blade as Little John。 Fresh cans of ale were brought； and with jest
and song and merry tales the hours slipped away on fleeting wings。
None thought of time or tide till the night was so far gone that Little John
put by the thought of setting forth upon his journey again that night；
and so bided at the Blue Boar Inn until the morrow。
Now it was an ill piece of luck for Little John that he left
his duty for his pleasure； and he paid a great score for it；
as we are all apt to do in the same case； as you shall see。
Up he rose at the dawn of the next day； and； taking his stout
pikestaff in his hand； he set forth upon his journey once more；
as though he would make up for lost time。
In the good town of Blyth there lived a stout tanner； celebrated far and near
for feats of strength and many tough bouts at wrestling and the quarterstaff。
For five years he had held the mid…country champion belt for wrestling；
till the great Adam o' Lincoln cast him in the ring and broke one of his ribs；
but at quarterstaff he had never yet met his match in all the country about。
Besides all this； he dearly loved the longbow； and a sly jaunt in the forest
when the moon was full and the dun deer in season； so that the King's rangers
kept a shrewd eye upon him and his doings； for Arthur a Bland's house was apt
to have aplenty of meat in it that was more like venison than the law allowed。
Now Arthur had been to Nottingham Town the day before Little John set
forth on his errand； there to sell a halfscore of tanned cowhides。
At the dawn of the same day that Little John left the inn；
he started from Nottingham； homeward for Blyth。 His way led；
all in the dewy morn； past the verge of Sherwood Forest； where the birds
were welcoming the lovely day with a great and merry jubilee。
Across the Tanner's shoulders was slung his stout quarterstaff；
ever near enough to him to be gripped quickly； and on his head was
a cap of doubled cowhide； so tough that it could hardly be cloven
even by a broadsword。
〃Now；〃 quoth Arthur a Bland to himself； when he had come to
that part of the road that cut through a corner of the forest；
〃no doubt at this time of year the dun deer are coming
from the forest depths nigher to the open meadow lands。
Mayhap I may chance to catch a sight of the dainty brown
darlings thus early in the morn。〃 For there was nothing
he loved better than to look upon a tripping herd of deer；
even when he could not tickle their ribs with a clothyard shaft。
Accordingly； quitting the path； he went peeping this way
and that through the underbrush； spying now here and now there；
with all the wiles of a master of woodcraft； and of one who had
more than once donned a doublet of Lincoln green。
Now as Little John stepped blithely along； thinking of nothing but of such
things as the sweetness of the hawthorn buds that bedecked the hedgerows；
or gazing upward at the lark； that； springing from the dewy grass；
hung aloft on quivering wings in the yellow sunlight； pouring forth
its song that fell like a falling star from the sky； his luck led him
away from the highway； not far from the spot where Arthur a Bland
was peeping this way and that through the leaves of the thickets。
Hearing a rustling of the branches； Little John stopped and presently
caught sight of the brown cowhide cap of the Tanner moving among the bushes
〃I do much wonder；〃 quoth Little John to himself； 〃what yon knave
is after； that he should go thus peeping and peering about I
verily believe that yon scurvy varlet is no better than a thief；
and cometh here after our own and the good King's dun deer。〃
For by much roving in the forest； Little John had come to look upon
all the deer in Sherwood as belonging to Robin Hood and his band
as much as to good King Harry。 〃Nay；〃 quoth he again； after a time；
〃this matter must e'en be looked into。〃 So； quitting the highroad；
he also entered the thickets； and began spying around after stout
Arthur a Bland。
So for a long time they both of them went hunting about；
Little John after the Tanner； and the Tanner after the deer。
At last Little John trod upon a stick； which snapped under
his foot； whereupon； hearing the noise； the Tanner turned
quickly and caught sight of the yeoman。 Seeing that the Tanner
had spied him out； Little John put a bold face upon the matter。
〃Hilloa；〃 quoth he； 〃what art thou doing here； thou naughty fellow？
Who art thou that comest ranging Sherwood's paths？
In very sooth thou hast an evil cast of countenance；
and I do think； truly； that thou art no better than a thief；
and comest after our good King's deer。〃
〃Nay；〃 quoth the Tanner boldlyfor； though taken by surprise； he was
not a man to be frightened by big words〃thou liest in thy teeth。
I am no thief； but an honest craftsman。 As for my countenance； it is
what it is； and； for the matter of that； thine own is none too pretty；
thou saucy fellow。〃
〃Ha！〃 quoth Little John in a great loud voice； 〃wouldst thou give
me backtalk？ Now I have a great part of a mind to crack thy pate
for thee。 I would have thee know； fellow； that I am； as it were；
