But　now　Robin　Hood　gathered　his　men　together；　and；　with　Allan　and　his　young　bride　in　their　midst；　they　all　turned　their　footsteps　toward　the　woodlands。　　On　the　way　thither　Friar　Tuck　came　close　to　Robin　and　plucked　him　by　the　sleeve。　〃Thou　dost　lead　a　merry　life；　good　master；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　dost　thou　not　think　that　it　would　be　for　the　welfare　of　all　your　souls　to　have　a　good　stout　chaplain；　such　as　I；　to　oversee　holy　matters？　　Truly；　I　do　love　this　life　mightily。〃　At　this　merry　Robin　Hood　laughed　amain；　and　bade　him　stay　and　become　one　of　their　band　if　he　wished。
  That　night　there　was　such　a　feast　held　in　the　greenwood　as　Nottinghamshire　never　saw　before。　　To　that　feast　you　and　I　were　not　bidden；　and　pity　it　is　that　we　were　not；　so；　lest　we　should　both　feel　the　matter　the　more　keenly；　I　will　say　no　more　about　it。
  Robin　Hood　Aids　a　Sorrowful　Knight
  SO　PASSED　the　gentle　springtime　away　in　budding　beauty；　its　silver　showers　and　sunshine；　its　green　meadows　and　its　flowers。　　So；　likewise；　passed　the　summer　with　its　yellow　sunlight；　its　quivering　heat　and　deep；　bosky　foliage；　its　long　twilights　and　its　mellow　nights；　through　which　the　frogs　croaked　and　fairy　folk　were　said　to　be　out　on　the　hillsides。　All　this　had　passed　and　the　time　of　fall　had　come；　bringing　with　it　its　own　pleasures　and　joyousness；　for　now；　when　the　harvest　was　gathered　home；　merry　bands　of　gleaners　roamed　the　country　about；　singing　along　the　roads　in　the　daytime；　and　sleeping　beneath　the　hedgerows　and　the　hay…ricks　at　night。　Now　the　hips　burned　red　in　the　tangled　thickets　and　the　hews　waxed　black　in　the　hedgerows；　the　stubble　lay　all　crisp　and　naked　to　the　sky；　and　the　green　leaves　were　fast　turning　russet　and　brown。　　Also；　at　this　merry　season；　good　things　of　the　year　are　gathered　in　in　great　store。　Brown　ale　lies　ripening　in　the　cellar；　hams　and　bacon　hang　in　the　smoke…shed；　and　crabs　are　stowed　away　in　the　straw　for　roasting　in　the　wintertime；　when　the　north　wind　piles　the　snow　in　drifts　around　the　gables　and　the　fire　crackles　warm　upon　the　hearth。
  So　passed　the　seasons　then；　so　they　pass　now；　and　so　they　will　pass　in　time　to　come；　while　we　come　and　go　like　leaves　of　the　tree　that　fall　and　are　soon　forgotten。
  Quoth　Robin　Hood；　snuffing　the　air；　〃Here　is　a　fair　day；　Little　John；　and　one　that　we　can　ill　waste　in　idleness。　Choose　such　men　as　thou　dost　need；　and　go　thou　east　while　I　will　wend　to　the　west；　and　see　that　each　of　us　bringeth　back　some　goodly　guest　to　dine　this　day　beneath　the　greenwood　tree。〃
  〃Marry；〃　cried　Little　John；　clapping　his　palms　together　for　joy；　〃thy　bidding　fitteth　my　liking　like　heft　to　blade。　I'll　bring　thee　back　a　guest　this　day；　or　come　not　back　mine　own　self。〃
  Then　they　each　chose　such　of　the　band　as　they　wished；　and　so　went　forth　by　different　paths　from　the　forest。
  Now；　you　and　I　cannot　go　two　ways　at　the　same　time　while　we　join　in　these　merry　doings；　so　we　will　e'en　let　Little　John　follow　his　own　path　while　we　tuck　up　our　skirts　and　trudge　after　Robin　Hood。　And　here　is　good　company；　too；　Robin　Hood；　Will　Scarlet；　Allan　a　Dale；　Will　Scathelock；　Midge；　the　Miller's　son；　and　others。　A　score　or　more　of　stout　fellows　had　abided　in　the　forest；　with　Friar　Tuck；　to　make　ready　for　the　homecoming；　but　all　the　rest　were　gone　either　with　Robin　Hood　or　Little　John。
