Page 294 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Thus Robin Hood and Little John and Will Scarlet and
Allan a Dale came before the Queen into her own royal bow-
er. Then Robin kneeled before the Queen with his hands
folded upon his breast, saying in simple phrase, ‘Here am I,
Robin Hood. Thou didst bid me come, and lo, I do thy bid-
ding. I give myself to thee as thy true servant, and will do
thy commanding, even if it be to the shedding of the last
drop of my life’s blood.’
But good Queen Eleanor smiled pleasantly upon him,
bidding him to arise. Then she made them all be seated
to rest themselves after their long journey. Rich food was
brought them and noble wines, and she had her own pages
to wait upon the wants of the yeomen. At last, after they had
eaten all they could, she began questioning them of their
merry adventures. Then they told her all of the lusty doings
herein spoken of, and among others that concerning the
Bishop of Hereford and Sir Richard of the Lea, and how the
Bishop had abided three days in Sherwood Forest. At this,
the Queen and the ladies about her laughed again and again,
for they pictured to themselves the stout Bishop abiding in
the forest and ranging the woods in lusty sport with Robin
and his band. Then, when they had told all that they could
bring to mind, the Queen asked Allan to sing to her, for his
fame as a minstrel had reached even to the court at London
Town. So straightway Allan took up his harp in his hand,
and, without more asking, touched the strings lightly till
they all rang sweetly, then he sang thus:

‘Gentle river, gentle river,