with his load； the Friar's sword belt was loose albeit he knew it not；
so when Robin stood on dry land and the Friar leaped from his back；
the yeoman gripped hold of the sword so that blade； sheath； and strap
came away from the holy man； leaving him without a weapon。
〃Now then；〃 quoth merry Robin； panting as he spake and wiping
the sweat from his brow； 〃I have thee； fellow。 This time
that same saint of whom thou didst speak but now hath delivered
two swords into my hand and hath stripped thine away from thee。
Now if thou dost not carry me back； and that speedily；
I swear I will prick thy skin till it is as full of holes
as a slashed doublet。〃
The good Friar said not a word for a while； but he looked
at Robin with a grim look。 〃Now；〃 said he at last； 〃I did
think that thy wits were of the heavy sort and knew not that
thou wert so cunning。 Truly； thou hast me upon the hip。
Give me my sword； and I promise not to draw it against thee save
in self…defense； also； I promise to do thy bidding and take
thee upon my back and carry thee。〃
So jolly Robin gave him his sword again； which the Friar buckled
to his side； and this time looked to it that it was more secure
in its fastenings； then tucking up his robes once more； he took
Robin Hood upon his back and without a word stepped into the water；
and so waded on in silence while Robin sat laughing upon his back。
At last he reached the middle of the ford where the water was deepest。
Here he stopped for a moment； and then； with a sudden lift of his
hand and heave of his shoulders； fairly shot Robin over his head
as though he were a sack of grain。
Down went Robin into the water with a mighty splash。
〃There；〃 quoth the holy man； calmly turning back again to the shore；
〃let that cool thy hot spirit； if it may。〃
Meantime； after much splashing； Robin had gotten to his feet and stood gazing
about him all bewildered； the water running from him in pretty little rills。
At last he shot the water out of his ears and spat some out of his mouth；
and； gathering his scattered wits together； saw the stout Friar standing
on the bank and laughing。 Then； I wot； was Robin Hood a mad man。
〃Stay； thou villain！〃 roared he； 〃I am after thee straight； and if I do
not carve thy brawn for thee this day； may I never lift finger again！〃
So saying； he dashed； splashing； to the bank。
〃Thou needst not hasten thyself unduly；〃 quoth the stout Friar。 〃Fear not；
I will abide here； and if thou dost not cry ‘Alack…a…day' ere long time
is gone； may I never more peep through the brake at a fallow deer。〃
And now Robin； having reached the bank； began； without more ado；
to roll up his sleeves above his wrists。 The Friar； also；
tucked his robes more about him； showing a great； stout arm
on which the muscles stood out like humps of an aged tree。
Then Robin saw； what he had not wotted of before； that the Friar
had also a coat of chain mail beneath his gown。
〃Look to thyself；〃 cried Robin； drawing his good sword。
〃Ay； marry；〃 quoth the Friar； who held his already
in his hand。 So； without more ado； they came together；
and thereupon began a fierce and mighty battle。
Right and left； and up and down and back and forth they fought。
The swords flashed in the sun and then met with a clash
that sounded far and near。 I wot this was no playful bout
at quarterstaff； but a grim and serious fight of real earnest。
Thus they strove for an hour or more； pausing every now and then
to rest； at which times each looked at the other with wonder；
and thought that never had he seen so stout a fellow；
then once again they would go at it more fiercely than ever。
Yet in all this time neither had harmed the other nor caused
his blood to flow。 At last merry Robin cried； 〃Hold thy hand；
good friend！〃 whereupon both lowered their swords。
〃Now I crave a boon ere we begin again；〃 quoth Robin； wiping the sweat
from his brow； for they had striven so long that he began to think that it
would be an ill…done thing either to be smitten himself or to smite so stout
and brave a fellow。
〃What wouldst thou have of me？〃 asked the Friar。
〃Only this；〃 quoth Robin； 〃that thou wilt let me blow thrice upon
my bugle horn。〃
The Friar bent his brows and looked shrewdly at Robin Hood。 〃Now I
do verily think that thou hast some cunning trick in this；〃 quoth he。
〃Ne'ertheless； I fear thee not； and will let thee have thy wish；
providing thou wilt also let me blow thrice upon this little whistle。〃
〃With all my heart；〃 quoth Robin； 〃so； here goes for one。〃
So saying； he raised his silver horn to his lips and blew thrice
upon it； clear and high。
Meantime； the Friar stood watching keenly for what might come
to pass； holding in his fingers the while a pretty silver whistle；
such as knights use for calling their hawks back to their wrists；
which whistle always hung at his girdle along with his rosary。
Scarcely had the echo of the last note of Robin's bugle come winding back
from across the river； when four tall men in Lincoln green came running
around the bend of the road； each with a bow in his hand and an arrow
