Page 209 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

the Knight.
‘Marry,’ quoth Robin, ‘that is a question hard to answer.
One man calleth me kind, another calleth me cruel; this one
calleth me good honest fellow, and that one, vile thief. Truly,
the world hath as many eyes to look upon a man withal as
there are spots on a toad; so, with what pair of eyes thou
regardest me lieth entirely with thine own self. My name is
Robin Hood.’
‘Truly, good Robin,’ said the Knight, a smile twitching at
the corners of his mouth, ‘thou hast a quaint conceit. As for
the pair of eyes with which I regard thee, I would say that
they are as favorable as may be, for I hear much good of thee
and little ill. What is thy will of me?’
‘Now, I make my vow, Sir Knight,’ quoth Robin, ‘thou
hast surely learned thy wisdom of good Gaffer Swanthold,
for he sayeth, ‘Fair words are as easy spoke as foul, and
bring good will in the stead of blows.’ Now I will show thee
the truth of this saying; for, if thou wilt go with me this day
to Sherwood Forest, I will give thee as merry a feast as ever
thou hadst in all thy life.’
‘Thou art indeed kind,’ said the Knight, ‘but methinks
thou wilt find me but an ill-seeming and sorrowful guest.
Thou hadst best let me pass on my way in peace.’
‘Nay,’ quoth Robin, ‘thou mightst go thine own way but
for one thing, and that I will tell thee. We keep an inn, as
it were, in the very depths of Sherwood, but so far from
highroads and beaten paths that guests do not often come
nigh us; so I and my friends set off merrily and seek them
when we grow dull of ourselves. Thus the matter stands, Sir

0 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood