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touch the wine, for he saw it served in one of his own silver
flagons, on one of his own silver plates.
‘How now,’ quoth Robin, ‘dost thou not like our new sil-
ver service? We have gotten a bag of it this day.’ So saying,
he held up the sack of silver that Little John and the Cook
had brought with them.
Then the Sheriff’s heart was bitter within him; but, not
daring to say anything, he only gazed upon the ground.
Robin looked keenly at him for a time before he spoke again.
Then said he, ‘Now, Master Sheriff, the last time thou cam-
est to Sherwood Forest thou didst come seeking to despoil
a poor spendthrift, and thou wert despoiled thine own self;
but now thou comest seeking to do no harm, nor do I know
that thou hast despoiled any man. I take my tithes from
fat priests and lordly squires, to help those that they de-
spoil and to raise up those that they bow down; but I know
not that thou hast tenants of thine own whom thou hast
wronged in any way. Therefore, take thou thine own again,
nor will I dispossess thee today of so much as one farthing.
Come with me, and I will lead thee from the forest back to
thine own party again.’
Then, slinging the bag upon his shoulder, he turned away,
the Sheriff following him, all too perplexed in mind to speak.
So they went forward until they came to within a furlong of
the spot where the Sheriff’s companions were waiting for
him. Then Robin Hood gave the sack of silver back to the
Sheriff. ‘Take thou thine own again,’ he said, ‘and hearken
to me, good Sheriff, take thou a piece of advice with it. Try
thy servants well ere thou dost engage them again so read-

10 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood