THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD.* CHAPTER VII. BY MAURICE THOMPSON. ROBIN HOOD AND THE KING, FOLLOWING the advice of a shrewd forester, King Edward took five of his noblest and bravest knights and went to an abbey, where they procured monkish clothing and disguised themselves as ecclesiastics, the King donning the Abbot's apparel. Thus completely transformed in appearance, they set out to search for Robin Hood, guided on their way by the forester, and followed by servants with pack-horses. As they rode through the forest, they heard the woodwile singing in the cool, shadowy tops of the trees. The King was in a very gay mood. He felt sure that Robin and his men could not penetrate his disguise or in any way discover his identity. The guide, who, as I am inclined to think, was really one of Robin's company, led the way directly toward the trystel tree; but before they reached it they were seized by some of Robin Hood's watchful foresters, who took them to dine with the chief, as was their custom when they captured a rich company. Robin took hold of the King's horse, and said: "Sir Abbot, we are yeomen and freemen of this forest. We are the protectors and guardians of the poor against the oppression of the rich. You grind the bread from our poor people to make you fat. Now, in turn, I shall take from you your money, and divide it among the poor." desired to become friendly with Edward, and get his royal sanction to live unmolested in the forest he loved so well. He bowed before the seal, and said: "I love my King above all men. In token of my delight at this good word from the comely and generous Edward, I bid you welcome to this forest, and you shall dine with me under my trystel tree." He took the King by the hand, and courteously led him to the space where the yeomen usually dined. Here he caused a sumptuous meal to be spread. There was fat venison and roasted pheasants and broiled trout, with wine and ale. Robin lifted his bugle horn, so famous in song and story, and blew a cheery blast upon it. In response there came from all parts of the forest seven score yeomen, all dressed in green mantles and armed with beautiful yew bows. Each of them in turn knelt on the ground before Robin Hood, as a sign of their respect for him and of their readiness to do his bidding. "This is a rare and beautiful sight," thought King Edward. "This outlaw's men are more obedient and deferential to him than are my men to me!" When the dinner was ready, Robin Hood and Little John waited upon the King, doing everything in their power to please and entertain him. "Eat and be merry, Sir Abbot," said Robin, graciously, "and a blessing on you for the good tidings you have brought from the King. Before you leave, I will show you how we live and how we King Edward, adopting the tone and manner of sport in the greenwood, so that you may tell the an abbot, said in reply: "I have but fifty pounds left. I have been with the King and his nobles at Nottingham, and have spent a great deal there. What I have left I give you freely.” Robin took one-half of the money and gave it to his yeomen; the rest he returned to the supposed abbot, saying as he did so: "Keep this-I do not wish to cause any one to suffer. We shall meet again some day." This strange generosity touched the King. He drew forth his broad seal, and handing it to Robin, said: "The King sends you his seal with greeting, and cordially invites you to come to him at Nottingham and partake of his royal hospitality." Robin knew the seal was genuine. He felt a thrill of delight run through him. He had long King when you go back to Nottingham." The meal being now over, Robin Hood suddenly gave a sharp signal, whereupon his men sprang up and seized their bows in an instant. The King was terribly frightened. He thought that he and his followers were to be slain outright. He was mistaken, however, as he soon discovered. The yeomen were merely preparing to give an exhibition of archery. Willow rods, two yards long, and peeled so as to be bright and white, were set up to be shot at. The King was surprised when he saw the great distance to the marks. His bowmen could not shoot so far with any accuracy by at least forty yards. A garland of wild roses was hung on each rod or wand. "Now," said Robin to his men, "whosoever shall miss the garland at which he aims shall for* Copyright, 1882, by Maurice Thompson. feit his arrow and shall receive a buffet with the hand on the side of his head. No one shall be spared." So they began to shoot, Robin joining in the game. One yeoman missed his aim, and Robin struck him a powerful slap, making the fellow's head ring and ache. Gilbert with the white hand, Little John, and Scathelock shot surpassingly well, as did many others of the merry foresters. When it came Robin's turn to shoot he excelled them all, cleaving the garland with every shaft save the last, which by some mischance flew more than three finger's-widths wide of the mark. Gilbert with the white hand said: "Master, you