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his mother promised him a whipping. Robin did not like that cheer, and therefore to avoid it he left his mother, and ran away.

After that Robin Goodfellow had gone a great way from his mother's house, he began to be a-hungry, and going to a tailor's house he asked something for God's sake. The tailor gave him meat; and understanding that he was masterless, he took him for his man, and Robin so plied his work that he got his master's love.

On a time his master had a gown to make for a woman, and it was to be done that night. They both sat up late, so that they had done all but setting on the sleeves by twelve o'clock. His master then being sleepy, said, Robin, whip thou on the sleeves, and then come thou to bed. I will to bed before." "I will," said Robin.

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So soon as his master was gone, Robin hung up the gown, and taking both sleeves in his hands, he whipped and lashed them on the gown. So stood he till his master came down in the morning. His master, seeing him stand in that fashion, asked him what he did? "Why," quoth he, as you bid me, whip on the sleeves." rogue," said his master, "I did mean that thou shouldest have set them on quickly and slightly." "I would you had said so," said Robin, "for then had I not lost all this sleep." To be short, his master was fain to do the work; but ere he had made an end of it the woman came for it, and with a loud voice chafed for her gown. The tailor, thinking to please her, bid Robin fetch the remnants that they left yesterday (meaning thereby meat that was left); but Robin, to cross his master the more, brought down the

remnants of the cloth that were left of the gown. At the sight of this his master turned pale; but the woman was glad, saying, "I like this breakfast so well, that I will give you a pint of wine to it." She sent Robin for the wine, but he never returned again to his master.

After Robin had travelled a good day's journey from his master's house he sat down, and being weary, he fell asleep. No sooner had slumber taken full possession of him, and closed his long-opened eyelids, but he thought he saw many goodly proper personages in antic measures tripping about him; and withal he heard most exquisite music. As delights commonly last not long, so did these end sooner than he would willingly they should have done, and for very grief he awaked; then found he lying by him a scroll, wherein was

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written these lines following, in golden

letters:

"Robin, my only son and heir,
How to live take thou no care:
By nature thou hast cunning shifts,
Which I'll increase with other gifts.
Wish what thou wilt thou shalt it have.
And for to vex both fool and knave,
Thou hast the power to change thy shape,
To horse, to hog, to dog, to ape.
Transformed thus, by any means

See none thou harm'st but knaves and queans.
But love thou those that honest be,
And help them in necessity.

Do thus, and all the world shall know
The pranks of Robin Goodfellow;
For by that name thou called shalt be,
To age's last posterity.

If thou observe my just command,
One day thou shalt see Fairyland.'

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Robin having read this was very joyful, yet longed he to know whether he had this power or not; and to try it he wished for some meat; presently it was before him. Then wished he for beer and wine, he straightway had it. This liked him well; and because

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