At　this　the　Sheriff　drew　rein　quickly。　　〃Now　fellow；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　would　I　were　well　out　of　this　forest；　for　I　like　not　thy　company。　Go　thou　thine　own　path；　good　friend；　and　let　me　but　go　mine。〃
  But　Robin　only　laughed　and　caught　the　Sheriff's　bridle　rein。　〃Nay；〃　cried　he；　〃stay　awhile；　for　I　would　thou　shouldst　see　my　brothers；　who　own　these　fair　horned　beasts　with　me。〃　So　saying；　he　clapped　his　bugle　to　his　mouth　and　winded　three　merry　notes；　and　presently　up　the　path　came　leaping　fivescore　good　stout　yeomen　with　Little　John　at　their　head。
  〃What　wouldst　thou　have；　good　master？〃　quoth　Little　John。
  〃Why；〃　answered　Robin；　〃dost　thou　not　see　that　I　have　brought　goodly　company　to　feast　with　us　today？　　Fye；　for　shame！　Do　you　not　see　our　good　and　worshipful　master；　the　Sheriff　of　Nottingham？　　Take　thou　his　bridle；　Little　John；　for　he　has　honored　us　today　by　coming　to　feast　with　us。〃
  Then　all　doffed　their　hats　humbly；　without　smiling　or　seeming　to　be　in　jest；　while　Little　John　took　the　bridle　rein　and　led　the　palfrey　still　deeper　into　the　forest；　all　marching　in　order；　with　Robin　Hood　walking　beside　the　Sheriff；　hat　in　hand。
  All　this　time　the　Sheriff　said　never　a　word　but　only　looked　about　him　like　one　suddenly　awakened　from　sleep；　but　when　he　found　himself　going　within　the　very　depths　of　Sherwood　his　heart　sank　within　him；　for　he　thought；　〃Surely　my　three　hundred　pounds　will　be　taken　from　me；　even　if　they　take　not　my　life　itself；　for　I　have　plotted　against　their　lives　more　than　once。〃　But　all　seemed　humble　and　meek　and　not　a　word　was　said　of　danger；　either　to　life　or　money。
  So　at　last　they　came　to　that　part　of　Sherwood　Forest　where　a　noble　oak　spread　its　branches　wide；　and　beneath　it　was　a　seat　all　made　of　moss；　on　which　Robin　sat　down；　placing　the　Sheriff　at　his　right　hand。　〃Now　busk　ye；　my　merry　men　all；〃　quoth　he；　〃and　bring　forth　the　best　we　have；　both　of　meat　and　wine；　for　his　worship　the　Sheriff　hath　feasted　me　in　Nottingham　Guild　Hall　today；　and　I　would　not　have　him　go　back　empty。〃
  All　this　time　nothing　had　been　said　of　the　Sheriff's　money；　so　presently　he　began　to　pluck　up　heart。　　〃For；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃maybe　Robin　Hood　hath　forgotten　all　about　it。〃
  Then；　while　beyond　in　the　forest　bright　fires　crackled　and　savory　smells　of　sweetly　roasting　venison　and　fat　capons　filled　the　glade；　and　brown　pasties　warmed　beside　the　blaze；　did　Robin　Hood　entertain　the　Sheriff　right　royally。　　First；　several　couples　stood　forth　at　quarterstaff；　and　so　shrewd　were　they　at　the　game；　and　so　quickly　did　they　give　stroke　and　parry；　that　the　Sheriff；　who　loved　to　watch　all　lusty　sports　of　the　kind；　clapped　his　hands；　forgetting　where　he　was；　and　crying　aloud；　〃Well　struck！　Well　struck；　thou　fellow　with　the　black　beard！〃　little　knowing　that　the　man　he　called　upon　was　the　Tinker　that　tried　to　serve　his　warrant　upon　Robin　Hood。
  Then　several　yeomen　came　forward　and　spread　cloths　upon　the　green　grass；　and　placed　a　royal　feast；　while　others　still　broached　barrels　of　sack　and　Malmsey　and　good　stout　ale；　and　set　them　in　jars　upon　the　cloth；　with　drinking　horns　about　them。　Then　all　sat　down　and　feasted　and　drank　merrily　together　until　the　sun　was　low　and　the　half…moon　glimmered　with　a　pale　light　betwixt　the　leaves　of　the　trees　overhead。
