Knight.

What, so many against so few! Back, you wild wolves! Now, foresters, follow me! For our St George and merry England, charge, Charge them, my lads!

Robin.

[The foresters make a rush with him. The SHERIFF and his men are put to flight.]

Now back to Sherwood, swiftly!

A horse, or I shall come too late, a horse!

[He sees the KNIGHT in armour standing by his horse.]

Your pardon, sir; our debt to you is great,
Too great almost for thanks; but if you be
Bound by the vows of chivalry, I pray you

Lend me your charger; and my men will bring you
To my poor home in Sherwood. There you'll find
A most abundant gratitude.

Knight.

Your name?

Robin. Was Huntingdon; but now is Robin Hood.
Knight. If I refuse?

Robin.

Then, sir, I must perforce

Take it. I am an outlaw, but the law

Of manhood still constrains me—'tis a matter

Of life and death!

Knight (looking at him steadily). Take it, and God be with you. I'll follow you to Sherwood with your men.

[ROBIN seizes the horse, leaps to the saddle, and gallops away.]

II.

The scene is Sherwood Forest, outside the outlaws' cave. MARIAN and her maid, JENNY, are seated near their hut. PRINCE JOHN and his men creep up through the wood.

Jenny. Much is the best of all the merry men.
His name is hard upon him, being so small!

But, mistress, Oh, he speaks so beautifully,
Far, far away! You see, he's quite a scholar!

Much, more, an' most (that's what he calls the three
Greasy caparisons-Much, more, an' most).
You see, they thought that, being so very small,
They could not make him grow to be a man,
They'd make a scholar of him instead. The Friar
Taught him his letters. He can write his name,
And mine, and yours, just like a missal book,
In lovely colours; and he always draws
The first big letter of Jenny like a tree
With naked Cupids hiding in the boughs,-
Mistress! I don't believe you hear one word

I ever speak to you! Your eyes are always
That far and far away!

Marian.

I'm listening, Jenny!

Jenny. Well, when he draws the first big M of yours,
He makes it like a bridge from earth to heaven,
With white-winged angels passing up and down;
And underneath the bridge, in a black stream,
He puts the drowning face of the bad prince
Holding his wicked hands out, while a devil
Stands on the bank and, with a pointed stake,
Keeps him from landing-

Ah, what's that? What's that?

Marian. Go on. I am listening, Jenny!
Jenny.

Oh, I thought

I saw that same face peering through the ferns
Yonder-there-see, they are shaking still.

[She screams.]

Ah! Ah!

[PRINCE JOHN and another man appear, advancing across the glade.]

Prince John. Keep off the maid, there, Warman.

manage

This turbulent gipsy. Ah, by God, you shall
Come! Ah, God's blood, what's this?

Marian.

I can

[MARIAN has succeeded in drawing her dagger and slightly wounding him.

John (advancing again slowly).

will. You will not like

She wrests herself free.] Keep back, I warn you! Strike, now strike if you

To see the red blood spurting up your hand.

That's not maid's work. Come, strike!

[ROBIN HOOD appears at the edge of the glade behind

him.]

Your heart is tenderer than you think.

Robin (quietly).

You see, you cannot!

Prince John!

John (turning to confront Robin). Out with your blade,
War-man! Call up the rest!

We can strike freely now, without a fear
Of marring the sweet beauty of the spoil.
We four can surely make an end of him.

Have at him, lads, and swiftly, or the thieves.

Will follow this flash like thunder!

Robin.

[ROBIN draws his sword and sets his back to an oak. The other two followers of PRINCE JOHN rush out of the wood.]

Come on, all four!

Come on!

This oak will shift its roots before I budge
One inch from four such howling wolves.

You must be tired of fighting women-folk.

Come on! By God, sir, you must guard your head

Better than that,

[He disarms WARMAN.]

Or you're just food for worms

Already! Come, you dogs!

Prince John (gasping). Work round, you three, Behind him! Drive him out from that damned oak! Robin. Oh, that's a princely speech! Have at you, sir! [He strikes PRINCE JOHN'S sword out of his hand and turns suddenly to confront the others. JOHN picks up a dagger and makes as if to stab ROBIN in the back. At the same instant, bugles and a thunder of galloping hoofs are heard in the distance. The red-cross knight flashes between the trees, and seizing JOHN's arm in his gauntleted hand, disarms him, then turns to help ROBIN.] Knight. What, four on one! Down with your cowardly blades,

Or, by Mahound!—

[The three men-at-arms take to flight. JOHN stands staring at the new-comer. The foresters appear, surrounding the glade.]

John (muttering).

No-no-it cannot be.

