In this wise they journeyed along, and everyone they met stopped and
looked after them, laughing, for never had anybody seen such a merry
sight as this tall, strapping Gray Friar, with robes all too short for
him, laden with eggs, and tramping the road with three pretty lasses.
For this Little John cared not a whit, but when such folks gave jesting
words to him he answered back as merrily, speech for speech.
So they stepped along toward Tuxford, chatting and laughing, until they
came nigh to the town. Here Little John stopped and set down the
baskets, for he did not care to go into the town lest he should,
perchance, meet some of the Sheriff's men. "Alas! sweet chucks," quoth
he, "here I must leave you. I had not thought to come this way, but I am
glad that I did so. Now, ere we part, we must drink sweet friendship."
So saying, he unslung the leathern pottle from the end of his staff,
and, drawing the stopper therefrom, he handed it to the lass who had
carried his staff, first wiping the mouth of the pottle upon his sleeve.
Then each lass took a fair drink of what was within, and when it had
passed all around, Little John finished what was left, so that not
another drop could be squeezed from it.
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