  Then　the　Sheriff　arose　and　said；　〃I　thank　you　all；　good　yeomen；　for　the　merry　entertainment　ye　have　given　me　this　day。　Right　courteously　have　ye　used　me；　showing　therein　that　ye　have　much　respect　for　our　glorious　King　and　his　deputy　in　brave　Nottinghamshire。　　But　the　shadows　grow　long；　and　I　must　away　before　darkness　comes；　lest　I　lose　myself　within　the　forest。〃
  Then　Robin　Hood　and　all　his　merry　men　arose　also；　and　Robin　said　to　the　Sheriff；　〃If　thou　must　go；　worshipful　sir；　go　thou　must；　but　thou　hast　forgotten　one　thing。〃
  〃Nay；　I　forgot　nought；〃　said　the　Sheriff；　yet　all　the　same　his　heart　sank　within　him。
  〃But　I　say　thou　hast　forgot　something；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃We　keep　a　merry　inn　here　in　the　greenwood；　but　whoever　becometh　our　guest　must　pay　his　reckoning。〃
  Then　the　Sheriff　laughed；　but　the　laugh　was　hollow。　　〃Well；　jolly　boys；〃　quoth　he；　〃we　have　had　a　merry　time　together　today；　and　even　if　ye　had　not　asked　me；　I　would　have　given　you　a　score　of　pounds　for　the　sweet　entertainment　I　have　had。〃
  〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin　seriously；　〃it　would　ill　beseem　us　to　treat　Your　Worship　so　meanly。　　By　my　faith；　Sir　Sheriff；　I　would　be　ashamed　to　show　my　face　if　I　did　not　reckon　the　King's　deputy　at　three　hundred　pounds。　Is　it　not　so；　my　merry　men　all？〃
  Then　〃Ay！〃　cried　all；　in　a　loud　voice。
  〃Three　hundred　devils！〃　roared　the　Sheriff。　　〃Think　ye　that　your　beggarly　feast　was　worth　three　pounds；　let　alone　three　hundred？〃
  〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin　gravely。　　〃Speak　not　so　roundly；　Your　Worship。　　I　do　love　thee　for　the　sweet　feast　thou　hast　given　me　this　day　in　merry　Nottingham　Town；　but　there　be　those　here　who　love　thee　not　so　much。　　If　thou　wilt　look　down　the　cloth　thou　wilt　see　Will　Stutely；　in　whose　eyes　thou　hast　no　great　favor；　then　two　other　stout　fellows　are　there　here　that　thou　knowest　not；　that　were　wounded　in　a　brawl　nigh　Nottingham　Town；　some　time　agothou　wottest　when；　one　of　them　was　sore　hurt　in　one　arm；　yet　he　hath　got　the　use　of　it　again。　Good　Sheriff；　be　advised　by　me；　pay　thy　score　without　more　ado；　or　maybe　it　may　fare　ill　with　thee。〃
  As　he　spoke　the　Sheriff's　ruddy　cheeks　grew　pale；　and　he　said　nothing　more　but　looked　upon　the　ground　and　gnawed　his　nether　lip。　Then　slowly　he　drew　forth　his　fat　purse　and　threw　it　upon　the　cloth　in　front　of　him。
  〃Now　take　the　purse；　Little　John；〃　quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃and　see　that　the　reckoning　be　right。　　We　would　not　doubt　our　Sheriff；　but　he　might　not　like　it　if　he　should　find　he　had　not　paid　his　full　score。〃
  Then　Little　John　counted　the　money　and　found　that　the　bag　held　three　hundred　pounds　in　silver　and　gold。　　But　to　the　Sheriff　it　seemed　as　if　every　clink　of　the　bright　money　was　a　drop　of　blood　from　his　veins。　And　when　he　saw　it　all　counted　out　in　a　heap　of　silver　and　gold；　filling　a　wooden　platter；　he　turned　away　and　silently　mounted　his　horse。
