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: ere he reached Newark. Then he turned in his saddle
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: and spake to Robin again, for the first time since
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: they had left the cross. Here is thy greatest danger, friend,
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: said he, For here we are nighest to that vile thief,
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: Robin Hood, and the place where he dwells. Beyond this
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: we come again to the open, honest country, and are
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: more safe in our journeying. Alas quoth Robin, I would
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: that I had as little money by me as thou hast,
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: For this day I fear that Robin Hood will get
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: every groat of my wealth. Then the other looked at
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: Robin and winked cunningly. Quoth he I tell thee friend,
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: that I have nigh as much by me as thou hast,
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: but it is hidden so that never a knave in
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: sherwood would find it. Thou dost surely, jest, quoth Robin,
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: How could one hide so much as two hundred pounds
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: upon his person? Now, as thou art so honest a fellow,
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: and withal so much younger than I am, I will
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: tell THEE what I have told to no man in
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: all the world before. And thus thou mayest learn never
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: again to do such a foolish thing as to trust
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: to beggar's garb to guard thee against robin hood. Seest
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: thou these clogs upon my feet, yea, quoth Robin, laughing. Truly,
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: they are large enough for any man to see, even
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: were his sight as foggy as that of Peter Patter,
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: who never could see when it was time to go
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: to work. Peace, friends, said the corn and grocer, For
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: this is no matter for jesting. The soles of these
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: clogs are not what they seem to be. For each
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: one is a sweet little box. And by twisting the
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: second nail from the toe, the upper of the shoe
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: and part of the sole lifts up like a lid,
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: and in the spaces within are four score and ten
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: bright golden pounds in each shoe, all wrapped in hair
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: to keep them from clinking, and so telling tales of themselves.
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: When the corn and Grocer had told this, Robin broke
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: into a roar of laughter, and laying his hands upon
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: the bridle, Stop the sad looking nag, Stay good friend,
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: quoth he, between bursts of merriment. Thou art the slyest
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: old fox that ere I saw in all my life
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: in the soles of his shoon. Quotha, if ever I
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: trust to poor seeming men again, shave my head and
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: painted blue a corn factor, a horse jockey, and a
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: state agent, and a jack dof for cunningness, say I.
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: And he laughed again, till he shook in his shoes
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: with mirth. All this time the corn and Grocer had
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: been staring at Robin, his mouth agape with wonder art
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: Thou mad, quoth he to talk in this way, so loud,
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: and in such a place. Let us forward and save
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: thy mirth till we are safe and sound at Newark. Nay,
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: quoth Robin. The tears of merriment wet on his cheeks.
• 33:42
  Speaker 1: On second thoughts, I go no farther than here, for
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: I have good friends hereabouts. Thou mayest go forward if
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: thou dost list thou, sweet pretty fellow. But thou must
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: go forward barefoot, for I'm afraid that thy shoe must
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: be left behind. Off with them, friend, for I tell
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: thee I have taken a great fancy to them. At
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: these were the corn Factor grew pale as a linen napkin.
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: Who art thou that talkest? So said he? Then marry
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: Robin laughed again, and quoth he men hereabouts call me
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: Robin Hood. So, sweet friend, thou hadst best do my
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: bidding and give me thy shoes. Wherefore hasten I prithee
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: or else thou wilt not get to fair Newark Town
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: till after dark. At the sound of the name of
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: Robin Hood. The corn Factor quaked with fear, so that
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: he had to seize his horse by the mane to
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: save himself from falling off its back. Then straightway, and
• 34:30
  Speaker 1: without more words, he stripped off his clogs and let
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: them fall upon the road. Robin, still holding the bridle rein,
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: stooped and picked them up. Then he said, sweet friend,
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: I am used to ask those that I have dealing
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: with to come and feast at Sherwood with me. I
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: will not ask thee because of our pleasant journey together,
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: For I tell THEE there will be those in Sherwood
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: that would not be so gentle with thee as I
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: have been. The name of corn and grocer leaves a
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: nasty taste upon the tongue of all honest men. Take
• 34:58
  Speaker 1: a fool's advice of me, and come no more so
• 35:01
  Speaker 1: nigh to Sherwood. Or mayhaps some day thou mayest of
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: a sudden find a clothyard shaft between thy ribs. So
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: with this I give THEE good den. Hereupon he clapped
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: his hand to the horse's flank, and off went nag
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: and rider. But the man's face was all bedewed with
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: the sweat of fright. And never again I WoT was
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: he found so close to Sherwood forest as he had
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: been this day. Robin stood and looked after him, and
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: when he was fairly gone, turned laughing and entered the forest,
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: carrying the shoes in his hand. That night, in sweet Sherwood,
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: the red fires glowed brightly in wavering light on tree
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: and bush and all around sad or lay the stout
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: fellows of the band to hear Robin Hood and Little
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: John tell their adventures. All listened closely, and again and
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: again the woods rang with shouts of laughter. When all
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: was told, Friar Tuck spoke up. Good Master said he
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: thou hast had a pretty time. But still I hold
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: to my saying that the life of the barefoot Friar
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: is the merrier of the two. Nay quoth will Stuteley,
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: I hold with our master that he hath had the
• 36:02
  Speaker 1: pleasanter doings of the two. For he hath had two
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: stout bouts at quarters staff this day. So some of
• 36:09
  Speaker 1: the band held with Robin Hood and some with Little John.
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: As for me, I think, but I leave it with
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: you to say for yourselves which you hold with end
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: of Chapter seventeen.