Robin Hood

Chapter 7 Sir Richard Pays the Abbot
At twelve o'clock the next day, the Abbot of St Mary's was in his 
great dining room. On the table there were bags of gold. He went 
to the window and looked out.
‘Sir Richard of Lee is here at the right time, I see,’ he thought.
‘But his clothes are poor, and his horse is old. Good! I think my 
friend, the sheriff, is right. Sir Richard cannot pay my one 
thousand, one hundred pounds. So this evening, I will be Lord of 
his house and his lands!’
A few minutes later, Sir Richard and Little John came into the 
room.
‘Well,’ said the abbot, 'you are here at the right time. Do you 
have my money ?’
‘My Lord Abbot,’ Sir Richard began, ‘you are a church man. I 
hope you will be kind. Next year ...’
‘Stop!’ shouted the abbot. ‘Do not ask for more time! I want my 
money now Pay me the one thousand, one hundred pounds, or your 
house and lands will be mine this evening!’
Sir Richard then put six bags of gold on the abbot's table. ‘Here 
are six hundred pounds, My Lord,’ he said quietly. ‘There 
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is one hundred in each bag. It is a lot of money for me. Next year 
I hope ...’
‘Not next year, or next month, or next week!’ shouted the abbot 
again. ‘I want all my money today! Do you have my gold -yes or no?’ 
Then Little John put five more bags on the table. 
‘Here you are, My Lord,’ he said. ‘Five hundred more pounds. This 
good man and his family will sleep in their home tonight.’ 
The abbot looked at the money, then he looked at Little John. The 
abbot's face was very red. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. 
What could he say? 
Later, in the forest, Little John told the story to Robin Hood and the 
other men. 
‘The abbot's face was wonderful,’ said Little John. ‘He was angry, 
but he had to take the money’ 
They laughed for a long time, but then Robin said, 
‘This was a fine adventure. But the abbot will tell the sheriff, and the 
sheriff will also be angry. They are dangerous men. Sir Richard has to 
be careful.’