dily　into　the　water。　But　the　stranger　turned　the　blow　right　deftly　and　in　return　gave　one　as　stout；　which　Robin　also　turned　as　the　stranger　had　done。　So　they　stood；　each　in　his　place；　neither　moving　a　finger's…breadth　back；　for　one　good　hour；　and　many　blows　were　given　and　received　by　each　in　that　time；　till　here　and　there　were　sore　bones　and　bumps；　yet　neither　thought　of　crying　〃Enough；〃　nor　seemed　likely　to　fall　from　off　the　bridge。　Now　and　then　they　stopped　to　rest；　and　each　thought　that　he　never　had　seen　in　all　his　life　before　such　a　hand　at　quarterstaff。　At　last　Robin　gave　the　stranger　a　blow　upon　the　ribs　that　made　his　jacket　smoke　like　a　damp　straw　thatch　in　the　sun。　　So　shrewd　was　the　stroke　that　the　stranger　came　within　a　hair's…breadth　of　falling　off　the　bridge；　but　he　regained　himself　right　quickly　and；　by　a　dexterous　blow；　gave　Robin　a　crack　on　the　crown　that　caused　the　blood　to　flow。　Then　Robin　grew　mad　with　anger　and　smote　with　all　his　might　at　the　other。　But　the　stranger　warded　the　blow　and　once　again　thwacked　Robin；　and　this　time　so　fairly　that　he　fell　heels　over　head　into　the　water；　as　the　queen　pin　falls　in　a　game　of　bowls。
  〃And　where　art　thou　now；　my　good　lad？〃　shouted　the　stranger；　roaring　with　laughter。
  〃Oh；　in　the　flood　and　floating　adown　with　the　tide；〃　cried　Robin；　nor　could　he　forbear　laughing　himself　at　his　sorry　plight。　Then；　gaining　his　feet；　he　waded　to　the　bank；　the　little　fish　speeding　hither　and　thither；　all　frightened　at　his　splashing。
  〃Give　me　thy　hand；〃　cried　he；　when　he　had　reached　the　bank。　〃I　must　needs　own　thou　art　a　brave　and　a　sturdy　soul　and；　withal；　a　good　stout　stroke　with　the　cudgels。　　By　this　and　by　that；　my　head　hummeth　like　to　a　hive　of　bees　on　a　hot　June　day。〃
  Then　he　clapped　his　horn　to　his　lips　and　winded　a　blast　that　went　echoing　sweetly　down　the　forest　paths。　　〃Ay；　marry；〃　quoth　he　again；　〃thou　art　a　tall　lad；　and　eke　a　brave　one；　for　ne'er；　I　bow；　is　there　a　man　betwixt　here　and　Canterbury　Town　could　do　the　like　to　me　that　thou　hast　done。〃
  〃And　thou；〃　quoth　the　stranger；　laughing；　〃takest　thy　cudgeling　like　a　brave　heart　and　a　stout　yeoman。〃
  But　now　the　distant　twigs　and　branches　rustled　with　the　coming　of　men；　and　suddenly　a　score　or　two　of　good　stout　yeomen；　all　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　burst　from　out　the　covert；　with　merry　Will　Stutely　at　their　head。
  〃Good　master；〃　cried　Will；　〃how　is　this？　　Truly　thou　art　all　wet　from　head　to　foot；　and　that　to　the　very　skin。〃
  〃Why；　marry；〃　answered　jolly　Robin；　〃yon　stout　fellow　hath　tumbled　me　neck　and　crop　into　the　water　and　hath　given　me　a　drubbing　beside。〃
  〃Then　shall　he　not　go　without　a　ducking　and　eke　a　drubbing　himself！〃　cried　Will　Stutely。　　〃Have　at　him；　lads！〃
  Then　Will　and　a　score　of　yeomen　leaped　upon　the　stranger；　but　though　they　sprang　quickly　they　found　him　ready　and　felt　him　strike　right　and　left　with　his　stout　staff；　so　that；　though　he　went　down　with　press　of　numbers；　some　of　them　rubbed　cracked　crowns　before　he　was　overcome。
