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How Robin Hood Came to Be an Outlaw
"I’llholdthebestofyoutwentymarks,"quothboldRobin,"thatIhitthecloutatthreescorerods,bythegoodhelpofOurLadyfair."
Atthisalllaughedaloud,andonesaid,"Wellboasted,thoufairinfant,wellboasted!Andwellthouknowestthatnotargetisnightomakegoodthywager."
Andanothercried,"Hewillbetakingalewithhismilknext."
AtthisRobingrewrightmad."Harkye,"saidhe,"yonder,attheglade’send,Iseeaherdofdeer,evenmorethanthreescorerodsdistant.I’llholdyoutwentymarksthat,byleaveofOurLady,Icausethebesthartamongthemtodie."
"Nowdone!"criedhewhohadspokenfirst."Andherearetwentymarks.Iwagerthatthoucausestnobeasttodie,withorwithouttheaidofOurLady."
ThenRobintookhisgoodyewbowinhishand,andplacingthetipathisinstep,hestrungitrightdeftly;thenhenockedabroadclothyardarrowand,raisingthebow,drewthegraygoosefeathertohisear;thenextmomentthebowstringrangandthearrowspeddownthegladeasasparrowhawkskimsinanorthernwind.Highleapedthenoblesthartofalltheherd,onlytofalldead,reddeningthegreenpathwithhisheart’sblood.
"Ha!"criedRobin,"howlikestthouthatshot,goodfellow?Iwotthewagerweremine,anitwerethreehundredpounds."
Thenalltheforesterswerefilledwithrage,andhewhohadspokenthefirstandhadlostthewagerwasmoreangrythanall.
"Nay,"criedhe,"thewagerisnoneofthine,andgettheegone,straightway,or,byallthesaintsofheaven,I’llbastethysidesuntilthouwiltne’erbeabletowalkagain."
