Пригоди Робін Гуда

           Somehadshotdeerinhungrywintertime,whentheycouldgetnootherfood,andhadbeenseenintheactbytheforesters,buthadescaped,thussavingtheirears;somehadbeenturnedoutoftheirinheritance,thattheirfarmsmightbeaddedtotheKing’slandsinSherwoodForest;somehadbeendespoiledbyagreatbaronorarichabbotorapowerfulesquire—all,foronecauseoranother,hadcometoSherwoodtoescapewrongandoppression.

           So,inallthatyear,fivescoreormoregoodstoutyeomengatheredaboutRobinHood,andchosehimtobetheirleaderandchief.Thentheyvowedthatevenastheythemselveshadbeendespoiledtheywoulddespoiltheiroppressors,whetherbaron,abbot,knight,orsquire,andthatfromeachtheywouldtakethatwhichhadbeenwrungfromthepoorbyunjusttaxes,orlandrents,orinwrongfulfines.Buttothepoorfolktheywouldgiveahelpinghandinneedandtrouble,andwouldreturntothemthatwhichhadbeenunjustlytakenfromthem.Besidesthis,theysworenevertoharmachildnortowrongawoman,beshemaid,wife,orwidow;sothat,afterawhile,whenthepeoplebegantofindthatnoharmwasmeanttothem,butthatmoneyorfoodcameintimeofwanttomanyapoorfamily,theycametopraiseRobinandhismerrymen,andtotellmanytalesofhimandofhisdoingsinSherwoodForest,fortheyfelthimtobeoneofthemselves.

           UproseRobinHoodonemerrymornwhenallthebirdsweresingingblithelyamongtheleaves,anduproseallhismerrymen,eachfellowwashinghisheadandhandsinthecoldbrownbrookthatleapedlaughingfromstonetostone.ThensaidRobin,"Forfourteendayshaveweseennosport,sonowIwillgoabroadtoseekadventuresforthwith.Buttarryye,mymerrymenall,hereinthegreenwood;onlyseethatyemindwellmycall.ThreeblastsuponthebuglehornIwillblowinmyhourofneed;thencomequickly,forIshallwantyouraid."