Page 304 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

smile upon her lips, so he said nothing, but bit his nether
lip, while his face was as red as a cherry.
Then the Queen leaned forward and spake in a clear voice.
‘Locksley,’ said she, ‘I have made a wager with the King that
thou and two of thy men can outshoot any three that he can
send against you. Wilt thou do thy best for my sake?’
‘Yea,’ quoth Robin Hood, to whom she spake, ‘I will do
my best for thy sake, and, if I fail, I make my vow never to
finger bowstring more.’
Now, although Little John had been somewhat abashed
in the Queen’s bower, he felt himself the sturdy fellow he
was when the soles of his feet pressed green grass again; so
he said boldly, ‘Now, blessings on thy sweet face, say I. An
there lived a man that would not do his best for thee—I will
say nought, only I would like to have the cracking of his
knave’s pate!
‘Peace, Little John!’ said Robin Hood hastily, in a low
voice; but good Queen Eleanor laughed aloud, and a ripple
of merriment sounded all over the booth.
The Bishop of Hereford did not laugh, neither did the
King, but he turned to the Queen, and quoth he, ‘Who are
these men that thou hast brought before us?’
Then up spoke the Bishop hastily, for he could hold his
peace no longer: ‘Your Majesty,’ quoth he, ‘yon fellow in
blue is a certain outlawed thief of the mid-country, named
Robin Hood; yon tall, strapping villain goeth by the name
of Little John; the other fellow in green is a certain backslid-
ing gentleman, known as Will Scarlet; the man in red is a
rogue of a northern minstrel, named Allan a Dale.’

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