Upon the next evening that we met together I found my school-fellows
waiting for me under the old tree, and taking my usual seat, I
immediately began:—
“Many a gay meadow bedecked with daisies and buttercups stretches its
verdant surface by the banks of the fair river Trent; and many a wood
filled with merry birds lines its brink so closely that the pendent
branches of the trees lave themselves in its transparent waters. It was
upon the evening of a lovely day in spring, when every flower looked
fresh and beautiful, and the early leaves of the forest shone in their
brightest green tint, that a party of young men emerging upon one of
these meadows from the surrounding woods, began to amuse themselves in
the athletic exercises in which our forefathers so much delighted.
Some of them struck slight branches into the earth, and placing a pole
transversely upon them, leaped over it at nearly their own height from
the ground. Presently a signal was given, and four or five youths bounded
across the lawn with the speed of young stags, vieing with each other in
the first attainment of the solitary elm that graced the centre of the
meadow. High swelled the bosom of the victor as, breathless and panting,
he received the reward of his achievement, perhaps a new scarlet cap, or
a bright new girdle, and proud was he to know that the chief to whom he
had sworn allegiance beheld and smiled approvingly on his success.
“But now a more important contest began. One of the foresters stood
forward, and fixed up a target, the face of which was rudely painted in
circles of various colours, a small white spot serving as a centre. A
line was drawn at the distance of five hundred feet from this mark, near
which about twenty bowmen took their station; one after another each
stept up to it, bent his bow, and let fly an arrow with all the force he
could command. Many shafts had flown far wide of the target, and some few
had struck it near the side, when the turn arrived for a gaily-dressed
archer to make his trial. Walking deliberately to the line, he very
carefully placed his arrow upon the bow-string, raised it till it was on
a level with his ear, and instantly discharged it. The quivering shaft
sank deeply within two inches of the white centre.
“‘Bravely done, Will Scarlet,’ exclaimed a forester who stood apart from
the rest, and who evidently controlled their movements; ‘thou’lt soon
become as good a bowman as e’er trod the green-wood.’
“‘I do my best, good master,’ replied Will to Robin Hood, who had taken
advantage of the cool evening, in order to exercise his men; ‘but here
is one whom I fear I scarcely equal:’ and a bold forester, who was known
to his companions by the cognomen of ‘Much, the Miller’s Son,’ stood
forward, and drew his bow. The nicely-balanced arrow shot swift as
lightning through the air, and pierced the very centre of the target.
A loud huzza followed this achievement, and Robin Hood himself shouted
louder than the rest. In a moment after all was hushed, for the tall
forester, brave Little John, took the last turn, and his comrades,
knowing well his dexterity, breathlessly awaited the result of the
contest. After carefully selecting a well-feathered arrow, he stood
erect as a young tree, drew back his bow-string with the strength of a
giant, and suddenly let it slip. For a minute or two no one could tell
where the arrow had gone; it was just possible to trace its flight as it
whizzed through the air, but it was not to be seen on the target. Little
John, smiling as he beheld the looks of surprise, ran swiftly across the
intervening space, and, to their astonishment, drew forth his shaft from
out of that of the miller’s, which it had struck, and cloven about half
way down.
“Robin Hood and his followers shouted with rapture, and the victor
bending upon one knee, received from his master, as a reward for his
prowess, a beautiful arrow of silver.
“‘By my troth,’ said the outlaw, as he gave it to him, ‘I would ride a
hundred miles, any day, to find an archer like thee.’
“‘Thou’st no need to go so far,’ cried Will Scarlet, rather envious of
the better success of his companions. ‘There’s a friar in Fountains’ Dale
that will bend a bow against him or thee, ay, or against all thy men.’
“‘I’ll neither eat nor drink till I find him,’ said the bold outlaw.
‘’Tis too late to seek him this evening, but ere I break my fast
to-morrow I’ll see this valiant friar.’ And as he spake he drew an arrow
from his quiver, and fixed it upon his bow-string.
“A young hart had innocently trotted forth from the shelter of the woods,
and was making its way towards the brink of the river, when the noise of
the foresters reached its ear. Startled at the sound, the creature turned
its pretty head, gazed for a moment, and, frightened at the unaccustomed
scene, bounded at full speed back towards the concealment of the forest.
The outlaw’s keen eye had followed its motions, and wishing to display
the superiority of his skill, he let fly an arrow at it while in its
swiftest flight; the poor fawn immediately dropped, although the distance
between it and the archer was, at the least, a quarter of a mile.
“‘Dost think the friar of Fountains’ Abbey will beat that?’ asked Robin
Hood as he slackened his bow-string.
“‘Ay marry, that will he,’ replied Will Scarlet; ‘many’s the buck he has
killed at half a mile.’
“‘I’ll never draw bow again,’ returned the chief, ‘if a lazy friar once
beats me in archery. What say ye, my friends, shall we find out this
gallant priest?’
“‘Make him join us,’ cried several voices.
“‘To-morrow at earliest dawn be ready to attend me,’ said Robin Hood; and
with Little John by his side, he left the meadow.
“The foresters then parted into groups and strolled away, some to the
banks of the stream, others to the darkening woods, while a few, not yet
content as to their inferiority, sought again to try their speed against
the victors.