Приключения Робин Гуда
How Robin Hood Came to Be an Outlaw
Nowharkye,goodyouth,wiltthoustaywithmeandbeoneofmyband?ThreesuitsofLincolngreenshaltthouhaveeachyear,besidefortymarksinfee,andsharewithuswhatsoevergoodshallbefallus.Thoushalteatsweetvenisonandquaffthestoutestale,andmineowngoodright-handmanshaltthoube,forneverdidIseesuchacudgelplayerinallmylifebefore.Speak!Wiltthoubeoneofmygoodmerrymen?"
"ThatknowInot,"quoththestrangersurlily,forhewasangryatbeingsotumbledabout."Ifyehandleyewbowandappleshaftnobetterthanyedooakencudgel,Iwotyearenotfittobecalledyeomeninmycountry;butiftherebeanymanherethatcanshootabettershaftthanI,thenwillIbethinkmeofjoiningwithyou."
"Nowbymyfaith,"saidRobin,"thouartarightsaucyvarlet,sirrah;yetIwillstooptotheeasIneverstoopedtomanbefore.GoodStutely,cutthouafairwhitepieceofbarkfourfingersinbreadth,andsetitfourscoreyardsdistantonyonderoak.Now,stranger,hitthatfairlywithagraygooseshaftandcallthyselfanarcher."
"Ay,marry,thatwillI,"answeredhe."Givemeagoodstoutbowandafairbroadarrow,andifIhititnot,stripmeandbeatmebluewithbowstrings."
Thenhechosethestoutestbowamongthemall,nexttoRobin’sown,andastraightgraygooseshaft,well-featheredandsmooth,andsteppingtothemark—whilealltheband,sittingorlyinguponthegreensward,watchedtoseehimshoot—hedrewthearrowtohischeekandloosedtheshaftrightdeftly,sendingitsostraightdownthepaththatitclovethemarkintheverycenter."Aha!"criedhe,"mendthouthatifthoucanst";whileeventheyeomenclappedtheirhandsatsofairashot.
"Thatisakeenshotindeed,"quothRobin."MenditIcannot,butmaritImay,perhaps."
