“Robin Hood intercepted the intended blow, and fought skillfully with his
fiery and more athletic antagonist, who poured down an incessant shower
of strokes upon him. Once the bold outlaw fell; but recovering himself
sufficiently to place a foot upon the earth, he thrust his sword at the
ranger, and as he drew back to avoid it, Robin Hood sprung up, and with
one sudden back-handed stroke slew poor Guy of Gisborne upon the spot.
He immediately stripped off the hide from the dead man, upon whom he put
his own green mantle; and then taking his unfortunate opponent’s bow and
arrows and bugle-horn, he drew him into a thicket, and darted off swiftly
to assist his men.
“In the mean while the sheriff of Nottingham and his attendants had
pushed their way through the woods to Barnesdale, where they had been
informed the outlaw was lying.
“The bold foresters, ever on the alert, heard the unusual sound of the
tramp of armed men, and with their bugles gave notice to each other of
the danger. Little John had been in pursuit of a fat doe, which he was
bringing home upon his shoulders, when the warning sounded upon his ears.
Concealing his booty among the underwood, he bounded through the forest
to the scene of danger, where he found that Will Stutely and many of
his comrades were urging their utmost speed to escape from some of the
sheriff’s men, and two bold foresters lying dead upon the grass. Little
John’s wrath was kindled. Forgetful of the imprudence of the action, he
drew his bow, and let fly an arrow at the cause of this mischief, but
the treacherous weapon brake in his hand, and the shaft flew wide of the
sheriff, but striking one of his followers stretched him lifeless upon
the turf.
“Left almost defenceless by the loss of his bow, Little John could make
but a poor resistance to the crowd of men who instantly surrounded him.
By the sheriff’s order he was bound hand and foot, and tied to a young
oak, receiving at the same time a promise that so soon as more of his
comrades were taken he should with them be hanged on the highest tree in
Barnesdale. Just then a loud blast from a bugle rang through the wood.
“‘Here comes good Guy of Gisborne,’ quoth the sheriff; ‘and by his blast
I know that he hath slain that bold knave, Robin Hood. Come hither, good
Guy,’ he continued as the outlaw appeared, effectually concealed in the
yeoman’s clothing. ‘What reward wilt thou have of me?’
“‘I must finish my work first, good master sheriff,’ replied the
disguised hero. ‘I’ve slain the master, and now I must kill the knave;
but ’twere cruel ere he has confessed his sins.’
“‘Thou’rt a pretty fellow truly to turn father-confessor,’ replied the
sheriff; ‘but go, do as thou list, only be quick about it.’
“The outlaw stepped to the side of Little John,—who had easily recognised
his beloved master’s voice,—and pretended to listen attentively to what
the poor captive might be saying, but drawing his dagger, he gently cut
the cords that bound his comrade, and gave him the bow and arrow that he
had taken from Guy of Gisborne.
“Robin Hood then placed his own bugle to his lips and sounded a
peculiarly shrill blast, that rung in the sheriff’s ears as a death
knell, so well did he remember the sound. The two outlaws were quickly
supported by a band of sixty foresters, who had collected together, and
all drew their bows at once against the intruders. A dense flight of
arrows fell upon them. Those who were not too badly wounded immediately
set spurs to their horses, or took to their heels in the most abrupt
confusion. One poor forester, Will Stutely, they bore off with them.
Robin Hood and his men pursued, and it was not till they had got half
way on their road back to Nottingham that the defeated sheriff and his
attendants drew rein.