Mother Goose’s Melody.
They proceeded, following their infallible guide, first along a light elastic2 greensward under the shade of lofty and wide-spreading trees that skirted a sunny opening of the forest, then along labyrinthine3 paths, which the deer, the outlaw4, or the woodman had made, through the close shoots of the young coppices, through the thick undergrowth of the ancient woods, through beds of gigantic fern that filled the narrow glades5 and waved their green feathery heads above the plume6 of the knight7. Along these sylvan8 alleys9 they walked in single file; the friar singing and pioneering in the van, the horse plunging10 and floundering behind the friar, the lady following “in maiden11 meditation12 fancy free,” and the knight bringing up the rear, much marvelling13 at the strange company into which his stars had thrown him. Their path had expanded sufficiently14 to allow the knight to take Marian’s hand again, when they arrived in the august presence of Robin Hood15 and his court.
Robin’s table was spread under a high overarching canopy16 of living boughs18, on the edge of a natural lawn of verdure starred with flowers, through which a swift transparent19 rivulet20 ran sparkling in the sun. The board was covered with abundance of choice food and excellent liquor, not without the comeliness21 of snow-white linen22 and the splendour of costly23 plate, which the sheriff of Nottingham had unwillingly24 contributed to supply, at the same time with an excellent cook, whom Little John’s art had spirited away to the forest with the contents of his master’s silver scullery.
An hundred foresters were here assembled over-ready for their dinner, some seated at the table and some lying in groups under the trees.
Robin bade courteous25 welcome to the knight, who took his seat between Robin and Marian at the festal board; at which was already placed one strange guest in the person of a portly monk26, sitting between Little John and Scarlet27, with, his rotund physiognomy elongated28 into an unnatural29 oval by the conjoint influence of sorrow and fear: sorrow for the departed contents of his travelling treasury30, a good-looking valise which was hanging empty on a bough17; and fear for his personal safety, of which all the flasks31 and pasties before him could not give him assurance. The appearance of the knight, however, cheered him up with a semblance33 of protection, and gave him just sufficient courage to demolish34 a cygnet and a rumble-pie, which he diluted35 with the contents of two flasks of canary sack.
But wine, which sometimes creates and often increases joy, doth also, upon occasion, heighten sorrow: and so it fared now with our portly monk, who had no sooner explained away his portion of provender36, than he began to weep and bewail himself bitterly.
“Why dost thou weep, man?” said Robin Hood. “Thou hast done thine embassy justly, and shalt have thy Lady’s grace.”
“Alack! alack!” said the monk: “no embassy had I, luckless sinner, as well thou wottest, but to take to my abbey in safety the treasure whereof thou hast despoiled38 me.”
“Propound me his case,” said Friar Tuck, “and I will give him ghostly counsel.”
“You well remember,” said Robin Hood, “the sorrowful knight who dined with us here twelve months and a day gone by.”
“Well do I,” said Friar Tuck. “His lands were in jeopardy39 with a certain abbot, who would allow him no longer day for their redemption. Whereupon you lent to him the four hundred pounds which he needed, and which he was to repay this day, though he had no better security to give than our Lady the Virgin40.”
“I never desired better,” said Robin, “for she never yet failed to send me my pay; and here is one of her own flock, this faithful and well-favoured monk of St. Mary’s, hath brought it me duly, principal and interest to a penny, as Little John can testify, who told it forth41. To be sure, he denied having it, but that was to prove our faith. We sought and found it.”
“I know nothing of your knight,” said the monk: “and the money was our own, as the Virgin shall bless me.”
“She shall bless thee,” said Friar Tuck, “for a faithful messenger.”
The monk resumed his wailing42. Little John brought him his horse. Robin gave him leave to depart. He sprang with singular nimbleness into the saddle, and vanished without saying, God give you good day.
The stranger knight laughed heartily43 as the monk rode off.
“They say, sir knight,” said Friar Tuck, “they should laugh who win: but thou laughest who art likely to lose.”
“I have won,” said the knight, “a good dinner, some mirth, and some knowledge: and I cannot lose by paying for them.”
“Bravely said,” answered Robin. “Still it becomes thee to pay: for it is not meet that a poor forester should treat a rich knight. How much money hast thou with thee?”
“Troth, I know not,” said the knight. “Sometimes much, sometimes little, sometimes none. But search, and what thou findest, keep: and for the sake of thy kind heart and open hand, be it what it may, I shall wish it were more.”
“Then, since thou sayest so,” said Robin, “not a penny will I touch. Many a false churl44 comes hither, and disburses45 against his will: and till there is lack of these, I prey46 not on true men.”
