Пригоди Робін Гуда
Robin Hood and Will Scarlet
"Alas!"saidthestrangersadly,"itdothgrievemethatthisthingmustbe.IfearmuchthatImustslaythee,thoupoorfellow!"Sosaying,hedrewhissword.
"Putbythyweapon,"quothRobin."Iwouldtakenovantageofthee.Thyswordcannotstandagainstanoakenstaffsuchasmine.Icouldsnapitlikeabarleystraw.Yonderisagoodoakenthicketbytheroadside;taketheeacudgelthenceanddefendthyselffairly,ifthouhastatasteforasounddrubbing."
FirstthestrangermeasuredRobinwithhiseye,andthenhemeasuredtheoakenstaff."Thouartright,goodfellow,"saidhepresently,"truly,myswordisnomatchforthatcudgelofthine.BidetheeawhiletillIgetmeastaff."Sosaying,hethrewasidetherosethathehadbeenholdingallthistime,thrusthisswordbackintothescabbard,and,withamorehastystepthanhehadyetused,steppedtotheroadsidewheregrewthelittleclumpofgroundoaksRobinhadspokenof.Choosingamongthem,hepresentlyfoundasaplingtohisliking.Hedidnotcutit,but,rollinguphissleevesalittleway,helaidholdofit,placedhisheelagainsttheground,and,withonemightypull,pluckedtheyoungtreeupbytherootsfromouttheveryearth.Thenhecameback,trimmingawaytherootsandtenderstemswithhisswordasquietlyasifhehaddonenoughttospeakof.
