“Allan-a-Dale was a minstrel and he was supposed to sing,” Ben protested.
But Helen, who was taking the part of Ellen, had a good reason for wishing that Ben would be quiet and she did not hesitate to tell him. “I want to watch the birds, and you scare them away. Can’t you just pretend to sing? It would be very much nicer.”
In the lookout tree they mounted guard in turn.
As the band contained only one woman besides Ellen, Ann finally consented to be Maid Marian, although she much preferred to be Friar Tuck.
“You’re a girl,” Ben said decidedly. “And a girl can’t be Friar Tuck.”
“What difference does that make?” protested Ann. “I can swing a stave as well as you do; better.”
“I know you can,” said Jo. “But Maid Marian is far more important than Friar Tuck. Robin Hood couldn’t have done a thing without her. She went everywhere the band did and thought things out for them, but Friar Tuck didn’t do much except eat and drink.”
“It is such a nice name,” mourned Ann. But Maid Marian she decided to be.