one of the King's foresters。 Leastwise；〃 muttered he to himself；
〃I and my friends do take good care of our good sovereign's deer。〃
〃I care not who thou art；〃 answered the bold Tanner； 〃and unless
thou hast many more of thy kind by thee； thou canst never make
Arthur a Bland cry ‘A mercy。' 〃
〃Is it so？〃 cried Little John in a rage。 〃Now； by my faith；
thou saucy rogue； thy tongue hath led thee into a pit thou
wilt have a sorry time getting out of； for I will give thee
such a drubbing as ne'er hast thou had in all thy life before。
Take thy staff in thy hand； fellow； for I will not smite
an unarmed man。
〃Marry come up with a murrain！〃 cried the Tanner； for he； too； had talked
himself into a fume。 〃Big words ne'er killed so much as a mouse。
Who art thou that talkest so freely of cracking the head
of Arthur a Bland？ If I do not tan thy hide this day as ne'er
I tanned a calf's hide in all my life before； split my staff
into skewers for lamb's flesh and call me no more brave man！
Now look to thyself； fellow！〃
〃Stay！〃 said Little John。 〃Let us first measure our cudgels。
I do reckon my staff longer than thine； and I would not take
vantage of thee by even so much as an inch。〃
〃Nay； I pass not for length；〃 answered the Tanner。 〃My staff is long enough
to knock down a calf； so look to thyself； fellow； I say again。〃
So； without more ado； each gripped his staff in the middle； and； with fell
and angry looks； they came slowly together。
Now news had been brought to Robin Hood how that Little John； instead of
doing his bidding； had passed by duty for pleasure； and so had stopped
overnight with merry company at the Blue Boar Inn； instead of going
straight to Ancaster。 So； being vexed to his heart by this； he set forth
at dawn of day to seek Little John at the Blue Boar； or at least to meet
the yeoman on the way； and ease his heart of what he thought of the matter。
As thus he strode along in anger； putting together the words he would
use to chide Little John； he heard； of a sudden； loud and angry voices；
as of men in a rage； passing fell words back and forth from one to the other。
At this； Robin Hood stopped and listened。 〃Surely；〃 quoth he to himself；
〃that is Little John's voice； and he is talking in anger also。
Methinks the other is strange to my ears。 Now Heaven forfend that my good
trusty Little John should have fallen into the hands of the King's rangers。
I must see to this matter； and that quickly。〃
Thus spoke Robin Hood to himself； all his anger passing away
like a breath from the windowpane； at the thought that perhaps
his trusty right…hand man was in some danger of his life。
So cautiously he made his way through the thickets whence
the voices came； and； pushing aside the leaves； peeped into
the little open space where the two men； staff in hand；
were coming slowly together。
〃Ha！〃 quoth Robin to himself； 〃here is merry sport afoot。
Now I would give three golden angels from my own pocket if yon
stout fellow would give Little John a right sound drubbing！
It would please me to see him well thumped for having failed
in my bidding。 I fear me； though； there is but poor chance
of my seeing such a pleasant sight。〃 So saying； he stretched
himself at length upon the ground； that he might not only see
the sport the better； but that he might enjoy the merry sight
at his ease。
As you may have seen two dogs that think to fight； walking slowly
round and round each other； neither cur wishing to begin the combat；
so those two stout yeomen moved slowly around； each watching for a
chance to take the other unaware； and so get in the first blow。
At last Little John struck like a flash； and〃rap！〃the Tanner met
the blow and turned it aside； and then smote back at Little John；
who also turned the blow； and so this mighty battle began。
Then up and down and back and forth they trod； the blows falling
so thick and fast that； at a distance； one would have thought that half
a score of men were fighting。 Thus they fought for nigh a half an hour；
until the ground was all plowed up with the digging of their heels；
and their breathing grew labored like the ox in the furrow。
But Little John suffered the most； for he had become unused to such
stiff labor； and his joints were not as supple as they had been
before he went to dwell with the Sheriff。
All this time Robin Hood lay beneath the bush； rejoicing at such
a comely bout of quarterstaff。 〃By my faith！〃 quoth he to himself；
〃never had I thought to see Little John so evenly matched in all my life。
Belike； though； he would have overcome yon fellow before this had he been
in his former trim。〃
At last Little John saw his chance； and； throwing all the
strength he felt going from him into one blow that might have
felled an ox； he struck at the Tanner with might and main。
And now did the Tanner's cowhide cap stand him in good stead；
and but for it he might never have held staff in hand again。
As it was； the blow he caught beside the head was so shrewd
that it sent him staggering across the little glade； so that；
if Little John had had the strength to follow