"Tell me thy news, good friend, I prythee," quoth Robin as they trudged
along together, "for tinkers, I ween, are all as full of news as an egg
of meat."

"Now I love thee as my brother, my bully blade," said the Tinker, "else
I would not tell thee my news; for sly am I, man, and I have in hand a
grave undertaking that doth call for all my wits, for I come to seek a
bold outlaw that men, hereabouts, call Robin Hood. Within my pouch I
have a warrant, all fairly written out on parchment, forsooth, with a
great red seal for to make it lawful. Could I but meet this same Robin
Hood I would serve it upon his dainty body, and if he minded it not I
would beat him till every one of his ribs would cry Amen. But thou
livest hereabouts, mayhap thou knowest Robin Hood thyself, good fellow."

"Ay, marry, that I do somewhat," quoth Robin, "and I have seen him this
very morn. But, Tinker, men say that he is but a sad, sly thief. Thou
hadst better watch thy warrant, man, or else he may steal it out of thy
very pouch."

"Let him but try!" cried the Tinker. "Sly may he be, but sly am I, too.
I would I had him here now, man to man!" And he made his heavy cudgel to
spin again. "But what manner of man is he, lad?

"Much like myself," said Robin, laughing, "and in height and build and
age nigh the same; and he hath blue eyes, too."

"Nay," quoth the Tinker, "thou art but a green youth. I thought him to
be a great bearded man. Nottingham men feared him so."

"Truly, he is not so old nor so stout as thou art," said Robin. "But