‘Here’s for every man of thine a dog, And I my self for thee!’-- ‘Nay, by my faith,’ quoth Robin Hood, ‘Friar, that may not be.’ XXXIII Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did go, T’ one behind, the other before; Robin Hood’s mantle of Lincoln green Off from his back they tore. XXXIV And whether his men shot east or west, Or they shot north or south, The curtal dogs, so taught they were, They kept their arrows in their mouth. XXXV ‘Take up thy dogs,’ said Little John, ‘Friar, at my bidding be.’-- ‘Whose man art thou,’ said the curtal friar, ‘Comes here to prate with me?’-- XXXVI ‘I am Little John, Robin Hood’s man, Friar, I will not lie; If thou take not up thy dogs soon, I’le take up them and thee.’ XXXVII Little John had a bow in his hand, He shot with might and main; Soon half a score of the friar’s dogs Lay dead upon the plain. XXXVIII ‘Hold thy hand, good fellow,’ said the curtal friar, ‘Thy master and I will agree; And we will have new orders taken, With all the haste that may be.’ XXXIX ‘If thou wilt forsake fair Fountains Dale, And Fountains Abbey free, Every Sunday throughout the year, A noble shall be thy fee. XL ‘And every holy day throughout the year, Changed shall thy garment be, If thou wilt go to fair Nottingham, And there remain with me.’ XLI This curtal friar had kept Fountains Dale Seven long years or more; There was neither knight, lord, nor earl Could make him yield before. FOOTNOTES: [1011] raking = advancing. [1012] whute = whistle. _119. Robin Hood and the Butcher_ I Come, all you brave gallants, and listen a while, That are in the bowers within; For of Robin Hood, that archer good, A song I intend for to sing. II Upon a time it chancèd so Bold Robin in forrest did spy A jolly butchèr, with a bonny fine mare, With his flesh to the market did hye. III ‘Good morrow, good fellow!’ said jolly Robìn, ‘What food hast? tell unto me; And thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell, For I like well thy company.’ IV The butcher he answered jolly Robin: ‘No matter where I dwell; For a butcher I am, and to Notingham I am going, my flesh to sell.’ V ‘What price thy flesh?’ said jolly Robìn, ‘Come, tell it soon unto me; And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear, For a butcher fain would I be.’ VI ‘The price of my flesh,’ the butcher repli’d, ‘I soon will tell unto thee; With my bonny mare, and they are not dear, Four mark thou must give unto me.’ VII