Приключения Робин Гуда
Robin Hood Shoots Before Queen Eleanor
Quothhe,"Gilbert,andthou,Tepus,andthou,Hubert,Ihavepledgedmyselfthatyeshallshootagainstthesethreefellows.IfyeoutshoottheknavesIwillfillyourcapswithsilverpennies;ifyefailyeshallloseyourprizesthatyehavewonsofairly,andtheygotothemthatshootagainstyou,mantoman.Doyourbest,lads,andifyewinthisboutyeshallbegladofittothelastdaysofyourlife.Go,now,andgetyougonetothebutts."
ThenthethreearchersoftheKingturnedandwentbacktotheirbooths,andRobinandhismenwenttotheirplacesatthemarkfromwhichtheyweretoshoot.Thentheystrungtheirbowsandmadethemselvesready,lookingovertheirquiversofarrows,andpickingouttheroundestandthebestfeathered.
ButwhentheKing’sarcherswenttotheirtents,theytoldtheirfriendsallthathadpassed,andhowthatthesefourmenwerethefamousRobinHoodandthreeofhisband,towit,LittleJohn,WillScarlet,andAllanaDale.Thenewsofthisbuzzedaroundamongthearchersinthebooths,fortherewasnotamantherethathadnotheardofthesegreatmid-countryyeomen.Fromthearchersthenewswastakenupbythecrowdthatlookedonattheshooting,sothatatlasteverybodystoodup,craningtheirneckstocatchsightofthefamousoutlaws.
Sixfreshtargetswerenowsetup,oneforeachmanthatwastoshoot;whereuponGilbertandTepusandHubertcamestraightwayforthfromthebooths.
