The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood | Page 9

Do but wait till I get my bag and
hammer, and my cudgel. Ay, let' me but meet this same Robin Hood,
and let me see whether he will not mind the King's warrant." So, after
having paid their score, the messenger, with the Tinker striding beside
his nag, started back to Nottingham again.
One bright morning soon after this time, Robin Hood started off to
Nottingham Town to find what was a-doing there, walking merrily
along the roadside where the grass was sweet with daisies, his eyes
wandering and his thoughts also. His bugle horn hung at his hip and his
bow and arrows at his back, while in his hand he bore a good stout
oaken staff, which he twirled with his fingers as he strolled along.
As thus he walked down a shady lane he saw a tinker coming, trolling a
merry song as he drew nigh. On his back hung his bag and his hammer,
and in his hand he carried a right stout crabstaff full six feet long, and
thus sang he: "In peascod time, when hound to horn Gives ear till buck
be killed, And little lads with pipes of corn Sit keeping beasts afield--"
"Halloa, good friend!" cried Robin.
"I WENT TO GATHER STRAWBERRIES--"

"Halloa!" cried Robin again.
"BY WOODS AND GROVES FULL FAIR--"
"Halloa! Art thou deaf, man? Good friend, say I!"
"And who art thou dost so boldly check a fair song?" quoth the Tinker,
stopping in his singing. "Halloa, shine own self, whether thou be good
friend or no. But let me tell thee, thou stout fellow, gin thou be a good
friend it were well for us both; but gin thou be no good friend it were ill
for thee."
"And whence comest thou, my lusty blade?" quoth Robin.
"I come from Banbury," answered the Tinker.
"Alas!" quoth Robin, "I hear there is sad news this merry morn."
"Ha! Is it indeed so?" cried the Tinker eagerly. "Prythee tell it speedily,
for I am a tinker by trade, as thou seest, and as I am in my trade I am
greedy for news, even as a priest is greedy for farthings."
"Well then," quoth Robin, "list thou and I will tell, but bear thyself up
bravely, for the news is sad, I wot. Thus it is: I hear that two tinkers are
in the stocks for drinking ale and beer!"
"Now a murrain seize thee and thy news, thou scurvy dog," quoth the
Tinker, "for thou speakest but ill of good men. But sad news it is indeed,
gin there be two stout fellows in the stocks."
"Nay," said Robin, "thou hast missed the mark and dost but weep for
the wrong sow. The sadness of the news lieth in that there be but two in
the stocks, for the others do roam the country at large."
"Now by the pewter platter of Saint Dunstan," cried the Tinker, "I have
a good part of a mind to baste thy hide for thine ill jest. But gin men be
put in the stocks for drinking ale and beer, I trow thou wouldst not lose
thy part."

Loud laughed Robin and cried, "Now well taken, Tinker, well taken!
Why, thy wits are like beer, and do froth up most when they grow sour!
But right art thou, man, for I love ale and beer right well. Therefore
come straightway with me hard by to the Sign of the Blue Boar, and if
thou drinkest as thou appearest--and I wot thou wilt not belie thy
looks--I will drench thy throat with as good homebrewed as ever was
tapped in all broad Nottinghamshire."
"Now by my faith," said the Tinker, "thou art a right good fellow in
spite of thy scurvy jests. I love thee, my sweet chuck, and gin I go not
with thee to that same Blue Boar thou mayst call me a heathen."
"Tell me thy news, good friend, I prythee," quoth Robin as they trudged
along together, "for tinkers, I ween, are all as full of news as an egg of
meat."
"Now I love thee as my brother, my bully blade," said the Tinker, "else
I would not tell thee my news; for sly am I, man, and I have in hand a
grave undertaking that doth call for all my wits, for I come to seek a
bold outlaw that men, hereabouts, call Robin Hood. Within my pouch I
have a warrant, all fairly written out on parchment, forsooth, with a
great red seal for to make it lawful. Could I but meet this same Robin
Hood I would serve it upon his dainty body, and if he minded it not I
would beat him till every one of his ribs would cry Amen. But thou
livest hereabouts, mayhap