Page 81 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Little John Goes to

Nottingham Fair

PRING HAD GONE since the Sheriff’s feast in Sher-
Swood, and summer also, and the mellow month of
October had come. All the air was cool and fresh; the har-
vests were gathered home, the young birds were full fledged,
the hops were plucked, and apples were ripe. But though
time had so smoothed things over that men no longer talk-
ed of the horned beasts that the Sheriff wished to buy, he
was still sore about the matter and could not bear to hear
Robin Hood’s name spoken in his presence.
With October had come the time for holding the great
Fair which was celebrated every five years at Nottingham
Town, to which folk came from far and near throughout the
country. At such times archery was always the main sport
of the day, for the Nottinghamshire yeomen were the best
hand at the longbow in all merry England, but this year the
Sheriff hesitated a long time before he issued proclamation
of the Fair, fearing lest Robin Hood and his band might
come to it. At first he had a great part of a mind not to pro-
claim the Fair, but second thought told him that men would
laugh at him and say among themselves that he was afraid
of Robin Hood, so he put that thought by. At last he fixed
in his mind that he would offer such a prize as they would

0 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood