ROBIN HOOD AND THE BEGGAR II

 1. Attend and listen, gentlemen,
 That are descended of high-born blood ;
 I'll tell you of a brave beating
 That befell Robin Hood.

 2. Robin Hood, upon a day,
 Went forth himself alone,
 And as day came from Barnsdale
 Into a fair evening,

 3. He met a beggar on the way,
 Who was walking sturdily;
 He had a pike-staff in his hand,
 That was both stark and strong.

 4. A patchy cloak was about him,
 That kept him from the cold;
 The thinnest part of it, I guess,
 Was thicker than twenty fold.

 5. His meal-bag hung about his neck,
 Inside a leather pouch,
 Fastened well with a broad buckle,
 That was both stark and strong.

 6. He had three hats upon his head,
 All stuck together;
 He cared neither for wind nor rain,
 In lands wherever he passed.

 7. Good Robin approached him in his way,
 To see who the beggar might be;
 If the beggar had any money,
 He thought he would have some part of it.

 8. "Stay, stay," good Robin says,
 "Stay, and speak with me."
 The beggar acted as if he had not heard him,
 And went as fast as he could on his way.

 9. "It must not be so," says good Robin,
 "No, you must stand still."
 "By my truth," says the bold beggar,
 "Of that I have no desire.

 1O. "It is far to my lodging-house,
 And it is growing late;
 If they have supper ready before I arrive,
 I will feel terribly bashful."

 11. "Now, by my truth," says good Robin,
 "I can see by your fare,
 If you go along happy to your supper,
 Of mine you'll take no care.

 12. "If I should want my dinner all the day,
 And know not where to sleep,
 And should I go to the tavern,
 I need money to buy.

 13. "Sir, you must lend me some money,
 Until we two meet again."
 The beggar answered crankily,
 "I have no money to lend.

 14. "You are a man as young as I,
 And seem to be as understanding;
 If you fast until you get money from me,
 You shall have nothing to eat this year."

 15. "Now, by my truth," says good Robin,
 "Since we are gathered here,
 If you have but a small farthing,
 I'll have it before you go.

 16. "Therefore, lay down your patched cloak,
 And do not stand any longer,
 And loosen the strings of all of your pockets;
 I'll rip them with my hand.

 17. "And now to you I make a vow,
 If you make any noise,
 I shall see if a broad-arrow
 Can pierce a beggar's skin."

 18. The beggar smiled, and made this answer:
 "It would be far better to let me be;
 Do not think that I will be afraid
 Of your staff of crooked tree.

 19. "Or that I will fear you a little bit
 For your bunch of pointed sticks;
 I know no use for them so apt
 As for them to be pudding-pricks.

 20. "Here I dare you to do me ill,
 For all your boistrous fare ;
 You'll get nothing from me but ill,
 If you would seek it ever after."

 21. Good Robin bent his noble bow-
 He was an angry man-
 And in it set a broad arrow,
 Yet before it was drawn a span,

 22. The beggar, with his noble staff,
 Gave him so round a rout
 That his bow and his broad-arrow
 In splinters flew about.

 23. Good Robin grabbed for his sword,
 But that proved likewise vain ;
 The beggar struck his hand
 With his pike-staff again,

 24. I know he might not draw a sword
 For forty days and more;
 Good Robin could not speak a word,
 His heart was never so sore.

 25. He could not fight, he could not flee,
 He knew not what to do ;
 The beggar, with his noble staff,
 Laid lusty blows upon him.

 26. He hit good Robin back and side,
 And beat him up and down,
 And with his pike-staff still laid on
 Till Robin fainted and fell.

 27. "Fie! stand up, man," the beggar said,
 "It is a shame to go to rest;
 Stay still till you get your money counted,
 I think it were for the best.

 28. "And afterward go to the tavern-house,
 And buy both wine and ale;
 Your friends will laugh very loudly,
 As if you have been telling a joke."

 29. Good Robin never answered a word,
 But lay still as a stone;
 His cheeks were white as any clay,
 And swollen were his eyes.

 30. The beggar thought him dead,
 And boldly went away.
 I wish you had been at the greenwood,
 And seen part of the play.

 31. Now three of Robin's men, by chance,
 Came walking on the way,
 And found their master in a trance,
 On the ground where he did lie.

 32. They have taken good Robin up,
 Making a piteous moan,
 Yet they saw no man there with whom
 They might discuss the matter.

 33. They looked all round about,
 But saw no wounds on him,
 Yet at his mouth came bleeding out
 The blood of a good vein.

 34. They have taken cold water,
 And cast it into his face ;
 Then he began to lift his eyes,
 And speak within short space.

 35. "Tell us, dear master," said his men,
 "How with you stands the case?"
 Good Robin sighed before he began
 To tell of his disgrace.

 36. "I have been watchman in this wood
 For nearly forty years,
 Yet I was never so hard beset
 As you have found me here.

 37. "A beggar with a patched cloak,
 From whom I feared no ill,
 Has with a pike-staff clawed my back ;
 I fear it shall never be well

 38. "See, where he goes out over that hill,
 With hat upon his head ;
 If ever you loved your master well,
 Go now revenge this deed.

 39. "And bring him back again to me,
 If it lies in your might,
 That I may see, before I die,
 Him punished in my sight.

 40. "And if you may not bring him back,
 Let him not go loose;
 For to us all it were great shame
 If he escaped again."

 41. "One of us shall remain with you,
 Because you're ill at ease ;
 The other two shall bring him back,
 To use him as you please."

 42. "Now, by my truth," said good Robin,
 "I believe there's enough been said ;
 If he gets chance to weild his staff,
 I fear you'll both be beaten."

 43. "Don't be afraid, our good master,
 That we two can be defeated
 By any common beggar,
 Who has nothing but a staff.

 44. "His staff shall stand him in no stead ;
 That you shall shortly see ;
 But back again he shall be led,
 And fast bound shall he be,
 To see if you will have him slain,
 Or hanged on a tree."

 45. "But cast you slyly in his way,
 Before he is aware,
 And on his pike-staff lay hands first;
 You'll speed the better far."

 46. Now we leave Robin with his man,
 Again to play the child,
 And learn to stand and go
 By crutches, for all his age.

 47. Now we pass to the bold beggar,
 That ran over the hill,
 Who never changed his pace
 For he had done no ill.

 48. Robin's young men knew the country well,
 So sooner to be where the beggar was,
 they have taken another way,
 nearer by three miles.

 49. They rudely ran with all their might,
 Spared neither dub nor mire,
 They stirred neither at length nor height,
 No travel made them tire,

 50. Until they went before the beggar,
 And they inquired about his way;
 A little wood lay in a glen,
 And there they both did stay.

 51. Tbey stood up closely by a tree,
 On either side of tbe gate,
 Until the beggar came to them,
 Who thought not of such fate.

 52. And as he was between them passing,
 They both lept upon him;
 One gripped his pike-staff fast,
 They feared for its blows.

 53. The other held the beggar in his sight
 A drawn sword to his breast,
 And said, "False churl, drop your staff,
 Or I shall administer your last rites."

 54. His pike-staff they have taken from him,
 And stuck it in the green ;
 He was full sad to let it go,
 It might have been helpful him.

 55. The beggar was the most fearful man
 Of one who ever might be;
 He could not run away,
 Nor help himself with his staff.

 56. He knew not why he was taken,
 Nor how many men were there;
 He thought his life-days were at an end,
 And grew into despair.

 57. "Grant me my life," the beggar said,
 For him that died on the tree,
 And take away that ugly knife,
 Or, for fear, I'll die.

 58. "I never greaved you in all my life,
 Lately nor yet earlier ;
 You have great sin, if you should slay
 A silly poor beggar."

 59. "You lie, false liar," they say again,
 "By all that may be sworn ;
 You have nearly slain the gentlest man
 That ever yet was born.

 60. "And back again you shall be led,
 And fast bound you shall be,
 To see if he will have you slain,
 Or hanged on a tree."

 61. The beggar then thought all was wrong;
 Their minds were set for his undoing;
 He saw nothing appearing then
 But ill back upon worse.

