[The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle]@TWC D-Link book
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town
10/17

Three arrows shooteth each man of those three, and to him that shooteth the fairest shafts shall the prize be given." Then the Sheriff leaned forward, looking keenly among the press of archers to find whether Robin Hood was among them; but no one was there clad in Lincoln green, such as was worn by Robin and his band.
"Nevertheless," said the Sheriff to himself, "he may still be there, and I miss him among the crowd of other men.

But let me see when but ten men shoot, for I wot he will be among the ten, or I know him not." And now the archers shot, each man in turn, and the good folk never saw such archery as was done that day.

Six arrows were within the clout, four within the black, and only two smote the outer ring; so that when the last arrow sped and struck the target, all the people shouted aloud, for it was noble shooting.
And now but ten men were left of all those that had shot before, and of these ten, six were famous throughout the land, and most of the folk gathered there knew them.

These six men were Gilbert o' the Red Cap, Adam o' the Dell, Diccon Cruikshank, William o' Leslie, Hubert o' Cloud, and Swithin o' Hertford.

Two others were yeomen of merry Yorkshire, another was a tall stranger in blue, who said he came from London Town, and the last was a tattered stranger in scarlet, who wore a patch over one eye.
"Now," quoth the Sheriff to a man-at-arms who stood near him, "seest thou Robin Hood among those ten ?" "Nay, that do I not, Your Worship," answered the man.


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