nnery."

"Nay, good comrade," answered Robin Hood gently, "I cannot grant such
a boon. The dear Christ bade us forgive all our enemies. Moreover,
you know I never hurt woman in all my life; nor man when in woman's
company."

He closed his eyes and fell back, so that his friend thought him dying.
The great tears fell from the giant's eyes and wet his master's hand.
Robin slowly rallied and seized his comrade's outstretched arm.

"Lift me up, good Little John," he said brokenly, "I want to smell
the air from the good greenwood once again. Give me my good yew
bow--here--here-and fix a broad arrow upon the string. Out yonder--among
the oaks--where this arrow shall fall--let them dig my grave."

And with one last mighty effort he sped his shaft out of the open
window, straight and true, as in the days of old, till it struck the
largest oak of them all and dropped in the shadow of the trees. Then he
fell back upon the sobbing breast of his devoted friend.

"'Tis the last!" he murmured, "tell the brave hearts to lay me there
with the green sod under my head and feet. And--let them lay--my bent
bow at my side, for it has made sweet music in mine ears."

He rested a moment, and Little John scarce knew that he was alive. But
on a sudden Robin's eye brightened, and he seemed to think himself back
once more with the band in the open forest glade. He struggled to rise.

"Ha! 'tis a fine stag, Will! And Allan, thou never didst thrum the harp
more sweetly. How the light blazes! And Marian!--'tis my Marian--come at
last!"

So died the body of Robin Hood; but his spirit lives on through the
centuries in the deathless ballads which are sung of him, and in the
hearts of men who love freedom and chivalry.

They buried him where his last arrow had fallen, and they set a stone to
mark the spot. And on the stone were graven these words:

"Here underneath his little stone
Lies Robert, Earl of Huntingdon;
Never archer as he so good,
And people called him Robin Hood.
Such outlaws as he and his men
Will England never see again."

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Robin Hood, by J. Walker McSpadden

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