Приключения Робин Гуда
Little John Turns Barefoot Friar
Inthebuddinghedgesthelittlebirdstwitteredmerrily,andoneitherhandthegreenhillssweptuptothesky,thegreatwhitecloudsofspringtimesailingslowlyovertheircrownsinlazyflight.UphillanddowndalewalkedLittleJohn,thefreshwindblowinginhisfaceandhisrobesflutteringbehindhim,andsoatlasthecametoacrossroadthatledtoTuxford.Herehemetthreeprettylasses,eachbearingabasketofeggstomarket.Quothhe,"Whitheraway,fairmaids?"Andhestoodintheirpath,holdinghisstaffinfrontofthem,tostopthem.
Thentheyhuddledtogetherandnudgedoneanother,andonepresentlyspakeupandsaid,"WearegoingtotheTuxfordmarket,holyfriar,toselloureggs."
"Nowoutuponit!"quothLittleJohn,lookinguponthemwithhisheadononeside."Surely,itisapitythatsuchfairlassesshouldbeforcedtocarryeggstomarket.Letmetellyou,anIhadtheshapingofthingsinthisworld,yeshouldallthreehavebeenclothedinthefinestsilks,andrideuponmilk-whitehorses,withpagesatyourside,andfeeduponnothingbutwhippedcreamandstrawberries;forsuchalifewouldsurelybefityourlooks."
Atthisspeechallthreeoftheprettymaidslookeddown,blushingandsimpering.Onesaid,"La!"another,"Marry,a’makethsportofus!"andthethird,"Listen,now,totheholyman!"ButatthesametimetheylookedatLittleJohnfromoutthecornersoftheireyes.
