The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
The good knight, whose name was Sir Richard Lee, dwelt in prosperity
at home till he had four hundred pounds all ready to pay back Robin
Hood. He provided himself with a hundred bows made with the best
string, and a hundred sheaves of good arrows with brightly burnished
heads. Every arrow was an ell long, well dressed with peacock's
feathers, and they were all inlaid with silver so that it was a goodly
sight to see. The knight provided himself also with a hundred men,
well armed, and clothed in white and red, and in the same fashion he
attired himself. He bore a lance in his hand, and a man led the horse
which carried his change of apparel. And thus he rode with a light
heart to Barnsdale.
As he drew near a bridge he was forced to tarry awhile, for there was
a great wrestling, and all the best yeomen of the West Country had
flocked to it. A good game had been arranged, and valuable prizes
were offered. A white bull had been put up, and a great courser, with
saddle and bridle all burnished with gold, a pair of gloves, a red
gold ring, and a pipe of wine in prime condition. The man who bore
himself the best would carry off the prize.
Now there was a certain worthy yeoman there who ought by rights to
have been awarded the prize, but because he was a stranger the other
wrestlers were jealous, and all set on him unfairly. As he was far
from home and had no friends there, he would certainly have been slain
if it had not been for the knight who, from the place where he stood,
saw what was going on. He took pity on the yeoman, and swore no harm
should be done to him, for the love he bore to Robin Hood. He pressed
forward into the place, and his hundred archers followed him, with
bows bent and sharp arrows to attack the crowd. They shouldered every
one aside, and made room for Sir Richard Lee to make known what he had
to say.
Then the knight took the yeoman by the hand, and declared he had
fairly won the prize. He bought the wine from him for five marks, and
bade that it should be broached at once, and that every one who wished
should have a draught. Thus good humour and jollity were restored, and
the rest of the sports went on merrily.
The knight tarried till the games were done, and in the meanwhile it
came to be three hours after noon. And all this time Robin had waited
fasting for the coming of the knight to whom twelve months before he
had lent the four hundred pounds.
LITTLE JOHN AND THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM
Retold by Mary Macleod
It will be remembered that when the poor knight left Robin Hood in the
forest Little John went with him to act as his yeoman. He stayed for
some time in Sir Richard's service, and a light and pleasant post he
found it, for he was free to do pretty much as he liked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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