  〃Nay；　forbear！〃　cried　Robin；　laughing　until　his　sore　sides　ached　again。　〃He　is　a　right　good　man　and　true；　and　no　harm　shall　befall　him。　Now　hark　ye；　good　youth；　wilt　thou　stay　with　me　and　be　one　of　my　band？　Three　suits　of　Lincoln　green　shalt　thou　have　each　year；　beside　forty　marks　in　fee；　and　share　with　us　whatsoever　good　shall　befall　us。　Thou　shalt　eat　sweet　venison　and　quaff　the　stoutest　ale；　and　mine　own　good　right…hand　man　shalt　thou　be；　for　never　did　I　see　such　a　cudgel　player　in　all　my　life　before。　　Speak！　　Wilt　thou　be　one　of　my　good　merry　men？〃
  〃That　know　I　not；〃　quoth　the　stranger　surlily；　for　he　was　angry　at　being　so　tumbled　about。　　〃If　ye　handle　yew　bow　and　apple　shaft　no　better　than　ye　do　oaken　cudgel；　I　wot　ye　are　not　fit　to　be　called　yeomen　in　my　country；　but　if　there　be　any　man　here　that　can　shoot　a　better　shaft　than　I；　then　will　I　bethink　me　of　joining　with　you。〃
  〃Now　by　my　faith；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　art　a　right　saucy　varlet；　sirrah；　yet　I　will　stoop　to　thee　as　I　never　stooped　to　man　before。　Good　Stutely；　cut　thou　a　fair　white　piece　of　bark　four　fingers　in　breadth；　and　set　it　fourscore　yards　distant　on　yonder　oak。　Now；　stranger；　hit　that　fairly　with　a　gray　goose　shaft　and　call　thyself　an　archer。〃
  〃Ay；　marry；　that　will　I；〃　answered　he。　　〃Give　me　a　good　stout　bow　and　a　fair　broad　arrow；　and　if　I　hit　it　not；　strip　me　and　beat　me　blue　with　bowstrings。〃
  Then　he　chose　the　stoutest　bow　among　them　all；　next　to　Robin's　own；　and　a　straight　gray　goose　shaft；　well…feathered　and　smooth；　and　stepping　to　the　markwhile　all　the　band；　sitting　or　lying　upon　the　greensward；　watched　to　see　him　shoothe　drew　the　arrow　to　his　cheek　and　loosed　the　shaft　right　deftly；　sending　it　so　straight　down　the　path　that　it　clove　the　mark　in　the　very　center。　〃Aha！〃　cried　he；　〃mend　thou　that　if　thou　canst〃；　while　even　the　yeomen　clapped　their　hands　at　so　fair　a　shot。
  〃That　is　a　keen　shot　indeed；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃Mend　it　I　cannot；　but　mar　it　I　may；　perhaps。〃
  Then　taking　up　his　own　good　stout　bow　and　nocking　an　arrow　with　care；　he　shot　with　his　very　greatest　skill。　　Straight　flew　the　arrow；　and　so　true　that　it　lit　fairly　upon　the　stranger's　shaft　and　split　it　into　splinters。　Then　all　the　yeomen　leaped　to　their　feet　and　shouted　for　joy　that　their　master　had　shot　so　well。
  〃Now　by　the　lusty　yew　bow　of　good　Saint　Withold；〃　cried　the　stranger；　〃that　is　a　shot　indeed；　and　never　saw　I　the　like　in　all　my　life　before！　Now　truly　will　I　be　thy　man　henceforth　and　for　aye。　　Good　Adam　Bell＇1＇　was　a　fair　shot；　but　never　shot　he　so！〃
  ＇1＇　Adam　Bell；　Clym　o'　the　Clough；　and　William　of　Cloudesly　were　three　noted　north…country　bowmen　whose　names　have　been　celebrated　in　many　ballads　of　the　olden　time。
  〃Then　have　I　gained　a　right　good　man　this　day；〃　quoth　jolly　Robin。　　〃What　name　goest　thou　by；　good　fellow？〃
  〃Men　call　me　John　Little　whence　I　came；〃　answered　the　stranger。
  Then　Will　Stutely；　who　loved　a　good　jest；　spoke　up。　〃Nay；　fair　little　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃I　like　not　thy　name　and　fain　would　I　have　it　otherwise。　　Little　art　thou　indeed；　and　small　of　bone　and　sinew；　therefore　shalt　thou　be　christened　Little　John；　and　I　will　be　thy　godfather。〃
