| |
| WHEN 1 Robin Hood was about twenty years old, | |
| With a hey down, down, and down; | |
| He happen’d to meet Little John, | |
| A jolly brisk blade, right fit for the trade, | |
| For he was a lusty young man. | 5 |
| |
| Though he was call’d Little, his limbs they were large, | |
| And his stature was seven foot high; | |
| Wherever he came, they quak’d at his name, | |
| For soon he would make them to fly. | |
| |
| How they came acquainted, I’ll tell you in brief, | 10 |
| If you would but listen awhile; | |
| For this very jest, amongst all the rest, | |
| I think it may cause you to smile. | |
| |
| For Robin Hood said to his jolly bowmen, | |
| ‘Pray tarry you here in this grove; | 15 |
| And see that you all observe well my call, | |
| While thorough the forest I rove. | |
| |
| We have had no sport for these fourteen long days, | |
| Therefore now abroad will I go; | |
| Now should I be beat, and cannot retreat, | 20 |
| My horn I will presently blow.’ | |
| |
| Then did he shake hands with his merry men all, | |
| And bid them at present good-by: | |
| Then, as near a brook his journey he took, | |
| A stranger he chanced to espy. | 25 |
| |
| They happened to meet on a long narrow bridge, | |
| And neither of them would give way; | |
| Quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily stood, | |
| ‘I’ll shew you right Nottingham-play’. | |
| |
| With that from his quiver an arrow he drew, | 30 |
| A broad arrow with a goose-wing. | |
| The stranger reply’d, ‘I’ll liquor thy hide. | |
| If thou offerest to touch the string.’ | |
| |
| Quoth bold Robin Hood, ‘Thou dost prate like an ass, | |
| For were I to bend but my bow, | 35 |
| I could send a dart, quite thro’ thy proud heart, | |
| Before thou couldst strike me one blow.’ | |
| |
| ‘Thou talkst like a coward,’ the stranger reply’d; | |
| ‘Well arm’d with a long bow you stand, | |
| To shoot at my breast, while I, I protest, | 40 |
| Have nought but a staff in my hand.’ | |
| |
| ‘The name of a coward,’ quoth Robin, ‘I scorn, | |
| Wherefore my long bow I’ll lay by, | |
| And now, for thy sake, a staff will I take, | |
| The truth of thy manhood to try.’ | 45 |
| |
| Then Robin Hood stept to a thicket of trees, | |
| And choose him a staff of ground oak; | |
| Now this being done, away he did run | |
| To the stranger, and merrily spoke: | |
| |
| ‘Lo! see my staff it is lusty and tough, | 50 |
| Now here on the bridge we will play; | |
| Whoever falls in, the other shall win, | |
| The battle, and so we’ll away.’ | |
| |
| ‘With all my whole heart,’ the stranger reply’d, | |
| ‘I scorn in the least to give out;’ | 55 |
| This said, they fell to’t without more dispute, | |
| And their staffs they did flourish about. | |
| |
| At first Robin he gave the stranger a bang, | |
| So hard that it made his bones ring: | |
| The stranger he said, ‘This must be repaid, | 60 |
| I’ll give you as good as you bring. | |
| |
| ‘So long as I am able to handle my staff, | |
| To die in your debt, friend, I scorn.’ | |
| Then to it each goes, and followed their blows, | |
| As if they’d been threshing of corn. | 65 |
| |
| The stranger gave Robin a crack on the crown, | |
| Which caused the blood to appear; | |
| Then Robin, enraged, more fiercely engaged, | |
| And followed his blows more severe. | |
| |
| So thick and so fast did he lay it on him, | 70 |
| With a passionate fury and ire; | |
| At every stroke, he made him to smoke, | |
| As if he had been all on fire. | |
| |
| O then into fury the stranger he grew, | |
| And gave him a damnable look, | 75 |
| And with it a blow, that laid him full low, | |
| And tumbled him into the brook. | |
| |
| ‘I prithee, good fellow, where art thou now?’ | |
| The stranger, in laughter, he cried; | |
