With October had come the time for holding the great Fair which was celebrated7 every five years at Nottingham Town, to which folk came from far and near throughout the country. At such times archery was always the main sport of the day, for the Nottinghamshire yeomen were the best hand at the longbow in all merry England, but this year the Sheriff hesitated a long time before he issued proclamation of the Fair, fearing lest Robin Hood and his band might come to it. At first he had a great part of a mind not to proclaim the Fair, but second thought told him that men would laugh at him and say among themselves that he was afraid of Robin Hood, so he put that thought by. At last he fixed9 in his mind that he would offer such a prize as they would not care to shoot for. At such times it had been the custom to offer a half score of marks or a tun of ale, so this year he proclaimed that a prize of two fat steers10 should be given to the best bowman.
When Robin Hood heard what had been proclaimed he was vexed11, and said, “Now beshrew this Sheriff that he should offer such a prize that none but shepherd hinds12 will care to shoot for it! I would have loved nothing better than to have had another bout3 at merry Nottingham Town, but if I should win this prize nought13 would it pleasure or profit me.”
Then up spoke6 Little John: “Nay14, but hearken, good master,” said he, “only today Will Stutely, young David of Doncaster, and I were at the Sign of the Blue Boar, and there we heard all the news of this merry Fair, and also that the Sheriff hath offered this prize, that we of Sherwood might not care to come to the Fair; so, good master, if thou wilt15, I would fain go and strive to win even this poor thing among the stout16 yeomen who will shoot at Nottingham Town.”
“Nay, Little John,” quoth Robin, “thou art a sound stout fellow, yet thou lackest the cunning that good Stutely hath, and I would not have harm befall thee for all Nottinghamshire. Nevertheless, if thou wilt go, take some disguise lest there be those there who may know thee.”
“So be it, good master,” quoth Little John, “yet all the disguise that I wish is a good suit of scarlet17 instead of this of Lincoln green. I will draw the cowl of my jacket about my head so that it will hide my brown hair and beard, and then, I trust, no one will know me.”
“It is much against my will,” said Robin Hood, “ne’ertheless, if thou dost wish it, get thee gone, but bear thyself seemingly, Little John, for thou art mine own right-hand man and I could ill bear to have harm befall thee.”
So Little John clad himself all in scarlet and started off to the Fair at Nottingham Town.
Right merry were these Fair days at Nottingham, when the green before the great town gate was dotted with booths standing18 in rows, with tents of many-colored canvas, hung about with streamers and garlands of flowers, and the folk came from all the countryside, both gentle and common. In some booths there was dancing to merry music, in others flowed ale and beer, and in others yet again sweet cakes and barley19 sugar were sold; and sport was going outside the booths also, where some minstrel sang ballads20 of the olden time, playing a second upon the harp22, or where the wrestlers struggled with one another within the sawdust ring, but the people gathered most of all around a raised platform where stout fellows played at quarterstaff.
So Little John came to the Fair. All scarlet were his hose and jerkin, and scarlet was his cowled cap, with a scarlet feather stuck in the side of it. Over his shoulders was slung23 a stout bow of yew24, and across his back hung a quiver of good round arrows. Many turned to look after such a stout, tall fellow, for his shoulders were broader by a palm’s-breadth than any that were there, and he stood a head taller than all the other men. The lasses, also, looked at him askance, thinking they had never seen a lustier youth.
First of all he went to the booth where stout ale was sold and, standing aloft on a bench, he called to all that were near to come and drink with him. “Hey, sweet lads!” cried he “who will drink ale with a stout yeoman? Come, all! Come, all! Let us be merry, for the day is sweet and the ale is tingling25. Come hither, good yeoman, and thou, and thou; for not a farthing shall one of you pay. Nay, turn hither, thou lusty beggar, and thou jolly tinker, for all shall be merry with me.”
Thus he shouted, and all crowded around, laughing, while the brown ale flowed; and they called Little John a brave fellow, each swearing that he loved him as his own brother; for when one has entertainment with nothing to pay, one loves the man that gives it to one.
Then he strolled to the platform where they were at cudgel play, for he loved a bout at quarterstaff as he loved meat and drink; and here befell an adventure that was sung in ballads throughout the mid-country for many a day.
One fellow there was that cracked crowns of everyone who threw cap into the ring. This was Eric o’ Lincoln, of great renown26, whose name had been sung in ballads throughout the countryside. When Little John reached the stand he found none fighting, but only bold Eric walking up and down the platform, swinging his staff and shouting lustily, “Now, who will come and strike a stroke for the lass he loves the best, with a good Lincolnshire yeoman? How now, lads? Step up! Step up! Or else the lasses’ eyes are not bright hereabouts, or the blood of Nottingham youth is sluggish27 and cold. Lincoln against Nottingham, say I! For no one hath put foot upon the boards this day such as we of Lincoln call a cudgel player.”
