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Little John Goes to Nottingham Fair
"Heyforthetallarcher!"shoutedthecrowd,andsomeamongthemshouted,"HeyforReynoldGreenleaf!"forthiswasthenamethatLittleJohnhadcalledhimselfthatday.
ThentheSheriffsteppeddownfromtheraisedseatandcametowherethearchersstood,whilealldoffedtheircapsthatsawhimcoming.HelookedkeenlyatLittleJohnbutdidnotknowhim,thoughhesaid,afterawhile,"Hownow,goodfellow,methinksthereisthataboutthyfacethatIhaveseenerewhile."
"Mayhapitmaybeso,"quothLittleJohn,"foroftenhaveIseenYourWorship."And,ashespoke,helookedsteadilyintotheSheriff’seyessothatthelatterdidnotsuspectwhohewas.
"Abravebladeartthou,goodfriend,"saidtheSheriff,"andIhearthatthouhastwellupheldtheskillofNottinghamshireagainstthatofLincolnthisday.Whatmaybethyname,goodfellow?"
"MendocallmeReynoldGreenleaf,YourWorship,"saidLittleJohn;andtheoldballadthattellsofthis,adds,"So,intruth,washeagreenleaf,butofwhatmanneroftreetheSheriffwottednot."
"Now,ReynoldGreenleaf,"quoththeSheriff,"thouartthefairesthandatthelongbowthatmineeyeseverbeheld,nexttothatfalseknave,RobinHood,fromwhosewilesHeavenforfendme!Wiltthoujoinmyservice,goodfellow?Thoushaltbepaidrightwell,forthreesuitsofclothesshaltthouhaveayear,withgoodfoodandasmuchaleasthoucanstdrink;and,besidesthis,IwillpaytheefortymarkseachMichaelmastide."
