Young Robin Hood | Page 9

is very wonderful for you to stand so far off and
shoot like that."
"Were you, now?" said Little John. "Well, it is not wonderful at all. If
you keep on trying for years you will be able to do it quite as well. I'll

teach you. Shall I?"
"I should like you to," said Robin, shaking his head; "but I can't stop
here. I must go home to my father."
"Oh! must you?" said Little John. "Go home to your father and mother,
eh?"
Robin shook his head.
"No," he said; "my mother's dead, and I live sometimes with father and
sometimes with aunt. I am going home to father now, as soon as you
show me the way. When are you going to show me?"
Little John screwed up his face till it was full of wrinkles. "Ah," he said,
"I don't know. You must ask the captain."
"Who is the captain?" said the boy.
"Eh? Why, Robin Hood, of course. But I wouldn't ask him just yet."
"Why not?"
"Eh? Why not? Because it might be awkward. You see, it's a long way,
and you couldn't go by yourself."
"Well, you could show me," said young Robin. "You would, wouldn't
you?"
"I would if I could," said Little John; "but I'm afraid I couldn't."
"Oh! you could, I'm sure," said young Robin. "You're so big."
"Oh! yes, I'm big enough," said Little John, laughing; "but if I were to
take you home your father would not let me come back again; and
besides, the captain would not let me go for fear that I should be
killed."
"Killed?" said the boy, staring at his big companion.

"Why, who would kill you?"
"Your father, perhaps."
"What, for being kind to me?"
"I can't explain all these things to you, mite. Here's someone coming.
Let's ask him. Hi! Captain! Young squire wants me to take him home."
Robin Hood, who had just caught sight of the pair and come up, smiled
and shook his head.
"Not yet, little one," he said. "I can't spare big Little John. Why, aren't
you happy here in the merry greenwood under the trees? I thought you
liked us."
"So I do," said young Robin, "and I should like to stay ever so long and
watch the deer and the birds, and learn to shoot with my bow and
arrows."
"That's right. Well said, little one," cried Robin Hood, patting the boy
on the head.
"But I'm afraid that my father will be very cross if I don't try to go
home."
"Then try and make yourself happy, my boy," said Robin Hood, "for
you have tried hard to go home, and you cannot go."
"Why?" said young Robin.
"For a dozen reasons," said the outlaw, smiling. "Here are some: you
could not find your way; you would starve to death in the forest; you
might meet people who would behave worse to you than the young
swineherd, or encounter wild beasts; then, biggest reason of all: I will
not let you go."
Young Robin was silent for a moment or two, and then he said quickly:

"You might tell Little John to take me home. My father would be so
glad to see him."
Robin Hood and the big fellow just named looked at one another and
laughed.
"Yes," said Robin Hood, patting the boy on the shoulder, "now that's
just it. Your father, the Sheriff, would be so glad to see Little John that
he would keep him altogether; and I can't spare him."
"I don't think my father would be so unkind," said Robin.
"But I am sure he would, little man," said the outlaw. "He'd be so glad
to get him that he would spoil him. Eh, John? What do you think?"
"Ay, that he would," said Little John, shaking his head. "He'd be sure to
spoil me. He'd cut me shorter, perhaps, or else hang me up for an
ornament. No, my little man, I couldn't take you home."
"There," said the outlaw, smiling; "you must wait, my boy. Try and be
contented as you are. Maid Marian's very kind to you, is she not?"
"Oh! yes," cried the boy, with his face lighting up, "and that's why I
don't want to go."
"Hullo!" growled Little John. "Why, you said just now that you did
want to go!" "Did I?" said the boy thoughtfully.
"To be sure you did. What do you mean."
"I mean," said the boy, looking wistfully from one to the other, "that I
feel as if I ought to go home, but I think I should like to stay."
"Hurrah!" cried Little John, taking off and waving his hat. "Hear that,
captain? You've got another to add to your merry men. Young Robin
and I make a capital