All this time nothing had been said of the Sheriff’s money, so presently he began to pluck up heart.  “For,” said he to himself, “maybe Robin Hood hath forgotten all about it.”

Then, while beyond in the forest bright fires crackled and savory smells of sweetly roasting venison and fat capons filled the glade, and brown pasties warmed beside the blaze, did Robin Hood entertain the Sheriff right royally.  First, several couples stood forth at quarterstaff, and so shrewd were they at the game, and so quickly did they give stroke and parry, that the Sheriff, who loved to watch all lusty sports of the kind, clapped his hands, forgetting where he was, and crying aloud, “Well struck!  Well struck, thou fellow with the black beard!” little knowing that the man he called upon was the Tinker that tried to serve his warrant upon Robin Hood.

Then several yeomen came forward and spread cloths upon the green grass, and placed a royal feast; while others still broached barrels of sack and Malmsey and good stout ale, and set them in jars upon the cloth, with drinking horns about them.  Then all sat down and feasted and drank merrily together until the sun was low and the half-moon glimmered with a pale light betwixt the leaves of the trees overhead.

Then the Sheriff arose and said, “I thank you all, good yeomen, for the merry entertainment ye have given me this day.  Right courteously have ye used me, showing therein that ye have much respect for our glorious King and his deputy in brave Nottinghamshire.  But the shadows grow long, and I must away before darkness comes, lest I lose myself within the forest.”

Then Robin Hood and all his merry men arose also, and Robin said to the Sheriff, “If thou must go, worshipful sir, go thou must; but thou hast forgotten one thing.”

“Nay, I forgot nought,” said the Sheriff; yet all the same his heart sank within him.

“But I say thou hast forgot something,” quoth Robin.  “We keep a merry inn here in the greenwood, but whoever becometh our guest must pay his reckoning.”

Then the Sheriff laughed, but the laugh was hollow.  “Well, jolly boys,” quoth he, “we have had a merry time together today, and even if ye had not asked me, I would have given you a score of pounds for the sweet entertainment I have had.”

“Nay,” quoth Robin seriously, “it would ill beseem us to treat Your Worship so meanly.  By my faith, Sir Sheriff, I would be ashamed to show my face if I did not reckon the King’s deputy at three hundred pounds.  Is it not so, my merry men all?”

Then “Ay!” cried all, in a loud voice.

“Three hundred devils!” roared the Sheriff.  “Think ye that your beggarly feast was worth three pounds, let alone three hundred?”