must take your buffet. You have missed. Stand out, and take what we all have to accept when we fail." said Robin. "Sir Abbot, I deliver my forfeited arrow to you. Here, deal me a buffet on the side of the head." Robin was cunning. He knew that the churchmen did not work or take any manual exercise; wherefore their hands were soft and their muscles weak. A blow from the Abbot's hand, he thought, would not be much to bear. "It does not become one of my order to strike a man," said the King, speaking as an abbot might. "I fear I may hurt you." "Strike away!" exclaimed Robin, KING EDWARD, DISGUISED AS A MONK, DEALS ROBIN HOOD A SOUNDING BLOW. turning the side of his head to the King. "I give had penetrated the disguise, and all of a sudden you full liberty. It is our rule." Then the King rolled up his sleeve and struck Robin Hood a tremendous slap, which knocked him almost flat upon the ground. The yeomen were astonished. How could an ecclesiastic show such strength? Surely there must be some mistake. he knew that Edward stood before him. At the same instant the knight, Sir Richard at the Lea, also recognized the King. They both knelt upon the ground, and Robin said: "I know you now, my King, and I beg your mercy for myself and all my merry men." 66 Upon one condition I can grant your request," said the King: you and all your company shall go with me to my court and enter into my service." "I promise," said Robin. "I will take seven score and three of the best archers in the world into your service." And now a happy thought came into Edward's mind. He procured from Robin's store green mantels for himself and his followers, which they put on, and they took bows in their hands. "Now," merrily cried the King, "let us go back to Nottingham all together, as a band of good fellows." So off they went, shooting at marks on the way. Robin and the King rode side by side through the green groves and along the shady lanes, their men following in a jolly mood, singing and talking together. Robin and Edward gave each other heavy buffets whenever the mark was missed by either,the winner buffeting the loser, and they did not spare each other a whit, but laid on with full power. The people of Nottingham were greatly frightened when this rollicking band of bowmen came into the town. They knew the uniform of the outlaws, and supposed that their King had been killed, and that Robin Hood had come with his men to murder them all. They all, old and young, male and female, rich and poor, fled, and left the town deserted. Edward enjoyed their consternation; but he called them back and ordered a great feast. He pardoned the outlaws, and restored the estates of Sir Richard at the Lea. All the people of the country rejoiced, and feasted, and danced under the trees. When the King went back to London, Robin and his men accompanied him, and they were made a part of the Royal Band of Archers. For a time this life at the King's court was pleasant; but the men began at length to long for their old happy days under the greenwood tree. So, one by one, they slipped away and went back to the forest, to chase the deer and shoot the pheasant in freedom. Finally, one day Robin went and knelt before the King, saying: "My Lord, the King of England, I beg to go back and visit Barnesdale. These seven nights I have not slept a wink, and for seven days I have not been able to eat even a morsel of food. I pray you, let me go." rived in the forest near his trystel tree. The birds he loved so well were singing everywhere. The perfume of wild flowers loaded the air. He was delighted. A fat hart came bounding along. Robin bent his bow and brought down the game. Then he blew his bugle horn, as he had done of old. The merry blast went echoing through the groves, and the lurking yeomen, hearing it, knew that their beloved chief had returned. They flocked around him and fell upon their knees. Once more they all were happy and free. For twenty-two years longer Robin Hood lived in the greenwood. The King could not get him to again give up his merry life for all the gayeties and splendors of the court. CHAPTER VII. THE DEFEAT OF SIR WILLIAM. THE years went merrily by. Robin Hood and his bold men refused to submit to the King's authority, because he upheld the right of the rich nobles to oppress the poor by exacting exorbitant taxes from them. Many expeditions were fitted out and dispatched against the outlaws. All were disastrously unsuccessful, though at times Robin was forced to fly from town to town for fear of treachery. At last the outlaw chief was beginning to grow old and his strength was failing somewhat, when the King ordered Sir William, a bold and powerful knight, to take a hundred of the very best of the English bowmen, and go make an end of the rebellion of the foresters. "Go to bold Robin Hood," said the King, "and tell him to surrender to my authority, or else he and his men shall all be killed. Take a hundred of my strongest and truest archers, armed in the best manner, and lead them into the forest