grief, he alone was to blame for it all. He begged of her to tell him how. So she told him that her three sons, the only sons she had, were followers of his, and had lived with him in the forest, were fine brave fellows, and her only support; that they had been taken prisoners by the men belonging to the Sheriff of Nottingham, had been tried and sentenced to be hanged for killing the King's fallow deer in the wood, and that they were to be executed that day; that she knew not what she would do when they were dead, but she thought she would die too. Then he told her to take comfort and not to fret, for he would take care that her sons should not be hanged—that they were such noble fellows, so faithful and so true to him, that he would not lose them for anything. Then the old woman fell down upon her knees, and would have thanked him for his promises, and blessed him too; but he would not allow her, lest it should attract the attention of the people in the street, who, if they found out who he was, might collect such a crowd as would bring down the sheriff and his men upon him, and make it difficult for him to escape, and impossible to release her sons. So they separated and went different ways, she hoping he would be able to keep his promise, and he determined to do it. Presently he met an old

monk.

"What news?" says Robin.

Three squires are to be hanged for killing the King's fallow deer," was the reply.

The next words that Robin spoke, made the old man open his eyes wide, and wonder greatly. They were these, as

the old ballad says

"Come change thy apparel with me, old man,

Come change thine apparel for mine;

Here is ten shillings in good silver,

Go, drink it in beer or wine."

So Robin offered the old man a lot of money if he would exchange clothes with him, which he agreed to. He then dressed himself in the monk's gown, went his way, and soon met the proud sheriff.

"Oh, what will you give to a poor old man who is willing to act as your hangman ?" said Robin.

The sheriff promised him a new suit of clothes and some money if he would act as hangman, so Robin promised to do so; but when the three young brothers were brought out, Robin put his horn to his mouth, and a hundred and fifty stout fellows with bows and arrows soon came rushing forward. Then he blew a second blast, and sixty more men came rushing over the plain.

“Oh, who are these?" says the proud sheriff.

"They are my attendants," says Robin, "and they have come to pay you a visit."

Now, the sheriff was a bad man who never gave anything to the poor, so they bound him and hung him on the gallows, and set their own brave fellows free.

Robin having heard that the Bishop of Hereford was to pass through the wood, he and his men killed a fat deer, and dressed it by the wayside to attract his attention. When he came by, feeling very confident because he had a good many armed servants and some few soldiers with him, and seeing that Robin had but few, and being haughty and arrogant as well, he stopped his horse and abused Robin and his men for wandering at their will in the greenwood, as if it belonged to them; and Robin did not like to be thus scolded; for the old song says of him—

"Robin was a proud outlaw,

Whiles he walked on ground."

So, as I said, the Bishop scolded Robin and his followers for

killing the deer, and said he would take them to the King; but Robin blew his horn for a hundred of his men, who soon put the bishop's followers to flight; and they seized upon the bishop, and led him away to their haunts in the wood, and there they made him eat and drink whether he would or no, and made him pay for it with all the bags of gold he had with him; for they said that, as he was so rich, it was only fair that he should bear the expense of the feast. The Bishop was very angry, as you may suppose, and had not much appetite for his dinner. But this was not the worst that these audacious outlaws did to their prisoner. They made him stand up, while they sat or lounged all around

him, and then dance in his boots for their amusement as long as he was able. This and other tricks caused the Bishop of Ely, who was a great man when the King was away, to go with a number of soldiers to take him, and he attacked Robin Hood in the forest; but Robin and his men won the fight, and the bishop was obliged to fly. This reaching the King's ears on his return from the war, he said he would go himself and see if he could subdue this famous Robin Hood; but, liking adventures, he went in disguise as a monk, and so did those who went with him. When Robin met them, he took the King for an abbot, and the others for monks in his company; so he seized the King's horse by the bridle, and said that the traveller and all his party were prisoners, and must come with him, and stay until their friends sent a ransom that they might be set free. The monks and abbots often led very lazy lives, eating and drinking of the best, and caring more for amusement than for their duty. So Robin told the King, whom he supposed to be a monk, plainly that

he had a spite against all such as abbots, who lived in pomp and pride, and therefore he must away with him into the wood; but the King answered that they were messengers whom the King, who was not far off, had sent to say that they wished to speak with him. And Robin said he loved the King, and would do anything for him, and as they were the King's messengers, they should be well treated. Then he took them into the wood, and blowing his horn, a hundred and ten of his men came and knelt down before him, which made the King wonder, and he said to his followers that it was a finer sight than could be seen at Court. Robin then told his men to display their skill in the sports of the forest for the amusement of the King's messengers, and to do it as if it were to please the King himself. They did so many wonderful things, and so many brave things, that the King declared such men could not be found elsewhere. Robin then set his visitors down to a splendid feast of venison, fowls, and fish, with plenty of ale and wine, and they were all very merry together. Then Robin took a tankard of wine, and said they must all drink the health of the King. When they had done so, the King among the rest, Robin's men all cheered so loudly that even the King was astonished. So he said to Robin that

they all seemed very fond of the King, and would be fine fellows to serve him if they could but get his pardon. Robin replied that they would, and would serve him truly, for there was no man they loved so much as the King. So the King thought within himself that it would be a good thing to have such men in his service as Robin and his followers appeared to be; and he made up his mind to pardon them the offences they had committed in killing his deer, and in living a lawless life in the forest. Suddenly, therefore, to the great surprise of all, he stood up among them, and