"
"But thou gentle, merry spirit," quoth Robin, "dost thou not think that
mayhap this same Robin Hood may be the better man of the two? I know him
right well, and many think that he is one of the stoutest men
hereabouts."
"He may be the stoutest of men hereabouts," quoth Guy of Gisbourne,
"yet, I tell thee, fellow, this sty of yours is not the wide world. I
lay my life upon it I am the better man of the two. He an outlaw,
forsooth! Why, I hear that he hath never let blood in all his life,
saving when he first came to the forest. Some call him a great archer;
marry, I would not be afraid to stand against him all the days of the
year with a bow in my hand."
"Why, truly, some folk do call him a great archer," said Robin Hood,
"but we of Nottinghamshire are famous hands with the longbow. Even I,
though but a simple hand at the craft, would not fear to try a bout with
thee."
At these words Guy of Gisbourne looked upon Robin with wondering eyes,
and then gave another roar of laughter till the woods rang. "Now," quoth
he, "thou art a bold fellow to talk to me in this way.
Pages:
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449