“Thou art thyself a true man, right well I judge, Robin,” said the stranger knight, “and seemest more like one bred in court than to thy present outlaw life.”
“Our life,” said the friar, “is a craft, an art, and a mystery. How much of it, think you, could be learned at court?”
“Indeed, I cannot say,” said the stranger knight: “but I should apprehend47 very little.”
“And so should I,” said the friar: “for we should find very little of our bold open practice, but should hear abundance of praise of our principles. To live in seeming fellowship and secret rivalry48; to have a hand for all, and a heart for none; to be everybody’s acquaintance, and nobody’s friend; to meditate49 the ruin of all on whom we smile, and to dread50 the secret stratagems51 of all who smile on us; to pilfer52 honours and despoil37 fortunes, not by fighting in daylight, but by sapping in darkness: these are arts which the court can teach, but which we, by ‘r Lady, have not learned. But let your court-minstrel tune53 up his throat to the praise of your court-hero, then come our principles into play: then is our practice extolled54 not by the same name, for their Richard is a hero, and our Robin is a thief: marry, your hero guts55 an exchequer56, while your thief disembowels a portmanteau, your hero sacks a city, while your thief sacks a cellar: your hero marauds on a larger scale, and that is all the difference, for the principle and the virtue57 are one: but two of a trade cannot agree: therefore your hero makes laws to get rid of your thief, and gives him an ill name that he may hang him: for might is right, and the strong make laws for the weak, and they that make laws to serve their own turn do also make morals to give colour to their laws.”
“Your comparison, friar,” said the stranger, “fails in this: that your thief fights for profit, and your hero for honour. I have fought under the banners of Richard, and if, as you phrase it, he guts exchequers58, and sacks cities, it is not to win treasure for himself, but to furnish forth the means of his greater and more glorious aim.”
“Misconceive me not, sir knight,” said the friar. “We all love and honour King Richard, and here is a deep draught59 to his health: but I would show you, that we foresters are miscalled by opprobrious60 names, and that our virtues61, though they follow at humble62 distance, are yet truly akin63 to those of Coeur-deLion. I say not that Richard is a thief, but I say that Robin is a hero: and for honour, did ever yet man, miscalled thief, win greater honour than Robin? Do not all men grace him with some honourable64 epithet65? The most gentle thief, the most courteous thief, the most bountiful thief, yea, and the most honest thief? Richard is courteous, bountiful, honest, and valiant66: but so also is Robin: it is the false word that makes the unjust distinction. They are twin-spirits, and should be friends, but that fortune hath differently cast their lot: but their names shall descend67 together to the latest days, as the flower of their age and of England: for in the pure principles of freebootery have they excelled all men; and to the principles of freebootery, diversely developed, belong all the qualities to which song and story concede renown68.”
“And you may add, friar,” said Marian, “that Robin, no less than Richard, is king in his own dominion69; and that if his subjects be fewer, yet are they more uniformly loyal.”
“I would, fair lady,” said the stranger, “that thy latter observation were not so true. But I nothing doubt, Robin, that if Richard could hear your friar, and see you and your lady, as I now do, there is not a man in England whom he would take by the hand more cordially than yourself.”
“Gramercy, sir knight,” said Robin —— But his speech was cut short by Little John calling, “Hark!”
All listened. A distant trampling70 of horses was heard. The sounds approached rapidly, and at length a group of horsemen glittering in holyday dresses was visible among the trees.
“God’s my life!” said Robin, “what means this? To arms, my merrymen all.”
“No arms, Robin,” said the foremost horseman, riding up and springing from his saddle: “have you forgotten Sir William of the Lee?”
“No, by my fay,” said Robin; “and right welcome again to Sherwood.”
Little John bustled71 to re-array the disorganised economy of the table, and replace the dilapidations of the provender.
“I come late, Robin,” said Sir William, “but I came by a wrestling, where I found a good yeoman wrongfully beset72 by a crowd of sturdy varlets, and I staid to do him right.”
“I thank thee for that, in God’s name,” said Robin, “as if thy good service had been to myself.”
“And here,” said the knight, “is thy four hundred pound; and my men have brought thee an hundred bows and as many well-furnished quivers; which I beseech73 thee to receive and to use as a poor token of my grateful kindness to thee: for me and my wife and children didst thou redeem74 from beggary.”
“Thy bows and arrows,” said Robin, “will I joyfully75 receive: but of thy money, not a penny. It is paid already. My Lady, who was thy security, hath sent it me for thee.”
Sir William pressed, but Robin was inflexible77.
“It is paid,” said Robin, “as this good knight can testify, who saw my Lady’s messenger depart but now.”
