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　Blue　Boar；　and　there　we　heard　all　the　news　of　this　merry　Fair；　and　also　that　the　Sheriff　hath　offered　this　prize；　that　we　of　Sherwood　might　not　care　to　come　to　the　Fair；　so；　good　master；　if　thou　wilt；　I　would　fain　go　and　strive　to　win　even　this　poor　thing　among　the　stout　yeomen　who　will　shoot　at　Nottingham　Town。〃
  〃Nay；　Little　John；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　art　a　sound　stout　fellow；　yet　thou　lackest　the　cunning　that　good　Stutely　hath；　and　I　would　not　have　harm　befall　thee　for　all　Nottinghamshire。　　Nevertheless；　if　thou　wilt　go；　take　some　disguise　lest　there　be　those　there　who　may　know　thee。〃
  〃So　be　it；　good　master；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃yet　all　the　disguise　that　I　wish　is　a　good　suit　of　scarlet　instead　of　this　of　Lincoln　green。　I　will　draw　the　cowl　of　my　jacket　about　my　head　so　that　it　will　hide　my　brown　hair　and　beard；　and　then；　I　trust；　no　one　will　know　me。〃
  〃It　is　much　against　my　will；〃　said　Robin　Hood；　〃ne'ertheless；　if　thou　dost　wish　it；　get　thee　gone；　but　bear　thyself　seemingly；　Little　John；　for　thou　art　mine　own　right…hand　man　and　I　could　ill　bear　to　have　harm　befall　thee。〃
  So　Little　John　clad　himself　all　in　scarlet　and　started　off　to　the　Fair　at　Nottingham　Town。
  Right　merry　were　these　Fair　days　at　Nottingham；　when　the　green　before　the　great　town　gate　was　dotted　with　booths　standing　in　rows；　with　tents　of　many…colored　canvas；　hung　about　with　streamers　and　garlands　of　flowers；　and　the　folk　came　from　all　the　countryside；　both　gentle　and　common。　In　some　booths　there　was　dancing　to　merry　music；　in　others　flowed　ale　and　beer；　and　in　others　yet　again　sweet　cakes　and　barley　sugar　were　sold；　and　sport　was　going　outside　the　booths　also；　where　some　minstrel　sang　ballads　of　the　olden　time；　playing　a　second　upon　the　harp；　or　where　the　wrestlers　struggled　with　one　another　within　the　sawdust　ring；　but　the　people　gathered　most　of　all　around　a　raised　platform　where　stout　fellows　played　at　quarterstaff。
  So　Little　John　came　to　the　Fair。　　All　scarlet　were　his　hose　and　jerkin；　and　scarlet　was　his　cowled　cap；　with　a　scarlet　feather　stuck　in　the　side　of　it。　　Over　his　shoulders　was　slung　a　stout　bow　of　yew；　and　across　his　back　hung　a　quiver　of　good　round　arrows。　　Many　turned　to　look　after　such　a　stout；　tall　fellow；　for　his　shoulders　were　broader　by　a　palm's…breadth　than　any　that　were　there；　and　he　stood　a　head　taller　than　all　the　other　men。　The　lasses；　also；　looked　at　him　askance；　thinking　they　had　never　seen　a　lustier　youth。
  First　of　all　he　went　to　the　booth　where　stout　ale　was　sold　and；　standing　aloft　on　a　bench；　he　called　to　all　that　were　near　to　come　and　drink　with　him。　　〃Hey；　sweet　lads！〃　cried　he　〃who　will　drink　ale　with　a　stout　yeoman？　　Come；　all！　　Come；　all！　Let　us　be　merry；　for　the　day　is　sweet　and　the　ale　is　tingling。　Come　hither；　good　yeoman；　and　thou；　and　thou；　for　not　a　farthing　shall　one　of　you　pay。　　Nay；　turn　hither；　thou　lusty　beggar；　and　thou　jolly　tinker；　for　all　shall　be　merry　with　me。