At this, one would nudge another with his elbow, saying, “Go thou, Ned!” or “Go thou, Thomas!” but no lad cared to gain a cracked crown for nothing.
Presently Eric saw where Little John stood among the others, a head and shoulders above them all, and he called to him loudly, “Halloa, thou long-legged fellow in scarlet! Broad are thy shoulders and thick thy head; is not thy lass fair enough for thee to take cudgel in hand for her sake? In truth, I believe that Nottingham men do turn to bone and sinew, for neither heart nor courage have they! Now, thou great lout28, wilt thou not twirl staff for Nottingham?”
“Ay,” quoth Little John, “had I but mine own good staff here, it would pleasure me hugely to crack thy knave29’s pate30, thou saucy31 braggart32! I wot it would be well for thee an thy cock’s comb were cut!” Thus he spoke, slowly at first, for he was slow to move; but his wrath33 gathered headway like a great stone rolling down a hill, so that at the end he was full of anger.
Then Eric o’ Lincoln laughed aloud. “Well spoken for one who fears to meet me fairly, man to man,” said he. “Saucy art thou thine own self, and if thou puttest foot upon these boards, I will make thy saucy tongue rattle34 within thy teeth!”
“Now,” quoth Little John, “is there never a man here that will lend me a good stout staff till I try the mettle35 of yon fellow?” At this, half a score reached him their staves, and he took the stoutest36 and heaviest of them all. Then, looking up and down the cudgel, he said, “Now, I have in my hand but a splint of wood — a barley straw, as it were — yet I trow it will have to serve me, so here goeth.” Thereupon he cast the cudgel upon the stand and, leaping lightly after it, snatched it up in his hand again.
Then each man stood in his place and measured the other with fell looks until he that directed the sport cried, “Play!” At this they stepped forth37, each grasping his staff tightly in the middle. Then those that stood around saw the stoutest game of quarterstaff that e’er Nottingham Town beheld38. At first Eric o’ Lincoln thought that he would gain an easy advantage, so he came forth as if he would say, “Watch, good people, how that I carve you this cockerel right speedily”; but he presently found it to be no such speedy matter. Right deftly39 he struck, and with great skill of fence, but he had found his match in Little John. Once, twice, thrice, he struck, and three times Little John turned the blows to the left hand and to the right. Then quickly and with a dainty backhanded blow, he rapped Eric beneath his guard so shrewdly that it made his head ring again. Then Eric stepped back to gather his wits, while a great shout went up and all were glad that Nottingham had cracked Lincoln’s crown; and thus ended the first bout of the game.
Then presently the director of the sport cried, “Play!” and they came together again; but now Eric played warily40, for he found his man was of right good mettle, and also he had no sweet memory of the blow that he had got; so this bout neither Little John nor the Lincoln man caught a stroke within his guard. Then, after a while, they parted again, and this made the second bout.
Then for the third time they came together, and at first Eric strove to be wary41, as he had been before; but, growing mad at finding himself so foiled, he lost his wits and began to rain blows so fiercely and so fast that they rattled42 like hail on penthouse roof; but, in spite of all, he did not reach within Little John’s guard. Then at last Little John saw his chance and seized it right cleverly. Once more, with a quick blow, he rapped Eric beside the head, and ere he could regain43 himself, Little John slipped his right hand down to his left and, with a swinging blow, smote44 the other so sorely upon the crown that down he fell as though he would never move again.
Then the people shouted so loud that folk came running from all about to see what was the ado; while Little John leaped down from the stand and gave the staff back to him that had lent it to him. And thus ended the famous bout between Little John and Eric o’ Lincoln of great renown.
But now the time had come when those who were to shoot with the longbow were to take their places, so the people began flocking to the butts46 where the shooting was to be. Near the target, in a good place, sat the Sheriff upon a raised dais, with many gentlefolk around him. When the archers47 had taken their places, the herald48 came forward and proclaimed the rules of the game, and how each should shoot three shots, and to him that should shoot the best the prize of two fat steers was to belong. A score of brave shots were gathered there, and among them some of the keenest hands at the longbow in Lincoln and Nottinghamshire; and among them Little John stood taller than all the rest. “Who is yon stranger clad all in scarlet?” said some, and others answered, “It is he that hath but now so soundly cracked the crown of Eric o’ Lincoln.” Thus the people talked among themselves, until at last it reached even the Sheriff’s ears.
And now each man stepped forward and shot in turn; but though each shot well, Little John was the best of all, for three times he struck the clout49, and once only the length of a barleycorn from the center. “Hey for the tall archer8!” shouted the crowd, and some among them shouted, “Hey for Reynold Greenleaf!” for this was the name that Little John had called himself that day.
Then the Sheriff stepped down from the raised seat and came to where the archers stood, while all doffed50 their caps that saw him coming. He looked keenly at Little John but did not know him, though he said, after a while, “How now, good fellow, methinks there is that about thy face that I have seen erewhile.”
