+Argument.+--The narrative of the knight's loan is for the moment
dropped, in order to relate a gest of Little John, who is now (81.2) the
knight's 'knave' or squire. Going forth 'upon a mery day,' Little John
shoots with such skill that he attracts the attention of the Sheriff of
Nottingham (who is here and elsewhere the type of Robin Hood's enemies),
and enters his service for a year under the name of Reynold Greenleaf.
While the sheriff is hunting, Little John fights his servants, robs his
treasure-house, and escapes back to Robin Hood with 'three hundred pound
and more.' He then bethinks him of a shrewd wile, and inveigles the
sheriff to leave his hunting in order to see a right fair hart and seven
score of deer, which turn out to be Robin and his men. Robin Hood exacts
an oath of the sheriff, equivalent to an armistice; and he returns home,
having had his fill of the greenwood.