“I am Little John, indeed, and I will bring to Robin Hood this day a right stout fellow to join his merry band.  But ere we go, good friend, it seemeth to me to be a vast pity that, as we have had so much of the Sheriff’s food, we should not also carry off some of his silver plate to Robin Hood, as a present from his worship.”

“Ay, marry is it,” said the Cook.  And so they began hunting about, and took as much silver as they could lay hands upon, clapping it into a bag, and when they had filled the sack they set forth to Sherwood Forest.

Plunging into the woods, they came at last to the greenwood tree, where they found Robin Hood and threescore of his merry men lying upon the fresh green grass.  When Robin and his men saw who it was that came, they leaped to their feet.  “Now welcome!” cried Robin Hood.  “Now welcome, Little John!  For long hath it been since we have heard from thee, though we all knew that thou hadst joined the Sheriff’s service.  And how hast thou fared all these long days?”

“Right merrily have I lived at the Lord Sheriff’s,” answered Little John, “and I have come straight thence.  See, good master!  I have brought thee his cook, and even his silver plate.”  Thereupon he told Robin Hood and his merry men that were there, all that had befallen him since he had left them to go to the Fair at Nottingham Town.  Then all shouted with laughter, except Robin Hood; but he looked grave.

“Nay, Little John,” said he, “thou art a brave blade and a trusty fellow.  I am glad thou hast brought thyself back to us, and with such a good companion as the Cook, whom we all welcome to Sherwood.  But I like not so well that thou hast stolen the Sheriff’s plate like some paltry thief.  The Sheriff hath been punished by us, and hath lost three hundred pounds, even as he sought to despoil another; but he hath done nought that we should steal his household plate from him.”

Though Little John was vexed with this, he strove to pass it off with a jest.  “Nay, good master,” quoth he, “if thou thinkest the Sheriff gave us not the plate, I will fetch him, that he may tell us with his own lips he giveth it all to us.”  So saying he leaped to his feet, and was gone before Robin could call him back.

Little John ran for full five miles till he came to where the Sheriff of Nottingham and a gay company were hunting near the forest.  When Little John came to the Sheriff he doffed his cap and bent his knee.  “God save thee, good master,” quoth he.

“Why, Reynold Greenleaf!” cried the Sheriff, “whence comest thou and where hast thou been?”

“I have been in the forest,” answered Little John, speaking amazedly, “and there I saw a sight such as ne’er before man’s eyes beheld!  Yonder I saw a young hart all in green from top to toe, and about him was a herd of threescore deer, and they, too, were all of green from head to foot.  Yet I dared not shoot, good master, for fear lest they should slay me.”