“Oh! indeed I am a poor man,” said the Sheriff, “I have no money.”

“No money!  What have you in your saddle-bags, then?” asked Robin.

“Only pebbles, nothing but pebbles, as I told you before,” replied the frightened Sheriff.

“Little John, go and search the Sheriff’s saddle-bags,” said Robin.

Little John did as he was told, and counted out three hundred pounds upon the ground.

“Sheriff,” said Robin sternly, “I shall keep all this money and divide it among my men.  It is not half as much as you have stolen from them.  If you had told me the truth about it, I might have given you some back.  But I always punish people who tell lies.  You have done so many evil deeds,” he went on, “that you deserve to be hanged.”

The poor Sheriff shook in his shoes.

“Hanged you should be,” continued Robin, “but your good wife was kind to me yesterday.  For her sake, I let you go.  But if you are not kinder to my people I will not let you off so easily another time.”  And Robin called for the Sheriff’s pony.

  “Then Robin he brought him through the wood,
    And set him on his dapple gray: 
  Oh, have me commended to your wife at home,
    So Robin went laughing away.”

GUY OF WARWICK

ADAPTED BY H.E.  MARSHALL

I

GUY’S EARLY ADVENTURES AND HIS FIGHT WITH THE DUN COW

Long ago England was divided into several kingdoms, each having a king.  In a great battle the King of Northumbria was defeated and one of his lords, Gordian, lost all he owned.  He and his wife Brunhilda journeyed forth to seek a new home and at last reached Warwick, where Gordian was made the steward of Lord Rohand.

Not long after Brunhilda and Gordian went to live in Warwick, their little son Guy was born.  As he grew older he became a great favorite and was often invited to the castle.

Lord Rohand heard of Guy and asked him to a great dinner at Warwick Castle and afterwards to join in a tournament.  To Guy was given a seat quite near the earl and opposite his lovely daughter Phyllis.  She was the most beautiful lady in the kingdom and Guy longed to show her how well he could fight.  Never did Guy fight so well; he conquered every one of the knights, and won the prize.  Phyllis crowned him with roses and put the chain of gold around his neck.

After this Phyllis and Guy were much together and at last Guy said suddenly, “Phyllis, I love thee.  I cannot help it.”  In great anger she sent him away.  Guy grew very sad and Phyllis very lonely and at length she sent for Guy and said, “Go away and make thyself famous, then will I marry thee.”

Guy rode gaily away and sailed over to Germany.  There he heard of a great tournament.  Whoever fought best was to marry the Emperor’s daughter Blanche, which means white.  Besides marrying the Princess, the bravest knight was to receive a pure white horse, two white hounds, and a white falcon.  So it was called the White Tournament.