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Then Will and a score of yeomen leaped upon the stranger；
but though they sprang quickly they found him ready and felt
him strike right and left with his stout staff； so that；
though he went down with press of numbers； some of them rubbed
cracked crowns before he was overcome。
〃Nay； forbear！〃 cried Robin； laughing until his sore sides ached again。
〃He is a right good man and true； and no harm shall befall him。
Now hark ye； good youth； wilt thou stay with me and be one of my band？
Three suits of Lincoln green shalt thou have each year； beside forty
marks in fee； and share with us whatsoever good shall befall us。
Thou shalt eat sweet venison and quaff the stoutest ale； and mine own
good right…hand man shalt thou be； for never did I see such a cudgel player
in all my life before。 Speak！ Wilt thou be one of my good merry men？〃
〃That know I not；〃 quoth the stranger surlily； for he was angry at being
so tumbled about。 〃If ye handle yew bow and apple shaft no better than ye
do oaken cudgel； I wot ye are not fit to be called yeomen in my country；
but if there be any man here that can shoot a better shaft than I；
then will I bethink me of joining with you。〃
〃Now by my faith；〃 said Robin； 〃thou art a right saucy varlet； sirrah；
yet I will stoop to thee as I never stooped to man before。
Good Stutely； cut thou a fair white piece of bark four fingers
in breadth； and set it fourscore yards distant on yonder oak。
Now； stranger； hit that fairly with a gray goose shaft and call
thyself an archer。〃
〃Ay； marry； that will I；〃 answered he。 〃Give me a good stout bow
and a fair broad arrow； and if I hit it not； strip me and beat me
blue with bowstrings。〃
Then he chose the stoutest bow among them all； next to Robin's own；
and a straight gray goose shaft； well…feathered and smooth；
and stepping to the markwhile all the band； sitting or lying
upon the greensward； watched to see him shoothe drew the arrow
to his cheek and loosed the shaft right deftly； sending it so
straight down the path that it clove the mark in the very center。
〃Aha！〃 cried he； 〃mend thou that if thou canst〃； while even
the yeomen clapped their hands at so fair a shot。
〃That is a keen shot indeed；〃 quoth Robin。 〃Mend it I cannot；
but mar it I may； perhaps。〃
Then taking up his own good stout bow and nocking an arrow with care；
he shot with his very greatest skill。 Straight flew the arrow； and so true
that it lit fairly upon the stranger's shaft and split it into splinters。
Then all the yeomen leaped to their feet and shouted for joy that their
master had shot so well。
〃Now by the lusty yew bow of good Saint Withold；〃 cried the stranger；
〃that is a shot indeed； and never saw I the like in all my life before！
Now truly will I be thy man henceforth and for aye。 Good Adam Bell＇1＇
was a fair shot； but never shot he so！〃
＇1＇ Adam Bell； Clym o' the Clough； and William of Cloudesly
were three noted north…country bowmen whose names have been
celebrated in many ballads of the olden time。
〃Then have I gained a right good man this day；〃 quoth jolly Robin。 〃What name
goest thou by； good fellow？〃
〃Men call me John Little whence I came；〃 answered the stranger。
Then Will Stutely； who loved a good jest； spoke up。
〃Nay； fair little stranger；〃 said he； 〃I like not thy name
and fain would I have it otherwise。 Little art thou indeed；
and small of bone and sinew； therefore shalt thou be christened
Little John； and I will be thy godfather。〃
Then Robin Hood and all his band laughed aloud until the stranger
began to grow angry。
〃An thou make a jest of me；〃 quoth he to Will Stutely； 〃thou wilt
have sore bones and little pay； and that in short season。〃
〃Nay； good friend；〃 said Robin Hood； 〃bottle thine anger；
for the name fitteth thee well。 Little John shall thou
be called henceforth； and Little John shall it be。
So come； my merry men； we will prepare a christening feast
for this fair infant。〃
So turning their backs upon the stream； they plunged into the forest
once more； through which they traced their steps till they reached
the spot where they dwelled in the depths of the woodland。
There had they built huts of bark and branches of trees； and made
couches of sweet rushes spread over with skins of fallow deer。
Here stood a great oak tree with branches spreading broadly around；
beneath which was a seat of green moss where Robin Hood was wont
to sit at feast and at merrymaking with his stout men about him。
Here they found the rest of the band； some of whom had come in with
a brace of fat does。 Then they all built great fires and after
a time roasted the does and broached a barrel of humming ale。
Then when the feast was ready they all sat down； but Robin placed
Little John at his right hand； for he was henceforth to be the second
in the band。
Then when the feast was done Will Stutely spoke up。 〃It is now time；
I ween； to christen our bonny babe； is it not so； merry boys？〃
And 〃Aye！ Aye！〃 cried all； laughing till the woods echoed
with their mirth。
〃Then seven sponsors shall we have；〃 quoth Will Stutely；
and hunting among all the band； he chose the seven stoutest
men of them all。
〃Now by Saint Dunstan；〃 cried Little John； springing to his feet；
〃more than one of you shall rue it an you lay finger upon me。〃
But without a word they all ran upon him at once； seizing him by his
legs and arms and holding him tightly in spite of his struggles；
and they bore him forth while all stood around to see the sport。
Then one came forward who had been chosen to play the priest because
he had a bald crown； and in his hand he carried a brimming pot of ale。
〃Now； who bringeth this babe？〃 asked he right soberly。
〃That do I；〃 answered Will Stutely。
〃And what name callest thou him？〃
〃Little John call I him。〃
〃Now Little John；〃 quoth the mock priest； 〃thou hast not lived heretofore； but
only got thee along through the world； but henceforth thou wilt live indeed。
When thou livedst not thou wast called John Little； but now that thou
dost live indeed； Little John shalt thou be called； so christen I thee。〃
And at these last words he emptied the pot of ale upon Little John's head。
Then all shouted with laughter as they saw the good brown ale
stream over Little John's beard and trickle from his nose
and chin； while his eyes blinked with the smart of it。
At first he was of a mind to be angry but found he could not；
because the others were so merry； so he； too； laughed with the rest。
Then Robin took this sweet； pretty babe； clothed him all anew
from top to toe in Lincoln green； and gave him a good stout bow；
and so made him a member of the merry band。
And thus it was that Robin Hood became outlawed； thus a band
of merry companions gathered about him； and thus he gained
his right…hand man； Little John； and so the prologue ends。
And now I will tell how the Sheriff of Nottingham three times
sought to take Robin Hood； and how he failed each time。
Robin Hood and the Tinker
Now it was told before how two hundred pounds were set upon
Robin Hood's head； and how the Sheriff of Nottingham swore that
he himself would seize Robin； both because he would fain have the