Young Robin Hood | Page 6

baby.]
"Hullo, giant!" cried the big man, "who are you?" And the party of men
with him, armed with long bows and arrows, began to laugh merrily.
"Let me go--let me go!" cried the boy, struggling angrily.
"Steady, steady, my little Cock Robin," said the man, in his big bluff
way; "don't fight, or you'll ruffle your feathers."
The boy ceased struggling directly.
"How did you know my name was Robin?" he said.
"Guessed it, little one. There, I shan't hurt you. Where do you come
from?"
"Ellton," said the boy.
"But what are you doing here in the forest?"
"You came and fought David, and frightened him and the men away,
and those are our mules and the cloth."
Robin stopped short, for the big man broke out into a loud whistle, and
then laughed.
"Oh, that's it, is it?" he said; "and so your name's Robin, is it?"
The little fellow nodded. "Yes," he said. "What's yours?"
"John," said the great fellow, laughing heartily; "and they call me little
because I'm so big. What do you think of that?"

"I think it's very stupid," said the boy. "I thought you must be Robin
Hood."
"Then you thought wrong. But if you thought that this one was you
would be right. Here he comes." The boy looked in wonder at a tall
man who looked short beside Little John, as he came up in coat of
green with brown belt, a sword by his side, quiver of arrows hung on
his back, and longbow in his hand.
"What woodland bird have you got here, John?" he said. And the boy
saw that he smiled pleasantly and did not look fierce or threatening.
"A young Robin," said the big fellow; "part of yesterday's plunder."
"I want to find my way home," said the boy. "Will you please show
me?"
"But you did not come here into the forest in shirt and hose, did you,
my little man?" said the great outlaw.
"No; someone took my cap and doublet away, sir."
Robin Hood frowned.
"Who was it?" he cried angrily. "Find out, John, and he shall have a
bowstring about his back. Point out the man who stripped you, my little
lad," he continued, turning to the boy.
"It wasn't a man," said the little fellow, "but a boy who minds pigs."
"What, a young swineherd!" cried the outlaw, laughing. "Why did you
let him? Why didn't you fight for your clothes like a man?"
"I did," said young Robin stoutly; "but he was so big, he knocked me
down and sat upon me."
"Oh! that makes all the difference. How big was he--big as this man?"
Young Robin glanced at the giant who had caught him, and shook his

head.
"No," he said; "not half, so big as he is. But he was stronger than I am."
"So I suppose. Well, bring him along. Little John, and let's see if the
women can find him some clothes and a cap. You would like
something more to wear, wouldn't you?"
"I should like something to eat,"' said the boy sadly. "I have not had
anything since breakfast."
"That's not so very long," said Robin Hood. "We have not had anything
since breakfast."
"But I mean since breakfast yesterday," said young Robin piteously.
"What!" cried Little John. "Why, the poor boy's starved. But we can
soon mend that. Come here!"
Young Robin's first movement was to shrink from the big fellow, but
he smiled down in such a bluff, amiable way, that the boy gave him his
hands, and in an instant he was swung up and sitting six feet in the air
upon the great fellow's shoulder, and then rode off to an open-fronted
shed-like place thatched with reeds, Robin Hood, with his bow over his
shoulder, walking by the side.
"Here, Marian," cried the outlaw, and young Robin's heart gave a throb
and he made a movement to get down to go to the sweet-faced woman
who came hurriedly out, wide-eyed and wondering, in her green kirtle,
her long soft naturally curling hair rippling down her back, but
confined round her brow by a plain silver band in which a few
woodland flowers were placed.
"Oh! Robin," she cried, flushing with pleasure; "who is this?"
"It is some one for you to take care of," said the outlaw, who smiled at
the bright look in the girl's face. "He is both hungry and tired, and his
people ran away and left him alone in the forest."

"Oh, my dear!" she cried, as Little John lightly jumped the boy down at
her feet. "Come along."
Young Robin put his hand in hers and gave her a look full of trust and
confidence, before turning to the two men, for all his troubles seemed
over