ready nocked upon the string。
〃Ha！ Is it thus； thou traitor knave！〃 cried the Friar。 〃Then； marry；
look to thyself！〃 So saying； he straightway clapped the hawk's whistle
to his lips and blew a blast that was both loud and shrill。 And now there
came a crackling of the bushes that lined the other side of the road；
and presently forth from the covert burst four great； shaggy hounds。
〃At 'em； Sweet Lips！ At 'em； Bell Throat！ At 'em； Beauty！ At 'em； Fangs！〃
cried the Friar； pointing at Robin。
And now it was well for that yeoman that a tree stood nigh
him beside the road； else had he had an ill chance of it。
Ere one could say 〃Gaffer Downthedale〃 the hounds were upon him；
and he had only time to drop his sword and leap lightly into the tree；
around which the hounds gathered； looking up at him as though he were
a cat on the eaves。 But the Friar quickly called off his dogs。
〃At 'em！〃 cried he； pointing down the road to where the yeomen
were standing stock still with wonder of what they saw。
As the hawk darts down upon its quarry； so sped the four dogs
at the yeomen； but when the four men saw the hounds so coming；
all with one accord； saving only Will Scarlet； drew each man
his goose feather to his ear and let fly his shaft。
And now the old ballad telleth of a wondrous thing that happened； for thus
it says； that each dog so shot at leaped lightly aside； and as the arrow
passed him whistling； caught it in his mouth and bit it in twain。
Now it would have been an ill day for these four good fellows
had not Will Scarlet stepped before the others and met the hounds
as they came rushing。 〃Why； how now； Fangs！〃 cried he sternly。
〃Down； Beauty！ Down； sirrah！ What means this？〃
At the sound of his voice each dog shrank back quickly and then
straightway came to him and licked his hands and fawned upon him；
as is the wont of dogs that meet one they know。 Then the four yeomen
came forward； the hounds leaping around Will Scarlet joyously。
〃Why； how now！〃 cried the stout Friar； 〃what means this？
Art thou wizard to turn those wolves into lambs？ Ha！〃 cried he；
when they had come still nearer； 〃can I trust mine eyes？
What means it that I see young Master William Gamwell
in such company？〃
〃Nay； Tuck；〃 said the young man； as the four came forward to where Robin
was now clambering down from the tree in which he had been roosting；
he having seen that all danger was over for the time； 〃nay； Tuck； my name
is no longer Will Gamwell； but Will Scarlet； and this is my good uncle；
Robin Hood； with whom I am abiding just now。〃
〃Truly； good master；〃 said the Friar； looking somewhat abashed
and reaching out his great palm to Robin； 〃I ha' oft heard thy name
both sung and spoken of； but I never thought to meet thee in battle。
I crave thy forgiveness； and do wonder not that I found so stout
a man against me。〃
〃Truly； most holy father；〃 said Little John； 〃I am more thankful
than e'er I was in all my life before that our good friend Scarlet
knew thee and thy dogs。 I tell thee seriously that I felt my
heart crumble away from me when I saw my shaft so miss its aim；
and those great beasts of thine coming straight at me。〃
〃Thou mayst indeed be thankful； friend；〃 said the Friar gravely。
〃But； Master Will； how cometh it that thou dost now abide in Sherwood？〃
〃Why； Tuck； dost thou not know of my ill happening with my
father's steward？〃 answered Scarlet。
〃Yea； truly； yet I knew not that thou wert in hiding because of it。
Marry； the times are all awry when a gentleman must lie hidden
for so small a thing。〃
〃But we are losing time；〃 quoth Robin； 〃and I have yet to find
that same Curtal Friar。〃
〃Why； uncle； thou hast not far to go；〃 said Will Scarlet；
pointing to the Friar； 〃for there he stands beside thee。〃
〃How？〃 quoth Robin； 〃art thou the man that I have been at such pains
to seek all day； and have got such a ducking for？〃
〃Why； truly；〃 said the Friar demurely； 〃some do call me the Curtal Friar
of Fountain Dale； others again call me in jest the Abbot of Fountain Abbey；
others still again call me simple Friar Tuck。〃
〃I like the last name best；〃 quoth Robin； 〃for it doth slip more glibly
off the tongue。 But why didst thou not tell me thou wert he I sought；
instead of sending me searching for black moonbeams？〃
〃Why； truly； thou didst not ask me； good master；〃 quoth stout Tuck；
〃but what didst thou desire of me？〃
〃Nay；〃 quoth Robin； 〃the day groweth late； and we cannot
stand longer talking here。 Come back with us to Sherwood；
and I will unfold all to thee as we travel along。〃
So； without tarrying longer； they all departed； with the stout
dogs at their heels； and wended their way back to Sherwood again；
but it was long past nightfall ere they reached the greenwood tree。
Now listen； for next I will tell how Robin Hood compassed the happiness
of two young lovers； aided by the merry Friar Tuck of Fountain Dale。
Robin Hood Compasses a Marriage
AND NOW had come the morning when fair Ellen was to be married；
and on which merry Robin had sworn that Allan a Dale should；
as it were； eat out of the platter