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           So,assoonashehadreturnedsafelytoNottingham,hesentmessengersnorthandsouth,andeastandwest,toproclaimthroughtown,hamlet,andcountryside,thisgrandshootingmatch,andeveryonewasbiddenthatcoulddrawalongbow,andtheprizewastobeanarrowofpurebeatengold.

           WhenRobinHoodfirstheardthenewsofthishewasinLincolnTown,andhasteningbacktoSherwoodForesthesooncalledallhismerrymenabouthimandspoketothemthus:

           "Nowhearken,mymerrymenall,tothenewsthatIhavebroughtfromLincolnTowntoday.OurfriendtheSheriffofNottinghamhathproclaimedashootingmatch,andhathsentmessengerstotellofitthroughallthecountryside,andtheprizeistobeabrightgoldenarrow.NowIfainwouldhaveoneofuswinit,bothbecauseofthefairnessoftheprizeandbecauseoursweetfriendtheSheriffhathofferedit.Sowewilltakeourbowsandshaftsandgotheretoshoot,forIknowrightwellthatmerrimentwillbea-going.Whatsayye,lads?"

           ThenyoungDavidofDoncasterspokeupandsaid,"Nowlisten,Ipraythee,goodmaster,untowhatIsay.IhavecomestraightfromourfriendEadomo’theBlueBoar,andthereIheardthefullnewsofthissamematch.But,master,Iknowfromhim,andhegotitfromtheSheriff’smanRalpho’theScar,thatthissameknavishSheriffhathbutlaidatrapfortheeinthisshootingmatchandwishesnothingsomuchastoseetheethere.Sogonot,goodmaster,forIknowrightwellhedothseektobeguilethee,butstaywithinthegreenwoodlestweallmeetdoleandwoe."

           "Now,"quothRobin,"thouartawiseladandkeepestthineearsopenandthymouthshut,asbecomethawiseandcraftywoodsman.ButshallweletitbesaidthattheSheriffofNottinghamdidcowboldRobinHoodandsevenscoreasfairarchersasareinallmerryEngland?