  Thus　he　shouted；　and　all　crowded　around；　laughing；　while　the　brown　ale　flowed；　and　they　called　Little　John　a　brave　fellow；　each　swearing　that　he　loved　him　as　his　own　brother；　for　when　one　has　entertainment　with　nothing　to　pay；　one　loves　the　man　that　gives　it　to　one。
  Then　he　strolled　to　the　platform　where　they　were　at　cudgel　play；　for　he　loved　a　bout　at　quarterstaff　as　he　loved　meat　and　drink；　and　here　befell　an　adventure　that　was　sung　in　ballads　throughout　the　mid…country　for　many　a　day。
  One　fellow　there　was　that　cracked　crowns　of　everyone　who　threw　cap　into　the　ring。　　This　was　Eric　o'　Lincoln；　of　great　renown；　whose　name　had　been　sung　in　ballads　throughout　the　countryside。　When　Little　John　reached　the　stand　he　found　none　fighting；　but　only　bold　Eric　walking　up　and　down　the　platform；　swinging　his　staff　and　shouting　lustily；　〃Now；　who　will　come　and　strike　a　stroke　for　the　lass　he　loves　the　best；　with　a　good　Lincolnshire　yeoman？　　How　now；　lads？　　Step　up！　Step　up！　　Or　else　the　lasses'　eyes　are　not　bright　hereabouts；　or　the　blood　of　Nottingham　youth　is　sluggish　and　cold。　Lincoln　against　Nottingham；　say　I！　　For　no　one　hath　put　foot　upon　the　boards　this　day　such　as　we　of　Lincoln　call　a　cudgel　player。〃
  At　this；　one　would　nudge　another　with　his　elbow；　saying；　〃Go　thou；　Ned！〃　or　〃Go　thou；　Thomas！〃　but　no　lad　cared　to　gain　a　cracked　crown　for　nothing。
  Presently　Eric　saw　where　Little　John　stood　among　the　others；　a　head　and　shoulders　above　them　all；　and　he　called　to　him　loudly；　〃Halloa；　thou　long…legged　fellow　in　scarlet！　Broad　are　thy　shoulders　and　thick　thy　head；　is　not　thy　lass　fair　enough　for　thee　to　take　cudgel　in　hand　for　her　sake？　In　truth；　I　believe　that　Nottingham　men　do　turn　to　bone　and　sinew；　for　neither　heart　nor　courage　have　they！　　Now；　thou　great　lout；　wilt　thou　not　twirl　staff　for　Nottingham？〃
  〃Ay；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃had　I　but　mine　own　good　staff　here；　it　would　pleasure　me　hugely　to　crack　thy　knave's　pate；　thou　saucy　braggart！　I　wot　it　would　be　well　for　thee　an　thy　cock's　comb　were　cut！〃　Thus　he　spoke；　slowly　at　first；　for　he　was　slow　to　move；　but　his　wrath　gathered　headway　like　a　great　stone　rolling　down　a　hill；　so　that　at　the　end　he　was　full　of　anger。
  Then　Eric　o'　Lincoln　laughed　aloud。　　〃Well　spoken　for　one　who　fears　to　meet　me　fairly；　man　to　man；〃　said　he。　　〃Saucy　art　thou　thine　own　self；　and　if　thou　puttest　foot　upon　these　boards；　I　will　make　thy　saucy　tongue　rattle　within　thy　teeth！〃
  〃Now；〃　quoth　Little　John；　〃is　there　never　a　man　here　that　will　lend　me　a　good　stout　staff　till　I　try　the　mettle　of　yon　fellow？〃　At　this；　half　a　score　reached　him　their　staves；　and　he　took　the　stoutest　and　heaviest　of　them　all。　　Then；　looking　up　and　down　the　cudgel；　he　said；　〃Now；　I　have　in　my　hand　but　a　splint　of　wooda　barley　straw；　as　it　wereyet　I　trow　it　will　have　to　serve　me；　so　here　goeth。〃　Thereupon　he　cast　the　cudgel　upon　the　stand　and；　leaping　lightly　after　it；　snatched　it　up　in　his　hand　again。