 62. Were he out of their hands, he thought,
 And had again his staff,
 He should not be held back for nothing,
 By such men as he did see.

 63. Then he though for a while,
 If it could take effect,
 How he might the young men beguile,
 And give them a lesson.

 64. Thus, to do them shame or ill
 His beastly breast was bent;
 He found the wind grew shrill,
 Which furthered his intent.

 65. He said, "Brave gentlemen, be good,
 And let thid poor man be;
 When you have taken a beggar's blood,
 It helps you not at all.

 66. "It was but in my own defence,
 If he has gotten beaten ;
 But I will make a recompence,
 Much better for you both.

 67. "If you will set me safe and free,
 And do me no danger,
 A hundred pounds I will give to you,
 And much more good silver.

 68. "I have gathered it these many years,
 Under this patched cloak,
 And hid it up wonderously private,
 In the bottom of my pocket."

 69. The young men went to council,
 And let the beggar go;
 They know well he had no speed
 To run away from them,

 70. They thought they would take the money,
 What so may come after,
 And that they would not bring him back,
 But in that part slay him.

 71. Good Robin would not know
 That they had gotten money ;
 It would content him for them to show
 That they had slain him there.

 72. They said, "False churl, soon have done
 And bring forth that money .
 For the ill turn you have done
 It is but a simple fee.

 73. "And yet we will not bring you back,
 What so may come after,
 If you will do that which you have spoken,
 And pay us a present."

 74. Then he loosened his patched cloak,
 And spread it on the ground,
 And thereon he laid many a pocket,
 Between them and the wind.

 75. He took a great bag from his neck;
 It was nearly full of flour ;
 There were at least two pounds in it,
 And more, I know full well.

 76. Upon his cloak he laid it down,
 The bag he opened wide,
 He began to turn the same bag over,
 The young men readily spied,

 77. In every hand he took a fist
 Of that great leathern flour,
 And with a fling that flour he shook
 Into their faces hailing.

 78. Wherein he blinded them so much
 they could not see;
 And then in his heart he did rejoice,
 And grabbed his lusty staff.

 79. He thought if he had done them wrong
 In flouring of their clothes,
 To strike off the flour again
 With his pike-staff.

 80. Before either one of them could raise their eyes,
 Or yet a glimmering could see,
 Each one of them had a dozen strokes,
 Well laid on with the staff.

 81. The young men were swift of foot,
 And boldly ran away;
 The beggar could hit them no more,
 For all the haste he may have made.

 82. "What causes this haste?" the beggar said,
 "May you not stay,
 Until your money has been received ?
 I'll pay you with good will.

 83. "The shaking of my pockets, I fear,
 Has blown into your eyes;
 But I have a good pike-staff here
 That will clean them out."

 84. The young men answered never a word,
 They were dumb as a stone ;
 In the thick wood the beggar fled,
 Before they opened their eyes.

 85. And since the night became so late,
 To seek him was but vain:
 But judge you, if they looked bashful
 When they came home again.

 86. Good Robin asked how they had fared ;
 They answered him, "Full ill."
 "That cannot be," good Robin says,
 "You have been at the mill.

 87. "The mill it is a flour-filled place,
 They may eat what they please;
 Most likely you have been at that art,
 One would guess by looking at your clothes."

 88. They hanged their heads, and dropped down,
 A word they could not speak.
 Robin said, "Because I fell into a faint,
 I think you'll do the same.

 89. "Tell of the matter, less and more,
 And tell me what and how
 You have done with the bold beggar
 I sent you for right now."

 90. And then they told him to an end,
 As I have said before,
 How that the beggar did blind them,
 Who would need to know more.

 91. And how he lined their shoulders broad
 With his great truncheon-tree,
 And how in the thick wood he fled,
 Before they could see.

 92. And how they scarcely could go home,
 Their bones were beaten so sore:
 Good Robin cried, "Fie! Out, for shame!
 We're shamed forever more,"

 93. Although good Robin would full desire
 Of his wrong to be revenged,
 He smiled to see his merry young men
 Had gotten a taste of the staff.