but the fault of your
servants, master. For they would not give me my dinner," and he went
away to see to the supper.

It was spread under the greenwood tree, and they sat down to it, hungry
men all. But when the Sheriff saw himself served from his own vessels,
his appetite went from him.

[Illustration: When the Sheriff saw his own vessels his appetite went
from him]

"Take heart, man," said Robin Hood, "and think not we will poison you.
For charity's sake, and for the love of Little John, your life shall be
granted you. Only for twelve months you shall dwell with me, and learn
what it is to be an outlaw."

To the Sheriff this punishment was worse to bear than the loss of gold
or silver dishes, and earnestly he begged Robin Hood to set him free,
vowing he would prove himself the best friend that ever the foresters
had.

Neither Robin nor any of his men believed him, but he swore that he
would never seek to do them harm, and that if he found any of them in
evil plight he would deliver them out of it. With that Robin let him
go.

PART VIII.

HOW ROBIN MET FRIAR TUCK.

In many ways life in the forest was dull in the winter, and often the
days passed slowly; but in summer, when the leaves were green, and
flowers and ferns covered all the woodland, Robin Hood and his men
would come out of their warm resting places, like the rabbits and the
squirrels, and would play too. Races they ran to stretch their legs,
or leaping matches were arranged, or they would shoot at a mark.
Anything was pleasant when the grass was soft once more under their
feet.

"Who can kill a hart of grace five hundred paces off?" So said Robin
to his men in the bright May time; and they went into the wood and
tried their skill, and in the end it was Little John who brought down
the "hart of grace," to the great joy of Robin Hood.

"I would ride my horse a hundred miles to find one who could match with
thee," he said to Little John, and Will Scarlett, who was perhaps
rather jealous of this mighty deed, answered with a laugh, "There lives
a friar in Fountains Abbey who would beat both him and you."

Now Robin Hood did not like to be told that any man could shoot better
than himself or his foresters, so he swore lustily that he would
neither eat nor drink till he had seen that friar. Leaving his men
where they were, he put on a coat of mail and a steel cap, took his
shield and sword, slung his bow over his shoulder, and filled his
q