Приключения Робин Гуда
Little John Turns Barefoot Friar
"Sosaying,hetwirledhisstoutstafftillitwhistledagain.
Atthisspeechbothfriarsgrewaspaleasdough.DownslippedthefatBrotherfromoffhishorseononeside,anddownslippedtheleanBrotherontheother.
"Now,brothers,downonyourkneesandpray,"saidLittleJohn;thereupon,puttinghisheavyhandsupontheshoulderofeach,heforcedthemtotheirknees,hekneelingalso.ThenLittleJohnbegantobeseechSaintDunstanformoney,whichhedidinagreatloudvoice.AfterhehadsobesoughttheSaintforatime,hebadethefriarsfeelintheirpouchesandseeiftheSainthadsentthemanything;soeachputhishandslowlyinthepouchthathungbesidehim,butbroughtnothingthence.
"Ha!"quothLittleJohn,"haveyourprayerssolittlevirtue?Thenletusatitagain."ThenstraightwayhebegancallingonSaintDunstanagain,somewhatinthiswise:"OgraciousSaintDunstan!Sendsomemoneystraightwaytothesepoorfolk,lestthefatonewasteawayandgrowasleanastheleanone,andtheleanonewasteawaytonothingatall,eretheygettoLincolnTown;butsendthemonlytenshillingsapiece,lesttheygrowpuffedupwithpride,Anymorethanthatthatthousendest,sendtome.
"Now,"quothhe,rising,"letusseewhateachmanhath."Thenhethrusthishandintohispouchanddrewthencefourgoldenangels."Whathaveye,brothers?"saidhe.