【英文原著类】Robin Hood(罗宾汉).pdf

Robin Hood
Robin Hood
J. Walker McSpadden
1
Robin Hood
CHAPTER I
HOW ROBIN HOOD BECAME AN OUTLAW
List and hearken, gentlemen, That be of free-born blood, I shall you
tell of a good yeoman, His name was Robin Hood.
Robin was a proud outlaw, While as he walked on the ground. So
courteous an outlaw as he was one Was never none else found.
In the days of good King Harry the Second of England--he of the
warring sons--there were certain forests in the north country set aside for
the King's hunting, and no man might shoot deer therein under penalty of
death. These forests were guarded by the King's Foresters, the chief of
whom, in each wood, was no mean man but equal in authority to the
Sheriff in his walled town, or even to my lord Bishop in his abbey.
One of the greatest of royal preserves was Sherwood and Barnesdale
forests near the two towns of Nottingham and Barnesdale. Here for some
years dwelt one Hugh Fitzooth as Head Forester, with his good wife and
son Robert. The boy had been born in Lockesley town--in the year 1160,
stern records say--and was often called Lockesley, or Rob of Lockesley.
He was ely, well-knit stripling, and as soon as he was strong enough
to walk his chief delight was to go with his father into the forest. As
soon as his right arm received thew and sinew he learned to draw the long
bow and speed a true arrow. While on winter evenings his greatest joy
was to hear his father tell of bold Will o' the Green, the outlaw, who for
many summers defied the King's Foresters and feasted with his men upon
King's deer. And on other stormy days the boy learned to whittle out a
straight shaft for the long bow, and tip it with gray goose feathers.
The fond mother sighed when she saw the boy's face light up at these
woodland tales. She was of gentle birth, and had hoped to see her son
famous at court or abbey. She taught him to read and to write, to doff his
cap without awkwardness and to answer directly and truthfully b