Robin lay
upon his back and gazed aloft into the leaves of the trees, his thought
leagues away, and so a long time passed.
Then up spoke Robin, "Now tell us, young David of Doncaster, what dost
thou see?"
Then David answered, "I see the white clouds floating and I feel the
wind a-blowing and three black crows are flying over the wold; but
nought else do I see, good master."
So silence fell again and another time passed, broken only as I have
said, till Robin, growing impatient, spake again. "Now tell me, young
David, what dost thou see by this?"
And David answered, "I see the windmills swinging and three tall poplar
trees swaying against the sky, and a flock of fieldfares are flying over
the hill; but nought else do I see, good master."
So another time passed, till at last Robin asked young David once more
what he saw; and David said, "I hear the cuckoo singing, and I see how
the wind makes waves in the barley field; and now over the hill to the
church cometh an old friar, and in his hands he carries a great bunch of
keys; and lo! Now he cometh to the church door."
Then up rose Robin Hood and shook Friar Tuck by the shoulder. "Come,
rouse thee, holy man!" cried he; whereupon, with much grunting, the
stout Tuck got to his feet. "Marry, bestir thyself," quoth Robin, "for
yonder, in the church door, is one of thy cloth. Go thou and talk to
him, and so get thyself into the church, that thou mayst be there when
thou art wanted; meantime, Little John, Will Stutely, and I will follow
thee anon.
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