Howard Pyle: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

5. Robin Hood Turns Butcher (continued)

"Nay," quoth Robin, laughing loudly, "many do like me and wish me well, but few call me honest. Now get thee gone back to thy lass, and give her a sweet kiss from me." So saying, he donned the Butcher's apron, and, climbing into the cart, he took the reins in his hand and drove off through the forest to Nottingham Town.

When he came to Nottingham, he entered that part of the market where butchers stood, and took up his inn[2] in the best place he could find. Next, he opened his stall and spread his meat upon the bench, then, taking his cleaver and steel and clattering them together, he trolled aloud in merry tones:

[2] Stand for selling.

 "Now come, ye lasses, and eke ye dames,
      And buy your meat from me;
  For three pennyworths of meat I sell
      For the charge of one penny.

 "Lamb have I that hath fed upon nought
      But the dainty dames pied,
  And the violet sweet, and the daffodil
      That grow fair streams beside.

 "And beef have I from the heathery words,
      And mutton from dales all green,
  And veal as white as a maiden's brow,
      With its mother's milk, I ween.

 "Then come, ye lasses, and eke ye dames,
      Come, buy your meat from me,
  For three pennyworths of meat I sell
      For the charge of one penny."

Thus he sang blithely, while all who stood near listened amazedly. Then, when he had finished, he clattered the steel and cleaver still more loudly, shouting lustily, "Now, who'll buy? Who'll buy? Four fixed prices have I. Three pennyworths of meat I sell to a fat friar or priest for sixpence, for I want not their custom; stout aldermen I charge threepence, for it doth not matter to me whether they buy or not; to buxom dames I sell three pennyworths of meat for one penny for I like their custom well; but to the bonny lass that hath a liking for a good tight butcher I charge nought but one fair kiss, for I like her custom the best of all."