Page 113 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

King’s dun deer.’ For by much roving in the forest, Little
John had come to look upon all the deer in Sherwood as
belonging to Robin Hood and his band as much as to good
King Harry. ‘Nay,’ quoth he again, after a time, ‘this matter
must e’en be looked into.’ So, quitting the highroad, he also
entered the thickets, and began spying around after stout
Arthur a Bland.
So for a long time they both of them went hunting about,
Little John after the Tanner, and the Tanner after the deer.
At last Little John trod upon a stick, which snapped under
his foot, whereupon, hearing the noise, the Tanner turned
quickly and caught sight of the yeoman. Seeing that the
Tanner had spied him out, Little John put a bold face upon
the matter.
‘Hilloa,’ quoth he, ‘what art thou doing here, thou naugh-
ty fellow? Who art thou that comest ranging Sherwood’s
paths? In very sooth thou hast an evil cast of countenance,
and I do think, truly, that thou art no better than a thief,
and comest after our good King’s deer.’
‘Nay,’ quoth the Tanner boldly—for, though taken by sur-
prise, he was not a man to be frightened by big words—‘thou
liest in thy teeth. I am no thief, but an honest craftsman. As
for my countenance, it is what it is; and, for the matter of
that, thine own is none too pretty, thou saucy fellow.’
‘Ha!’ quoth Little John in a great loud voice, ‘wouldst
thou give me backtalk? Now I have a great part of a mind to
crack thy pate for thee. I would have thee know, fellow, that
I am, as it were, one of the King’s foresters. Leastwise,’ mut-
tered he to himself, ‘I and my friends do take good care of

11 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood