Page 73 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

liked the jest, while the butchers said, one to another, ‘Be-
fore Heaven, never have we seen such a mad rollicking blade.
Mayhap, though, he will make the Sheriff mad.’
‘How now, brothers,’ cried Robin, ‘be merry! nay, never
count over your farthings, for by this and by that I will pay
this shot myself, e’en though it cost two hundred pounds.
So let no man draw up his lip, nor thrust his forefinger into
his purse, for I swear that neither butcher nor Sheriff shall
pay one penny for this feast.’
‘Now thou art a right merry soul,’ quoth the Sheriff, ‘and
I wot thou must have many a head of horned beasts and
many an acre of land, that thou dost spend thy money so
freely.’
‘Ay, that have I,’ quoth Robin, laughing loudly again, ‘five
hundred and more horned beasts have I and my brothers,
and none of them have we been able to sell, else I might not
have turned butcher. As for my land, I have never asked my
steward how many acres I have.’
At this the Sheriff’s eyes twinkled, and he chuckled to
himself. ‘Nay, good youth,’ quoth he, ‘if thou canst not sell
thy cattle, it may be I will find a man that will lift them
from thy hands; perhaps that man may be myself, for I love
a merry youth and would help such a one along the path of
life. Now how much dost thou want for thy horned cattle?’
‘Well,’ quoth Robin, ‘they are worth at least five hundred
pounds.’
‘Nay,’ answered the Sheriff slowly, and as if he were think-
ing within himself, ‘well do I love thee, and fain would I
help thee along, but five hundred pounds in money is a

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood