Page 117 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

hand again. As it was, the blow he caught beside the head
was so shrewd that it sent him staggering across the little
glade, so that, if Little John had had the strength to follow
up his vantage, it would have been ill for stout Arthur. But
he regained himself quickly and, at arm’s length, struck
back a blow at Little John, and this time the stroke reached
its mark, and down went Little John at full length, his cud-
gel flying from his hand as he fell. Then, raising his staff,
stout Arthur dealt him another blow upon the ribs.
‘Hold!’ roared Little John. ‘Wouldst thou strike a man
when he is down?’
‘Ay, marry would I,’ quoth the Tanner, giving him anoth-
er thwack with his staff.
‘Stop!’ roared Little John. ‘Help! Hold, I say! I yield me! I
yield me, I say, good fellow!’
‘Hast thou had enough?’ asked the Tanner grimly, hold-
ing his staff aloft.
‘Ay, marry, and more than enough.’
‘And thou dost own that I am the better man of the two?’
‘Yea, truly, and a murrain seize thee!’ said Little John, the
first aloud and the last to his beard.
‘Then thou mayst go thy ways; and thank thy patron saint
that I am a merciful man,’ said the Tanner.
‘A plague o’ such mercy as thine!’ said Little John, sitting
up and feeling his ribs where the Tanner had cudgeled him.
‘I make my vow, my ribs feel as though every one of them
were broken in twain. I tell thee, good fellow, I did think
there was never a man in all Nottinghamshire could do to
me what thou hast done this day.’

11 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood