〃An　thou　makest　me　tumble；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃I　will　freely　give　thee　back　thy　fifty　pounds；　but　I　tell　thee；　brother；　if　thou　makest　me　not　feel　grass　all　along　my　back；　I　will　take　every　farthing　thou　hast　for　thy　boastful　speech。〃
  〃So　be　it；〃　said　the　King；　〃I　am　willing　to　venture　it。〃　　Thereupon　he　rolled　up　his　sleeve　and　showed　an　arm　that　made　the　yeomen　stare。　　But　Robin；　with　his　feet　wide　apart；　stood　firmly　planted；　waiting　the　other；　smiling。　Then　the　King　swung　back　his　arm；　and；　balancing　himself　a　moment；　he　delivered　a　buffet　at　Robin　that　fell　like　a　thunderbolt。　　Down　went　Robin　headlong　upon　the　grass；　for　the　stroke　would　have　felled　a　stone　wall。　Then　how　the　yeomen　shouted　with　laughter　till　their　sides　ached；　for　never　had　they　seen　such　a　buffet　given　in　all　their　lives。　As　for　Robin；　he　presently　sat　up　and　looked　all　around　him；　as　though　he　had　dropped　from　a　cloud　and　had　lit　in　a　place　he　had　never　seen　before。　After　a　while；　still　gazing　about　him　at　his　laughing　yeomen；　he　put　his　fingertips　softly　to　his　ear　and　felt　all　around　it　tenderly。　〃Will　Scarlet；〃　said　he；　〃count　this　fellow　out　his　fifty　pounds；　I　want　nothing　more　either　of　his　money　or　of　him。　　A　murrain　seize　him　and　his　buffeting！　　I　would　that　I　had　taken　my　dues　from　thee；　for　I　verily　believe　he　hath　deafened　mine　ear　from　ever　hearing　again。〃
  Then；　while　gusts　of　laughter　still　broke　from　the　band；　Will　Scarlet　counted　out　the　fifty　pounds；　and　the　King　dropped　it　back　into　his　purse　again。　〃I　give　thee　thanks；　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃and　if　ever　thou　shouldst　wish　for　another　box　of　the　ear　to　match　the　one　thou　hast；　come　to　me　and　I　will　fit　thee　with　it　for　nought。〃
  So　spake　the　merry　King；　but；　even　as　he　ended；　there　came　suddenly　the　sound　of　many　voices；　and　out　from　the　covert　burst　Little　John　and　threescore　men；　with　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　in　the　midst。　Across　the　glade　they　came　running；　and；　as　they　came；　Sir　Richard　shouted　to　Robin：　　〃Make　haste；　dear　friend；　gather　thy　band　together　and　come　with　me！　　King　Richard　left　Nottingham　Town　this　very　morning；　and　cometh　to　seek　thee　in　the　woodlands。　I　know　not　how　he　cometh；　for　it　was　but　a　rumor　of　this　that　reached　me；　nevertheless；　I　know　that　it　is　the　truth。　Therefore　hasten　with　all　thy　men；　and　come　to　Castle　Lea；　for　there　thou　mayst　lie　hidden　till　thy　present　danger　passeth。　Who　are　these　strangers　that　thou　hast　with　thee？〃
  〃Why；〃　quoth　merry　Robin；　rising　from　the　grass；　〃these　are　certain　gentle　guests　that　came　with　us　from　the　highroad　over　by　Newstead　Abbey。　　I　know　not　their　names；　but　I　have　become　right　well　acquaint　with　this　lusty　rogue's　palm　this　morning。　Marry；　the　pleasure　of　this　acquaintance　hath　dost　me　a　deaf　ear　and　fifty　pounds　to　boot！〃
