e, "it
is a merry thing to think of one stout outlaw like Robin Hood meeting
another stout outlaw like Guy of Gisbourne. Only in this case it will
be an ill happening for Robin Hood, for the day he meets Guy of
Gisbourne he shall die."

"But thou gentle, merry spirit," quoth Robin, "dost thou not think that
mayhap this same Robin Hood may be the better man of the two? I know him
right well, and many think that he is one of the stoutest men
hereabouts."

"He may be the stoutest of men hereabouts," quoth Guy of Gisbourne,
"yet, I tell thee, fellow, this sty of yours is not the wide world. I
lay my life upon it I am the better man of the two. He an outlaw,
forsooth! Why, I hear that he hath never let blood in all his life,
saving when he first came to the forest. Some call him a great archer;
marry, I would not be afraid to stand against him all the days of the
year with a bow in my hand."

"Why, truly, some folk do call him a great archer," said Robin Hood,
"but we of Nottinghamshire are famous hands with the longbow. Even I,
though but a simple hand at the craft, would not fear to try a bout with
thee."

At these words Guy of Gisbourne looked upon Robin with wondering eyes,
and then gave another roar of laughter till the woods rang. "Now," quoth
he, "thou art a bold fellow to talk to me in this way. I like thy spirit
in so speaking up to me, for few men have dared to do so. Put up a
garland, lad, and I will try a bout with thee."

"Tut, tut," quoth Robin, "only babes shoot at garlands hereabouts. I
will put up a good Nottingham mark for thee." So saying, he arose, and
going to a hazel thicket not far off, he cut a wand about twice the
thickness of a man's thumb. From this he peeled the bark, and,
sharpening the point, stuck it up in the ground in front of a great oak
tree. Thence he measured off fourscore paces, which brought him beside
the tree where the other sat. "There," quoth he, "is the kind of mark
that Nottingham yeomen shoot at. Now let me see thee split that wand if
thou art an archer."

Then Guy of Gisbourne arose. "Now out upon it!" cried he. "The Devil
himself could not hit such a mark as that."

"Mayhap he could and mayhap he could not," quoth merry Robin, "but that
we shall never know till thou hast shot thereat."

At these words Guy of Gisbourne looked upon Robin with knit brows, but,
as the yeoman still looked innocent of any ill meaning, he bottled his
words and strung his bow in silence.