The two churchmen were very unhappy but they could not leave. So they got down from their horses and sat at Robin's table. Robin's men brought them meat, wine and bread. The
food was very good, but the churchmen couldn't eat. They were too afraid.
'Not hungry?' asked Robin. 'Please eat more because we wil ask you to pay something for your dinner. With a little church gold, we can help the abbot's villagers. On the abbot's land there are many poor families.'
The men's faces were very white. We are only poor churchmen,' they answered, and we have no money. Please don't kill us!'
Little John went to the churchmens horses and looked in their bags. Then he called to Robin Hood.
'They are right, Robin. There is no money in their bags.'
'We told you that,' said one of the men. Please - it is very late and we want to get to the abbey. My Lord Abbot is waiting for us.'
'Wait!' answered Robin. 'You are wearing some fine clothes. You can pay for your dinner with those. Take them off!'
'What? Here, in the forest?' asked the men. The night is very cold!'
'Take them off,' Robin repeated, 'or do you want me to help you?' He took out his sword. The two men slowly took off all their clothes.
The robbers looked at the churchmen and began to laugh ... Under their clothes, each man had five large money bags.
'Look at that,' said Little John. 'What do we have here? Aha! There is gold in these bags! One hundred pounds in each bag.'
'We will take this gold,' said Robin Hood. ‘It is not yours because you didn't have any money. Perhaps somebody put the gold there! Go now and tell the good abbot. Robin Hood found one thousand pounds!'
The two men began to put on their clothes again.
'No,no,' said Robin. 'You can give us your clothes too -and your horses. You can wear our old clothes, and walk to the abbey.'
The two men ran away and Robin Hood's men laughed for a long time.
‘I would like to see the abbot's face tomorrow!' said Little John. ‘This is more money than we gave him. He will not be a happy man.
1. get down from the horse 从马上下来
2. begin to do something 开始做某事
3. put on once clothes 穿上衣服
4. take out 取出；去掉；出发；发泄；把…带出去；邀请（某人）外出；开始
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