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How Robin Hood Came to Be an Outlaw
"Nay,goodfriend,"saidRobinHood,"bottlethineanger,forthenamefitteththeewell.LittleJohnshallthoubecalledhenceforth,andLittleJohnshallitbe.Socome,mymerrymen,wewillprepareachristeningfeastforthisfairinfant."
Soturningtheirbacksuponthestream,theyplungedintotheforestoncemore,throughwhichtheytracedtheirstepstilltheyreachedthespotwheretheydwelledinthedepthsofthewoodland.Therehadtheybuilthutsofbarkandbranchesoftrees,andmadecouchesofsweetrushesspreadoverwithskinsoffallowdeer.Herestoodagreatoaktreewithbranchesspreadingbroadlyaround,beneathwhichwasaseatofgreenmosswhereRobinHoodwaswonttositatfeastandatmerrymakingwithhisstoutmenabouthim.Heretheyfoundtherestoftheband,someofwhomhadcomeinwithabraceoffatdoes.Thentheyallbuiltgreatfiresandafteratimeroastedthedoesandbroachedabarrelofhummingale.Thenwhenthefeastwasreadytheyallsatdown,butRobinplacedLittleJohnathisrighthand,forhewashenceforthtobethesecondintheband.
ThenwhenthefeastwasdoneWillStutelyspokeup."Itisnowtime,Iween,tochristenourbonnybabe,isitnotso,merryboys?"And"Aye!Aye!"criedall,laughingtillthewoodsechoedwiththeirmirth.
"Thensevensponsorsshallwehave,"quothWillStutely,andhuntingamongalltheband,hechosethesevenstoutestmenofthemall.
"NowbySaintDunstan,"criedLittleJohn,springingtohisfeet,"morethanoneofyoushallrueitanyoulayfingeruponme."
Butwithoutawordtheyallranuponhimatonce,seizinghimbyhislegsandarmsandholdinghimtightlyinspiteofhisstruggles,andtheyborehimforthwhileallstoodaroundtoseethesport.
