"Now may the blessings of all the saints fall on thine honest head!" cried the Butcher right joyfully, as he leaped down from his cart and took the purse that Robin held out to him. 

"Nay," quoth Robin, laughing loudly, "many do like me and wish me well, but few call me honest. Now get thee gone back to thy lass, and give her a sweet kiss from me." So saying, he donned the Butcher's apron, and, climbing into the cart, he took the reins in his hand and drove off through the forest to Nottingham Town. 

When he came to Nottingham, he entered that part of the market where butchers stood, and took up his inn(2) in the best place he could find. Next, he opened his stall and spread his meat upon the bench, then, taking his cleaver and steel and clattering them together, he trolled aloud in merry tones: 

(2) Stand for selling. 

"Now come, ye lasses, and eke ye dames, 
And buy your meat from me; 
For three pennyworths of meat I sell 
For the charge of one penny. 

"Lamb have I that hath fed upon nought 
But the dainty dames pied, 
And the violet sweet, and the daffodil 
That grow fair streams beside. 

"And beef have I from the heathery words, 
And mutton from dales all green, 
And veal as white as a maiden's brow, 
With its mother's milk, I ween. 

"Then come, ye lasses, and eke ye dames, 
