_Alfred._ My good mistress, here comes a pilgrim boy to ask thy charity.
May I bestow one of these cakes on him?
_Switha._ Thou mayest do what thou wilt with thine own, man! but do not presume to give away my property to idle fellows like thyself.
_Alfred._ But, mistress, may I not give him that which was to have been my portion for dinner?
_Switha._ No, indeed! I have enough to do with feeding one vagrant without adding all the lazy pilgrims who pa.s.s by.
_Alfred._ See, mistress, my amulet! I will give thee this jewel, Switha, if thou wilt permit me to feed this poor pilgrim.
_Switha._ Very well, then. Give him thy portion while I go and hide the jewel.
[_Goes out as Odulph enters._]
_Alfred._ Welcome, Odulph! Tell me thy tidings. I hunger for good news.
_Odulph._ My tidings, royal Alfred, are these: Hubba, the Dane, the terror of England, is slain, and his banner of the Raven waves in my father"s hall!
_Alfred._ What? Is thy father"s castle in the possession of the Danes?
_Odulph._ Not so, my royal master; but the banner of the Danes, captured by your victorious Saxons, hangs in his hall. We were pent up in the castle by the Danes till our provisions failed. When the last loaf was eaten, and our archers had launched their last arrows, my valiant father led the garrison in an attack upon the foe.
_Alfred._ Brave Oscar! And you defeated them!
_Odulph._ Yes, because of the carelessness of the Danes. They believed they had us in their power, and they never dreamed we would leave the castle walls. Few as we were, we fell upon them and slew their chiefs.
The soldiers fled, and left our men victorious. Then my father raised the cry, "Alfred the king!" All the country is calling, "Alfred the king!"
_Alfred._ The time is ripe. I thank you, Odulph. Your father is a n.o.ble man, and I shall know how to show a king"s grat.i.tude to you both. Shall we go?
_Odulph._ Lead on, King Alfred, England is ready. Soon you shall head your army shouting, "Long live King Alfred!"
ROBIN HOOD AND THE SAD KNIGHT
PERSONS IN THE PLAY--ROBIN HOOD, LITTLE JOHN, MIDGE, WILL SCARLET, THE ABBOT, THE KNIGHT, THE PRIOR, THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE, THE LADY
SCENE I.--_In the Greenwood._
[_Robin Hood and his men making arrows._]
_Robin Hood._ This feather is too short. Give me another, Little John.
This is a better one.
_Midge._ Making arrows is not a simple thing, is it, my master?
_Robin Hood._ Indeed, no; if the feathers be too short, the arrows will not keep true to their course; and if the feathers be too long, the arrows will not fly swiftly.
_Little John._ If all men knew how to make arrows, their skill in shooting would seem greater. Look to your arrows, say I, before you shoot.
_Will Scarlet._ We should thank the gray goose for the even growth of her feathers, which carries our arrows straight to the mark.
_Robin Hood._ First the strong bow that bends to our hand, then the straight arrow, tough and trim, and the feathers that wing it to its mark. But best of all the steady hand and keen eye that direct our winged shaft. But you have worked well this morning, my men, and now we may rest awhile. Sing us a song, Will Scarlet, while we lie beneath the friendly oak.
_Will Scarlet_ (_sings_).
The hunt is up! the hunt is up!
And it is well-nigh day; And Harry our king has gone hunting To bring his deer to bay.
The east is bright with morning light, And darkness, it is fled; And the merry horn wakes up the morn To leave his idle bed.
Awake, all men! I say again Be merry as you may!
For Harry our king is gone hunting To bring the deer to bay.
_Little John._ This song is well enough in its way, but for me, I should much prefer a good dinner. The morning"s work has given me a fine appet.i.te and I long for food.
_Robin Hood._ It is good to eat, but not before we find some rich traveler to pay the bill. Ride out, my man, and find us a host. Willing or unwilling, bid him come.
_Little John._ With right good will, my master; and may I soon meet with him!
_Robin Hood._ Remember well, no farmer shall you bring. He works for what he gets and shall live in peace. And the laborer who toils for wife and child you must not harm. Only those who oppress the poor and weak, those who are selfish and unkind, who play while others weep, these shall you bring to me.
_Will Scarlet._ But look, my master, what sorrowing knight rides there?
His garments are rich and his horse gayly decked, but his countenance is sad and he rides slowly, careless of the way.
_Little John._ Hail, gentle knight; my master awaits you and fain would have your company at dinner.
_The Knight._ At dinner,--in the wood! Who is your master?
_Little John._ Robin Hood is he: and here he is to bid you welcome.
_Robin Hood._ Welcome, Sir Knight, thrice welcome art thou, for I have fasted beyond the dinner hour. Pray you, dismount.
_The Knight._ G.o.d save you and all your company!
_Midge._ The dinner is served, my master.
_Robin Hood._ Will you join us, Sir Knight? Here are pheasants and swans and meat of the deer.
_The Knight._ Such a good dinner, with so many brave men, I have not eaten for many a day. If I come again to this country, I will make thee as good a dinner. But Heaven knows when that will be!
[Ill.u.s.tration]
_Robin Hood._ Thanks for your kind offer. But in the greenwood our guests must pay for their food. A yeoman does not pay for a rich knight!
_The Knight._ Sorry am I that you must call me poor. I would that I could pay you, but in my saddlebags are no more than ten shillings.