Page 376 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

upon he rolled up his sleeve and showed an arm that made
the yeomen stare. But Robin, with his feet wide apart, stood
firmly planted, waiting the other, smiling. Then the King
swung back his arm, and, balancing himself a moment, he
delivered a buffet at Robin that fell like a thunderbolt. Down
went Robin headlong upon the grass, for the stroke would
have felled a stone wall. Then how the yeomen shouted with
laughter till their sides ached, for never had they seen such
a buffet given in all their lives. As for Robin, he presently sat
up and looked all around him, as though he had dropped
from a cloud and had lit in a place he had never seen before.
After a while, still gazing about him at his laughing yeo-
men, he put his fingertips softly to his ear and felt all around
it tenderly. ‘Will Scarlet,’ said he, ‘count this fellow out his
fifty pounds; I want nothing more either of his money or of
him. A murrain seize him and his buffeting! I would that
I had taken my dues from thee, for I verily believe he hath
deafened mine ear from ever hearing again.’
Then, while gusts of laughter still broke from the band,
Will Scarlet counted out the fifty pounds, and the King
dropped it back into his purse again. ‘I give thee thanks,
fellow,’ said he, ‘and if ever thou shouldst wish for another
box of the ear to match the one thou hast, come to me and I
will fit thee with it for nought.’
So spake the merry King; but, even as he ended, there
came suddenly the sound of many voices, and out from
the covert burst Little John and threescore men, with Sir
Richard of the Lea in the midst. Across the glade they came
running, and, as they came, Sir Richard shouted to Rob-