till you find the outlaws." Sir William answered that he would do the King's bidding, and that he would fetch Robin Hood, dead or alive, to the court. It was midsummer when this carefully chosen company set out for the greenwood to search for the merry bowmen of Sherwood and Barnesdale. Their spears and swords, their bows and arrows, and their gay uniforms, shone bravely as they marched along. When they had reached the forest, Sir William 66 You may be gone seven days and no longer," bade his men halt and stay there with their bows said the King. ready, while he went to summon the outlaws to sur Robin thanked him, and seizing his good bow render. In the midst of a grove, under a tent or he made haste to reach the greenwood. It was a beautiful spring morning when he ar VOL. X.-42.. canopy, he found Robin, who, when told to surrender, stood up and defied the King and all his armies. "So long," he cried, "as I have seven score brave archers to do my bidding, I never will be controlled by any king or his officers. Tell them this for me." CHAPTER IX. THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD. Sir William then attempted to take Robin by ALL accounts affirm that Robin Hood lived to a surprise, but one of the foresters, Locksley by very old age, and at last died by treachery. He name, frustrated his plan. had a cousin, who was the prioress of a nunnery Robin Hood blew his horn. The knight, Sir called Kirklees, and when he was aged and infirm, William, blew his. In a moment the followers of each rushed to the spot and formed about the leaders. A terrible and bloody fight ensued, in which Sir William was killed and his men driven from the forests. This was the last effort made to subdue the merry greenwood rovers. Thenceforth they were left free to dwell in the forests unmolested. They shot the deer and caught the trout, they helped the poor tillers of the soil against the usury and tithe-taking of the rich, until at last wiser laws were enacted, and the blessing of freedom was secured to all. and suffering from an attack of disease, he went to her to be bled. In those days, blood-letting was considered a remedy against many kinds of illness. Robin was very sick when he reached the gate of the nunnery, where he was met by his cousin. Little thinking of treachery, he suffered her to conduct him to a room and open a vein in his arm. There he was left bleeding. The door of the room was locked, and the window was too high above ground to admit of jumping out. He remained in this state till the next day at noon, when he thought to blow a blast on his horn. It was but a quavering and feeble sound. One faithful soul caught it, however. Little John was lingering about, waiting to see his beloved master. When he heard the mournful blast, he sprang up and hurried to the nunnery. He broke locks and dashed open doors until he reached the room where Robin lay dying. He fell on his knees, and begged to be allowed to burn Kirklees Hall and all the nunnery; but Robin said: "No, I never hurt a woman in my life, nor a man in company with a woman, and I will not allow such a thing to be done now. But string my bow for me, and give me it and a broad arrow, which I will shoot from the window, and where that arrow falls there let my grave be dug. Lay a green sod under my head and another at my feet; and lay my bent bow by my side, for it has always made sweet music for me." The arrow that Robin shot fell under a tree, and there the bold chief was buried. His death was probably near the year 1300. Some worthy historians have doubted whether such a man as Robin Hood ever lived, and have classed the stories of his exploits among the myths of the past. It is hardly probable, however, that this is the correct theory. The safer and more reasonable conclusion would seem to be that Robin Hood really reigned in the forests as represented, but that many of the stories about him have been exaggerated by the ballad singers and early writers of England. I have taken what I thought to be the simplest and most authentic incidents of the outlaw's life, and have put them together for the This request was complied with by Little John. benefit of my young friends. THE END. A BACK-YARD PARTY. ONE evening bright there was a sight BY PALMER COX. All gazed in wonder-well they might - A neighbor's yard is smooth and hard, It may have been a wedding scene A birthday party, or soirée, But this is plain, whatever train Had brought the rogues that way, The household cat, so sleek and fat, And only leaves the rug or mat So nought was there to harm or scare That danced and played in light and shade, No slaves were they to fashion's sway, For some wore gauze or summer straws, Beside the gate, upon a crate That once held earthen ware, He scraped and paw'd and chopped and saw'd, Though oft his bow would run as though While at his side, in pomp and pride, "To partners bow the first, and now 'T was charming fun to see them run, The smallest mouse about the house, Danced half an hour with grace and power- |