  Sir　Richard　looked　keenly　at　the　tall　friar；　who；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　looked　fixedly　back　at　the　knight。　Then　of　a　sudden　Sir　Richard's　cheeks　grew　pale；　for　he　knew　who　it　was　that　he　looked　upon。　　Quickly　he　leaped　from　off　his　horse's　back　and　flung　himself　upon　his　knees　before　the　other。　At　this；　the　King；　seeing　that　Sir　Richard　knew　him；　threw　back　his　cowl；　and　all　the　yeomen　saw　his　face　and　knew　him　also；　for　there　was　not　one　of　them　but　had　been　in　the　crowd　in　the　good　town　of　Nottingham；　and　had　seen　him　riding　side　by　side　with　the　Sheriff。　　Down　they　fell　upon　their　knees；　nor　could　they　say　a　word。　　Then　the　King　looked　all　around　right　grimly；　and；　last　of　all；　his　glance　came　back　and　rested　again　upon　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea。
  〃How　is　this；　Sir　Richard？〃　said　he　sternly。　　〃How　darest　thou　step　between　me　and　these　fellows？　　And　how　darest　thou　offer　thy　knightly　Castle　of　the　Lea　for　a　refuge　to　them？　Wilt　thou　make　it　a　hiding　place　for　the　most　renowned　outlaws　in　England？〃
  Then　Sir　Richard　of　the　Lea　raised　his　eyes　to　the　King's　face。　〃Far　be　it　from　me；〃　said　he；　〃to　do　aught　that　could　bring　Your　Majesty's　anger　upon　me。　　Yet；　sooner　would　I　face　Your　Majesty's　wrath　than　suffer　aught　of　harm　that　I　could　stay　to　fall　upon　Robin　Hood　and　his　band；　for　to　them　I　owe　life；　honor；　everything。　　Should　I；　then；　desert　him　in　his　hour　of　need？〃
  Ere　the　knight　had　done　speaking；　one　of　the　mock　friars　that　stood　near　the　King　came　forward　and　knelt　beside　Sir　Richard；　and　throwing　back　his　cowl　showed　the　face　of　young　Sir　Henry　of　the　Lea。　　Then　Sir　Henry　grasped　his　father's　hand　and　said；　〃Here　kneels　one　who　hath　served　thee　well；　King　Richard；　and；　as　thou　knowest；　hath　stepped　between　thee　and　death　in　Palestine；　yet　do　I　abide　by　my　dear　father；　and　here　I　say　also；　that　I　would　freely　give　shelter　to　this　noble　outlaw；　Robin　Hood；　even　though　it　brought　thy　wrath　upon　me；　for　my　father's　honor　and　my　father's　welfare　are　as　dear　to　me　as　mine　own。〃
  King　Richard　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　kneeling　knights；　and　at　last　the　frown　faded　from　his　brow　and　a　smile　twitched　at　the　corners　of　his　lips。　　〃Marry；　Sir　Richard；〃　quoth　the　King；　〃thou　art　a　bold…spoken　knight；　and　thy　freedom　of　speech　weigheth　not　heavily　against　thee　with　me。　This　young　son　of　thine　taketh　after　his　sire　both　in　boldness　of　speech　and　of　deed；　for；　as　he　sayeth；　he　stepped　one　time　betwixt　me　and　death；　wherefore　I　would　pardon　thee　for　his　sake　even　if　thou　hadst　done　more　than　thou　hast。　Rise　all　of　you；　for　ye　shall　suffer　no　harm　through　me　this　day；　for　it　were　pity　that　a　merry　time　should　end　in　a　manner　as　to　mar　its　joyousness。〃
  Then　all　arose　and　the　King　beckoned　Robin　Hood　to　come　to　him。　〃How　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃is　thine　ear　still　too　deaf　to　hear　me　speak？〃
  〃Mine　ears　would　be　deafened　in　death　ere　they　would　cease　to　hear　Your　Majesty's　voice；〃　said　Robin。　　〃As　for　the　blow　that　Your　Majesty　struck　me；　I　would　say　that　though　my　sins　are　haply　many；　methinks　they　have　been　paid　up　in　full　thereby。〃
