After the King had gone, all the yeomen of the archer guard came
crowding around Robin, and Little John, and Will, and Allan, to snatch a
look at these famous fellows from the mid-country; and with them came
many that had been onlookers at the sport, for the same purpose. Thus
it happened presently that the yeomen, to whom Gilbert stood talking,
were all surrounded by a crowd of people that formed a ring about them.
After a while the three judges that had the giving away of the prizes
came forward, and the chief of them all spake to Robin and said,
"According to agreement, the first prize belongeth rightly to thee; so
here I give thee the silver bugle, here the quiver of ten golden arrows,
and here a purse of twoscore and ten golden pounds." And as he spake he
handed those things to Robin, and then turned to Little John. "To
thee," he said, "belongeth the second prize, to wit, fivescore of the
finest harts that run on Dallen Lea. Thou mayest shoot them whensoever
thou dost list." Last of all he turned to stout Hubert. "Thou," said
he, "hast held thine own against the yeomen with whom thou didst shoot,
and so thou hast kept the prize duly thine, to wit, two tuns of good
Rhenish wine.
Pages:
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405