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Little John and the Tanner of Blyth
AtthedawnofthesamedaythatLittleJohnlefttheinn,hestartedfromNottingham,homewardforBlyth.Hiswayled,allinthedewymorn,pastthevergeofSherwoodForest,wherethebirdswerewelcomingthelovelydaywithagreatandmerryjubilee.AcrosstheTanner’sshoulderswasslunghisstoutquarterstaff,evernearenoughtohimtobegrippedquickly,andonhisheadwasacapofdoubledcowhide,sotoughthatitcouldhardlybeclovenevenbyabroadsword.
"Now,"quothArthuraBlandtohimself,whenhehadcometothatpartoftheroadthatcutthroughacorneroftheforest,"nodoubtatthistimeofyearthedundeerarecomingfromtheforestdepthsnighertotheopenmeadowlands.MayhapImaychancetocatchasightofthedaintybrowndarlingsthusearlyinthemorn."Fortherewasnothinghelovedbetterthantolookuponatrippingherdofdeer,evenwhenhecouldnottickletheirribswithaclothyardshaft.Accordingly,quittingthepath,hewentpeepingthiswayandthatthroughtheunderbrush,spyingnowhereandnowthere,withallthewilesofamasterofwoodcraft,andofonewhohadmorethanoncedonnedadoubletofLincolngreen.
