fine big stick in his hand and a smile on his
face. The idea of a real good fight had made his bad temper fly away,
for, like King Richard, Robin Hood was rather fond of a fight.

"We will fight on the bridge," said he, "and whoever first falls into
the river has lost the battle."

"All right," said the stranger. "Whatever you like. I'm not afraid."

Then they fell to, with right good will.

It was very difficult to fight standing on such a narrow bridge. They
kept swaying backwards and forwards trying to keep their balance. With
every stroke the bridge bent and trembled beneath them as if it would
break. All the same they managed to give each other some tremendous
blows. First Robin gave the stranger such a bang that his very bones
seemed to ring.

"Aha!" said he, "I'll give you as good as I get," and crack he went at
Robin's crown.

Bang, smash, crack, bang, they went at each other. Their blows fell
fast and thick as if they had been threshing corn.

"The stranger gave Robin a knock on the crown,
Which caused the blood to appear,
Then Robin enraged, more fiercely engaged,
And followed with blows more severe.

"So thick and so fast did he lay it on him,
With a passionate fury and ire,
At every stroke he made him to smoke,
As if he had been all on fire."

When Robin's blows came so fast and furious, the stranger felt he
could not stand it much longer. Gathering all his strength, with one
mighty blow he sent Robin backwards, right into the river. Head over
heels he went, and disappeared under the water.

The stranger very nearly fell in after him. He was so astonished at
Robin's sudden disappearance that he could not think for a minute or
two where he had vanished to. He knelt down on the bridge, and stared
into the water. "Hallo, my good man," he called. "Hallo, where are
you?"

He thought he had drowned Robin, and he had not meant to do that. All
the same he could not help laughing. Robin had looked so funny as he
tumbled into the water.

"I'm here," called Robin, from far down the river. "I'm all right. I'm
just swimming with the tide."

The current was very strong and had carried him down the river a good
way. He was, however, gradually making for the bank. Soon he caught
hold of the overhanging branches of a tree and pulled himself out. The
stranger came running to help him too.

"You are not an easy man to beat or to drown either," he said with a
laugh, as he helped