Page 252 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

around, Little John finished what was left, so that not an-
other drop could be squeezed from it. Then, kissing each
lass sweetly, he wished them all good den, and left them. But
the maids stood looking after him as he walked away whis-
tling. ‘What a pity,’ quoth one, ‘that such a stout, lusty lad
should be in holy orders.’
‘Marry,’ quoth Little John to himself, as he strode along,
‘yon was no such ill happening; Saint Dunstan send me
more of the like.’
After he had trudged along for a time he began to wax
thirsty again in the warmth of the day. He shook his leath-
ern pottle beside his ear, but not a sound came therefrom.
Then he placed it to his lips and tilted it high aloft, but not
a drop was there. ‘Little John! Little John!’ said he sadly to
himself, shaking his head the while, ‘woman will be thy
ruin yet, if thou dost not take better care of thyself.’
But at last he reached the crest of a certain hill, and saw
below a sweet little thatched inn lying snugly in the dale
beneath him, toward which the road dipped sharply. At the
sight of this, a voice within him cried aloud, ‘I give thee
joy, good friend, for yonder is thy heart’s delight, to wit, a
sweet rest and a cup of brown beer.’ So he quickened his
pace down the hill and so came to the little inn, from which
hung a sign with a stag’s head painted upon it. In front of
the door a clucking hen was scratching in the dust with a
brood of chickens about her heels, the sparrows were chat-
tering of household affairs under the eaves, and all was so
sweet and peaceful that Little John’s heart laughed within
him. Beside the door stood two stout cobs with broad soft-

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