  Then　each　man　stood　in　his　place　and　measured　the　other　with　fell　looks　until　he　that　directed　the　sport　cried；　〃Play！〃　　At　this　they　stepped　forth；　each　grasping　his　staff　tightly　in　the　middle。　Then　those　that　stood　around　saw　the　stoutest　game　of　quarterstaff　that　e'er　Nottingham　Town　beheld。　　At　first　Eric　o'　Lincoln　thought　that　he　would　gain　an　easy　advantage；　so　he　came　forth　as　if　he　would　say；　〃Watch；　good　people；　how　that　I　carve　you　this　cockerel　right　speedily〃；　but　he　presently　found　it　to　be　no　such　speedy　matter。　　Right　deftly　he　struck；　and　with　great　skill　of　fence；　but　he　had　found　his　match　in　Little　John。　　Once；　twice；　thrice；　he　struck；　and　three　times　Little　John　turned　the　blows　to　the　left　hand　and　to　the　right。　Then　quickly　and　with　a　dainty　backhanded　blow；　he　rapped　Eric　beneath　his　guard　so　shrewdly　that　it　made　his　head　ring　again。　Then　Eric　stepped　back　to　gather　his　wits；　while　a　great　shout　went　up　and　all　were　glad　that　Nottingham　had　cracked　Lincoln's　crown；　and　thus　ended　the　first　bout　of　the　game。
  Then　presently　the　director　of　the　sport　cried；　〃Play！〃　and　they　came　together　again；　but　now　Eric　played　warily；　for　he　found　his　man　was　of　right　good　mettle；　and　also　he　had　no　sweet　memory　of　the　blow　that　he　had　got；　so　this　bout　neither　Little　John　nor　the　Lincoln　man　caught　a　stroke　within　his　guard。　　Then；　after　a　while；　they　parted　again；　and　this　made　the　second　bout。
  Then　for　the　third　time　they　came　together；　and　at　first　Eric　strove　to　be　wary；　as　he　had　been　before；　but；　growing　mad　at　finding　himself　so　foiled；　he　lost　his　wits　and　began　to　rain　blows　so　fiercely　and　so　fast　that　they　rattled　like　hail　on　penthouse　roof；　but；　in　spite　of　all；　he　did　not　reach　within　Little　John's　guard。　Then　at　last　Little　John　saw　his　chance　and　seized　it　right　cleverly。　Once　more；　with　a　quick　blow；　he　rapped　Eric　beside　the　head；　and　ere　he　could　regain　himself；　Little　John　slipped　his　right　hand　down　to　his　left　and；　with　a　swinging　blow；　smote　the　other　so　sorely　upon　the　crown　that　down　he　fell　as　though　he　would　never　move　again。
  Then　the　people　shouted　so　loud　that　folk　came　running　from　all　about　to　see　what　was　the　ado；　while　Little　John　leaped　down　from　the　stand　and　gave　the　staff　back　to　him　that　had　lent　it　to　him。　And　thus　ended　the　famous　bout　between　Little　John　and　Eric　o'　Lincoln　of　great　renown。
  But　now　the　time　had　come　when　those　who　were　to　shoot　with　the　longbow　were　to　take　their　places；　so　the　people　began　flocking　to　the　butts　where　the　shooting　was　to　be。　　Near　the　target；　in　a　good　place；　sat　the　Sheriff　upon　a　raised　dais；　with　many　gentlefolk　around　him。　　When　the　archers　had　taken　their　places；　the　herald　came　forward　and　proclaimed　the　rules　of　the　game；　and　how　each　should　shoot　three　shots；　and　to　him　that　should　shoot　the　best　the　prize　of　two　fat　steers　was　to　belong。　A　score　of　brave　shots　were　gathered　there；　and　among　them　some　of　the　keenest　hands　at　the　longbow　in　Lincoln　and　Nottinghamshire；　and　among　them　Little　John　stood　taller　than　all　the　rest。　〃Who　is　yon　stranger　clad　all　in　scarlet？〃　said　some；　and　others　answered；　〃It　is　he　that　hath　but　now　so　soundly　cracked　the　crown　of　Eric