Sir William looked round to the stranger knight, and instantly fell on his knee, saying, “God save King Richard.”
The foresters, friar and all, dropped on their knees together, and repeated in chorus: “God save King Richard.”
“Rise, rise,” said Richard, smiling: “Robin is king here, as his lady hath shown. I have heard much of thee, Robin, both of thy present and thy former state. And this, thy fair forest-queen, is, if tales say true, the lady Matilda Fitzwater.”
Marian signed acknowledgment.
“Your father,” said the king, “has approved his fidelity78 to me, by the loss of his lands, which the newness of my return, and many public cares, have not yet given me time to restore: but this justice shall be done to him, and to thee also, Robin, if thou wilt79 leave thy forest-life and resume thy earldom, and be a peer of Coeur-deLion: for braver heart and juster hand I never yet found.”
Robin looked round on his men.
“Your followers80,” said the king, “shall have free pardon, and such of them as thou wilt part with shall have maintenance from me; and if ever I confess to priest, it shall be to thy friar.”
“Gramercy to your majesty,” said the friar; “and my inflictions shall be flasks of canary; and if the number be (as in grave cases I may, peradventure, make it) too great for one frail81 mortality, I will relieve you by vicarious penance82, and pour down my own throat the redundancy of the burden.”
Robin and his followers embraced the king’s proposal. A joyful76 meeting soon followed with the baron83 and Sir Guy of Gamwell: and Richard himself honoured with his own presence a formal solemnization of the nuptials84 of our lovers, whom he constantly distinguished85 with his peculiar86 regard.
The friar could not say, Farewell to the forest, without something of a heavy heart: and he sang as he turned his back upon its bounds, occasionally reverting87 his head:
Ye woods, that oft at sultry noon
Have o’er me spread your messy shade:
Ye gushing88 streams, whose murmured tune
Has in my ear sweet music made,
While, where the dancing pebbles89 show
Deep in the restless fountain-pool
The gelid water’s upward flow,
My second flask32 was laid to cool:
Ye pleasant sights of leaf and flower:
Ye pleasant sounds of bird and bee:
Ye sports of deer in sylvan bower90:
Ye feasts beneath the greenwood tree:
Ye baskings in the vernal sun:
Ye slumbers91 in the summer dell:
Ye trophies92 that this arm has won:
And must ye hear your friar’s farewell?
But the friar’s farewell was not destined93 to be eternal. He was domiciled as the family confessor of the earl and countess of Huntingdon, who led a discreet94 and courtly life, and kept up old hospitality in all its munificence95, till the death of King Richard and the usurpation96 of John, by placing their enemy in power, compelled them to return to their greenwood sovereignty; which, it is probable, they would have before done from choice, if their love of sylvan liberty had not been counteracted97 by their desire to retain the friendship of Coeur-deLion. Their old and tried adherents98, the friar among the foremost, flocked again round their forest-banner; and in merry Sherwood they long lived together, the lady still retaining her former name of Maid Marian, though the appellation99 was then as much a misnomer100 as that of Little John.
The End
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1
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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2
elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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3
labyrinthine
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| adj.如迷宫的；复杂的 | |
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4
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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glades
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| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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7
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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sylvan
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| adj.森林的 | |
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alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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10
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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11
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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13
marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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14
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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16
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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19
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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20
rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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21
comeliness
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| n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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23
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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28
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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31
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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33
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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demolish
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| v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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diluted
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| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
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provender
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| n.刍草；秣料 | |
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despoil
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| v.夺取，抢夺 | |
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despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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42
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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43
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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44
churl
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| n.吝啬之人；粗鄙之人 | |
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45
disburses
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| v.支出，付出( disburse的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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47
apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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48
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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49
meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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50
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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51
stratagems
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| n.诡计，计谋( stratagem的名词复数 )；花招 | |
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pilfer
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| v.盗，偷，窃 | |
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53
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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54
extolled
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| v.赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 | |
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56
exchequer
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| n.财政部；国库 | |
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57
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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58
exchequers
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| n.（英国）财政部( exchequer的名词复数 )；国库，金库 | |
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59
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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opprobrious
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| adj.可耻的，辱骂的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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62
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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63
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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67
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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68
renown
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| n.声誉，名望 | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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70
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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71
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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80
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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82
penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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83
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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84
nuptials
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| n.婚礼；婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 ) | |
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85
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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87
reverting
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| 恢复( revert的现在分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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88
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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89
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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94
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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munificence
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| n.宽宏大量，慷慨给与 | |
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usurpation
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| n.篡位；霸占 | |
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counteracted
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| 对抗，抵消( counteract的过去式 ) | |
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adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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misnomer
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| n.误称 | |
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