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Little John and the Tanner of Blyth
"Marrycomeupwithamurrain!"criedtheTanner,forhe,too,hadtalkedhimselfintoafume."Bigwordsne’erkilledsomuchasamouse.WhoartthouthattalkestsofreelyofcrackingtheheadofArthuraBland?IfIdonottanthyhidethisdayasne’erItannedacalf’shideinallmylifebefore,splitmystaffintoskewersforlamb’sfleshandcallmenomorebraveman!Nowlooktothyself,fellow!"
"Stay!"saidLittleJohn."Letusfirstmeasureourcudgels.Idoreckonmystafflongerthanthine,andIwouldnottakevantageoftheebyevensomuchasaninch."
"Nay,Ipassnotforlength,"answeredtheTanner."Mystaffislongenoughtoknockdownacalf;solooktothyself,fellow,Isayagain."
So,withoutmoreado,eachgrippedhisstaffinthemiddle,and,withfellandangrylooks,theycameslowlytogether.
NownewshadbeenbroughttoRobinHoodhowthatLittleJohn,insteadofdoinghisbidding,hadpassedbydutyforpleasure,andsohadstoppedovernightwithmerrycompanyattheBlueBoarInn,insteadofgoingstraighttoAncaster.So,beingvexedtohisheartbythis,hesetforthatdawnofdaytoseekLittleJohnattheBlueBoar,oratleasttomeettheyeomanontheway,andeasehisheartofwhathethoughtofthematter.Asthushestrodealonginanger,puttingtogetherthewordshewouldusetochideLittleJohn,heheard,ofasudden,loudandangryvoices,asofmeninarage,passingfellwordsbackandforthfromonetotheother.
