Part 1 (1/2)

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

by Howard Pyle

PREFACE

FROM THE AUTHOR TO THE READER

You who so plod aive yourself up even for a few short moments to mirth and joyousness in the land of Fancy; you who think that life hath nought to do with innocent laughter that can hares are not for you Clap to the leaves and go no farther than this, for I tell you plainly that if you go farther you will be scandalized by seeing good, sober folks of real history so frisk and caper in gay colors and ed to them Here is a stout, lusty felloith a quick teoes by the naentle lady before whom all the others bow and call her Queen Eleanor Here is a fat rogue of a fellow, dressed up in rich robes of a clerical kind, that all the good folk call my Lord Bishop of Hereford Here is a certain felloith a sour terihareat, tall, reenwood and joins in homely sports, and sits beside the Sheriff at merry feast, which saenets--Richard of the Lion's Heart Beside these are a whole host of knights, priests, nobles, burghers, yeoars, peddlers, and what not, all living thebut a few odd strands of certain old ballads (snipped and clipped and tied together again in a score of knots) which draw these jocund fellows here and there, singing as they go

Here you will find a hundred dull, sober, jogging places, all tricked out with flowers and what not, till no one would know the a well-known name, wherein no chill mists press upon our spirits, and no rain falls but what rolls off our backs like April showers off the backs of sleek drakes; where flowers bloo; where every fellow hath a merry catch as he travels the roads, and ale and beer and wine (such as muddle no wits) flow like water in a brook

This country is not Fairyland What is it? 'Tis the land of Fancy, and is of that pleasant kind that, when you tire of it--whisk!--you clap the leaves of this book together and 'tis gone, and you are ready for everyday life, with no hars between here and No-man's-land

Will you come with me, sweet Reader? I thank you Give me your hand

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I HOW ROBIN HOOD CAME TO BE AN OUTLAW 1 II ROBIN HOOD AND THE TINKER 14 III THE SHOOTING MATCH AT NOTTINGHAM TOWN 27 IV WILL STUTELY RESCUED BY HIS COMPANIONS 38 V ROBIN HOOD TURNS BUTCHER 50 VI LITTLE JOHN GOES TO NOTTINGHAM FAIR 61 VII HOW LITTLE JOHN LIVED AT THE SHERIFF'S 68 VIII LITTLE JOHN AND THE TANNER OF BLYTH 81 IX ROBIN HOOD AND WILL SCARLET 92 X THE ADVENTURE WITH MIDGE, THE MILLER'S SON 102 Xl ROBIN HOOD AND ALLAN A DALE 115 XII ROBIN HOOD SEEKS THE CURTAL FRIAR 129 XIII ROBIN HOOD COMPassES A MARRIAGE 145 XIV ROBIN HOOD AIDS A SORROWFUL KNIGHT 156 XV HOW SIR RICHARD OF THE LEA PAID HIS DEBTS 172 XVI LITTLE JOHN TURNS BAREFOOT FRIAR 186 XVII ROBIN HOOD TURNS BEGGAR 202 XVIII ROBIN HOOD SHOOTS BEFORE QUEEN ELEANOR 222 XIX THE CHASE OF ROBIN HOOD 243 XX ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBOURNE 262 XXI KING RICHARD COMES TO SHERWOOD FOREST 281 EPILOGUE 300

How Robin Hood Cane to Be an Outlaw

IN MERRY ENGLAND in the ti Henry the Second ruled the land, there lived within the green glades of Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham Town, a famous outlahose naray goose shaft with such skill and cunning as his, nor were there ever such yeoh the greenwood shades Right merrily they dwelled within the depths of Sherwood Forest, suffering neither care nor want, but passing the ti upon the King's venison, washed doith draughts of ale of October brewing

Not only Robin himself but all the band were outlaws and dwelled apart from other men, yet they were beloved by the country people round about, for no one ever caain with an empty fist

And noill tell how it came about that Robin Hood fell afoul of the law

When Robin was a youth of eighteen, stout of sinew and bold of heart, the Sheriff of Nottingha match and offered a prize of a butt of ale to whosoever should shoot the best shaft in Nottinghao too, for fain would I draw a string for the bright eyes of ot and took his good stout ye and a score or more of broad clothyard arrows, and started off froham

It was at the dawn of day in the reen and flowers bedeck the meadows; daisies pied and yellow cuckoo buds and fair pries; when apple buds blosso, the lark at dawn of day, the throstle cock and cuckoo; when lads and lasses look upon each other with sweet thoughts; when busy housewives spread their linen to bleach upon the bright green grass

Sas the greenwood as he walked along its paths, and bright the green and rustling leaves, aht and , thinking of Maid Marian and her bright eyes, for at such tihts are wont to turn pleasantly upon the lass that he loves the best

As thus he walked along with a brisk step and a merry whistle, he careat oak tree Fifteen there were in all,as they sat around a huge pasty, to which eachhis hands into the pie, and washi+ng down that which they ate with great horns of ale which they drew all foah Each reen, and a fine show theytree Then one of theoest thou, little lad, with thy one-penny bow and thy farthing shafts?”

Then Robin grew angry, for no stripling likes to be taunted with his green years