  Then　Robin　Hood　and　all　his　band　laughed　aloud　until　the　stranger　began　to　grow　angry。
  〃An　thou　make　a　jest　of　me；〃　quoth　he　to　Will　Stutely；　〃thou　wilt　have　sore　bones　and　little　pay；　and　that　in　short　season。〃
  〃Nay；　good　friend；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃bottle　thine　anger；　for　the　name　fitteth　thee　well。　　Little　John　shall　thou　be　called　henceforth；　and　Little　John　shall　it　be。　So　come；　my　merry　men；　we　will　prepare　a　christening　feast　for　this　fair　infant。〃
  So　turning　their　backs　upon　the　stream；　they　plunged　into　the　forest　once　more；　through　which　they　traced　their　steps　till　they　reached　the　spot　where　they　dwelled　in　the　depths　of　the　woodland。　There　had　they　built　huts　of　bark　and　branches　of　trees；　and　made　couches　of　sweet　rushes　spread　over　with　skins　of　fallow　deer。　Here　stood　a　great　oak　tree　with　branches　spreading　broadly　around；　beneath　which　was　a　seat　of　green　moss　where　Robin　Hood　was　wont　to　sit　at　feast　and　at　merrymaking　with　his　stout　men　about　him。　Here　they　found　the　rest　of　the　band；　some　of　whom　had　come　in　with　a　brace　of　fat　does。　　Then　they　all　built　great　fires　and　after　a　time　roasted　the　does　and　broached　a　barrel　of　humming　ale。　Then　when　the　feast　was　ready　they　all　sat　down；　but　Robin　placed　Little　John　at　his　right　hand；　for　he　was　henceforth　to　be　the　second　in　the　band。
  Then　when　the　feast　was　done　Will　Stutely　spoke　up。　　〃It　is　now　time；　I　ween；　to　christen　our　bonny　babe；　is　it　not　so；　merry　boys？〃　And　〃Aye！　　Aye！〃　cried　all；　laughing　till　the　woods　echoed　with　their　mirth。
  〃Then　seven　sponsors　shall　we　have；〃　quoth　Will　Stutely；　and　hunting　among　all　the　band；　he　chose　the　seven　stoutest　men　of　them　all。
  〃Now　by　Saint　Dunstan；〃　cried　Little　John；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃more　than　one　of　you　shall　rue　it　an　you　lay　finger　upon　me。〃
  But　without　a　word　they　all　ran　upon　him　at　once；　seizing　him　by　his　legs　and　arms　and　holding　him　tightly　in　spite　of　his　struggles；　and　they　bore　him　forth　while　all　stood　around　to　see　the　sport。　Then　one　came　forward　who　had　been　chosen　to　play　the　priest　because　he　had　a　bald　crown；　and　in　his　hand　he　carried　a　brimming　pot　of　ale。　〃Now；　who　bringeth　this　babe？〃　asked　he　right　soberly。
  〃That　do　I；〃　answered　Will　Stutely。
  〃And　what　name　callest　thou　him？〃
  〃Little　John　call　I　him。〃
  〃Now　Little　John；〃　quoth　the　mock　priest；　〃thou　hast　not　lived　heretofore；　but　only　got　thee　along　through　the　world；　but　henceforth　thou　wilt　live　indeed。　When　thou　livedst　not　thou　wast　called　John　Little；　but　now　that　thou　dost　live　indeed；　Little　John　shalt　thou　be　called；　so　christen　I　thee。〃　And　at　these　last　words　he　emptied　the　pot　of　ale　upon　Little　John's　head。
  Then　all　shouted　with　laughter　as　they　saw　the　good　brown　ale　stream　over　Little　John's　beard　and　trickle　from　his　nose　and　chin；　while　his　eyes　blinked　with　the　smart　of　it。　At　first　he　was　of　a　mind　to　be　angry　but　found　he　could　not；　because　the　others　were　so　merry；　so　he；　too；　laughed　with　the　rest。　Then　Robin　took　this　sweet；　pretty　babe；　clothed　him　all　anew　from　top　to　toe　in　Lincoln　green；　and　gav