upon merry Robin stepped straightway forth, in all his rags and
tatters, his bags and pouches dangling about him, and laid his hand upon
the horse's bridle rein, calling upon the other to stop.

"Who art thou, fellow, that doth dare to stop me thus upon the King's
highway?" said the lean man, in a dry, sour voice.

"Pity a poor beggar," quoth Robin. "Give me but a farthing to buy me a
piece of bread."

"Now, out upon thee!" snarled the other. "Such sturdy rogues as thou art
are better safe in the prisons or dancing upon nothing, with a hempen
collar about the neck, than strolling the highways so freely."

"Tut," quoth Robin, "how thou talkest! Thou and I are brothers, man. Do
we not both take from the poor people that which they can ill spare? Do
we not make our livings by doing nought of any good? Do we not both live
without touching palm to honest work? Have we either of us ever rubbed
thumbs over honestly gained farthings? Go to! We are brothers, I say;
only thou art rich and I am poor; wherefore, I prythee once more, give
me a penny."

"Doss thou prate so to me, sirrah?" cried the Corn Engrosser in a rage.
"Now I will have thee soundly whipped if ever I catch thee in any town
where the law can lay hold of thee! As for giving thee a penny, I swear
to thee that I have not so much as a single groat in my purse. Were
Robin Hood himself to take me, he might search me from crown to heel
without finding the smallest piece of money upon me. I trust I am too
sly to travel so nigh to Sherwood with money in my pouch, and that thief
at large in the woods."

Then merry Robin looked up and down, as if to see that there was no one
nigh, and then, coming close to the Corn Engrosser, he stood on tiptoe
and spake in his ear, "Thinkest thou in sooth that I am a beggar, as I
seem to be? Look upon me. There is not a grain of dirt upon my hands or
my face or my body. Didst thou ever see a beggar so? I tell thee I am as
honest a man as thou art. Look, friend." Here he took the purse of money
from his breast and showed to the dazzled eyes of the Corn Engrosser the
bright golden pieces. "Friend, these rags serve but to hide an honest
rich man from the eyes of Robin Hood."

"Put up thy money, lad," cried the other quickly. "Art thou a fool,
to trust to beggar's rags to shield thee from Robin Hood? If he caught
thee, he would strip thee to the skin, for he hates a lusty beggar as he
doth a fat priest or those of my kind."

"Is it ind