th his roof.

After the feast was over and night was beginning to advance, Little John
felt faint of stomach and remembered him that he had eaten nothing all
that day. Back went he to the pantry to see what eatables were laid by.
But there, locking up the stores for the night, stood the fat steward.

"Good Sir Steward," said Little John, "give me to dine, for it is long
for Greenleaf to be fasting."

The steward looked grimly at him and rattled the keys at his girdle.

"Sirrah lie-abed," quoth he, "'tis late in the day to be talking of
eating. Since you have waited thus long to be hungry, you can e'en take
your appetite back to bed again."

"Now by mine appetite, that will I not do," cried Little John. "Your
own paunch of fat would be enough for any bear to sleep on through the
winter. But my stomach craves food, and food it shall have!"

Saying this he brushed past the steward and tried the door, but it
was locked fast; whereat the fat steward chuckled and jangled his keys
again.

Then was Little John right mad, and he brought down his huge fist on the
door-panel with a sledge-hammer blow that shivered an opening you could
thrust your hand into. Little John stooped and peered through the hole
to see what food lay within reach, when crack! went the steward's keys
upon his crown, and the worthy danced around him playing a tattoo that
made Little John's ears ring. At this he turned upon the steward and
gave him such a rap that his back went nigh in two, and over went the
fat fellow rolling on the floor.

"Lie there," quoth Little John, "till ye find strength to go to bed.
Meanwhile, I must be about my dinner." And he kicked open the buttery
door without ceremony and brought to light a venison pasty and cold
roast pheasant--goodly sights to a hungry man. Placing these down on a
convenient shelf he fell to with right good will. So Little John ate and
drank as much as he would.

Now the Sheriff had in his kitchen a cook, a stout man and bold, who
heard the rumpus and came in to see how the land lay. There sat Little
John eating away for dear life, while the fat steward was rolled under
the table like a bundle of rags.

"I make my vow!" said the cook, "you are a shrewd hind to dwell thus in
a household, and ask thus to dine." So saying he laid aside his spit and
drew a good sword that hung at his side.

"I make my vow!" said Little John, "you are a bold man and hardy to come
thus between me and my meat. So defend