. Life in the greenwood . story ofwhat happened the next morning. LITTLE JOHN AND THE SHERIFF 75 * Make glad cheer, said Robin Hood, * Sheriff, I pray to thee, For this is the way of our orderUnder the greenwood tree. ! This is a harder order/ said the sheriff, ; Than of any monk or friar;For all the gold in merry England I would not long dwell here. All this twelvemonth, said Robin, 1 Thou shalt dwell here with me;I shall thee teach, proud sheriff, An outlaw for to be. Rather than lie here another night, Robin, now pray I thee,Smite off my head this very morn, And I 11 forgive it thee. * Let
. Life in the greenwood . story ofwhat happened the next morning. LITTLE JOHN AND THE SHERIFF 75 * Make glad cheer, said Robin Hood, * Sheriff, I pray to thee, For this is the way of our orderUnder the greenwood tree. ! This is a harder order/ said the sheriff, ; Than of any monk or friar;For all the gold in merry England I would not long dwell here. All this twelvemonth, said Robin, 1 Thou shalt dwell here with me;I shall thee teach, proud sheriff, An outlaw for to be. Rather than lie here another night, Robin, now pray I thee,Smite off my head this very morn, And I 11 forgive it thee. * Let me go, then said the sheriff, 1 For sake of charity,And I will be the best friendThat ever yet had ye. 1 Thou shalt swear me an oath, said Robin, * An oath on my bright brand, Thou shalt never await me to do me harmBy water nor by land. 76 LIFE IN THE GREENWOOD * And if thou find any of these my men, Be it by night or day,Upon thine oath thou shalt swear to me, To help them as thou may. ;v *»••* IW^i £SU&g4&. Now hath the sheriff sworn his oath,And home he began to be gone; He was as full of the greenwoodAs ever was brier of thorn. The sheriff dwelt in NottinghamRight glad that he was there; And Robin Hood and his merry menTo the greenwood did repair. THE SHOOTING MATCH IN NOT-TINGHAM TOWN I Of tJie sheriff and his tJwughts When the sheriff had been safe at homefor a few days he forgot all about the vow hehad made to Robin Hood that he would dono harm to him or his men, and rememberedonly the miserable night that he had passedin the greenwood. The more he thoughtabout it the more angry he became, — forno man likes to be made a jest of, — and atlast he bethought him of a means by whichhe might get the outlaws within the gates ofNottingham town. When he had done that,it would be an easy matter to clap them intoprison, and then they would see that it wasno light thing to make merry over the personof so important an official as the kings highsheriff of Nottingham. 77 78 L
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