Thou shalt eat sweet venison and quaff the stoutest ale, and mine own good right-hand man shalt thou be, for never did I see such a cudgel player in all my life before.

Speak! Wilt thou be one of my good merry men ?" "That know I not," quoth the stranger surlily, for he was angry at being so tumbled about.

"If ye handle yew bow and apple shaft no better than ye do oaken cudgel, I wot ye are not fit to be called yeomen in my country; but if there be any man here that can shoot a better shaft than I, then will I bethink me of joining with you." "Now by my faith," said Robin, "thou art a right saucy varlet, sirrah; yet I will stoop to thee as I never stooped to man before.

Good Stutely, cut thou a fair white piece of bark four fingers in breadth, and set it fourscore yards distant on yonder oak.

Now, stranger, hit that fairly with a gray goose shaft and call thyself an archer." "Ay, marry, that will I," answered he.