'Have you any green cloth,' asked the King, 'that you could sell to
me?' and Robin brought out thirty yards and more, and clad the King
and his men in coats of Lincoln green. 'Now we will all ride to
Nottingham,' said he, and they went merrily, shooting by the way.
The people of Nottingham saw them coming, and trembled as they watched
the dark mass of Lincoln green drawing near over the fields. 'I fear
lest our King be slain,' whispered one to another, 'and if Robin Hood
gets into the town there is not one of us whose life is safe'; and
every man, woman, and child made ready to fly.
The King laughed out when he saw their fright, and called them back.
Right glad were they to hear his voice, and they feasted and made
merry. A few days later the King returned to London, and Robin dwelt
in his Court for twelve months. By that time he had spent a hundred
pounds, for he gave largely to the Knights and Squires he met, and
great renown he had for his open-handedness.
But his men, who had been born under the shadow of the forest, could
not live amid streets and houses. One by one they slipped away, till
only Little John and Will Scarlett were left. Then Robin himself grew
home-sick, and at the sight of some young men shooting thought upon
the time when he was accounted the best archer in all England, and
went straightway to the King and begged for leave to go on a
pilgrimage to Bernisdale.
'I may not say you nay,' answered the King, 'seven nights you may be
gone and no more.' And Robin thanked him, and that evening set out for
the greenwood.
It was early morning when he reached it at last, and listened
thirstily to the notes of singing birds, great and small.
'It seems long since I was here,' he said to himself; 'it would give
me great joy if I could bring down a deer once more'; and he shot a
great hart, and blew his horn, and all the outlaws of the forest came
flocking round him. 'Welcome,' they said, 'our dear master, back to
the greenwood tree,' and they threw off their caps and fell on their
knees before him in delight at his return.