"Nay, touch him not," said Robin, "for a right stout man is he. A metal
man he is by trade, and a mettled man by nature; moreover, he doth sing
a lovely ballad. Say, good fellow, wilt thou join my merry men all?
Three suits of Lincoln green shalt thou have a year, besides forty marks
in fee; thou shalt share all with us and lead a right merry life in
the greenwood; for cares have we not, and misfortune cometh not upon
us within the sweet shades of Sherwood, where we shoot the dun deer and
feed upon venison and sweet oaten cakes, and curds and honey. Wilt thou
come with me?"

"Ay, marry, will I join with you all," quoth the Tinker, "for I love a
merry life, and I love thee, good master, though thou didst thwack my
ribs and cheat me into the bargain. Fain am I to own thou art both a
stouter and a slyer man than I; so I will obey thee and be thine own
true servant."

So all turned their steps to the forest depths, where the Tinker was to
live henceforth. For many a day he sang ballads to the band, until the
famous Allan a Dale joined them, before whose sweet voice all others
seemed as harsh as a raven's; but of him we will learn hereafter.




The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town

THEN THE SHERIFF was very wroth because of this failure to take jolly
Robin, for it came to his ears, as ill news always does, that the people
laughed at him and made a jest of his thinking to serve a warrant upon
such a one as the bold outlaw. And a man hates nothing so much as