Calico Classics Illustrated: Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
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
Dusty was the highway and dusty the throat of the messenger His heart was glad when he saw the Sign of the Blue Boar Inn He saw a party of jovial fellows beneath a spreading oak There was a tinker two barefoot friars and six of the King’s foresters Come join us cried one of the foresters to the tired messenger The messenger was glad enough to sit down for his limbs were weary and the ale was good What news bears you so fast asked one Where do you ride today The messenger was a chatty soul and he told his news The jolly tinker said By my own name Wat o the Crabstaff I will meet this rogue Robin Hood Having paid their bill the messenger and the tinker started back to Nottingham One bright morning soon after this Robin Hood started off to Nottingham to fi nd what was a-doing there As he walked down a shady 10
lane he saw a tinker coming On the tinker’s back hung his bag and his hammer In his hand he carried a crabstaff a full six feet long Tell me your news good friend said Robin Hood Tinkers I know are all as full of news as an egg of meat I come to seek a bold outlaw called Robin Hood Perhaps you know him yourself my good fellow said the Tinker That I do somewhat I have seen him this very morn You had better watch your arrest warrant or else he may steal it out of your very pouch Let him but try cried the Tinker He made his heavy cudgel to spin Here we are at the Sign of the Blue Boar Let us taste his brown October ale Robin suggested The host knew well how to keep a still tongue in his head Robin Hood and his band were the best of customers So when Robin 11
