Читать «Legends of Robin Hood. Легенды о Робин Гуде» онлайн - страница 9

One day Robin met a butcher in the forest.

This butcher was going to the market at Nottingham.

‘What have you there, my man?’ he asked.

‘Butcher meat for Nottingham Market,’ replied the man. ‘Do you want to buy some?’

‘Yes, I do,’ said Robin. ‘I’ll buy it all and your horse too. I’d like to go to Nottingham and see what kind of butcher I will make.’

So the butcher sold his horse, all his meat and clothes to Robin.

Then Robin went to Nottingham to sell his meat at the market.

In those days there were very few shops, so every one used to go to market to buy and sell.

Robin began to cry.

‘Prime meat, ladies. Come and buy. Cheapest meat in all the market. Twopence a pound, ladies. Come and buy.’

‘What!’ said every one, ‘beef at twopence a pound! Why, it is usually tenpence.’

Robin knew nothing about selling meat, he never bought any. He used to live on what they shot in the forest.

Every one came round his stall to buy.

The butchers began to talk among themselves and say, ‘Who is this man?’

‘Do you think he stole the meat?’

‘Perhaps his father died and left him a business.’

‘The sooner he loses it all, the better for us.’

‘It is silly,’ said one old man. He was the chief butcher.

Laughter came from Robin’s comer. He was not only selling meat, but making jokes about it all the time.

‘I tell you what,’ said the old butcher, ‘Wfe’d better go talk to him, and find out who he is. must ask him to come and have dinner with us and the Sheriff to-day. ’ On market days, the butchers used to have dinner together, after market was over, and the Sheriff used to come and have dinner with them.

‘Thank you,’ said Robin. ‘I should like it. I am very hungry and thirsty.’

‘Come, then,’ said the butchers.

The old butcher began asking Robin questions, to try and find out something about him.

‘You have not been here before?’ he said.

‘Have I not?’ replied Robin.

‘I have not seen you, at least.’

‘Have you not?’

‘You are new to the business?’

‘Am I?’

‘Wfell, you seem to be,’ said the old butcher.

‘Do I?’ replied Robin laughing.

The old butcher got nothing.

The Sheriffs wife was very kind, and was interested in Robin when she heard that he was the new butcher. Robin had such pleasant manners. She thought he was a very nice man. She was quite sorry when the Sheriff came and took him away for dinner.

‘I hope to see you again, kind sir,’ she said saying goodbye. ‘Come to see me next time you have meat to sell.’

‘Thank you, lady, I will not forget your kindness,⁷ replied Robin.

At dinner the Sheriff sat at one end of the table and the old butcher at the other. Robin, as the greatest stranger, had the place of honour on the Sheriffs right hand.

The Sheriff was thinking hard. He was a greedy old man. He said to himself, ‘This silly young fellow does not know the value of things. If he has any cattle I might buy it for very little. I could sell it again to the butchers for a good price. In that way I should make a lot of money.’

After dinner he led Robin aside.

‘See here, young man,’ he said, ‘I like your looks. You are. new to this business. Don’t trust these men,’ he pointed to the butchers. Take my advice. If you have any cattle to sell, come to me. I’U give you a good price.’