bin, "Fountain Abbey is a good hundred miles from here.
An we would help this lad, we have no time to go thither and back before
his true love will be married. Nought is to be gained there, coz."

"Yea," quoth Will Scarlet, laughing again, "but this Fountain Abbey is
not so far away as the one of which thou speakest, uncle. The Fountain
Abbey of which I speak is no such rich and proud place as the other,
but a simple little cell; yet, withal, as cosy a spot as ever stout
anchorite dwelled within. I know the place well, and can guide thee
thither, for, though it is a goodly distance, yet methinks a stout pair
of legs could carry a man there and back in one day."

"Then give me thy hand, Allan," cried Robin, "and let me tell thee, I
swear by the bright hair of Saint AElfrida that this time two days hence
Ellen a Dale shall be thy wife. I will seek this same Friar of Fountain
Abbey tomorrow day, and I warrant I will get upon the soft side of him,
even if I have to drub one soft."

At this Will Scarlet laughed again. "Be not too sure of that, good
uncle," quoth he, "nevertheless, from what I know of him, I think this
Curtal Friar will gladly join two such fair lovers, more especially if
there be good eating and drinking afoot thereafter."

But now one of the band came to say that the feast was spread upon
the grass; so, Robin leading the way, the others followed to where
the goodly feast was spread. Merry was the meal. Jest and story passed
freely, and all laughed till the forest rang again. Allan laughed with
the rest, for his cheeks were flushed with the hope that Robin Hood had
given him.

At last the feast was done, and Robin Hood turned to Allan, who sat
beside him. "Now, Allan," quoth he, "so much has been said of thy
singing that we would fain have a taste of thy skill ourselves. Canst
thou not give us something?"

"Surely," answered Allan readily; for he was no third-rate songster
that must be asked again and again, but said "yes" or "no" at the first
bidding; so, taking up his harp, he ran his fingers lightly over the
sweetly sounding strings, and all was hushed about the cloth. Then,
backing his voice with sweet music on his harp, he sang:

MAY ELLEN'S WEDDING

(Giving an account of how she was beloved by a fairy prince, who took
her to his own home.)

"_May Ellen sat beneath a thorn
And in a shower around
The blossoms fell at every breeze
Like snow upon the ground,
And in a