Saint Cedric for thy company。 But； sweet chuck； I prythee bring
three quarts of ale at least； one for thy drinking and two for mine；
for my thirst is such that methinks I can drink ale as the sands
of the River Dee drink salt water。〃
So Robin straightway left the Beggar； who； upon his part；
went to a budding lime bush back of the hedge； and there spread
his feast upon the grass and roasted his eggs upon a little
fagot fire； with a deftness gained by long labor in that line。
After a while back came Robin bearing a goodly skin of ale upon
his shoulder； which he laid upon the grass。 Then； looking upon
the feast spread upon the groundand a fair sight it was to look upon
he slowly rubbed his hand over his stomach； for to his hungry eyes
it seemed the fairest sight that he had beheld in all his life。
〃Friend；〃 said the Beggar； 〃let me feel the weight of that skin。
〃Yea； truly；〃 quoth Robin； 〃help thyself； sweet chuck； and meantime
let me see whether thy pigeon pie is fresh or no。〃
So the one seized upon the ale and the other upon the pigeon pie；
and nothing was heard for a while but the munching of food
and the gurgle of ale as it left the skin。
At last； after a long time had passed thus； Robin pushed
the food from him and heaved a great sigh of deep content；
for he felt as though he had been made all over anew。
〃And now； good friend；〃 quoth he； leaning upon one elbow；
〃I would have at thee about that other matter of seriousness
of which I spoke not long since。〃
〃How！〃 said the Beggar reproachfully； 〃thou wouldst surely not talk
of things appertaining to serious affairs upon such ale as this！〃
〃Nay；〃 quoth Robin； laughing。 〃I would not check thy thirst；
sweet friend； drink while I talk to thee。 Thus it is：
I would have thee know that I have taken a liking to thy craft
and would fain have a taste of a beggar's life mine own self。〃
Said the Beggar； 〃I marvel not that thou hast taken a liking
to my manner of life； good fellow； but ‘to like' and ‘to do'
are two matters of different sorts。 I tell thee； friend； one must
serve a long apprenticeship ere one can learn to be even so much
as a clapper…dudgeon； much less a crank or an Abraham…man。＇3＇ I
tell thee； lad； thou art too old to enter upon that which it
may take thee years to catch the hang of。〃
＇3＇ Classes of traveling mendicants that infested England
as late as the middle of the seventeenth century。
VIDE Dakkar's ENGLISH VILLAINIES； etc。
〃Mayhap that may be so；〃 quoth Robin； 〃for I bring to mind
that Gaffer Swanthold sayeth Jack Shoemaker maketh ill bread；
Tom Baker maketh ill shoon。 Nevertheless； I have a mind to taste
a beggar's life； and need but the clothing to be as good as any。〃
〃I tell thee； fellow；〃 said the Beggar； 〃if thou wert clad as sweetly as good
Saint Wynten； the patron of our craft； thou wouldst never make a beggar。
Marry； the first jolly traveler that thou wouldst meet would beat thee to a
pudding for thrusting thy nose into a craft that belongeth not to thee。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 quoth Robin； 〃I would have a try at it； and methinks I shall
change clothes with thee； for thy garb seemeth to be pretty； not to say gay。
So not only will I change clothes； but I will give thee two golden angels
to boot。 I have brought my stout staff with me； thinking that I might
have to rap some one of the brethren of thy cloth over the head by way
of argument in this matter； but I love thee so much for the feast thou
hast given me that I would not lift even my little finger against thee；
so thou needst not have a crumb of fear。〃
To this the Beggar listened with his knuckles resting against his hips；
and when Robin had ended he cocked his head on one side and thrust
his tongue into his cheek。
〃Marry； come up；〃 quoth he at last。 〃Lift thy finger
against me； forsooth！ Art thou out of thy wits； man？
My name is Riccon Hazel； and I come from Holywell； in Flintshire；
over by the River Dee。 I tell thee； knave； I have cracked
the head of many a better man than thou art； and even now I would
scald thy crown for thee but for the ale thou hast given me。
Now thou shalt not have so much as one tag…rag of my coat；
even could it save thee from hanging。〃
〃Now； fellow；〃 said Robin； 〃it would ill suit me to spoil thy pretty head
for thee； but I tell thee plainly； that but for this feast I would do
that to thee would stop thy traveling the country for many a day to come。
Keep thy lips shut； lad； or thy luck will tumble out of thy mouth
with thy speech！〃
〃Now out； and alas for thee； man； for thou hast bred thyself ill
this day！〃 cried the Beggar； rising and taking up his staff。
〃Take up thy club and defend thyself； fellow； for I will
not only beat thee but I will take from thee thy money
and leave thee not so much as a clipped groat to buy thyself
a lump of goose grease to rub thy cracked crown withal。
So defend thyself； I say。〃
Then up leaped merry Robin and snatched up his staff also。
〃Take my money； if thou canst；〃 quoth he。 〃I promise
freely to give thee every farthing if thou dost touch me。〃
