Читать «Legends of Robin Hood. Легенды о Робин Гуде» онлайн - страница 10

The Sheriff was happy when he heard that Robin had so many cattle for sale. He made up his mind that it would be easy to cheat this silly young man. He began to count the money. He was such a greedy old man. But there was a twinkle in Robin’s eye.

‘Now, young man, when can I see these cattle of yours?’ asked the Sheriff. ‘I can’t buy a pig in a poke, you know. I must see them first. And the land too, and the land too,’ he added.

‘The sooner the better/ said Robin. ‘I start for home tomorrow morning. If you like to ride with me I will show you the cattle and the land too.’

‘Fine,’ said the Sheriff. ‘To-morrow morning then, after breakfast, I go with you. And see here, young man,’ he added, ‘you won’t sell to any one else. It is a bargain, isn’t it?’

‘Oh, certainly. I won’t even speak of it to any one,’ replied Robin; and he went away, laughing to himself.

That night the Sheriff counted out three hundred pounds in gold.

‘It’s a lot of money,’ he said to himself, ‘a lot of money. Still I must pay him something for his cattle.’

He put the gold under his pillow. Then he went to bed and tried to sleep. But he was too excited.

In the morning when the Sheriff saw that they were going to Sherwood Forest, he began to feel nervous.

‘There is a bold, bad man in these woods,’ he said. ‘He is called Robin Hood. He robs people, he — do you think we will meet him?’

‘I am sure we won’t meet him,’ replied Robin with a laugh.

‘Wfell, I hope not, I am sure,’ said the Sheriff. ‘I never dare to ride through the forest unless I have my soldiers with me. He is a bold, bad man.’

Robin only laughed, and they rode on right into the forest.

‘Look there,’ he cried, ‘look! What do you think of my cattle?’

‘I think,’ said the Sheriff, ‘I think I should go back to Nottingham.’

‘What! and not buy any cattle? What is the matter? Come, come, Sheriff and besides, you have money for it.’

At the mention of money the Sheriff turned pale. ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I don’t like you at all. I want to go back to Nottingham. This isn’t money I have in my bags, it is only stones.’

Robin blew his horn three times and Little John and all the company came out.

‘Good morning, Littlejohn,’ said Robin.

‘Good morning, Master Robin,’ he replied. ‘What orders have you for to-day?’

‘Well, in the first place I hope you have something nice for dinner. I took the Sheriff of Nottingham to dine with us,’ answered Robin.

‘Yes,’ said Little John, ‘the cooks are busy. But we didn’t wait for so fine a guest as the Sheriff of Nottingham,’ he added. ‘1 hope he will pay honestly.’

Robin Hood always gave these men who stole money from poor people a very fine dinner and then he made them pay much money for it.

The Sheriff was very much afraid. He knew he was in the hands of Robin Hood. He was angry too.

They had a very fine dinner. The Sheriff began to feel comfortable and to think he was going to get off easily, when Robin said, ‘Now, Master Sheriff, you must pay for your dinner.’