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It happened on a bright, sunny day in early spring. All through the winter Robin and his men had had a very boring time. Nearly all their fun and adventures happened with people travelling through the forest. As there were no trains, people had to travel on horseback. In winter the roads were so bad, and the weather so cold and wet, that most people stayed at home. So it was rather a quiet time for Robin and his men. They lived in great caves during the winter, and spent their time making bows and arrows, and mending their boots and clothes.

Robin Hood was captain of the band of Merry Men. Next to him came Little John. It might seem strange to you. He was called Little John because he was so tall.

When Robin first came to live in Sherwood Forest he was rather sad, for he could not at once forget all he had lost. But he was not long lonely. When it became known that he had gone to live in the Green Wood, other poor men, who had been driven out of their homes by the Normans, joined him. They soon formed a band and were known as the "Merry Men."

Robin was no longer Robin of Huntingdon, but Robin of Sherwood Forest. Very soon people shortened Sherwood into Hood. People almost forgot that he was really an earl, and he had become known, not only all over England, but in many far countries, as Robin Hood.

Robin loved Little John best of all his friends. Little John loved Robin better than anyone else in all the world. Yet the first time they met they fought and knocked each other about terribly.

"Go back and wait till I have come over," he called out as soon as he noticed the stranger.

He wandered on for some time without meeting anyone. Shortly after, he came to a river. It was wide and deep, because of the winter rains. Over the river there was a very small, shaking bridge, so narrow, that if two people tried to pass each other on it, one would certainly fall into the water.

He drew an arrow from his bag and fitting it to his bow, called out again, "If you don't go back I'll shoot."

The stranger laughed, and called out in reply, "I have as good a right to the bridge as you. You can go back till I get across."

This bright, sunny morning Robin felt tired and restless, so he took his bow and arrows, and started off through the forest in search of adventure.

Robin began to cross the bridge, before he noticed that a great, tall man, the very tallest man he had ever seen, was crossing too from the other side.

This made Robin very angry. He was so accustomed to being obeyed that he was very much astonished too. He was so angry and astonished that he hardly knew what he did.

"If you do, I'll beat you till you are black and blue," replied the stranger.

"You talk like an ass. If I bend my bow, I could send an arrow through your proud head, before you could strike a blow."

The stranger laughed. "I won't run away; don't be afraid," he said.

"If I talk like an ass, you talk like a coward," replied the stranger. "Do you call it fair to stand with your bow and arrow ready to shoot at me when I have only a stick to defend myself with? I tell you, you are a coward. You are afraid that I would give you a beating."

Robin was not a coward, and he was not afraid. So he threw his bow and arrows on the bank behind him.

However, that did not frighten Robin at all. He was rather glad of it indeed. The stranger had said he was a coward. He meant to prove to him that he was not.

Robin Hood stepped to the trees and cut himself a good, thick oak stick. While he was doing this, he looked at the stranger, and saw that he was not only taller but much stronger than himself.

"You are a big, proud bully," he said. "Just wait there until I get a stick. I hope I may give you as good a beating as you deserve."

It was very difficult to fight while standing on such a narrow bridge. They kept swaying back and forth trying to keep their balance. With every blow the bridge bent and trembled beneath them as if it would break. All the same they managed to give each other some great blows. First Robin gave the stranger such a bang that his very bones seemed to ring.

"We will fight on the bridge," said he, "and whoever first falls into the river has lost the battle."

"All right," said the stranger. "Whatever you like. I'm not afraid."

"Ah, ha!" said he, "I'll give you as good as I get," and he hit Robin's head.

Then they began to fight.

Back he came with a fine big stick in his hand and a smile on his face. The idea of a real good fight had made his bad temper fly away, for, like King Richard, Robin Hood was rather fond of a fight.

Robin was very angry and began to fight harder.

When Robin's blows came so fast and angry, the stranger felt he could not stand it much longer. Gathering all his strength, with one strong blow he sent Robin backwards, right into the river. Head over heels he went, and disappeared under the water.

The water had carried him down the river a good way. He was, however, gradually making for the bank. Soon he caught hold of the hanging branches of a tree and pulled himself out. The stranger came running to help him too.

He thought he had drowned Robin, and he had not meant to do that. All the same he could not help laughing. Robin had looked so funny as he fell into the water.

"I'm here," called Robin, from far down the river. "I'm all right. I'm just swimming with the water."

"Well," said Robin, laughing too, "I must agree that you are a brave man and a good fighter. It was a fair fight, and you have won the battle. I don't want to quarrel with you any more. Will you shake hands and be friends with me?"

