Приключения Робин Гуда
How Robin Hood Came to Be an Outlaw
"Andthoupratestlikeacoward,"answeredthestranger,"forthoustandesttherewithagoodyewbowtoshootatmyheart,whileIhavenoughtinmyhandbutaplainblackthornstaffwherewithtomeetthee."
"Now,"quothRobin,"bythefaithofmyheart,neverhaveIhadacoward’snameinallmylifebefore.Iwilllaybymytrustybowandekemyarrows,andifthoudarestabidemycoming,Iwillgoandcutacudgeltotestthymanhoodwithal."
"Ay,marry,thatwillIabidethycoming,andjoyously,too,"quoththestranger;whereuponheleanedsturdilyuponhisstafftoawaitRobin.
ThenRobinHoodsteppedquicklytothecoversideandcutagoodstaffofgroundoak,straight,withoutnew,andsixfeetinlength,andcamebacktrimmingawaythetenderstemsfromit,whilethestrangerwaitedforhim,leaninguponhisstaff,andwhistlingashegazedroundabout.Robinobservedhimfurtivelyashetrimmedhisstaff,measuringhimfromtoptotoefromoutthecornerofhiseye,andthoughtthathehadneverseenalustierorastouterman.TallwasRobin,buttallerwasthestrangerbyaheadandaneck,forhewassevenfeetinheight.BroadwasRobinacrosstheshoulders,butbroaderwasthestrangerbytwicethebreadthofapalm,whilehemeasuredatleastanellaroundthewaist.
"Nevertheless,"saidRobintohimself,"Iwillbastethyhiderightmerrily,mygoodfellow";then,aloud,"Lo,hereismygoodstaff,lustyandtough.Nowwaitmycoming,anthoudarest,andmeetmeanthoufearestnot.Thenwewillfightuntiloneortheotherofustumbleintothestreambydintofblows."
"Marry,thatmeetethmywholeheart!"criedthestranger,twirlinghisstaffabovehishead,betwixthisfingersandthumb,untilitwhistledagain.
