Приключения Робин Гуда
How Robin Hood Came to Be an Outlaw
"Givemethyhand,"criedhe,whenhehadreachedthebank."Imustneedsownthouartabraveandasturdysouland,withal,agoodstoutstrokewiththecudgels.Bythisandbythat,myheadhummethliketoahiveofbeesonahotJuneday."
Thenheclappedhishorntohislipsandwindedablastthatwentechoingsweetlydowntheforestpaths."Ay,marry,"quothheagain,"thouartatalllad,andekeabraveone,forne’er,Ibow,isthereamanbetwixthereandCanterburyTowncoulddotheliketomethatthouhastdone."
"Andthou,"quoththestranger,laughing,"takestthycudgelinglikeabraveheartandastoutyeoman."
Butnowthedistanttwigsandbranchesrustledwiththecomingofmen,andsuddenlyascoreortwoofgoodstoutyeomen,allcladinLincolngreen,burstfromoutthecovert,withmerryWillStutelyattheirhead.
"Goodmaster,"criedWill,"howisthis?Trulythouartallwetfromheadtofoot,andthattotheveryskin."
"Why,marry,"answeredjollyRobin,"yonstoutfellowhathtumbledmeneckandcropintothewaterandhathgivenmeadrubbingbeside."
"Thenshallhenotgowithoutaduckingandekeadrubbinghimself!"criedWillStutely."Haveathim,lads!"
ThenWillandascoreofyeomenleapeduponthestranger,butthoughtheysprangquicklytheyfoundhimreadyandfelthimstrikerightandleftwithhisstoutstaff,sothat,thoughhewentdownwithpressofnumbers,someofthemrubbedcrackedcrownsbeforehewasovercome.
"Nay,forbear!"criedRobin,laughinguntilhissoresidesachedagain."Heisarightgoodmanandtrue,andnoharmshallbefallhim.
