the one across the board。
At last； after a long time had passed； the Cook drew
a full； deep breath； as though of much regret； and wiped
his hands upon the napkin； for he could eat no more。
Little John； also； had enough； for he pushed the pasty aside；
as though he would say； 〃I want thee by me no more； good friend。〃
Then he took the pottle of sack； and said he； 〃Now； good fellow；
I swear by all that is bright； that thou art the stoutest
companion at eating that ever I had。 Lo！ I drink thy health。〃
So saying； he clapped the flask to his lips and cast
his eyes aloft； while the good wine flooded his throat。
Then he passed the pottle to the Cook； who also said； 〃Lo； I
drink thy health； sweet fellow！〃 Nor was he behind Little John
in drinking any more than in eating。
〃Now；〃 quoth Little John； 〃thy voice is right round and sweet； jolly lad。
I doubt not thou canst sing a ballad most blithely； canst thou not？〃
〃Truly； I have trolled one now and then；〃 quoth the Cook；
〃yet I would not sing alone。〃
〃Nay； truly；〃 said Little John； 〃that were but ill courtesy。
Strike up thy ditty； and I will afterward sing one to match it；
if I can。
〃So be it； pretty boy；〃 quoth the Cook。 〃And hast thou e'er heard the song
of the Deserted Shepherdess？〃
〃Truly； I know not；〃 answered Little John； 〃but sing thou and let me hear。〃
Then the Cook took another draught from the pottle； and； clearing his throat；
sang right sweetly：
THE SONG OF THE DESERTED SHEPHERDESS
〃_In Lententime； when leaves wax green；
And pretty birds begin to mate；
When lark cloth sing； and thrush； I ween；
And stockdove cooeth soon and late；
Fair Phillis sat beside a stone；
And thus I heard her make her moan：
'O willow； willow； willow； willow！
I'll take me of thy branches fair
And twine a wreath to deck my hair。
〃 ‘The thrush hath taken him a she；
The robin； too； and eke the dove；
My Robin hath deserted me；
And left me for another love。
So here； by brookside； all alone；
I sit me down and make my moan。
O willow； willow； willow； willow！
I'll take me of thy branches fair
And twine a wreath to deck my hair。'
〃But ne'er came herring from the sea；
But good as he were in the tide；
Young Corydon came o'er the lea；
And sat him Phillis down beside。
So； presently； she changed her tone；
And 'gan to cease her from her moan；
'O willow； willow； willow； willow！
Thou mayst e'en keep thy garlands fair；
I want them not to deck my hair_。' 〃
〃Now； by my faith；〃 cried Little John； 〃that same is a right good song；
and hath truth in it； also。〃
〃Glad am I thou likest it； sweet lad；〃 said the Cook。 〃Now sing
thou one also； for ne'er should a man be merry alone； or sing
and list not。〃
〃Then I will sing thee a song of a right good knight of Arthur's court；
and how he cured his heart's wound without running upon the dart again； as did
thy Phillis； for I wot she did but cure one smart by giving herself another。
So； list thou while I sing：
THE GOOD KNIGHT AND HIS LOVE
〃_When Arthur； King； did rule this land；
A goodly king was he；
And had he of stout knights a band
Of merry company。
〃Among them all； both great and small；
A good stout knight was there；
A lusty childe； and eke a tall；
That loved a lady fair。
〃But nought would she to do with he；
But turned her face away；
So gat he gone to far countrye；
And left that lady gay。
〃There all alone he made his moan；
And eke did sob and sigh；
And weep till it would move a stone；
And he was like to die。
〃But still his heart did feel the smart；
And eke the dire distress；
And rather grew his pain more sharp
As grew his body less。
〃Then gat he back where was good sack
And merry com panye；
And soon did cease to cry ‘Alack！'
When blithe and gay was he。
〃From which I hold； and feel full bold
To say； and eke believe；
That gin the belly go not cold
The heart will cease to grieve_。〃
〃Now； by my faith；〃 cried the Cook； as he rattled the pottle against
the sideboard； 〃I like that same song hugely； and eke the motive of it；
which lieth like a sweet kernel in a hazelnut〃
〃Now thou art a man of shrewd opinions；〃 quoth Little John；
〃and I love thee truly as thou wert my brother。〃
〃And I love thee； too。 But the day draweth on； and I have my cooking
to do ere our master cometh home； so let us e'en go and settle this
brave fight we have in hand。〃
〃Ay； marry；〃 quoth Little John； 〃and that right speedily。
Never have I been more laggard in fighting than in eating and drinking。
So come thou straight forth into the passageway； where there
is good room to swing a sword； and I will try to serve thee。〃
Then they both stepped forth into the broad passage that led
to the Steward's pantry； where each man drew his sword again
and without more ado fell upon the other as though he would hew
his fellow limb from limb。 Then their swords clashed upon one
another with great din； and sparks flew from each blow in showers。
So they fought up and down the hall for an hour and more； neither
striking the other a blow； though they strove their best to do so；
