Chapter 12
The Two Churchmen and the Bags of Gold
Another winter came and went. There was not much snow on the ground
and people could again use the Great North Road.
‘One day, Sir Richard of Lee will pay us the abbot's money,’ said
Robin to Little John and Will Scarlet. ‘But perhaps we can get the
money back from the church first.’
‘A good plan, Robin,’ answered Little John. ‘I will find a rich
churchman and invite him to a forest dinner. Then he can pay us five
hundred pounds. That is not too expensive for our best forest deer, our
whitest bread and our finest wine!’
♦
The next evening, Little John went to the road and waited at the robbers'
usual place behind a tree. He didn't have to wait long. Two churchmen
on beautiful white horses were on the road. The two men wore
expensive clothes. They were afraid, and they often looked into the
forest.
Little John came out of the forest and moved to the middle of the
road.
‘Good evening, brothers,’ he called. ‘Are you going to St Mary's
Abbey?’
They stopped their horses and the younger churchman answered,
‘Yes, we are going to visit the abbot. Are we near the abbey? We don't
want to be on this road at night. People say robbers live in the forests
near here!’
‘I am the abbot's man,’ said Little John. ‘I can show you a quick way
to the abbey. Follow me!’
So the two men followed Little John into the forest. After a few
minutes they saw smoke and then a fire. Robin's men were there. ‘Where
are we?’ cried the churchmen. ‘Who are these men? This is not the
abbey!’