  〃Never　have　we　had　so　worshipful　a　guest　before！〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and；　as　the　day　waxeth　late；　I　will　send　one　of　my　young　men　to　guide　thee　out　of　the　forest　depths。〃
  〃Nay；　Heaven　forbid！〃　cried　the　Sheriff　hastily。　　〃I　can　find　mine　own　way；　good　man；　without　aid。〃
  〃Then　I　will　put　thee　on　the　right　track　mine　own　self；〃　quoth　Robin；　and；　taking　the　Sheriff's　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　led　him　into　the　main　forest　path。　　Then；　before　he　let　him　go；　he　said；　〃Now；　fare　thee　well；　good　Sheriff；　and　when　next　thou　thinkest　to　despoil　some　poor　prodigal；　remember　thy　feast　in　Sherwood　Forest。　　‘Ne'er　buy　a　horse；　good　friend；　without　first　looking　into　its　mouth；'　as　our　good　gaffer　Swanthold　says。　　And　so；　once　more；　fare　thee　well。〃　Then　he　clapped　his　hand　to　the　horse's　back；　and　off　went　nag　and　Sheriff　through　the　forest　glades。
  Then　bitterly　the　Sheriff　rued　the　day　that　first　he　meddled　with　Robin　Hood；　for　all　men　laughed　at　him　and　many　ballads　were　sung　by　folk　throughout　the　country；　of　how　the　Sheriff　went　to　shear　and　came　home　shorn　to　the　very　quick。　For　thus　men　sometimes　overreach　themselves　through　greed　and　guile。
  Little　John　Goes　to　Nottingham　Fair
  SPRING　HAD　GONE　since　the　Sheriff's　feast　in　Sherwood；　and　summer　also；　and　the　mellow　month　of　October　had　come。　All　the　air　was　cool　and　fresh；　the　harvests　were　gathered　home；　the　young　birds　were　full　fledged；　the　hops　were　plucked；　and　apples　were　ripe。　　But　though　time　had　so　smoothed　things　over　that　men　no　longer　talked　of　the　horned　beasts　that　the　Sheriff　wished　to　buy；　he　was　still　sore　about　the　matter　and　could　not　bear　to　hear　Robin　Hood's　name　spoken　in　his　presence。
  With　October　had　come　the　time　for　holding　the　great　Fair　which　was　celebrated　every　five　years　at　Nottingham　Town；　to　which　folk　came　from　far　and　near　throughout　the　country。　At　such　times　archery　was　always　the　main　sport　of　the　day；　for　the　Nottinghamshire　yeomen　were　the　best　hand　at　the　longbow　in　all　merry　England；　but　this　year　the　Sheriff　hesitated　a　long　time　before　he　issued　proclamation　of　the　Fair；　fearing　lest　Robin　Hood　and　his　band　might　come　to　it。　At　first　he　had　a　great　part　of　a　mind　not　to　proclaim　the　Fair；　but　second　thought　told　him　that　men　would　laugh　at　him　and　say　among　themselves　that　he　was　afraid　of　Robin　Hood；　so　he　put　that　thought　by。　　At　last　he　fixed　in　his　mind　that　he　would　offer　such　a　prize　as　they　would　not　care　to　shoot　for。　At　such　times　it　had　been　the　custom　to　offer　a　half　score　of　marks　or　a　tun　of　ale；　so　this　year　he　proclaimed　that　a　prize　of　two　fat　steers　should　be　given　to　the　best　bowman。
  When　Robin　Hood　heard　what　had　been　proclaimed　he　was　vexed；　and　said；　〃Now　beshrew　this　Sheriff　that　he　should　offer　such　a　prize　that　none　but　shepherd　hinds　will　care　to　shoot　for　it！　I　would　have　loved　nothing　better　than　to　have　had　another　bout　at　merry　Nottingham　Town；　but　if　I　should　win　this　prize　nought　would　it　pleasure　or　profit　me。〃
  Then　up　spoke　Little　John：　　〃Nay；　but　hearken；　good　master；〃　said　he；　〃only　today　Will　Stutely；　young　David　of　Doncaster；　and　I　were　at　the　Sign　of　the　Bl