For within his mind he imagined, That when such matches were, Those outlaws stout, without all doubt, Would be the bowmen there. So an arrow with a golden head 25 And shaft of silver-white, Who won the day should bear away[L27] For his own proper right. Tidings came to bold Robin Hood, Under the green-wood tree: 30 "Come prepare you then, my merry men, We'll go yon sport to see." With that stept forth a brave young man, David of Doncastèr: "Master," said he, "be rul'd by me, 35 From the green-wood we'll not stir. "To tell the truth, I'm well inform'd Yon match it is a wile; The sheriff, i-wiss, devises this Us archers to beguile." 40 "Thou smells of a coward," said Robin Hood, "Thy words do not please me; Come on't what will, I'll try my skill, At yon brave archery." O then bespoke brave Little John, 45 "Come let us thither gang; Come, listen to me, how it shall be That we need not be ken'd. "Our mantles, all of Lincoln-green, Behind us we will leave; 50 We'll dress us all so several, They shall not us perceive. "One shall wear white, another red, One yellow, another blue; Thus in disguise, to the exercise 55 We'll gang, whate'er ensue." Forth from the green-wood they are gone, With hearts all firm and stout, Resolving [then] with the sheriffs men To have a hearty bout. 60 So themselves they mixèd with the rest, To prevent all suspicion; For if they should together hold They thought it no discretion. So the sheriff looked round about, 65 Amongst eight hundred men, But could not see the sight that he Had long suspected then. Some said, "If Robin Hood was here, And all his men to boot, 70 Sure none of them could pass these men, So bravely they do shoot." "Ay," quoth the sheriff, and scratch'd his head, "I thought he would have been here; I thought he would, but tho' he's bold, 75 He durst not now appear." O that word griev'd Robin Hood to the heart; He vexèd in his blood; Ere long, thought he, thou shalt well see That here was Robin Hood. 80 Some cried "Blue jacket!" another cried "Brown!" And a third cried "Brave Yellow!" But the fourth man said, "Yon man in red In this place has no fellow." For that was Robin Hood himself, 85 For he was cloath'd in red; At every shot the prize he got, For he was both sure and dead.