  They　traveled　onward；　Robin　following　his　fancy　and　the　others　following　Robin。　　Now　they　wended　their　way　through　an　open　dale　with　cottage　and　farm　lying　therein；　and　now　again　they　entered　woodlands　once　more。　　Passing　by　fair　Mansfield　Town；　with　its　towers　and　battlements　and　spires　all　smiling　in　the　sun；　they　came　at　last　out　of　the　forest　lands。　　Onward　they　journeyed；　through　highway　and　byway；　through　villages　where　goodwives　and　merry　lasses　peeped　through　the　casements　at　the　fine　show　of　young　men；　until　at　last　they　came　over　beyond　Alverton　in　Derbyshire。　　By　this　time　high　noontide　had　come；　yet　they　had　met　no　guest　such　as　was　worth　their　while　to　take　back　to　Sherwood；　so；　coming　at　last　to　a　certain　spot　where　a　shrine　stood　at　the　crossing　of　two　roads；　Robin　called　upon　them　to　stop；　for　here　on　either　side　was　shelter　of　high　hedgerows；　behind　which　was　good　hiding；　whence　they　could　watch　the　roads　at　their　ease；　while　they　ate　their　midday　meal。　Quoth　merry　Robin；　〃Here；　methinks；　is　good　lodging；　where　peaceful　folk；　such　as　we　be；　can　eat　in　quietness；　therefore　we　will　rest　here；　and　see　what　may；　perchance；　fall　into　our　luck…pot。〃　So　they　crossed　a　stile　and　came　behind　a　hedgerow　where　the　mellow　sunlight　was　bright　and　warm；　and　where　the　grass　was　soft；　and　there　sat　them　down。　Then　each　man　drew　from　the　pouch　that　hung　beside　him　that　which　he　had　brought　to　eat；　for　a　merry　walk　such　as　this　had　been　sharpens　the　appetite　till　it　is　as　keen　as　a　March　wind。　So　no　more　words　were　spoken；　but　each　man　saved　his　teeth　for　better　use　munching　at　brown　crust　and　cold　meat　right　lustily。
  In　front　of　them；　one　of　the　highroads　crawled　up　the　steep　hill　and　then　dipped　suddenly　over　its　crest；　sharp…cut　with　hedgerow　and　shaggy　grass　against　the　sky。　　Over　the　top　of　the　windy　hill　peeped　the　eaves　of　a　few　houses　of　the　village　that　fell　back　into　the　valley　behind；　there；　also；　showed　the　top　of　a　windmill；　the　sails　slowly　rising　and　dipping　from　behind　the　hill　against　the　clear　blue　sky；　as　the　light　wind　moved　them　with　creaking　and　labored　swing。
  So　the　yeomen　lay　behind　the　hedge　and　finished　their　midday　meal；　but　still　the　time　slipped　along　and　no　one　came。　　At　last；　a　man　came　slowly　riding　over　the　hill　and　down　the　stony　road　toward　the　spot　where　Robin　and　his　band　lay　hidden。　He　was　a　good　stout　knight；　but　sorrowful　of　face　and　downcast　of　mien。　　His　clothes　were　plain　and　rich；　but　no　chain　of　gold；　such　as　folk　of　his　stand　in　life　wore　at　most　times；　hung　around　his　neck；　and　no　jewel　was　about　him；　yet　no　one　could　mistake　him　for　aught　but　one　of　proud　and　noble　blood。　His　head　was　bowed　upon　his　breast　and　his　hands　drooped　limp　on　either　side；　and　so　he　came　slowly　riding；　as　though　sunk　in　sad　thoughts；　while　even　his　good　horse；　the　reins　loose　upon　his　neck；　walked　with　hanging　head；　as　though　he　shared　his　master's　grief。
