5 Little John Battles the Tanner of Blythe

CHAPTER 5 Little John Battles the Tanner of Blythe Little John had grown a bit fat over the winter, and Robin chided him frequently. "You've gained some softness around your belly," he teased one morning. "I may be soft, Master Robin, but I'm not so soft that I can't still tumble a man from a forest bridge," John retorted. The merry men laughed. They remembered John and Robin's first meeting.

"That may be," chuckled Robin Hood, "but I am still the leader of this band, and I just remembered an errand I have for you. Some of the men need new clothes, but we are running low on Lincoln green and you need to buy cloth. I do believe the walk to Ancaster will do you good." Robin gave Little John money and sent him on his way. Despite his size, Little John sometimes acted like a small boy. Robin Hood loved Little John, but he knew his right-hand man could be lazy at times. Robin followed at a distance to make sure Little John completed his errand in a timely fashion. It was a beautiful day, with a few puffy clouds floating overhead. Little John was happy to be back in the forest again. As he ambled along, he saw a herd of deer trotting over a hill. Little John loved that sight. The law said the deer belonged to King Henry and that no man could hunt without the

king's permission, but Little John felt that the deer belonged as much to Robin and the men as to the king. As he approached the herd, Little John spied a man hiding by the side of the road. "Who goes there that hunts the king's deer?" he called out. The stranger shouted back, "My name is Arthur a Bland, from Blythe. I'm a tanner by trade, not a poacher. I do no wrong." This was only half true. Bland had no bow with him, but on many a day, he had hunted and killed the king's deer. Arthur a Bland enjoyed the taste of venison as much as any man. Unconvinced, Little John said, "Well, you've got a criminal look about you. I do think you are a thief!" "You lie through your teeth," declared Arthur a Bland.

"Is that so?" growled Little John. "I will give you a beating you will never forget! Now take up your staff, for I will not hit an unarmed man." The two men came together slowly, circling each other like angry dogs before a fight. Bland was not quite as tall as John, but he was an expert with the staff. After a few moments, Little John struck. The blow clacked loudly against Bland's staff. Bland returned the blow, and John blocked it. Their mighty battle began. Just then, Robin caught up with them. He heard the thunderous blows and crouched behind a tree to watch. "I would give three golden pounds to see this fellow beat Little John," Robin chuckled to himself. "Perhaps it would teach him a lesson for straying from his errand." The two men fought on. Their feet wore

out the earth beneath them, pushing it up in piles as they shoved each other up and down the forest floor with their staffs. "I have never seen anyone fight Little John like this before!" he said in amazement. The contest continued for nearly an hour, but then started to go badly for Little John. The extra weight he carried on his belly slowed him down, and he began to tire. Finally, Little John saw his chance. Rearing back, he swung his staff as hard as he could. Though the blow was strong, Arthur a Bland wore a thick cowhide cap. He tumbled when John hit him on the head, but he did not lose his senses. As John moved to strike again, Bland regained his balance and hit John first. The blow knocked Little John to the forest floor, and his staff flew out of his hand. Arthur a Bland leapt forward and brought his staff down hard on Little John's ribs.

"Hold! Hold!" panted Little John. "Would you hit a man while he was down?" "Why, yes, I would," Arthur a Bland replied. Then he struck again. "Hold, I say!" cried Little John. "I give up!" "Do you admit that I'm the better man?" Arthur a Bland demanded. "Yes, yes I do," Little John said weakly. Arthur a Bland relented. "Then you can go your way, and I'll go mine. You should be thankful that I am so merciful." "You call that mercy?" asked Little John in disbelief. "Each of my ribs feels broken. I never thought I would meet the man who could do that to me." Robin popped out from his hiding place. "I never thought I'd see it, either!" he laughed. "He knocked you down like a bottle off a wall!" Robin turned to Arthur a Bland. "What is your name, good fellow?"