| Quoth bold Robin Hood, ‘Good faith, in the flood, | 80 |
| And floating along with the tide. | |
| |
| ‘I needs must acknowledge thou art a brave soul, | |
| With thee I’ll no longer contend; | |
| For needs must I say, thou has got the day, | |
| Our battle shall be at an end.’ | 85 |
| |
| Then unto the bank he did presently wade, | |
| And pulled himself out by a thorn; | |
| Which done, at the last, he blowed a loud blast | |
| Straightway on his fine bugle-horn: | |
| |
| The echo of which through the valleys did fly, | 90 |
| At which his stout bowmen appeared, | |
| All clothed in green, most gay to be seen, | |
| So up to their master they steered. | |
| |
| ‘O, what’s the matter?’ quoth William Stutely, | |
| ‘Good master you are wet to the skin.’ | 95 |
| ‘No matter,’ quoth he, ‘the lad which you see | |
| In fighting, hath tumbled me in.’ | |
| |
| ‘He shall not go scot-free,’ the others reply’d, | |
| So straight they were seizing him there. | |
| To duck him likewise: but Robin Hood cries, | 100 |
| ‘He is a stout fellow, forbear. | |
| |
| ‘There’s no one shall wrong thee, friend, be not afraid; | |
| These bowmen upon me do wait; | |
| There’s three score and nine; if thou wilt be mine, | |
| Thou shalt have my livery straight. | 105 |
| |
| ‘And other accoutrements fit for a man; | |
| Speak up, jolly blade, never fear: | |
| I’ll teach you also the use of the bow, | |
| To shoot at the fat fallow-deer.’ | |
| |
| ‘O, here is my hand,’ the stranger reply’d, | 110 |
| ‘I’ll serve you with all my whole heart; | |
| My name is John Little, a man of good mettle; | |
| Ne’er doubt me, for I’ll play my part.’ | |
| |
| ‘His name shall be alter’d,’ quoth William Stutely, | |
| ‘And I will his godfather be: | 115 |
| Prepare then a feast, and none of the least, | |
| For we will be merry,’ quoth he. | |
| |
| They presently fetched him a brace of fat does, | |
| With humming strong liquor likewise; | |
| They loved what was good; so, in the green wood, | 120 |
| This pretty sweet babe they baptize. | |
| |
| He was, I must tell you, but seven foot high, | |
| And, may be, an ell in the waist; | |
| A pretty sweet lad; much feasting they had; | |
| Bold Robin the christening graced, | 125 |
| |
| With all his bowmen, which stood in a ring, | |
| And were of the Nottingham breed; | |
| Brave Stutely comes then, with seven yeomen, | |
| And did in this manner proceed: | |
| |
| ‘This infant was called John Little,’ quoth he; | 130 |
| ‘Which name shall be changed anon: | |
| The words we’ll transpose; so wherever he goes, | |
| His name shall be called Little John.’ | |
| |
| They all with a shout made the elements ring; | |
| So soon as the office was o’er, | 135 |
| To feasting they went, with true merriment, | |
| And tippled strong liquor gillore. | |
| |
| Then Robin he took the pretty sweet babe, | |
| And clothed him from top to the toe | |
| In garments of green, most gay to be seen, | 140 |
| And gave him a curious long bow. | |
| |
| ‘Thou shalt be an archer as well as the best, | |
| And range in the greenwood with us; | |
| Where we’ll not want gold nor silver, behold, | |
| While bishops have ought in their purse. | 145 |
| |
| ‘We live here like ’squires, or lords of renown, | |
| Without e’er a foot of free land; | |
| We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale, and beer, | |
| And everything at our command.’ | |
| |
| Then music and dancing did finish the day; | 150 |
| At length, when the sun waxed low, | |
| Then all the whole train the grove did refrain, | |
| And unto their caves they did go. | |
| |
| And so ever after, as long as he liv’d, | |
| Although he was proper and tall, | 155 |
| Yet, nevertheless, the truth to express, | |
| Still Little John they did him call. | |