And he twirled his staff in his fingers till it whistled again。
Then the Beggar swung his staff also； and struck a mighty blow
at Robin； which the yeoman turned。 Three blows the Beggar struck；
yet never one touched so much as a hair of Robin's head。
Then stout Robin saw his chance； and； ere you could count three；
Riccon's staff was over the hedge； and Riccon himself lay
upon the green grass with no more motion than you could find
in an empty pudding bag。
〃How now！〃 quoth merry Robin； laughing。 〃Wilt thou have my hide or my money；
sweet chuck？〃 But to this the other answered never a word。 Then Robin；
seeing his plight； and that he was stunned with the blow； ran； still laughing；
and brought the skin of ale and poured some of it on the Beggar's head
and some down his throat； so that presently he opened his eyes and looked
around as though wondering why he lay upon his back。
Then Robin； seeing that he had somewhat gathered the wits that
had just been rapped out of his head； said； 〃Now； good fellow；
wilt thou change clothes with me； or shall I have to tap
thee again？ Here are two golden angels if thou wilt give
me freely all thy rags and bags and thy cap and things。
If thou givest them not freely； I much fear me I shall have to〃
and he looked up and down his staff。
Then Riccon sat up and rubbed the bump on his crown。 〃Now； out upon it！〃
quoth he。 〃I did think to drub thee sweetly； fellow。 I know not how it is；
but I seem； as it were； to have bought more beer than I can drink。
If I must give up my clothes； I must； but first promise me； by thy word
as a true yeoman； that thou wilt take nought from me but my clothes。〃
〃I promise on the word of a true yeoman；〃 quoth Robin；
thinking that the fellow had a few pennies that he would save。
Thereupon the Beggar drew a little knife that hung at his side and；
ripping up the lining of his coat； drew thence ten bright golden pounds；
which he laid upon the ground beside him with a cunning wink
at Robin。 〃Now thou mayst have my clothes and welcome；〃 said he；
〃and thou mightest have had them in exchange for thine without
the cost of a single farthing； far less two golden angels。〃
〃Marry；〃 quoth Robin； laughing； 〃thou art a sly fellow； and I tell thee truly；
had I known thou hadst so much money by thee maybe thou mightst not have
carried it away； for I warrant thou didst not come honestly by it。〃
Then each stripped off his clothes and put on those of the other； and as
lusty a beggar was Robin Hood as e'er you could find of a summer's day。
But stout Riccon of Holywell skipped and leaped and danced for joy of the fair
suit of Lincoln green that he had so gotten。 Quoth he； 〃I am a gay…feathered
bird now。 Truly； my dear Moll Peascod would never know me in this dress。
Thou mayst keep the cold pieces of the feast； friend； for I mean to live
well and lustily while my money lasts and my clothes are gay。〃
So he turned and left Robin and； crossing the stile； was gone；
but Robin heard him singing from beyond the hedge as he strode away：
〃_For Polly is smiling and Molly is glad
When the beggar comes in at the door；
And Jack and Dick call him a fine lusty lad；
And the hostess runs up a great score。
Then hey； Willy Waddykin；
Stay； Billy Waddykin；
And let the brown ale flow free； flow free；
The beggar's the man for me_。〃
Robin listened till the song ended in the distance；
then he also crossed the stile into the road；
but turned his toes away from where the Beggar had gone。
The road led up a gentle hill and up the hill Robin walked；
a half score or more of bags dangling about his legs。
Onward he strolled for a long time； but other adventure he found not。
The road was bare of all else but himself； as he went kicking
up little clouds of dust at each footstep； for it was noontide；
the most peaceful time of all the day； next to twilight。
All the earth was silent in the restfulness of eating time；
the plowhorses stood in the furrow munching； with great bags
over their noses holding sweet food； the plowman sat under
the hedge and the plowboy also； and they； too； were munching；
each one holding a great piece of bread in one fist and a great
piece of cheese in the other。
So Robin； with all the empty road to himself； strode along whistling merrily；
his bags and pouches bobbing and dangling at his thighs。 At last he came
to where a little grass…grown path left the road and； passing through a stile
and down a hill； led into a little dell and on across a rill in the valley
and up the hill on the other side； till it reached a windmill that stood
on the cap of the rise where the wind bent the trees in swaying motion。
Robin looked at the spot and liked it； and； for no reason but that his fancy
led him； he took the little path and walked down the grassy sunny slope
of the open meadow； and so came to the little dingle and； ere he knew it；
upon four lusty fellows that sat with legs outstretched around a goodly
feast spread upon the ground。
Four merry beggars were they； and each had slung about
his neck a little board that rested upon his breast。
One board had