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Little John Turns Barefoot Friar
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Butatlasthereachedthecrestofacertainhill,andsawbelowasweetlittlethatchedinnlyingsnuglyinthedalebeneathhim,towardwhichtheroaddippedsharply.Atthesightofthis,avoicewithinhimcriedaloud,"Igivetheejoy,goodfriend,foryonderisthyheart’sdelight,towit,asweetrestandacupofbrownbeer."Sohequickenedhispacedownthehillandsocametothelittleinn,fromwhichhungasignwithastag’sheadpainteduponit.Infrontofthedooracluckinghenwasscratchinginthedustwithabroodofchickensaboutherheels,thesparrowswerechatteringofhouseholdaffairsundertheeaves,andallwassosweetandpeacefulthatLittleJohn’sheartlaughedwithinhim.Besidethedoorstoodtwostoutcobswithbroadsoft-paddedsaddles,wellfittedforeasytraveling,andspeakingofrichguestsintheparlor.Infrontofthedoorthreemerryfellows,atinker,apeddler,andabeggar,wereseatedonabenchinthesunquaffingstoutale.
"Igiveyougoodden,sweetfriends,"quothLittleJohn,stridinguptowheretheysat.
"Givetheegoodden,holyfather,"quoththemerryBeggarwithagrin."Butlookthee,thygownistooshort.Thouhadstbestcutapieceoffthetopandtackittothebottom,sothatitmaybelongenough.Butcome,sitbesideushereandtakeatasteofale,ifthyvowsforbidtheenot."
"Nay,"quothLittleJohn,alsogrinning,"theblessedSaintDunstanhathgivenmeafreedispensationforallindulgenceinthatline.
