Robin Hood and Allan a Dale.
IT HAS just been told how three unlucky adventures fell upon Robin Hood and Little John all in one day bringing them sore ribs and aching bones.
So next we will tell how they made up for those ill happenings by a good action that came about not without some small pain to Robin.
Two days had passed by, and somewhat of the soreness had passed away from Robin Hood's joints, yet still, when he moved of a sudden and without thinking, pain here and there would, as it were, jog him, crying, "Thou hast had a drubbing, good fellow." The day was bright and jocund, and the morning dew still lay upon the grass.

Under the greenwood tree sat Robin Hood; on one side was Will Scarlet, lying at full length upon his back, gazing up into the clear sky, with hands clasped behind his head; upon the other side sat Little John, fashioning a cudgel out of a stout crab-tree limb; elsewhere upon the grass sat or lay many others of the band.
"By the faith of my heart," quoth merry Robin, "I do bethink me that we have had no one to dine with us for this long time.

Our money groweth low in the purse, for no one hath come to pay a reckoning for many a day.

Now busk thee, good Stutely, and choose thee six men, and get thee gone to Fosse Way or thereabouts, and see that thou bringest someone to eat with us this evening.

Meantime we will prepare a grand feast to do whosoever may come the greater honor.