Page 344 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Robin Hood, ‘but we of Nottinghamshire are famous hands
with the longbow. Even I, though but a simple hand at the
craft, would not fear to try a bout with thee.’
At these words Guy of Gisbourne looked upon Robin
with wondering eyes, and then gave another roar of laugh-
ter till the woods rang. ‘Now,’ quoth he, ‘thou art a bold
fellow to talk to me in this way. I like thy spirit in so speak-
ing up to me, for few men have dared to do so. Put up a
garland, lad, and I will try a bout with thee.’
‘Tut, tut,’ quoth Robin, ‘only babes shoot at garlands
hereabouts. I will put up a good Nottingham mark for thee.’
So saying, he arose, and going to a hazel thicket not far off,
he cut a wand about twice the thickness of a man’s thumb.
From this he peeled the bark, and, sharpening the point,
stuck it up in the ground in front of a great oak tree. Thence
he measured off fourscore paces, which brought him beside
the tree where the other sat. ‘There,’ quoth he, ‘is the kind
of mark that Nottingham yeomen shoot at. Now let me see
thee split that wand if thou art an archer.’
Then Guy of Gisbourne arose. ‘Now out upon it!’ cried
he. ‘The Devil himself could not hit such a mark as that.’
‘Mayhap he could and mayhap he could not,’ quoth mer-
ry Robin, ‘but that we shall never know till thou hast shot
thereat.’
At these words Guy of Gisbourne looked upon Robin
with knit brows, but, as the yeoman still looked innocent of
any ill meaning, he bottled his words and strung his bow in
silence. Twice he shot, but neither time did he hit the wand,
missing it the first time by a span and the second time by