"
At this another great shout went up, and many tossed their caps aloft,
and swore among themselves that no better fellows ever walked the sod
than Robin Hood and his stout yeomen.
While they so shouted with loud voices, a tall burly yeoman of the
King's guard came forward and plucked Robin by the sleeve. "Good
master," quoth he, "I have somewhat to tell thee in thine ear; a silly
thing, God wot, for one stout yeoman to tell another; but a young
peacock of a page, one Richard Partington, was seeking thee without
avail in the crowd, and, not being able to find thee, told me that he
bore a message to thee from a certain lady that thou wottest of. This
message he bade me tell thee privily, word for word, and thus it was.
Let me see--I trust I have forgot it not--yea, thus it was: 'The lion
growls. Beware thy head.'"
"Is it so?" quoth Robin, starting; for he knew right well that it was
the Queen sent the message, and that she spake of the King's wrath.
"Now, I thank thee, good fellow, for thou hast done me greater service
than thou knowest of this day." Then he called his three yeomen
together and told them privately that they had best be jogging, as it
was like to be ill for them so nigh merry London Town.
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