And comming to the middle streame, There he threw Robin in; "And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow, 75 Whether thou wilt sink or swim." Robin Hood swam to a bush of broome, The fryer to a wigger wand; Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore, And took his bow in his hand. 80 One of his best arrowes under his belt To the fryer he let fly; The curtall fryer with his steel buckler Did put that arrow by. "Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow, 85 Shoot as thou hast begun, If thou shoot here a summers day, Thy marke I will not shun." Robin Hood shot passing well, Till his arrows all were gane; 90 They tooke their swords and steele bucklers, They fought with might and maine; From ten o'th' clock that [very] day, Till four i'th' afternoon; Then Robin Hood came to his knees, 95 Of the fryer to beg a boone. "A boone, a boone, thou curtall fryer, I beg it on my knee: Give me leave to set my horne to my mouth, And to blow blasts three." 100 "That I will do," said the curtall fryer, "Of thy blasts I have no doubt; I hope thou'lt blow so passing well, Till both thy eyes fall out." Robin Hood set his home to his mouth, 105 He blew out blasts three; Halfe a hundreth yeomen, with bowes bent, Came raking over the lee. "Whose men are these," said the fryer, "That come so hastily?" 110 "These men are mine," said Robin Hood; "Fryer, what is that to thee?" "A boone, a boone," said the curtall fryer, "The like I gave to thee; Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth, 115 And to whute whues three." "That will I doe," said Robin Hood, "Or else I were to blame; Three whues in a fryers fist Would make me glad and faine." 120 The fryer set his fist to his mouth, And whuted whues three; Half a hundred good band-dogs Came running over the lee. "Here's for every man a dog, 125 And I myselfe for thee:" "Nay, by my faith," said Robin Hood, "Fryer, that may not be." Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did goe, The one behind, the other before; 130 Robin Hoods mantle of Lincolne greene Off from his backe they tore. And whether his men shot east or west, Or they shot north or south, The curtall dogs, so taught they were, 135 They kept the arrows in their mouth. "Take up thy dogs," said Little John, "Fryer, at my bidding be;" "Whose man art thou," said the curtall fryer, "Comes here to prate with me?" 140