Robin Hood / Рассказы о Робин Гуде - страница 6

Suddenly, Robin stopped and pointed to a big, fat man sitting on the trunk of a tree that was lying across the stream. He held a long wooden pole.

“What a fat pole!” whispered Will.

“What a fat man!” exclaimed Robin.

Robin walked along the trunk of the tree towards the man.

“Let me pass, man.”

“I will not, not without a fight,” said the fat man.

Will, still on the bank of the stream, made a long pole from a branch and threw it to Robin. The two men fought with their poles for a long time. Suddenly the man’s pole hit Robin’s head and he fell into the water.

The man smiled and helped Robin out. Sitting on the trunk of the tree, Robin shook off the water from his ears and asked, “Who are you?”

“I am John Little. And you?”

“Once Robin of Locksley, now I’m Robin Hood.”

“Robin of Locksley? I came here to meet you.”

“Why?”

“I want to join your company, that’s why. Will you take me?”

“Yes, I will. We need persons like you, who can wield a wooden pole as well as you do. Meet Will Scarlet.”

So John Little joined Robin Hood’s band and came to be known as Little John.

At Nottingham Castle, Prince John was very angry. He paced up and down the hall, furious. Robin had dared to kill two of his knights! He would not tolerate such an insult.

A death warrant was prepared. The Prince signed it and gave it to Sir Guy, saying, “Declare Robin an outlaw, seize his castle and his lands. Issue orders that he must be killed on sight!”

But the Normans failed to catch Robin, even though their spies were everywhere.

“He has killed so many of my men,” wailed Sir Guy, “yet he roams free. Why? He terrifies my men with his bow and arrows. Why can’t we get him?”

“How can anyone catch him, when every Saxon is his friend? They protect him,” said one knight.

“I’m told that his outlaws are fearless and very loyal to him. It is said that they rob the rich and give to the poor. We Normans say that Robin kills Normans, but we have been informed that he does not kill just any Norman who crosses his path. He kills only those who have plundered Saxons. I’m told that he is very gentle with women and children and protects them at all times,” said another.

“What’s this I hear?” Sir Guy exclaimed. “You seem to be singing the praises of Robin, and here we are thinking of ways to kill him!”