Robin.

What? Thou? Thou? Or his ghost?

Let them yelp home,
The pitiful jackals. They have left behind
The prime offender. Ha there, my merry lads,
All's well! But take this villain into the cave
And guard him there.

[The foresters lead PRINCE JOHN into the cave.]
John (to the foresters). Answer me one thing: who
Is yonder red-cross knight?

A Forester,

Whoe'er he be!

No friend of thine,

Knight (to Robin). I know his name too well. I need not ask it.

Robin.

Sir, I am much beholden

To your good chivalry. What thanks is mine
To give is all your own.

Knight.

Then I ask this!

Give me that prisoner! I think his life is mine.

Robin. You saved my own, and more, you saved much more Than my poor life is worth. But, sir, think well!

This man is dangerous,-not to me alone,

But to the King of England; for he'll yet
Usurp the throne! Think well.

Knight.

I ask it still.

I have more reasons than you know.

Robin.

Ho! Bring the prisoner back!

So be it.

[The FORESTERS bring PRINCE JOHN back. He stares at the KNIGHT as if in fear.]

This prisoner is your own.

Knight.

Foresters. What! Set him free?

Robin.

Knight.

Go!

Sir, you shall judge him!

Obey !

[They release PRINCE JOHN.] Out of my sight;

Quickly, get thee gone.

Prince John. What man is this?
Knight.

[PRINCE JOHN goes out, cowering.]

Robin. We'll think no more of him! It is our rule

That whomsoe'er we meet in merry greenwood

Should dine with us. Will you not be our guest?

Knight. That's a most happy thought! I have not heard A merrier word than dinner all this day.

I am wellnigh starved.

If, for a little, I remain unknown.

But, tell me, are you not that Robin Hood
Who breaks the forest laws?

Robin.

That is my name.

We hold this earth as naturally our own

As the glad common air we breathe. We think
No man, no king, can so usurp the world

As not to give us room to live free lives;

But if you shrink from eating the king's deer

Knight. Shrink? Ha! ha! ha! I count it as my own! [Some of the foresters appear, with MARIAN and JENNY, preparing the dinner on a table of green turfs, beneath a spreading oak.]

Robin. Ah, there's my Lady Marian! Will you not come And speak with her?

[ROBIN and the KNIGHT go and talk to MARIAN in the background.]

Little John (at the table). The trenchers all are set:
Manchets of wheat, cream, curds, and honey-cakes,
Venison pasties, roasted pigeons! Much,

Run to the cave! We'll broach our rarest wine
To-day. Old Much awaits thee, Big 'un. Off,
And help him. He is growling roundly, too,
At thy delay.

VOL. CXCI.-NO. MCLIX.

3 A

Much (going towards the cave). Ah me, my poor dear father! Jenny. I've dressed the salt and strawed the dining hall With flowers.

Robin.

[Enter FRIAR TUCK with WILL SCARLETT and several more foresters.]

Ah, good Will Scarlett, here at last!

Friar Tuck. We should ha' been here sooner; but these others Borrowed a farmer's horses and galloped ahead.

Robin. Lucky for me! Thy mother is in the hut,
Sheer broken down with waiting for thee, Will.
Go in and comfort her.

Scarlett (going into the hut). Mother!

Friar Tuck.

You see

My sons, you couldn't expect the lad to run!
There is a certain looseness in the limbs,
A quaking of the flesh that overcomes

The bravest who has felt a hangman's rope
Cuddling his neck.

Robin

You judge him by the rope

That cuddles your slim waist! O, you sweet armful,
Sit down and pant! I warrant you were glad

To bear him company.

Friar Tuck.

I am a man of solids.

I am founded on a rock.

Robin.

I'll not deny it!

Like the Church,

Sir, it is true he is partly based on beef;
He grapples with it squarely; but fluids, too,
Have played their part in that cathedral choir
He calls his throat. One godless virtue, sir,
They seem to have given him. Never a nightingale
Gurgles jug! jug! in mellower tones than he
When jugs are flowing. Never a thrush can pipe
Sweet, sweet, so rarely as, when a pipe of wine
Summers his throttle, we'll make him sing to us
One of his heathen ditties-The Malmsey Butt,
Or Down the Merry Red Lane!

O ay, you laugh,

Friar Tuck.
But, though I cannot run, when I am rested

I'll challenge you, Robin, to a game of buffets,

One fair, square, stand-up, stand-still, knock-down blow
Apiece. You'll need no more. If you not kiss

The turf, at my first clout, I will forego

Malmsey for ever!

You're champion there. Fists of a common size
I will encounter; but not whirling hams

Like thine!