e, and, ere you could count three, Riccon's staff was over the
hedge, and Riccon himself lay upon the green grass with no more motion
than you could find in an empty pudding bag.

"How now!" quoth merry Robin, laughing. "Wilt thou have my hide or my
money, sweet chuck?" But to this the other answered never a word. Then
Robin, seeing his plight, and that he was stunned with the blow, ran,
still laughing, and brought the skin of ale and poured some of it on the
Beggar's head and some down his throat, so that presently he opened his
eyes and looked around as though wondering why he lay upon his back.

Then Robin, seeing that he had somewhat gathered the wits that had just
been rapped out of his head, said, "Now, good fellow, wilt thou change
clothes with me, or shall I have to tap thee again? Here are two golden
angels if thou wilt give me freely all thy rags and bags and thy cap
and things. If thou givest them not freely, I much fear me I shall have
to--" and he looked up and down his staff.

Then Riccon sat up and rubbed the bump on his crown. "Now, out upon it!"
quoth he. "I did think to drub thee sweetly, fellow. I know not how it
is, but I seem, as it were, to have bought more beer than I can drink.
If I must give up my clothes, I must, but first promise me, by thy word
as a true yeoman, that thou wilt take nought from me but my clothes."

"I promise on the word of a true yeoman," quoth Robin, thinking that the
fellow had a few pennies that he would save.

Thereupon the Beggar drew a little knife that hung at his side and,
ripping up the lining of his coat, drew thence ten bright golden pounds,
which he laid upon the ground beside him with a cunning wink at Robin.
"Now thou mayst have my clothes and welcome," said he, "and thou
mightest have had them in exchange for thine without the cost of a
single farthing, far less two golden angels."

"Marry," quoth Robin, laughing, "thou art a sly fellow, and I tell thee
truly, had I known thou hadst so much money by thee maybe thou mightst
not have carried it away, for I warrant thou didst not come honestly by
it."

Then each stripped off his clothes and put on those of the other, and as
lusty a beggar was Robin Hood as e'er you could find of a summer's day.
But stout Riccon of Holywell skipped and leaped and danced for joy of
the fair suit of Lincoln green that he had so gotten. Quoth he, "I am a
gay-feathered bird now. Truly, my dear Moll Peascod would never know me
in