for both were skillful at the fence； so nothing came of all their labor。
Ever and anon they rested； panting； then； after getting
their wind； at it they would go again more fiercely than ever。
At last Little John cried aloud； 〃Hold； good Cook！〃 whereupon each
rested upon his sword； panting。
〃Now will I make my vow；〃 quoth Little John； 〃thou art the very best
swordsman that ever mine eyes beheld。 Truly； I had thought to carve
thee ere now。〃
〃And I had thought to do the same by thee；〃 quoth the Cook；
〃but I have missed the mark somehow。〃
〃Now I have been thinking within myself；〃 quoth Little John；
〃what we are fighting for； but albeit I do not rightly know。〃
〃Why； no more do I；〃 said the Cook。 〃I bear no love for that pursy Steward；
but I thought that we had engaged to fight with one another and that it
must be done。〃
〃Now；〃 quoth Little John； 〃it doth seem to me that instead
of striving to cut one another's throats； it were better for us
to be boon companions。 What sayst thou； jolly Cook； wilt thou
go with me to Sherwood Forest and join with Robin Hood's band？
Thou shalt live a merry life within the woodlands； and sevenscore
good companions shalt thou have； one of whom is mine own self。
Thou shalt have three suits of Lincoln green each year；
and forty marks in pay。〃
〃Now； thou art a man after mine own heart！〃 cried the Cook right heartily；
〃and； as thou speakest of it； that is the very service for me。
I will go with thee； and that right gladly。 Give me thy palm；
sweet fellow； and I will be thine own companion from henceforth。
What may be thy name； lad？〃
〃Men do call me Little John； good fellow。〃
〃How？ And art thou indeed Little John； and Robin Hood's own right…hand man？
Many a time and oft I heard of thee； but never did I hope to set eyes
upon thee。 And thou art indeed the famous Little John！〃 And the Cook
seemed lost in amazement； and looked upon his companion with open eyes。
〃I am Little John； indeed； and I will bring to Robin Hood
this day a right stout fellow to join his merry band。
But ere we go； good friend； it seemeth to me to be a vast
pity that； as we have had so much of the Sheriff's food；
we should not also carry off some of his silver plate to Robin Hood；
as a present from his worship。〃
〃Ay； marry is it；〃 said the Cook。 And so they began hunting about；
and took as much silver as they could lay hands upon； clapping it into a bag；
and when they had filled the sack they set forth to Sherwood Forest。
Plunging into the woods； they came at last to the greenwood tree；
where they found Robin Hood and threescore of his merry men lying upon
the fresh green grass。 When Robin and his men saw who it was that came；
they leaped to their feet。 〃Now welcome！〃 cried Robin Hood。 〃Now welcome；
Little John！ For long hath it been since we have heard from thee；
though we all knew that thou hadst joined the Sheriff's service。
And how hast thou fared all these long days？〃
〃Right merrily have I lived at the Lord Sheriff's；〃 answered Little John；
〃and I have come straight thence。 See； good master！
I have brought thee his cook； and even his silver plate。〃
Thereupon he told Robin Hood and his merry men that were there；
all that had befallen him since he had left them to go to the Fair
at Nottingham Town。 Then all shouted with laughter； except Robin Hood；
but he looked grave。
〃Nay； Little John；〃 said he； 〃thou art a brave blade and a trusty fellow。
I am glad thou hast brought thyself back to us； and with such a good
companion as the Cook； whom we all welcome to Sherwood。 But I like not
so well that thou hast stolen the Sheriff's plate like some paltry thief。
The Sheriff hath been punished by us； and hath lost three hundred pounds；
even as he sought to despoil another； but he hath done nought that we
should steal his household plate from him。
Though Little John was vexed with this； he strove to pass
it off with a jest。 〃Nay； good master；〃 quoth he； 〃if thou
thinkest the Sheriff gave us not the plate； I will fetch him；
that he may tell us with his own lips he giveth it all to us。〃
So saying he leaped to his feet； and was gone before Robin
could call him back。
Little John ran for full five miles till he came to where the Sheriff
of Nottingham and a gay company were hunting near the forest。
When Little John came to the Sheriff he doffed his cap and bent his knee。
〃God save thee； good master；〃 quoth he。
〃Why； Reynold Greenleaf！〃 cried the Sheriff； 〃whence comest thou
and where hast thou been？〃
〃I have been in the forest；〃 answered Little John； speaking amazedly；
〃and there I saw a sight such as ne'er before man's eyes beheld！
Yonder I saw a young hart all in green from top to toe； and about him was a
herd of threescore deer； and they； too； were all of green from head to foot。
Yet I dared not shoot； good master； for fear lest they should slay me。〃
〃Why； how now； Reynold Greenleaf；〃 cried the Sheriff； 〃art thou dreaming
or art thou mad； that thou dost bring me su