The stranger nearly fell in after him. He was so astonished at Robin's sudden disappearance that he could not think for a minute or two where he had disappeared to. He knelt down on the bridge, and stared into the water. "Hello, my good man," he called. "Hello, where are you?"

"You are not an easy man to beat or to drown either," he said with a laugh, as he helped Robin onto dry land again.

Then Robin put his horn to his mouth, and blew loud.

So they shook hands like the best of friends, and quite forgot that a few minutes before they had been striking each other as hard as they could.

At once, his strong bowmen appeared. They were dressed in green and they came to their master.

When the stranger saw all these fine men, dressed in green, and carrying bows and arrows, come running to Robin he was very much astonished.

"With all my heart," said the stranger. "It is a long time since I have met anyone who could use a stick as you can."

"It is nothing," laughed Robin. "This young fellow and I have been having a fight. He broke my head and then knocked me into the river."

"Oh dear, what has happened?" cried Will Stutely, the leader, as he ran up. "You have a great cut in your forehead, and you are wet through," he added, laying his hand on Robin's arm.

When they heard that, Robin's men were very angry.

"If he has knocked our master into the river, we will knock him in," said they. "We will see how he likes that." And they seized him, and wanted to drag him to the water to drown him, but Robin called out, "Stop, stop, it was a fair fight. He is a brave man, and we are very good friends now."

The stranger was very much astonished when he heard that he had actually been fighting with brave Robin Hood, because he had heard so many tales of him.

Then turning to the stranger, Robin bowed politely to him, saying, "I beg you to forgive my men. They will not harm you now they know that you are my friend, for I am Robin Hood."

"If you will come and live with me and my Merry Men," went on Robin, "I will give you a suit of Lincoln green. I will teach you how to use bow and arrows as well as you use your good stick."

Will laughed and laughed, till tears ran down his face. He thought it was such a funny name for so big a man.

"I should like nothing better," replied the stranger. "My name is John Little, and I promise to serve you faithfully."

"John Little!" said Will Stutely laughing. "John Little! What a name for a man so tall! John Little! Why, he is at least seven feet tall!"

Robin laughed because Will laughed. Then John Little laughed because Robin laughed. Soon they were all laughing as hard as they could. The wind carried the sound of it away, till the folk in the villages round about said, "Listen, how Robin Hood and his Merry Men do laugh."

"Well," said Robin at last, "I have heard it said, 'Laugh and grow fat,' but if we don't get some dinner soon I think we will all grow very thin. Come along, my little John. I'm sure you must be hungry too."

"Little John," said Will Stutely, "that's the very name for him. We must name him again, and I will be his godfather."

Back to their forest home they all went, laughing and talking as merrily as possible, taking John Little along with them. Dinner was waiting for them when they arrived. The head cook was looking anxiously through the trees, saying, "I do wish Master Robin would come, or food will be too much cooked."

Just at that moment they appeared. The cook was struck dumb at the sight of the giant, walking along beside Robin. "Where has master got that tall man?" he said, laughing to himself, as he ran away to get the dinner.

But Will and the others had not forgotten that he was to be named again. Seven of them came behind him, and in spite of all his kicking and struggling, wrapped him up in a long, green cloak, pretending he was a baby.

They had a very merry dinner. Robin found that John was not only a good fighter but that he had a wise head. He was more and more delighted with his new companion.

Robin laughed as much as anyone. At last he said, "Now, Will, don't you think that is enough?"

"Quiet, baby, quiet," they said. But the seven-foot baby wouldn't be quiet.

They had some buckets of water ready. These they poured over poor Little John till he was as wet as Robin had been after he fell into the river. The men roared with laughter. Little John looked so funny as he rolled about on the grass, trying to get out of his long, wet, green robe. He looked just like a huge green worm.

It was very noisy. The men all shouted and laughed. John Little laughed and screamed in turn, and kicked and struggled all the time.

Then Will stepped up beside him and began to speak.

"This baby said he was called John Little. But we will change it. So wherever he goes, his name shall be called Little John."

"Not a bit," said Will. "You wouldn't let us throw him in the river when we had him there so we have brought the river to him."

At last all the buckets were empty, and the naming was over. Then all the men stood round in a ring and gave three cheers for Little John, Robin's new man.

From that day Little John always lived with Robin. They became very, very great friends and Little John was next to Robin in command of the men.

After that they sang, danced, and played the whole afternoon. Then when the sun sank and the long, cool shadows fell across the grass they all said "good night" and went off into the their caves to sleep.