  〃Thinkest　thou　so？〃　said　the　King　with　somewhat　of　sternness　in　his　voice。　　〃Now　I　tell　thee　that　but　for　three　things；　to　wit；　my　mercifulness；　my　love　for　a　stout　woodsman；　and　the　loyalty　thou　hast　avowed　for　me；　thine　ears；　mayhap；　might　have　been　more　tightly　closed　than　ever　a　buffet　from　me　could　have　shut　them。　Talk　not　lightly　of　thy　sins；　good　Robin。　　But　come；　look　up。　Thy　danger　is　past；　for　hereby　I　give　thee　and　all　thy　band　free　pardon。　　But；　in　sooth；　I　cannot　let　you　roam　the　forest　as　ye　have　done　in　the　past；　therefore　I　will　take　thee　at　thy　word；　when　thou　didst　say　thou　wouldst　give　thy　service　to　me；　and　thou　shalt　go　back　to　London　with　me。　　We　will　take　that　bold　knave　Little　John　also；　and　likewise　thy　cousin；　Will　Scarlet；　and　thy　minstrel；　Allan　a　Dale。　　As　for　the　rest　of　thy　band；　we　will　take　their　names　and　have　them　duly　recorded　as　royal　rangers；　for　methinks　it　were　wiser　to　have　them　changed　to　law…abiding　caretakers　of　our　deer　in　Sherwood　than　to　leave　them　to　run　at　large　as　outlawed　slayers　thereof。　　But　now　get　a　feast　ready；　I　would　see　how　ye　live　in　the　woodlands。〃
  So　Robin　bade　his　men　make　ready　a　grand　feast。　　Straightway　great　fires　were　kindled　and　burned　brightly；　at　which　savory　things　roasted　sweetly。　While　this　was　going　forward；　the　King　bade　Robin　call　Allan　a　Dale；　for　he　would　hear　him　sing。　　So　word　was　passed　for　Allan；　and　presently　he　came；　bringing　his　harp。
  〃Marry；〃　said　King　Richard；　〃if　thy　singing　match　thy　looks　it　is　fair　enough。　　Prythee；　strike　up　a　ditty　and　let　us　have　a　taste　of　thy　skill。〃
  Then　Allan　touched　his　harp　lightly；　and　all　words　were　hushed　while　he　sang　thus：
  〃　‘_Oh；　where　has　thou　been；　my　daughter？　　　　　　Oh；　where　hast　thou　been　this　day　　　　　　　　　　　Daughter；　my　daughter？'　　‘Oh；　I　have　been　to　the　river's　side；　　Where　the　waters　lie　all　gray　and　wide；　　And　the　gray　sky　broods　o'er　the　leaden　tide；　　　　　　And　the　shrill　wind　sighs　a　straining。'
  〃　‘What　sawest　thou　there；　my　daughter？　　　　　　What　sawest　thou　there　this　day；　　　　　　　　　　　Daughter；　my　daughter？'　　‘Oh；　I　saw　a　boat　come　drifting　nigh；　　Where　the　quivering　rushes　hiss　and　sigh；　　And　the　water　soughs　as　it　gurgles　by；　　　　　　And　the　shrill　wind　sighs　a　straining。'
  〃　‘What　sailed　in　the　boat；　my　daughter？　　　　　　What　sailed　in　the　boat　this　day；　　　　　　　　　　　Daughter；　my　daughter？'　　‘Oh；　there　was　one　all　clad　in　white；　　And　about　his　face　hung　a　pallid　light；　　And　his　eyes　gleamed　sharp　like　the　stars　at　night；　　　　　　And　the　shrill　wind　sighed　a　straining。'
  〃　‘And　what　said　he；　my　daughter？　　　　　　What　said　he　to　thee　this　day；　　　　　　　　　　　Daughter；　my　daughter？'　　‘Oh；　said　he　nought；　but　did　he　this：　　Thrice　on　my　lips　did　he　press　a　kiss；　　And　my　heartstrings　shrunk　with　an　awful　bliss；　　　　　　And　the　shrill　wind　sighed　a　straining；。'
  〃　‘Why　growest　thou　so　cold；　my　daughter？　　　　　　Why　growest　thou　so　cold　and　white；　　　　　　　　　　　Daughter；　my　daughter？'　　Oh；　never　a　word　the　daughter　said；　　But　she　sat　all　straight　with　a　drooping　head；　　For　her　heart　was　stilled　and　her　face　was　dead：　　　　　　And　the　shrill　wind　sighed　a　straining_。〃
  All　listened　in　silence；　and　when　Allan　a　Dale　had　done　King　Richard　heaved　a　sigh。　　〃By　the　breath　of　my　body；　Allan；〃　quoth　he；　〃thou　hast　such　a　wondrous　sweet　voice　that　it　strangely　moves　my　heart。　But　what　doleful　ditty　is　this　for　the　lips　of　a　stout　yeoman？　I　wou