Page:Famous exploits of Robin Hood, Little John, and his merry men all.pdf/17

Rh born and bred in the town of Maxfield, and my name is Gamewell; I am forced to fly from home, and to hide myself for having killed my father's steward, who had falsely accused me; and I came to this forest to seek a bold uncle of mine, who goes by the name of bold Robin Hood.' 'Art thou then a cousin of bold Robin Hood?' answered he, 'had I known it before, our fight would been been sooner done.' 'On my life,' said the stranger, 'I am his first kin, and son to his mother's second brother, who now lives at court with the king, and for gallant deeds he performed in Palestine, he is soon to be made a noble peer.' When Robin heard this he embraced him with great joy, and soon let him know that he himself was his uncle Robin Hood. They then set out for the green shady bower, and met Little John by the way.

Robin Hood and all his men were now outlawed, because they had broken the forest laws, (which were very severe) and had killed the king's fat deer.

As Robin walked out one fine summer's day, when the fields were pleasant and green, and the birds sang sweetly in the bushes, he was tempted, to wander beyond the skirts of the forest, far away from his bower; and as he was thinking of going back, he was