Calico Classics Illustrated: Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Robin took his bow and strung it right skillfully Then he nocked a broad arrow raised the bow and drew the grey good feather to his ear The arrow sped down the glade as a hawk skims in a northern wind High leaped the noblest deer of the herd only to fall dead Ha How do you like that shot good fellow The wager is mine and it was 300 pounds cried Robin Nay Know you not that you have killed the King’s deer By the laws of our King Harry your ears should be shaven close to your head The fi rst man who had spoken sprang to his feet Ay and I’ll hurry you along He sent an arrow whistling after Robin The arrow fl ew within three inches of his head Then Robin quickly sent an arrow back in return The shaft fl ew straight The archer fell forward with a cry His arrows rattled around him from out of his quiver Before the others could gather their wits Robin Hood was gone into the depths of the greenwood 6
And so Robin came to dwell in the greenwood that was his home for many a year to come Two hundred pounds were set upon his head as a reward for whoever would bring him to the court of the King The Sheriff of Nottingham swore he would bring this knave to justice for two reasons First he wanted the 200 pounds Also because the forester Robin had killed was kin to him Robin Hood lay hidden in Sherwood Forest for one year He gathered around him many others like himself For one cause or another all had come to Sherwood to escape wrong and injustice They vowed that they would take back from their tyrants what had been wrung from the poor But to the poor folk they would give a helping hand in need and trouble The people began to praise Robin and his merry men and tell tales of him and his doings in Sherwood Forest 8
2 Robin Hood and the Tinker The Sheriff of Nottingham offered eighty golden angels to anyone who would serve his warrant for arrest on Robin Hood Two weeks passed and no one came forward to do the Sheriff’s business The Sheriff said I marvel that no one has come to take on the task One of his men said Good master you do not know the force Robin Hood has about him No one likes to go on this service for fear of cracked heads and broken bones I will send elsewhere There must be men of mettle somewhere in this land Then he called a messenger and told him to go to Lincoln Town to see if he could fi nd anyone there who would do his bidding 9
