What say ye, lads?"
Then young David of Doncaster spoke up and said, "Now listen, I pray
thee, good master, unto what I say. I have come straight from our friend
Eadom o' the Blue Boar, and there I heard the full news of this same
match. But, master, I know from him, and he got it from the Sheriff's
man Ralph o' the Scar, that this same knavish Sheriff hath but laid a
trap for thee in this shooting match and wishes nothing so much as to
see thee there. So go not, good master, for I know right well he doth
seek to beguile thee, but stay within the greenwood lest we all meet
dole and woe."
"Now," quoth Robin, "thou art a wise lad and keepest thine ears open and
thy mouth shut, as becometh a wise and crafty woodsman. But shall we let
it be said that the Sheriff of Nottingham did cow bold Robin Hood and
sevenscore as fair archers as are in all merry England? Nay, good David,
what thou tellest me maketh me to desire the prize even more than I else
should do. But what sayeth our good gossip Swanthold? Is it not 'A hasty
man burneth his mouth, and the fool that keepeth his eyes shut falleth
into the pit'? Thus he says, truly, therefore we must meet guile with
guile. Now some of you clothe yourselves as curtal friars, and some as
rustic peasants, and some as tinkers, or as beggars, but see that each
man taketh a good bow or broadsword, in case need should arise. As for
myself, I will shoot for this same golden arrow, and should I win it, we
will hang it to the branches of our good greenwood tree for the joy of
all the band.
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