  Quoth　Robin　Hood；　〃Yon　is　verily　a　sorry…looking　gallant；　and　doth　seem　to　have　donned　ill…content　with　his　jerkin　this　morning；　nevertheless；　I　will　out　and　talk　with　him；　for　there　may　be　some　pickings　here　for　a　hungry　daw。　Methinks　his　dress　is　rich；　though　he　himself　is　so　downcast。　Bide　ye　here　till　I　look　into　this　matter。〃　　So　saying；　he　arose　and　left　them；　crossed　the　road　to　the　shrine；　and　there　stood；　waiting　for　the　sorrowful　knight　to　come　near　him。　So；　presently；　when　the　knight　came　riding　slowly　along；　jolly　Robin　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　bridle　rein。　〃Hold；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　he。　　〃I　prythee　tarry　for　a　short　time；　for　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　thee。〃
  〃What　art　thou；　friend；　who　dost　stop　a　traveler　in　this　manner　upon　his　most　gracious　Majesty's　highway？〃　said　the　Knight。
  〃Marry；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃that　is　a　question　hard　to　answer。　One　man　calleth　me　kind；　another　calleth　me　cruel；　this　one　calleth　me　good　honest　fellow；　and　that　one；　vile　thief。　Truly；　the　world　hath　as　many　eyes　to　look　upon　a　man　withal　as　there　are　spots　on　a　toad；　so；　with　what　pair　of　eyes　thou　regardest　me　lieth　entirely　with　thine　own　self。　My　name　is　Robin　Hood。〃
  〃Truly；　good　Robin；〃　said　the　Knight；　a　smile　twitching　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　〃thou　hast　a　quaint　conceit。　As　for　the　pair　of　eyes　with　which　I　regard　thee；　I　would　say　that　they　are　as　favorable　as　may　be；　for　I　hear　much　good　of　thee　and　little　ill。　　What　is　thy　will　of　me？〃
  〃Now；　I　make　my　vow；　Sir　Knight；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　hast　surely　learned　thy　wisdom　of　good　Gaffer　Swanthold；　for　he　sayeth；　‘Fair　words　are　as　easy　spoke　as　foul；　and　bring　good　will　in　the　stead　of　blows。'　Now　I　will　show　thee　the　truth　of　this　saying；　for；　if　thou　wilt　go　with　me　this　day　to　Sherwood　Forest；　I　will　give　thee　as　merry　a　feast　as　ever　thou　hadst　in　all　thy　life。〃
  〃Thou　art　indeed　kind；〃　said　the　Knight；　〃but　methinks　thou　wilt　find　me　but　an　ill…seeming　and　sorrowful　guest。　Thou　hadst　best　let　me　pass　on　my　way　in　peace。〃
  〃Nay；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃thou　mightst　go　thine　own　way　but　for　one　thing；　and　that　I　will　tell　thee。　　We　keep　an　inn；　as　it　were；　in　the　very　depths　of　Sherwood；　but　so　far　from　highroads　and　beaten　paths　that　guests　do　not　often　come　nigh　us；　so　I　and　my　friends　set　off　merrily　and　seek　them　when　we　grow　dull　of　ourselves。　Thus　the　matter　stands；　Sir　Knight；　yet　I　will　furthermore　tell　thee　that　we　count　upon　our　guests　paying　a　reckoning。〃
  〃I　take　thy　meaning；　friend；〃　said　the　Knight　gravely；　〃but　I　am　not　thy　man；　for　I　have　no　money　by　me。〃
  〃Is　it　sooth？〃　said　Robin；　looking　at　the　Knight　keenly。　　〃I　can　scarce　choose　but　believe　thee；　yet；　Sir　Knight；　there　be　those　of　thy　order　whose　word　is　not　to　be　trusted　as　much　as　they　would　have　others　believe。　Thou　wilt　think　no　ill　if　I　look　for　myself　in　this　matter。〃　Then；　still　holding　the　horse　by　the　bridle　rein；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　blew　a　shrill　whistle；　whereupon　fourscore　yeomen　came　leaping　over　the　st