Page 184 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Down went Robin into the water with a mighty splash.
‘There,’ quoth the holy man, calmly turning back again to
the shore, ‘let that cool thy hot spirit, if it may.’
Meantime, after much splashing, Robin had gotten to
his feet and stood gazing about him all bewildered, the wa-
ter running from him in pretty little rills. At last he shot the
water out of his ears and spat some out of his mouth, and,
gathering his scattered wits together, saw the stout Friar
standing on the bank and laughing. Then, I wot, was Robin
Hood a mad man. ‘Stay, thou villain!’ roared he, ‘I am af-
ter thee straight, and if I do not carve thy brawn for thee
this day, may I never lift finger again!’ So saying, he dashed,
splashing, to the bank.
‘Thou needst not hasten thyself unduly,’ quoth the stout
Friar. ‘Fear not; I will abide here, and if thou dost not cry
‘Alack-a-day’ ere long time is gone, may I never more peep
through the brake at a fallow deer.’
And now Robin, having reached the bank, began, with-
out more ado, to roll up his sleeves above his wrists. The
Friar, also, tucked his robes more about him, showing a
great, stout arm on which the muscles stood out like humps
of an aged tree. Then Robin saw, what he had not wotted of
before, that the Friar had also a coat of chain mail beneath
his gown.
‘Look to thyself,’ cried Robin, drawing his good sword.
‘Ay, marry,’ quoth the Friar, who held his already in his
hand. So, without more ado, they came together, and there-
upon began a fierce and mighty battle. Right and left, and
up and down and back and forth they fought. The swords

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