BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART I
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EIGHT
  14. NINE
  15. PART II
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. PART III
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. INTERLUDE
  35. PART IV
  36. TWENTY-SEVEN
  37. TWENTY-EIGHT
  38. TWENTY-NINE
  39. THIRTY
  40. THIRTY-ONE
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. INTERLUDE
  45. PART V
  46. THIRTY-FIVE
  47. THIRTY-SIX
  48. THIRTY-SEVEN
  49. THIRTY-EIGHT
  50. PART VI
  51. THIRTY-NINE
  52. FORTY
  53. FORTY-ONE
  54. FORTY-TWO
  55. FORTY-THREE
  56. FORTY-FOUR
  57. FORTY-FIVE
  58. INTERLUDE
  59. PART VII
  60. FORTY-SIX
  61. FORTY-SEVEN
  62. FORTY-EIGHT
  63. FORTY-NINE
  64. FIFTY
  65. FIFTY-ONE
  66. FIFTY-TWO
  67. PART VIII
  68. FIFTY-THREE
  69. FIFTY-FOUR
  70. FIFTY-FIVE
  71. FIFTY-SIX
  72. EPILOGUE
  73. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  74. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  75. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  76. Newsletter Sign-up

Eventually the visitors all returned to their cart and said their goodbyes. Near everyone was out to give thanks to the “hero” that Stutely alone had actually met. He’d be sure to correct their opinions once the cart left. The troll pulled a leaf-shaped lute from the wagon and strummed a chord, to the delight of all those around. Stutely could have played it better, but most instruments were built so poorly they broke when he played them. The troll sang a verse,

Stop and listen, gentlemen,

That be of freeborn blood,

And I shall tell of a goodly man,

His name is Robin Hood.

Robin was a prude outlaw,

And against the law he fought,

So courteous a leader as he was one …

Whether he wants to be or not!

They laughed, and the villagers laughed, and everyone laughed because not one of them knew anything about the truth. Stutely took the chance to grab the blond’s elbow as he moved to catch up with the wagon.

“The stories aren’t true about him, you know. He’s nobody. That’s all he is.”

“I know.” The boy scowled. “He’s a joke.”

“Thanks.” His girl scrunched her face, then grinned at the boy. “So you mean Robin Hood didn’t split your arrow in half?”

“He broke it over his knee!” he yelled out angrily as they both leaned into a run to catch up. The singing and laughter drifted away down the road, and the people of Thorney watched them leave and then started talking amongst themselves about their good luck and what they were going to do with the coin they’d received or how well they’d eat tonight.

Except for Stutely. He wouldn’t eat a single apple they’d brought, if they’d brought apples, or anything else that had been given by Robin the Liar. He’d said it himself, he was nothing special, just a coward with important friends. And now that they’d gone, there was nobody in Thorney better for having met them.

They’d eat fine tonight, but come tomorrow they’d rely on old Stutely again to push the ’barrow, and then they’d see what a real hero was. Not a smooth-faced boyman who sings his way into town and gives out stolen food, but a big strong man with a big strong beard, who provides for them day in and out, with never a care for himself in the world. They’d see, and they’d thank him one day, and they’d sing songs about him, too, and wouldn’t wrinkle their nose so much when he walked by, or laugh at him behind his back, which he always heard.

PART IV

A NECESSARY CRUELTY

TWENTY-SEVEN

ARABLE DE BUREL

NOTTINGHAM, MARKET SQUARE