“Mayhap it may be so,” quoth Little John, “for often have I seen Your Worship.” And, as he spoke, he looked steadily51 into the Sheriff’s eyes so that the latter did not suspect who he was.
“A brave blade art thou, good friend,” said the Sheriff, “and I hear that thou hast well upheld the skill of Nottinghamshire against that of Lincoln this day. What may be thy name, good fellow?”
“Men do call me Reynold Greenleaf, Your Worship,” said Little John; and the old ballad21 that tells of this, adds, “So, in truth, was he a green leaf, but of what manner of tree the Sheriff wotted not.”
“Now, Reynold Greenleaf,” quoth the Sheriff, “thou art the fairest hand at the longbow that mine eyes ever beheld, next to that false knave, Robin Hood, from whose wiles52 Heaven forfend me! Wilt thou join my service, good fellow? Thou shalt be paid right well, for three suits of clothes shalt thou have a year, with good food and as much ale as thou canst drink; and, besides this, I will pay thee forty marks each Michaelmastide.”
“Then here stand I a free man, and right gladly will I enter thy household,” said Little John, for he thought he might find some merry jest, should he enter the Sheriff’s service.
“Fairly hast thou won the fat steers,” said the Sheriff, “and hereunto I will add a butt45 of good March beer, for joy of having gotten such a man; for, I wot, thou shootest as fair a shaft53 as Robin Hood himself.”
“Then,” said Little John, “for joy of having gotten myself into thy service, I will give fat steers and brown ale to all these good folk, to make them merry withal.” At this arose a great shout, many casting their caps aloft, for joy of the gift.
Then some built great fires and roasted the steers, and others broached54 the butt of ale, with which all made themselves merry. Then, when they had eaten and drunk as much as they could, and when the day faded and the great moon arose, all red and round, over the spires55 and towers of Nottingham Town, they joined hands and danced around the fires, to the music of bagpipes56 and harps57. But long before this merrymaking had begun, the Sheriff and his new servant Reynold Greenleaf were in the Castle of Nottingham.
点击收听单词发音
1 mellow | |
adj.柔和的;熟透的;v.变柔和;(使)成熟 | |
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2 hops | |
跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
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3 bout | |
n.侵袭,发作;一次(阵,回);拳击等比赛 | |
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4 robin | |
n.知更鸟,红襟鸟 | |
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5 hood | |
n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖 | |
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6 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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7 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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8 archer | |
n.射手,弓箭手 | |
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9 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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10 steers | |
n.阉公牛,肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 );操纵;控制;引导 | |
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11 vexed | |
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
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12 hinds | |
n.(常指动物腿)后面的( hind的名词复数 );在后的;(通常与can或could连用)唠叨不停;滔滔不绝 | |
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13 nought | |
n./adj.无,零 | |
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14 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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15 wilt | |
v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎;(指人)疲倦,衰弱 | |
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17 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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18 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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19 barley | |
n.大麦,大麦粒 | |
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20 ballads | |
民歌,民谣,特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 ); 讴 | |
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21 ballad | |
n.歌谣,民谣,流行爱情歌曲 | |
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22 harp | |
n.竖琴;天琴座 | |
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23 slung | |
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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24 yew | |
n.紫杉属树木 | |
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25 tingling | |
v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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26 renown | |
n.声誉,名望 | |
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27 sluggish | |
adj.懒惰的,迟钝的,无精打采的 | |
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28 lout | |
n.粗鄙的人;举止粗鲁的人 | |
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29 knave | |
n.流氓;(纸牌中的)杰克 | |
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30 pate | |
n.头顶;光顶 | |
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31 saucy | |
adj.无礼的;俊俏的;活泼的 | |
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32 braggart | |
n.吹牛者;adj.吹牛的,自夸的 | |
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33 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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34 rattle | |
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
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35 mettle | |
n.勇气,精神 | |
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36 stoutest | |
粗壮的( stout的最高级 ); 结实的; 坚固的; 坚定的 | |
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37 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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38 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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39 deftly | |
adv.灵巧地,熟练地,敏捷地 | |
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40 warily | |
adv.留心地 | |
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41 wary | |
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的 | |
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42 rattled | |
慌乱的,恼火的 | |
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43 regain | |
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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44 smote | |
v.猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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45 butt | |
n.笑柄;烟蒂;枪托;臀部;v.用头撞或顶 | |
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46 butts | |
笑柄( butt的名词复数 ); (武器或工具的)粗大的一端; 屁股; 烟蒂 | |
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47 archers | |
n.弓箭手,射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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48 herald | |
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎 | |
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49 clout | |
n.用手猛击;权力,影响力 | |
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50 doffed | |
v.脱去,(尤指)脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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52 wiles | |
n.(旨在欺骗或吸引人的)诡计,花招;欺骗,欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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53 shaft | |
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物 | |
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54 broached | |
v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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55 spires | |
n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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56 bagpipes | |
n.风笛;风笛( bagpipe的名词复数 ) | |
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57 harps | |
abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 ) | |
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