Page 265 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Then, after a while, he began to grow hungry, whereupon
his mind turned from thoughts of springtime and flowers
and birds and dwelled upon boiled capons, Malmsey, white
bread, and the like, with great tenderness. Quoth he to him-
self, ‘I would I had Willie Wynkin’s wishing coat; I know
right well what I should wish for, and this it should be.’ Here
he marked upon the fingers of his left hand with the fore-
finger of his right hand those things which he wished for.
‘Firstly, I would have a sweet brown pie of tender larks; mark
ye, not dry cooked, but with a good sop of gravy to moisten
it withal. Next, I would have a pretty pullet, fairly boiled,
with tender pigeons’ eggs, cunningly sliced, garnishing the
platter around. With these I would have a long, slim loaf
of wheaten bread that hath been baked upon the hearth; it
should be warm from the fire, with glossy brown crust, the
color of the hair of mine own Maid Marian, and this same
crust should be as crisp and brittle as the thin white ice that
lies across the furrows in the early winter’s morning. These
will do for the more solid things; but with these I must have
three potties, fat and round, one full of Malmsey, one of Ca-
nary, and one brimming full of mine own dear lusty sack.’
Thus spoke Robin to himself, his mouth growing moist at
the corners with the thoughts of the good things he had
raised in his own mind.
So, talking to himself, he came to where the dusty road
turned sharply around the hedge, all tender with the green
of the coming leaf, and there he saw before him a stout fel-
low sitting upon a stile, swinging his legs in idleness. All
about this lusty rogue dangled divers pouches and bags of

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood