Robin Hood (Dolphin Books) by Fraser Antonia

Author:Fraser, Antonia [Fraser, Antonia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781444010312
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2012-12-20T00:00:00+00:00

THE ADVENTURE OF THE FALSE PILGRIMS

For some weeks all went well in Sherwood, and never had there been a jollier companion than the friar, who could indeed, as he had boasted, draw a bow with skill, bring down a buck at a fine distance, and transfix a target with his arrow with the best of them. But one fateful day Friar Tuck found that he was not to be the only churchman in the forest. On his return to the camp, after a hard day’s hunting, what should he find but a band of pilgrim friars, feasting by the fire, and telling the men of Sherwood the stories of their travels and adventures in foreign countries. Robin’s band were listening with open mouths. No one had any time to spare for Friar Tuck, and the story of his day’s hunting. When Friar Tuck attempted to join in the conversation with an anecdote of his own pilgrimage to Canterbury, and how he had walked the whole way with peas in his shoes, he was rudely ignored. Meanwhile the pilgrim friars spun more and more wondrous tales of Saracens and magicians, Eastern enchantment and the strange sights which were to be seen in the Holy Land.

Deeply affronted, and secretly extremely jealous, Friar Tuck withdrew from the happy circle round the fire, and brooded by himself. He learnt that the pilgrims had been found by the band marching through the forest singing, and had inquired where they might spend the night (taking Little John and Tom Turpin for woodcutters or rangers). It had been Tom Turpin’s idea to offer them hospitality for the night in the camp.

‘They are holy men,’ he reasoned, ‘and can do no harm.’

Little John agreed that it would be a kind and charitable action to provide the pilgrims with shelter: besides, they might bring some news of King Richard and the progress of the crusade.

It was true that the pilgrims turned out not to know much, if anything, about the crusade: but they sang some good songs, and told some good stories, even if one or two of them were scarcely what the band would have expected from men of God. However, in the general laughter, and genial atmosphere of the evening meal, this small detail passed unnoticed. As for Friar Tuck’s behaviour – that was dismissed as the veriest pettiness.

So the feast continued well into the night, with such carousals and songs and jests and merry tales, that you would have thought Guy of Gisborne and Prince John would have heard the noise of it in their castles. Eventually, long after midnight, the fire died down, the last song was sung, the last beaker of ale quaffed, and the men of Sherwood began to think of sleeping. The air was fine and mild, and the sky clear and starry. Robin offered to give up his couch to the leader of the pilgrims and himself sleep in the open. Whereupon the rest of the band also courteously offered up their couches to their reverend guests.

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